then slumped over. “Why?” he asked for the hundredth time. “Why would she leave me without a word? If they went on holiday, she’d have told me in advance.”
And for the hundredth time, Patrick answered, “I don’t know, Finn. It’s a mystery.”
Finn took a deep breath and leaned back on his hands. “Somethin’s not right.” Focused on the heavens, he called out, “I’ve been prayin’ for a sign.” Then more quietly, he added, “If God knows where she is, he ain’t talkin’.”
“I’m sure wherever she is, she’ll be callin’ you when she can.”
“ If she can.” Finn put his head in his hands and began to shake. Tears burned the back of his eyes.
“None of that, now. C’mon. The Irish ignore everything they can’t drink or punch.”
“I wish I knew who to punch,” Finn said. “Lord knows the drink ain’t workin’.”
Chapter 4
Rory leaned against the bathroom door of apartment 1B and crossed his arms. “You can stay in there as long as you want, darlin’. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
“You will when you need the facilities,” she called out.
She didn’t need to raise her voice. His dragon senses were a little sharper than a human’s—even when he was in human form.
She thinks she has me beat. Well, let’s see if I can have a little fun with her first. “I have a nice sink here in the kitchen. Don’t think I won’t use it.”
She gasped. “You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, but I would. You see, this apartment belongs to me, and I can do anythin’ I darn well please in it.”
“Gross,” she exclaimed.
The lock clicked and the door opened, but only a crack. “I can’t let you ruin my apartment. Why don’t we call the bathroom neutral territory?”
“I guess we could do that.” He smiled and winked at her. “For now.”
She opened the door slowly. “Let’s add the kitchen to that list.”
“Why not? I don’t suppose either of us likes our food raw.” His breath could whip up a nice barbecue, but he couldn’t tell her that.
She slipped out of the bathroom, then made a quick right turn and dashed into the bedroom. She shot him a grin of satisfaction. “I claim the only bedroom.”
He shrugged. “Fine by me. I have the whole living room, which appears to be the bigger area.”
Her lush lips compressed into a hard line, and her pretty hazel-green eyes narrowed.
A knock sounded at the apartment door, followed by Morgaine’s voice. “Amber…are you in there?”
“Damn,” Amber muttered under her breath. Without leaving the bedroom, she yelled, “Yes. I’m here. Come on in.”
The front door opened slowly. Both managers walked in. Sly strode over and stood by Rory. Morgaine carried a handbag to Amber.
“Are you two talking this out?” Morgaine asked as she handed Amber her purse.
Amber looked relieved. “Thanks.” She reached into it and withdrew her cell phone.
Now she can call in reinforcements . Speaking of which, where were his siblings?
Rory tried to appear nonchalant. “We’re workin’ on it. You wouldn’t happen to know where me sisters are, would you?”
“Chloe signed their lease, then said they were going shopping,” Morgaine replied.
“They said they’d get a few things for you,” Sly added. “I told them where the grocery store is, as well as where to buy a futon. Since they’re on foot, I imagine they’ll have to have that delivered. If you two don’t work this out, you could spend an uncomfortable night or two on the floor.”
“So let me get this straight,” Amber said. “My signature on the lease means nothing? You’re going to let this big oaf stay in my apartment until one of us gives up and leaves?”
“Or until your check clears,” Morgaine said. “Neither of us are lawyers, and we were hoping you’d have resolved this on your own.”
Amber stared at Rory. “Oh, it’ll clear. Are you sure you want your sisters buying furniture for this place?”
“I’m a man of simple tastes. A futon and
And for the hundredth time, Patrick answered, “I don’t know, Finn. It’s a mystery.”
Finn took a deep breath and leaned back on his hands. “Somethin’s not right.” Focused on the heavens, he called out, “I’ve been prayin’ for a sign.” Then more quietly, he added, “If God knows where she is, he ain’t talkin’.”
“I’m sure wherever she is, she’ll be callin’ you when she can.”
“ If she can.” Finn put his head in his hands and began to shake. Tears burned the back of his eyes.
“None of that, now. C’mon. The Irish ignore everything they can’t drink or punch.”
“I wish I knew who to punch,” Finn said. “Lord knows the drink ain’t workin’.”
Chapter 4
Rory leaned against the bathroom door of apartment 1B and crossed his arms. “You can stay in there as long as you want, darlin’. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
“You will when you need the facilities,” she called out.
She didn’t need to raise her voice. His dragon senses were a little sharper than a human’s—even when he was in human form.
She thinks she has me beat. Well, let’s see if I can have a little fun with her first. “I have a nice sink here in the kitchen. Don’t think I won’t use it.”
She gasped. “You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, but I would. You see, this apartment belongs to me, and I can do anythin’ I darn well please in it.”
“Gross,” she exclaimed.
The lock clicked and the door opened, but only a crack. “I can’t let you ruin my apartment. Why don’t we call the bathroom neutral territory?”
“I guess we could do that.” He smiled and winked at her. “For now.”
She opened the door slowly. “Let’s add the kitchen to that list.”
“Why not? I don’t suppose either of us likes our food raw.” His breath could whip up a nice barbecue, but he couldn’t tell her that.
She slipped out of the bathroom, then made a quick right turn and dashed into the bedroom. She shot him a grin of satisfaction. “I claim the only bedroom.”
He shrugged. “Fine by me. I have the whole living room, which appears to be the bigger area.”
Her lush lips compressed into a hard line, and her pretty hazel-green eyes narrowed.
A knock sounded at the apartment door, followed by Morgaine’s voice. “Amber…are you in there?”
“Damn,” Amber muttered under her breath. Without leaving the bedroom, she yelled, “Yes. I’m here. Come on in.”
The front door opened slowly. Both managers walked in. Sly strode over and stood by Rory. Morgaine carried a handbag to Amber.
“Are you two talking this out?” Morgaine asked as she handed Amber her purse.
Amber looked relieved. “Thanks.” She reached into it and withdrew her cell phone.
Now she can call in reinforcements . Speaking of which, where were his siblings?
Rory tried to appear nonchalant. “We’re workin’ on it. You wouldn’t happen to know where me sisters are, would you?”
“Chloe signed their lease, then said they were going shopping,” Morgaine replied.
“They said they’d get a few things for you,” Sly added. “I told them where the grocery store is, as well as where to buy a futon. Since they’re on foot, I imagine they’ll have to have that delivered. If you two don’t work this out, you could spend an uncomfortable night or two on the floor.”
“So let me get this straight,” Amber said. “My signature on the lease means nothing? You’re going to let this big oaf stay in my apartment until one of us gives up and leaves?”
“Or until your check clears,” Morgaine said. “Neither of us are lawyers, and we were hoping you’d have resolved this on your own.”
Amber stared at Rory. “Oh, it’ll clear. Are you sure you want your sisters buying furniture for this place?”
“I’m a man of simple tastes. A futon and
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