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“Sorry!” I bite my lip and glance down at my stomach. Damn my hunger ruining the mood.
“I’m starving too, sweetheart,” he says before pressing a soft kiss on my stomach. “And besides, we’ve got the whole week together.”
“I know,” I breathe as I look into his eyes. The thought of an entire week in this beautiful hotel room with him makes me tremble with anticipation.
“I am going to enjoy doing filthy things with you, Mrs. Ryan,” he growls.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy it even more, Mr. Ryan.”
Chapter 7
Jessie
After breakfast in our room the following morning, Shane and I meet up with Erin in the hotel lobby. I could barely hide my disappointment when he told me that she would be joining us today too, but I suppose this is a business thing and that’s what she’s here for. Shane has hired us a town car with a driver for the week and when the huge, sleek black car pulls up outside the hotel, he opens the door for me and I climb inside and scoot along to the edge of the seat. Erin climbs in next and sits in the middle beside me and I curse under my breath. I hadn’t thought that through. Now she’ll be sitting beside Shane instead of me.
Shane pokes his head inside the car and he looks at the two of us. “Unless you want to sit on my lap, sweetheart, I’d suggest we rethink this seating situation,” he flashes an eyebrow at me.
I look to Erin beside me. “Can you scoot over, please?” I ask, forcing a smile.
She rolls her eyes so hard I think they may have fallen into her brain.
“You really want to sit next to Shane while he’s feeling me up on his lap the entire way?” I ask and that seems to do the trick as she slides along the seat with a deep sigh and I scoot into her place.
“Thank you,” Shane says as he steps inside and sits beside me.
I lean close to him and he rests his warm hand on my thigh. I fidget and pull at the hem of my dress, not used to wearing them, and Shane takes hold of my hand to stop me. This dress is one of the ones Conor chose for me. Shane packed it in his suitcase, knowing full well that all I would bring would be jeans and tank tops, which I am much more comfortable in. I’m grateful he did though. I would have felt out of place otherwise.
Erin, as usual, is effortlessly chic and stylish. I have to give her that. She is to clothes what peanut butter is to jelly.
I sit back in the seat and we drive to the venue in almost silence. The air is thick with tension and I feel the frustration seeping into Shane the closer we get to our destination. His fingers flex in my hand and his chest is rigid as we drive through the streets of Belfast. From the little he’s told me, this event today has been put on just for him. A chance for all of his father’s friends and associates to see him after all this time and pay their respects, but mostly to talk business — notably, who is going to take over operations in Ireland now that Patrick is dead.
As soon as we get inside the pub where the gathering is happening, Shane is accosted by a group of men who all offer their condolences and push glasses of whiskey into his hands. They try to usher him into a corner of the room which is full of men in suits drinking and smoking cigars. He looks at me apologetically but I smile at him. “I’ll be fine,” I mouth.
“I’ll look after her,” Erin says coolly.
Shane frowns at her as I almost pass out with shock, but I hide my surprise. “Go,” I say to him and he winks at me before disappearing into the crowd.
“Shall we get a drink?” Erin says as she turns to me.
I look behind me to see if she’s speaking to somebody else, but there is no one else here. “Umm. Yes, okay,” I say and then I follow her to the bar where she orders us each a whiskey. “I don’t have any money with me,” I whisper as I look around the room for Shane.
She rolls her eyes. “Relax. You don’t need any when you’re with Shane. He takes care of everything,” she says and there is a sadness in her voice. As much as she annoys me, I understand how much it must hurt her to see the two of us together.
The bartender hands us each a whiskey over ice and I raise mine to Erin. “Cheers,” I offer.
“Cheers.” She actually smiles at me and clinks her glass against mine. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to a few people,” she says with a nod of her head and I follow her into the crowd wondering for a second who she is and what the hell she’s done with the real Erin.
She makes a beeline for a small group of men standing at a table on the other side of the room.
“Sean?” she says as she reaches them and the man with his back to her turns and smiles.
“Erin McGrath?” he grins at her. “How long has it been?”
“Not long enough, Sean,” she smiles at him and reaches back for me before pulling me to stand beside her. “This is Jessie. Shane’s girlfriend.”
“Hi,” I say, extending my hand and feeling incredibly awkward all of a sudden.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jessie,” Sean says as he takes my outstretched hand and kisses my knuckles.
