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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Nick
Allie swallows hard,and her eyes glisten, but she is a master at hiding her emotions, and seconds later the mask is already firmly in place.
I hold out my hand. “We can talk more later.” Lexie is waiting with Sheldon in the living room. She spins Allie around and lets out a shrill whistle, managing to put a smile back on Allie’s face. “I’ll drive tonight,” I tell the group as we get out of the elevator on the first floor.
Lexie fills the silence from the back seat without even realizing what she’s doing, talking about the upcoming wedding and all the details while Allie listens to her friend’s incessant chatter.
A live band is just getting tuned up when we reach Donovan’s. My hand automatically slides to the small of Allie’s back. The feeling of possession is burning steady and strong as I guide her toward the front of the lounge, where the best table in the house has been reserved for the occasion. Stella gives us a wave on her way back to the bar.
“She’ll be with us next,” Allie informs us, while sliding out of the jean jacket she’s paired with her new dress and exposing her creamy bare shoulders. It's difficult to concentrate on anything but leaving my mark on her skin while she lies beneath me. Stella arrives at the same time that Liam, Trent, Cole, and Nate do. “The rest of the guys had to head out early for an assignment overseas,” Trent tells us before ordering coffee.
“I’ll take the same,” Liam says as he shrugs out of his suit coat and settles into a chair.
“I’m off the clock for tonight and personally plan to live it up,” Cole says, rubbing his hands together. “I’m usually a whiskey fan, but let’s try one of those Smithwick Ales I’ve heard about.
“They’re the best, but they’re not light for beer,” Allie tells him.
“That’s my drink then, little ma'am,” he says to Stella. He glances around the bar. “Nice place. And the band’s not half bad. I hear they have line dancing,” he says, removing his signature cowboy hat.
Sheldon laughs. “You’ll see. Just wait until the real entertainment starts.”
Lexie elbows him, and he pretends she’s injured him. “Help, help!” he laughs.
“I’ll have you know Lexie and I can dance with the best of them. We were just a little bit tipsy the last time.”
Allie raises the glass of ale Stella places in front of her. “To the tipsy Irish maidens who keep the entertainment at Donovan’s fresh. May the memories live in your hearts forever,” she toasts, raising the glass to her lips before it halts midair, her eyes lit up with excitement as she catches sight of something by the door. “Lexie, you didn’t tell me you invited the ladies.”
I follow her gaze, and five ladies are making a beeline toward our table. “I recognize a few of them, but who are the others?” I ask Lexie as Allie gets up to greet them.
“The ones you don’t recognize have probably all been on different floors. The hospital is forever switching nursing schedules to make sure each patient has enough care.”
“I wondered why you reserved such a large table.”
Allie brings the ladies over and introduces them to everyone, and the guys all shuffle around to make room. “Stella, we might need a few pitchers,” Allie sings out just as Matt and Marenah walk in.
“Coming right up. You better get some dinner into you before you drink much more, lass, or you’re not going to be thanking me tomorrow,” she tells her in her strong Irish brogue.
“Stella, you’re right. Menus for everyone, please.” She gives me a sassy wink and heads back to her station for the clear plastic menus and then hands them out around the table.
“I already know what I’m having. The Rueben we had when we were here last time was delicious,” Camellia says to Allie as the others in the group echo their readiness to order too. Stella pulls out her notepad and begins working her way around the table.
“Reuben for me too. Extra sauce on the side, and horseradish for the fries,” Allie says.
Stella smiles as she gets to me. “What’ll it be tonight?”
“I’ll have what she’s having, minus the horseradish. Plain old ketchup works for me.”
Allie takes another sip of her drink. I push the glass out of reach, slide the water toward her hand, and lean in close. “This will do until you get something to eat, love,” I whisper.
She narrows her eyes at me like she does, and I smirk. Even bantering with Allie is exhilarating, and I’ve known that for a long time now. Her hand snakes out toward her mug of beer, but I catch it before her fingers wrap around the glass. I lean close, inhaling the fresh scent of the apricot body wash and whispering in her ear, “That glass has to last you for another half an hour. If it doesn’t, you’re going to be draped across my thighs by the end of the night.”
Her sharp intake of air and the pink flush of her cheeks cause my cock to rub in eager anticipation against the zipper of my pants, but first things first. “We should have a celebratory toast,” I tell the group. “To the hard work from the people around the table, and from those of our team who were not able to come. We did good. We saved a lot of lives today. It’s what makes our job so worthwhile and fulfilling.”
“Cheers,” Cole toasts, and everyone on my team knows that days like this, when we bring men down who hurt women, are exceptionally meaningful to him.
Stella brings our plates out, and the group eats while the band begins playing a set. By the time they take a break, we’ve finished our meals, and the servers are moving tables around to make room for more people on the dance floor. Allie catches Stella on her way around the table with the pitcher and looks at me. “I’ll have you know it’s been almost forty-five minutes. A record dry spell for me at Donovan’s.”
