Beers, Lies and Alibis (Warblers Point Series Book 2) (14 page)

Fiona swallowed hard as she thought about the Irishman she used to date. The man that drove her crazy in bed for two years, the one man that her entire family loved and the one man Booker could not stand.
 

“What’s going on, Murph?”
 

“Ah, darlin’ I’m sorry about ye da. I was at the hospital earlier, but apparently just missed ya.”

He was at the hospital? Even though she turned him down and replaced him with another man, he was still willing to make sure her family was okay.
 

“Oh, I didn’t know you came to the hospital. That was nice of you.”

“I wanted to make sure yer okay.”

There was a knock at Fiona’s door as she was just about to answer. Knowing it was probably Bradon come to rag on her, and hopefully pick up his…items, she headed toward the door.
 

As she opened the door, she said, “Thanks Murph…”

She wasn’t able to finish because the brawny man was standing in her doorframe with his cell phone plastered to his ear. He gave her a gentle smile. That one small gesture sent Fiona over the edge. She flung her arms around Murphy and cried into his very broad and very strong chest. She was trying to be so strong, but she couldn’t do it anymore; everything around her was crumbling.
 

Murphy wrapped his strong arms around her body and lifted her to set her down on the couch. Fiona watched how he kicked the door shut with his foot while balancing her weight on one foot. It was all rather impressive.
 

“It’s going to be okay, lass,” Murphy said, as he sat her down on the couch next to him. He stroked her hair out of her face with one hand while the other was wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her close to his very masculine scent.
 

There was one point in time where she actually thought she loved Murphy, where she thought she was going to marry him, but that was a while ago. That was when she thought a relationship was nothing but connecting in the bedroom. It wasn’t until Booker that she realized she wanted more. She wanted someone to connect with in the bedroom and outside. Unfortunately, Murphy wasn’t much on the talking and more into…fucking.
 

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a mess,” she turned so one of her legs was tucked under her bottom and the other hanging off the couch. “How have you been?”

That was when she really got to take a good look at him. He looked good, extremely good. His face was full of scruff, something she loved about him, his dark hair framed his face and his bright green eyes were encircled by slight crinkles at the corners. He looked so damn good.
 

A flush crept over Fiona’s body at flashes of what she and Murphy used to do together. They used to sit on the couch they were sitting on right now. He would have his arm wrapped round her like he had it now, but instead of his eyes looking into hers, he would have his tongue down her throat and his big hands wandering her body, driving her crazy.

“Fiona?”

“Oh sorry,” Fiona said, shaking her head as her cheeks flamed from embarrassment for staring. “I just haven’t seen you in a while; you look different.”

Murphy gave her a small smile. “That’s what happens when the love of me life flies across the country for another man.”

And her heart just broke in two at the pained look on his face. She didn’t know Murphy was hurting so much. She didn’t know she actually mattered that much to Murphy. He always made reference to wanting her body, but love of his life? That was news to her.
 

“Murph…I don’t…”

Fiona was cut off by her phone ringing.
 

“Excuse me for a second,” she said, as she held up a finger and answered her phone.
 

“Hello?”

“Hey, baby. How’s your dad?”

Booker.

Shit, if he knew Murphy was in her apartment, he would flip the fuck out. Casually, she got off the couch and went to the kitchen to gain a little distance from the oozing sex on a stick that was resting on her couch with his hands behind his neck, showing off a slight patch of skin that led down to below his waistline. Fiona quickly turned around and blocked the image out of her sight.
 

“Hey, uh he’s the same. Stable, but still in a coma.”

“Ah, babe I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?”

“As best as I can.”

There was an awkward silence between them, most likely due to the fight they had right before she left. That and the fact that Murphy Ryan was sitting on her couch looking sexy as sin.
 

“Listen, Fiona. I’m so sorry about not being there with you. I can’t even express to you how sorry I am. I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms, kiss you on the lips and take away all the pain you’re feeling.”

Guilt. Instant guilt washed over Fiona as she heard the pain in Booker’s voice ring through her phone. She shouldn’t be so hard on him. He did have a job that was unlike any other job. It was more demanding, more high profile. It wasn’t like he was working at a pub and could go ask his boss for some bereavement time. No matter what was going on in his life, his work was still moving forward. Production companies didn’t look too highly on delayed projects and didn’t tolerate them. It was all about the bottom line with them.
 

“Booker, I’m sorry. I know you have work you have to do. I didn’t mean to make you feel worse.”

A long breath of air whooshed through the phone from Booker exhaling. “Baby, you did nothing wrong. It’s all me. I promise it won’t always be like this. After tomorrow, I will be headed out to my favorite little town to be with my favorite girl; it can’t come soon enough. I want nothing more than to be with you.”

“For how long?”
 

“As long as I want. I told you…after tomorrow, it’s smooth sailing, babe.”

Relief washed over Fiona as she thought about Booker being with her and actually not having to leave for a while. She knew if they were able to actually spend some time together, they would be able to work out their problems…hopefully.
 

A smile crept over Fiona’s face as she thought about Booker being with her again. She was about to answer him when Murphy interrupted her.
 

“Lass, can I get ya somethin’ to drink?”

She wasn’t quick enough on the draw to cover her phone, she knew Booker heard every word of Murphy’s question and it wasn’t like she could pass him off as one of her brothers, the damn man had a very unmistakable accent.

“Fiona, where are you?” Booker asked, concern lacing his voice.
 

“At my place,” Fiona said quickly, not wanting him to think she was at Murphy’s place, but once she thought about it, it almost seemed worse that she had Murphy over in her apartment.
 

“Why is Murphy in your apartment with you?”

“I can pop some popcorn too, if ye like.”

“And why is he popping popcorn? Fiona, what’s going on?”

In her mind, Fiona willed Murphy to shut the hell up. She envisioned shoving his popcorn up his ass and sticking him in the microwave as heat flew through her body trying to figure out what to do in her current predicament. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought Murphy was talking to her so Booker could hear him on purpose.
 

Wanting to get rid of Murphy, she pushed him out of the close confines of the kitchen and pointed at the sofa. He held up his hands in defense as he quietly sat down.
 

“Fiona…”

“He stopped over to see how I was doing. That’s all.”

“I don’t like him being there.”

“Yeah, well you’re not here and he wanted to comfort me.”

Why did she just say that? It was like she was subconsciously trying to sabotage the best thing that ever happened to her, even if it was a little rocky at the current moment.
 

Silence fell between them. Fiona wanted to take back what she said, but she was too damn stubborn to do so. So instead, she waited for him to reply.
 

“I got to go.”

That wasn’t what she was expecting. He wasn’t even going to put up a fight? Was their relationship that bad that he was just going to give up on her? Especially right now when things were getting hard for them? Her thoughts upset her instantly.
 

“Fine. And you know what, don’t even bother coming out here. I don’t need you.” Yup, we went into full immature, brat mode. Very mature on her end.
 

“Fiona…”

“Bye Booker.” She hung up her phone and powered if off because she knew if she didn’t, he would be bothering he all night with his calling and texting.
 

She turned toward Murphy, put on a bright smile and joined him on the couch.
 

Murphy rubbed one eye and said, “Boy, did that escalate quickly.”

Fiona couldn’t help but laugh. The way he said it with his boyish charms made her throw her head back and just say fuck it. This was what her life was right now, a screwed up relationship, both parents in the hospital and an extremely attractive Irishman on her couch. She had to laugh at the absurdity of everything.

“I guess. Ugh, my life is so fucked up right now.”

Murphy ran his hand up Fiona’s arm and, for some odd reason, she didn’t push him away. What was wrong with her? Was she really that desperate for comfort that she would play with the idea of letting Murphy touch her all over her body? She looked into his blazing eyes and thought, yes, she was that desperate.
 

“It will get better, lass.”

He leaned closer and Fiona knew what was coming next. She could read Murphy like an open book. She knew every little cue he had before he was about to kiss her and he was hitting every mark. A light touch, bedroom eyes, leaning forward while he looked at her lips, yup he was going in for the kill and good God, she wasn’t stopping him.
 

“Will it?” she asked, while searching his eyes and then looking down at his lips. Fire ran through her body as she thought about the many passionate kisses she once shared with Murphy. An aching throb started taking place in her lower half as she contemplated what she was going to do. Should she kiss him? Should she let him continue touching her like he was? Should she rip her shirt off and straddle his lap, allowing him to run his hands all over her body?
 

Fuck yes, she should. She needed something. She needed some kind of comfort. She needed to be taken away from the world that was crashing down on her.
 

Leaning forward, she licked her lips and grabbed his head, just as her front door flew open.

Finn stood in her doorway with one hand on his hip and his other hand holding his phone to his ear.
 

“Yup, she’s right here,” Finn said into the phone, as he handed it to her and then pulled Murphy off the couch and escorted him out the door, whispering something harshly to him.
 

“What Booker?”
 

“What do you mean, what? You hung up on me. What is going on Fiona? I know you’re upset, but honestly, I’m trying here.”

He was right. She was being a massive Bitch and oh God, she almost cheated on Booker. That thought brought down all her stubborn walls and caused her to lose it…for the hundredth time that day. At this rate, she was going to be dehydrated by midnight if she didn’t start drinking more water.
 

She calmed the raging anxiety that took place in her gut at the thought of almost cheating on Booker. Relief, for once that day, ran through her mind as she silently thanked Finn for walking in on her and Murphy before something serious happened.
 

“I’m just stressed,” Fiona said, in between sniffles.
 

“I know babe and I promise when I get there I will ease that stress for you, okay? I just…I just don’t trust him.”

He shouldn’t trust her either, Fiona thought as her close encounter with Murphy ran through her head.
 

“There is nothing to worry about,” Fiona lied.
 

“Okay. I’m sorry about everything. I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too. I’ll talk to you later.”

Fiona hung up and handed the waiting Finn back his phone. She knew he wanted to talk about what he just walked in on, but she was not in the mood for a brotherly lecture, so instead, she started making up the couch because hell if she was going to sleep in that twisted-up sex den that used to be her bedroom.
 

“Fiona…”

“Not now, Finn. I just want to get some sleep.”

“Okay, but stay away from him. The Sheila is good for you.”

Fiona breathed out a heavy breath as she lay down on her bed. “The Sheila also put a wedge between me and my family.”

“The only one putting a wedge between you and your family is you, Fiona. And if you’re not careful, you’ll put a wedge big enough between you and Booker that you won’t be able to remove it. Need I remind you of the zombie-like state you were in when Booker flew back to California? You’re no good without him. He is your other half…not Murphy.”