2
" So yes,” Sean gave me a pointed look, “I approve of it wholeheartedly. In fact, seduce her again.”
I coughed, choking on nothing, and sputtered, “What? What did you say?”
“I said seduce her. And do it now. She has more unresolved feelings for you than Jennifer has for Brad.” He paused, then added, “And do a good job. Do a great job.”
I stared at him for several seconds, dumbfounded. “Of course I’ll do a great job.”
Sean pointed at me accusingly. “I’m serious. Look up some moves or watch some videos, do whatever it takes to make sure she enjoys herself.”
Now I was offended. “Fuck you, Sean. Of course she’ll enjoy herself. She’ll like it so much she’ll beg for-”
“Hey.” My teammate narrowed his eyes, slicing his hand through the air. “I don’t need or want to know the specifics. I’m just saying, take good care of her. Take excellent care of her. Give her everything she needs. And don’t be selfish.”
“I won’t be.” I shook my head with the denial, staring at Sean.
Staring at him because . . .
Did he just tell me to seduce his cousin? "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
5
" I arched a brow. “Something funny?”
Her mouth formed a tight line. “Nope.”
I approached her. “You sure?”
Her gaze flicked to mine, then away. “Uh-huh.”
“Okay, then.” I turned and headed over to grab the last of our things.
“It’s just . . .” Eilish began and then trailed off.
“Yes?”
She shook her head and finally let her giggles flow free. I couldn’t help smiling, too, even though I wasn’t entirely sure an inconvenient hard-on warranted so much laughter. It was infectious all the same.
She gestured to the retreating group of tourists. “I studied German at school, so I can pick out certain words. One of the women commented about you to her friend.”
I smirked. “Oh yeah? What did she say?”
She dabbed the wetness from the corners of her eyes. “Something along the lines of a bratwurst big enough to feed an army.”
My smirk died. “I wish I hadn’t asked.”
“Really? I thought men enjoyed compliments about that . . . particular area.”
“They do. But armies are generally made up of a bunch of blokes.” I arched a brow meaningfully. A loud burst of laughter escaped her, and she clamped her hand over mouth. God, she was too fucking adorable.
She sucked in a breath, finally calming down from her fit of giggles. “You’re too much, Bryan Leech.”
“That’s what the German ladies think anyway,” I deadpanned, my smirk returning.
Eilish burst into laughter all over again. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
12
" I just turned thirty and only now am I starting to appreciate all the things I used to think were boring. You know Will? Will Moore, the American, built like a brick wall?”
She nodded.
“I don’t know if you saw yesterday when you stopped by, but he and I live together now. And keep this between you and me, but most of the time we’d both prefer to stay in and play Scrabble than go out clubbing with the rest of the squad,” I said and winked.
Then I tried not to grimace because I’d just winked at her.
Why the hell am I winking?
She gave a light chuckle, “Yeah, I think I guessed that from the episode outside your neighbor’s apartment.”
I didn’t let her comment faze me, instead I plastered on a carefree smile. “I’ll have you know women all over the country would be queuing up to catch a glimpse of me in my PJs. You should count yourself lucky.”
“Oh really?” she challenged. “Who are these women? The same ones who go to Daniel O’Donnell concerts and play bingo on a Friday night?”
I glared at her playfully. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I don’t know why any man would sleep naked when they could be wearing a pair of flannel jimjams. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
15
" Jogging down the stairs and out the door leading to the player’s hallway, I rehearsed what I would say.
I would say, Hello, Bryan. I have a bit of time before the end of the day. Perhaps I could take a look at your knee.
Or, I might say, Bryan, let’s have a look at your knee. I hear it’s still giving you trouble.
Or maybe, Bryan, I understand you’re having a bit of trouble with your knee. If you have time before the end of the day—
“Eilish.”
I stopped short, almost colliding with William Moore. Automatically, his beefy hands reached to steady me.
“William. Sorry. Sorry about that.” I backed up a step and out of his grip, counting three other players behind him, and swallowed with some difficulty when I realized Bryan was one of them.
“You okay?” William asked, dipping his chin to catch my eye.
I nodded, looking beyond him, and pointed at Bryan. “You.”
Bryan stiffened, his eyes widening. “Me?”
“Yes. You. Meniscus tear. Follow me,” I said, turned away from him, and promptly grimaced.
Real smooth, E.
Real professional.
Great job.
That wasn’t weird at all.
Leading the way to the training room, I didn’t wait to see if he’d followed. I was too busy berating myself for speaking like Tarzan.
So much for rehearsing. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
16
" Trash first. Then supplies.
Stepping forward, I kicked a pile of takeout containers to one side, wanting to clear a path to the cabinets so I could look for latex gloves. But then I stopped, stiffening, an odd scratching sound coming from the pile I’d just nudged with my foot.
Turning back to it, I crouched on the ground and lifted a greasy paper at the top of the mess. And that’s when I saw it.
A cockroach.
In Ireland.
A giant behemoth of a bug, the likes I’d only ever seen on nature programs about prehistoric insects.
Okay, perhaps I was overexaggerating its size. Perhaps not. Honestly, I didn’t get a chance to dwell on the matter, because the roach-shaped locust of Satan hopped onto my hand.
I screamed.
Obviously.
Jumping back and swatting at my hand, I screamed again. But evil incarnate had somehow crawled up and into the sleeve of my shirt. The sensation of its tiny, hairy legs skittering along my arm had me screaming a third time and I whipped off my shirt, tossing it to the other side of the room as though it was on fire.
“What the hell is going on?”
I spun toward the door, finding Ronan Fitzpatrick and Bryan Leech hovering at the entrance, their eyes darting around the room as though they were searching for a perpetrator. Meanwhile, I was frantically brushing my hands over my arms and torso. I felt the echo of that spawn of the devil’s touch all over my body.
“Cockroach!” I screeched. “Do you see it? Is it still on me?” I twisted back and forth, searching.
Bryan and Ronan were joined in the doorway by more team members, but I barely saw them in my panic.
God, I could still feel it.
I. Could. Still. Feel. It.
Now I knew what those hapless women felt like in horror movies when they realized the serial killer was still inside the house. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
18
" So,” I cleared my throat, unable to tolerate his moans of pleasure and praise any longer, “uh, what are your plans for the weekend?”
“The weekend?” He sounded a bit dazed.
“Yes. This weekend. What do you have planned? Planning on busting up any parties?” I asked lightly, not wanting him to know that I was unaccountably breathless. I moved to his other knee and discarded the towel.
“Ha. No. Not unless those wankers down the hall give me a reason to.” Removing his arms from his face, Bryan’s voice was thick, gravelly as he responded, “I, uh, have some furniture to assemble.”
“Really?” Surprised, I stilled and stared at the line of his jaw. The creases around his mouth—when he held perfectly still—made him look mature and distinguished. Actually, they made him even more classically handsome, if that was even possible.
“Yes. Really. Two IKEA bookshelves.”
I slid my hands lower, behind his ankle, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, I prompted, “That’s it?”
“No.” He sighed, hesitated, then added, “I need to stop by the hardware store. The tap in my bathroom is leaking and one of the drawer handles in the kitchen is missing a screw. I just repainted the guest room, so I have to take the excess paint cans to the chemical disposal place; it’s only open on Saturdays before noon. And then I promised my mam I’d take her to dinner.”
My mouth parted slightly because the oddest thing happened as he rattled off his list of chores.
It turned me on.
Even more so than running my palms over his luscious legs.
That’s right. His list of adult tasks made my heart flutter.
I rolled my lips between my teeth, not wanting to blurt that I also needed to go to the hardware store over the weekend. As a treat to myself, I was planning to organize Patrick’s closet and wanted to install shelves above the clothes rack. Truly, Sean’s penchant for buying my son designer suits and ties was completely out of hand. Without some reorganization, I would run out of space.
That’s right. Organizing closets was something I loved to do. I couldn’t get enough of those home and garden shows, especially Tiny Houses, because I adored clever uses for small spaces. I was just freaky enough to admit my passion for storage and organization.
But back to Bryan and his moans of pleasure, adult chores, and luscious legs.
I would not think about Bryan Leech adulting. I would not think about him walking into the hardware store in his sensible shoes and plain gray T-shirt—that would of course pull tightly over his impressive pectoral muscles—and then peruse the aisles for . . . a screw.
I. Would. Not.
Ignoring the spark of kinship, I set to work on his knee, again counting to distract myself. It worked until he volunteered, “I’d like to install some shelves in my closet, but that’ll have to wait until next weekend. Honestly, I’ve been putting it off. I’d do just about anything to get someone to help me organize my closet.” He chuckled.
I’d like to organize your closet.
I fought a groan, biting my lip as I removed my hands, turned from his body, and rinsed them under the faucet.
“We’re, uh, finished for today. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
19
" Jumping into action, I chased after them to the bank of lifts. Sean pressed the button to go down as I caught up to them.
“Talk to me. Give me ten minutes.”
She turned to look at me, a galaxy of emotion in her eyes. “There’s nothing—”
“Please,” I urged, almost begging.
The lift doors slid open and she stepped inside. I followed suit, while Sean hung back. “Actually, I need to use the bathroom. I’ll meet you in the lobby, Eilish,” he said just as the doors closed.
“Sean!” she yelled, but he was already gone.
If looks could kill, Cassidy would be six feet under. Eilish glared at the smooth, polished metal with absolute murder in her eyes.
I, on the other hand, could’ve fucking kissed her cousin. With tongue. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
20
" I left Patrick coloring in his room and darted to the living room, but then I stopped short.
Because William and Sean weren’t alone.
“Bryan,” I said on a gasp, drawing three sets of eyes to me. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer right away. His eyes were wide and surprised as he took in my appearance, trailing over my high heels, bare legs, and form-fitting silk dress. Self-consciously, I glanced at myself again, tugging on the hem.
Bryan’s voice was distracted; as though he were talking to himself, he began, “Holy sh—”
“You look great.” William stepped in front of his teammate and gave me a warm, if sedate, smile.
I frowned at William, then at Bryan—or what I could see of him behind William—then at Sean, who was inspecting my ceiling.
My frown deepened. “What’s going on?”
“Oh,” Sean chirped, imbuing his tone with forced lightness, “I just thought since you were going out, Patrick, Bryan, and I could have a men’s night in. You know, go through the latest Dolce & Gabbana catalogue, play a friendly game of Mario Kart, teach Patrick how to hook in a scrum. The usual. "
― L.H. Cosway , The Cad and the Co-Ed (Rugby, #3)
