“I have condoms,” he murmured. “But they’re back in the cottage. I can go get them.”

“I have condoms. And they’re in the bedside table. I bought them after we met,” she admitted.

Danny stretched out on top of her and opened the drawer, then grabbed the box. He quickly sheathed himself and a few seconds later, slipped back between her legs. He kissed her softly, his hands braced on either side of her shoulders, his shaft gently probing at her damp entrance.

It took every ounce of his willpower to wait, to move against her without plunging deep. But with every stroke, she seemed to grow more impatient, her moans tinged with frustration. And when he finally gave in, the sensation of entering her warmth nearly sent him over the edge.

Danny sensed she was close and every now and then, he pulled out and rubbed up against her for a time, before slipping back inside.

Jordan’s breath quickened and he continued to tease her until she was clutching at his shoulders and delirious with need. When the first shudder wracked her body, he knew that he could finally relinquish control.

Jordan arched against him, crying out as her body convulsed in a deep and powerful orgasm. He felt her tighten around him and drove into her one last time, then let himself go, his orgasm exploding deep inside her.

They continued to rock together, slowing the pace as the intensity of their pleasure subsided. It had been so quick, yet so powerful, nothing at all like he’d planned. He’d imagined a long, slow seduction, a gentle teasing before complete surrender.

This had been nothing more than a headlong rush toward mutual orgasms.

Danny pulled her down on top of him then rolled to his side until they faced each other. “Whoever told you that you weren’t good at that ought to have the shite beat out of him on a daily basis.”

“I think he might have been compensating for his own shortcomings,” Jordan said.

“Shortcomings? Really?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Really short shortcomings.”

As he wrapped her in his arms and tucked her body into the curve of his, Danny found a certain satisfaction in the notion that he’d been the best. It was a good place to begin.


THE END OF DANNY’S FIRST WEEK of work was cause for celebration, at least according to him. In Jordan’s mind, they’d been celebrating every night in her bedroom. There hadn’t been any question where he’d sleep at night and each evening, after a late dinner and a sunset hike along the cliffs, they’d climb the stairs and begin a lazy night of lovemaking.

Jordan glanced over at him as he steered the car through the narrow streets of Ballykirk. Though she would have been happy to find their fun between the sheets, Danny had insisted that they go out. His brother Riley was singing at the family pub and everyone would be there.

He pulled the Land Rover into the narrow lane behind the blacksmith shop and stopped it. “Now, don’t worry about meeting the family. You already know Kell, though I think he’s back in Dublin this week. Oh, and Ma and Da are still in Scotland. But you’ll like Riley. And his fiancée, Nan, is American, so you’ll have that in common.”

“I’m not nervous,” she said. “Why would I be nervous?”

He shrugged. “You shouldn’t be. It’s just that the pub can be a wee bit…well, everyone will be happy to meet you, I can promise that.” He jumped out of the car and jogged around to her side, then opened her door. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

She took his hand and got out of the car. “Thank you.”

He let the dogs out of the back, then slipped his arm around her waist. “I know this won’t be anything like the clubs you go to in New York but you’ll have fun, I promise. We’re going to dance and sing and have a few pints. And at the end of the night, I’m going to take you home and make love to you.”

“Can’t we just skip to the last part? I’m really not much of a party girl.”

“If you don’t like it, we’ll leave. But I promise, I’m going to show you a good time.”

“Then let’s go,” Jordan said. “I’m ready…I think.”

The pub was noisy and crowded when they walked inside. Danny wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her through the crowd, calling out greetings to friends as he passed. Jordan pasted a smile on her face and tried to appear friendly.

Suddenly, a beautiful dark-haired girl appeared out of the crowd. “You’re here!” she cried. “And you’ve brought a friend.”

“Nan Galvin, this is Jordan Kennally. My boss and my-”

“His friend,” Jordan interrupted, holding out her hand.

Nan took Jordan’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Hello. I’m Nan. Tiernan, actually, but everyone calls me Nan. I’m the soon-to-be sister-in-law. Not so soon. New Year’s Eve. You’re American. Kellan didn’t mention that. He also didn’t mention how pretty you are.”

“Yes, I’m from New York. And-and thank you.”

“Madison, Wisconsin,” Nan said. “Come on, I’ll get you a drink. Do you like margaritas? No one knew how to make them here. Can you imagine that? I guess they’re not very Irish. Now, everyone is drinking them. I’m not a fan of Guinness. It makes me burp.”

Nan took Jordan’s hand and led her to the bar. She glanced back and waved at Danny and he grinned. “How long have you been in Ireland?” Jordan asked.

“Since July.” She paused and smiled. “I rented the Quinn family cottage for my vacation and decided to stay for the rest of my life. What about you?”

“I’ve been here for sixteen months.”

“Really? That’s a long time. Then I’m sure you’ve been to plenty of pubs.”

“Just for the occasional meal,” Jordan said. “I didn’t really get out much…until Danny.”

“Well, then, we’ll have to make sure you have a grand time, won’t we?” When they reached the bar, Nan shooed a man off his bar stool and offered it to Jordan. When their drinks arrived, she handed the margarita to Jordan and gave a toast.

“To the mighty Quinn brothers. The sexiest men in all of Ireland.”

Jordan clinked her glass against Nan’s then took a sip. The other woman wasn’t at all what she had expected. Her dark hair was cropped short and curled around her face, and though she wore barely any makeup, she was strikingly beautiful in a pure and natural way. “Danny said you’re engaged to his brother Riley. I haven’t met him. I know Kellan, but not him.”

“He’s over there, on stage singing.” She took a sip of her drink, then set it down. “I would warn you off about the Quinn brothers, but I think it would be wonderful for Danny to find someone.”

“Oh!” Jordan was startled. “No, it’s not like that. I can’t fall in love with him. I’m leaving in a month.”

Nan smiled. “Of course you can’t. That’s what I said, too.”

“I’m sure that I won’t-”

“Enough of this!” Danny appeared out of the crowd and took Jordan’s hand. “I want to dance, woman. And there’s no one in this place that I want in my arms but you. Will ya dance with me, Jordan?”

Jordan looked back and forth between Danny and Nan. Though she’d prefer to sit quietly at the bar sipping a drink, this talk of love was too much. She’d known Danny less than a week. “I’m not sure I know how,” Jordan said, turning back to Danny.

“It’s simple,” he said. “I’ll teach you.”

Nan gave Jordan a wave before she disappeared into the crush of people on the dance floor. They walked past the stage and Jordan stopped to watch the singer. Riley Quinn looked like his two brothers, with the same dark hair and pale-blue eyes, the same devilish smile and to-die-for body.

Danny pulled her into his arms. “Just follow me,” he said. And off they went, spinning and stepping around the floor to the crazy rhythm of the music. They bumped into a lot of people, but that seemed to be part of the fun. Gradually, Jordan picked up the steps and before long, she didn’t have to think about her feet at all.

They danced three songs before the tempo slowed to a quiet ballad. Danny drew her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Are you having a good time?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.

Jordan nodded. “I am. I’ve never really danced like that.”

“And now that you have, what would you like to do next?”

“I’d like to kiss you,” she said. “But I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

He brushed his lips against hers. “I think it’s a grand idea. What next?”

“I’d like you to do that again, with just a little more…tongue.”

He did as she asked, capturing her lips with his and slowly tracing them with his tongue. He lingered for a bit, then kissed her deeply and Jordan sank against him, her knees going weak.

The sound of the music and the crowd faded around them and Jordan lost herself in the rush of desire that overwhelmed her body. It had become so easy to need him, and yet it frightened her at the same time.

She hadn’t been prepared to feel this way, to completely surrender to emotion and physical need. But she couldn’t help herself. His touch, his taste, it had become an addiction too overwhelming to resist. When he touched her she felt beautiful and powerful, as if everything in the world were hers to enjoy.

“What else?” he murmured, his lips damp on her cheek.

“I want you to run your hands over my body like you did this morning before we got out of bed. I want to feel your lips on my skin. And I want you to take all my clothes off and I want to take all of your clothes off and-”

“Stop,” he growled.

“Why?”

“Because if you keep talking like that, I’m going to have to leave the pub with a bar tray over my lap.”

Jordan arched against him, her hips meeting his and he groaned again. “Just from talking?”

“You have that effect on me,” Danny said.

“Maybe we should take a walk and get some air,” Jordan said. “We’ll cool off a little bit.”