Ireland is for Lovers

Chapter 6

The next morning--kind of early, I felt, rather than saw or heard, Max sneaking into bed with me. He climbed in, and cuddled up next to me, wrapped his arms around me, and lightly kissed my shoulder. I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed the back of it, and whispered "Hi....."

"Did I wake you up?" he whispered back.

"No, you're fine," I said as I turned over to look at him, then added, "What time is it?"

"Just after 7; go back to sleep, Love....."

I nodded, yawned heavily, and did just that.

We both woke up again a couple of hours later, and went downstairs to have breakfast with his parents. Emily, bless her heart, put up quite a spread. I think she might've been trying to impress me a little, knowing that I pretty much cook for a living.

After breakfast, Max and I were sitting with Pat in the living room, listening to the Irish-equivalent of SportsCenter. I was sitting on the couch with Max, my legs across his lap, sipping my third cup of coffee, when he says to me, "Are you gonna be okay, goin' off with my sister and her friends? I know they're rather curious about you...."

"Babe, I'll be fine.... What are you gonna do while I'm gone?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Mum's probably got some household project she wants me to help Dad with...."

About then, Sophia comes in, sees that I'm lounging on the couch with her brother, and nowhere near being ready to leave, and says "You're not dressed?" (I was still in my Jack pajama pants, and another of Max's t-shirts)

"Gimme 10 minutes?," I said, as I stood up.

She follows me upstairs, and as soon as we're in my room, with the door closed, she turns, and gives me a playful smirk and says, "You two looked pretty cozy down there..... I didn't realize you and Killian were a 'thing' again....."

I shrugged and said, "We're not, really. There's just something....I don't know.... comfortable..... about being with him. When he came to see me, it was almost as if no time had passed," as I was getting dressed.

She goes, "Well, I have it on good authority that he still has feelings for you"

"Did he tell you that?"

"Not in so many words, but yeah. But don't say anythin' to him about it; he told me in the strictest confidence"

"Oh, I won't.... unless he brings it up"

And with that, I grabbed my purse, slipped my shoes on, and we went back downstairs. I kissed Max on our way out the door, and we left.

Sophia and I met up with her two best friends, Claire and Katie, to shop in downtown. Well,they shopped; I mostly just browsed. I figure, the less stuff I have to declare at Customs when I get home, the better. Although, I did find a purse I really liked (I'm into purses the way Carrie Bradshaw was into shoes), as well as an eyeshadow palette from one of the brands from the UK that I love, that hasn't been released in the States yet. I also found a couple of things (for myself) that I thought Max might like.

As I was rifling through the lingerie racks, looking for my size, Sophia says to me with a raised eyebrow, "Looking for something for my brother?"

I laughed and said  with a slight blush, "You could say that....."

I found a black and purple satin-and-lace slip-style nightgown that I went to try on, as well as a hot pink bra-and-panty set (of which, I at least tried on the bra). I poked my head out the dressing room door to see if any of the girls were nearby; thankfully, they had all followed me. I opened the door a little wider, and asked their thoughts on the nightie.

Katie and Claire both said I should get it. Sophia, understandably, had no opinion (this is her brother we're talking about, after all. No one likes to think of their siblings engaging in that sort of thing).

After a couple of hours of shopping, we were all starting to get hungry, so we went to a nearby pizza joint, and had a quick bite. That's when the questions from Katie and Claire started.

They started in with the same things Max's friends wanted to know: where I live, how Max and I met, what kind of work I do, etc.

They both expressed their amazement at the fact that Max and I have managed to remain such good friends, despite having been broken up for all these years.

I explained to them, as I had explained to Matt that time, that we were both working so much there toward the end, that we barely had time for each other. Plus, he had mentioned early on that he was going back to Ireland shortly after graduation, so it just made sense to end things when we did. Thankfully, it was amicable, and we have been able to remain friends.

Then Sophia made a comment to her friends about how cozy Max and I looked when she came to pick me up, at which they both gave me a look.

I told them the same thing I told Sophia: there's something really comfortable about being with him. I also added that after all this time, I think I might still be in love with him. Sophia gave me a look that clearly said 'Ya think?'

After we ate, Claire and Katie left, and Sophia took me back to her parents' house, because the three of them were going to another friend's birthday party later.

We got back, and she walked in with me long enough to speak to her parents. Max was coming out of the kitchen about the time we came in, and followed me upstairs.

He pouted a little when I didn't kiss him right away; I set my shopping bags down, and said "I wanted to wait until I could use my hands," as I snaked my arms around his waist, and reached up to kiss him.

About then, I noticed that my stuff had been moved, and I asked him about it.

"I talked to mum while you were gone; I explained to her that while you and I both respect her point of view, we're both adults, and we would like to share a room for the remainder of the weekend. It took a little persuasion, but finally, she said she wouldn't like it, but she would allow it," he said. I nodded and we both headed towards his (now our) room.

We went in, and I set my bags over by where he had left my stuff, and we both plopped down on the bed. He put his arm around me as I snuggled into him, and he started lightly scratching my shoulder (like he does), and he goes, "So, 'dya have a good time?"

"I did. Claire and Katie are really cool...."

"Find anything amusing?" he asked as he nodded toward the bags I came in with.

"Well....I found a really nice purse, and an eyeshadow palette, and....." I trailed off as I shifted so I could lean up on my elbow so I could brush his hair off of his face a little.

He gives me a quizzical look, so I continue, as my lips turn up into a wicked grin: "....and I found a couple of things, for myself, that I thought you might like....."

"Oh yeah...?"

"Yup," I said with a slight pop on the 'p', as I leaned down to kiss him.

Suddenly, he moved so he was hovering over me, and began kissing me rather passionately. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him closer.

After a few minutes of this, he breaks the kiss and moves so that we're laying side by side again, but this time facing each other, and says, "I had an idea about what we could do tomorrow, if you're game...." as he lightly kisses me again.

"What's that?" I asked as I entwined my legs with his.

"I thought we might take a day trip down to Galway. We never went either time I brought you here, so I figured we could go this time...."

"Yeah, we can do that. Nicole and her husband passed through Galway on their Ireland trip"

"Oh yeah? Did she have any 'must-see' recommendations?

"Yeah. I know she said O'Connell's Bar was definitely worth checking out; I'll have to look at the list she gave me.... later. I'm a little too comfortable at the moment," I said as I snuggled closer into him.