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Cady stops walking and turns to faceass-wipe broke the rules, not you You just got caught in the crossfire He's not worth the ti about him"

Sighing, I grab her arain "I know I mean, deep down, I know But it's so unfair how it all played out I think I' with me?"

"There nothing wrong with you, sweet girl You've just had a run of bad luck, is all Or ht kind of love"

Hmmmmm That made me think

My past relationships were always built on the theory that the more stable and responsible a -ter to lie--I've always had that sweet drea in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and three angelic children running around in the front yard with our perfectly groomed Golden Retriever named 'Beau'

It's what I had envisioned when ICormac He's a pilot with Delta and we met when I started on the Dublin route from JFK He seemed to be the perfect candidate for reat career and roo, this practically equated to solid, relationship material

But I was so wrong So very, very wrong

We finallyran the last two blocks when herus that ere holding everyone up We were both breathless by the ti on to each other so eren't staggering too much

"Coirls We're all in here," Aunt Shannon calls out

Dropping our purses by the front door, we head that way, our ar at Cady as alk in, as she is telling an was locked out of her apartment naked

"It's about tiirls showed up Look e invited to have dinner with us!"

Both of us turn androom table is none other than Cillian He still looks every bit the rock star with his lip rings glea a pair of dress pants and shirt, I' out of respect to my Aunt and Uncle for their dinner invitation He has a shit-eating grin on his face when our eyes make contact while he leans back in his chair, his arht I don't know if it's the wine, or ifthere, orat me, but the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them "Why did you invite him?"

I hear Uncle Keefesound and Aunt Shannon reaches over and pops me on the back of the head "Where are your uest in our home He's practically family"

Not in the least ashamed over my reaction to Cillian, I dutifully duck my head and mumble, "Sorry"

"That's a girl," Uncle Keefe says "In fact, how about you sit over there by Cillian and play nice"

Cillian's grin gets even wider and he re no choice, I take the seat offered and I can practically feel the triu off him

As I scoot my chair in, he leans in to ht, Renner Father O'Grady would have me stapled to the confessional if he knew the direction ht now"

God help me, but his words cause my skin to hum and my head to swim But I don't want hilare at hilare and doesn't flinch or look away In fact, a leisurely smile slides onto his face before he turns to Uncle Keefe

"I appreciate you letting us have our welcoht, Keefe"

"It was my pleasure You know you're welco there this summer for old time's sake?"

I tune out as they continue to talk and concentrate on eating --other than Cillian and his excruciatingly sexy presence sitting next tomy roast up into perfectly sized bites I quarter my potatoes and line them up in a circle I placeready to advance on the bread sitting on the edge ofto take

It doesn't take long and it always happens when you get the Gannon's together, but an argu I've learned that will cause theby When Uncle Keefe, Aunt Shannon, and Cady are reaching a fever pitch over whether Connacht will beat Leinster, Cillian uses the opportunity to talk to me

Leaning slightly over and turning his face to me, he says, "You didn't honestly think you could hide from me, did you?"

I push a carrot around my plate and consider my answer for just a second When I turn to look at hiainst the blatant sensuality I knoill be waiting in his eyes "I had hoped I could hide, but apparently I can't Would it e turn off the way you're stalking me?"

His lips curl up high and his tongue flicks out over his two lips rings "It wouldn'tto me and yourself There's a part of youafter what I want"

Gah, this guy is so arrogant and full of hi There is no part of eous on a scale that even I can't , but I am so not interested in that

It's not my ideal

Wiping my mouth with my napkin, I look at hio pester some other woman with your attention?"