Deliver to Dublin...With Care. Aimee Duffy

her nose. ‘This is getting ridiculous though.’

      ‘Don’t give her a hard time. It’s my fault. If I’d just gone to bed alone the first night we were in LA instead of kissing him, we’d still be friends.’

      That’s the part she was struggling with the most. On one hand, she couldn’t regret what happened with Zack – just how it ended between them. On the other, she lost a friend and possibly the best thing that had ever happened to her.

      ‘You can’t help how you felt. I totally get the forbidden lust thing.’ Gem sighed.

      ‘Don’t tell me you met someone you can’t have?’ she asked with faux disbelief, more than happy to change the subject.

      Gem nodded, then took a sip of Ciara’s latte. ‘This is really good.’

      ‘You can have it if you spill. Come on, I want gossip!’ For the first time in ages she actually did. She’d spent so long asking her da about the gossip in town and what happened at work at the end of each day just to keep her mind busy but this was different.

      Gem studied her carefully, probably to make sure a story of boy-meets-girl didn’t set off the waterworks.

      ‘I’m fine, really.’

      Gem nodded. ‘One of my dad’s lab assistants, Brian. I know, the name’s dishwater dull but he’s not. He’s older though, like 34 but the pheromone levels are off the charts. I swear I’m going home every night running through my vibrators like a sex craved maniac.’ Gem shivered. ‘I tingle just thinking about it.’

      She wished Elle was there to stop Gem before she got into the lurid fantasy bit, but she wasn’t and Ciara refused to dwell on the whys. For now. ‘Surely he notices your hotness?’

      Gem’s cheeks actually turned pink – which was a first. ‘I think he feels it too, and he’s definitely into me. I’ve seen him eyeing up my arse.’

      ‘So why are you blushing?’ She had to ask. It was the first time she’d seen Gem embarrassed about anything.

      ‘We were working late on some research and I couldn’t concentrate, I was too revved up! So I kissed him. Just as I thought he was getting into it I took things a step further and he pushed me away.’

      ‘He didn’t want anything to happen?’ That baffled her. Gem was gorgeous.

      ‘Oh he wanted it. His dick was so hard it was bursting out of his trousers.’ Gem’s eyes glazed over and the shiver was back. ‘It’s. HUGE.’

      This was just getting more and more confusing. ‘Why did he stop? Oh, is it because he works for your dad?’

      ‘Not even close. I tried again, even propositioned a night or two of hot, sweaty and kinky sex. I was that desperate! He said he was looking for more than a bit of fun, but if I wanted to date him he’d take me out. Can you believe the nerve? I practically throw myself at him and he says ‘no sex until we’ve dated first’!’

      ‘Isn’t that a good thing? It means he doesn’t want to use you.’ It was more than most guys would do.

      ‘I explained my super orgasm theory and that I reckoned with him it would be beneficial for us to get down and dirty as soon as possible. He laughed at me. Then said that might be true, but if I don’t agree to date him first I’ll never know for sure. Can you believe him?’ Gem fisted her hands, but the blush was brighter than ever.

      ‘Gem, do you want to date him?’ she asked.

      More blushing. Right to the hairline. ‘No. Maybe.’ She threw her hands up in an Elle-like gesture. ‘How would I know? I’ve never dated anyone.’

      ‘Maybe it would be a nice change for you. And I think you really like him too, and not just for what his dick can do for you.’ It would explain the blush and why she was getting all worked up over a guy she hadn’t had sex with.

      Her lips twisted in that way they did when she was thinking something through. ‘I could try it. Then record the progress, like an experiment.’

      Ciara shook her head, wondering why she bothered at all. ‘Or you could just get to know him and he can get to know you, like normal people do when they’re dating.’

      ‘I like the experiment idea better.’

      Ciara grinned, completely unsurprised. ‘I’ve missed your inner geek.’

      ‘Same here! Now are we going back to Blessington to hit the pubs? I can’t wait to be surrounded by Irish men.’ Gem’s eyes glittered again.

      ‘What about Brian?’ she asked, pulling her coat on.

      ‘We aren’t dating yet.’

      Ciara rolled her eyes and left a few coins on the table.

       Week Three

      ‘I bumped into Mrs Hodge this morning,’ her da said as he came into the kitchen.

      Ciara had his dinner on the table for him coming home since she’d only worked the morning shift at the café. It felt good to work, even better to come home at the end of the day and spend some quality time with him.

      ‘Mmm,’ she said, not really caring what Mrs Hodge had to say but it was going to be a long depressing night where she’d send another email to Elle which would no doubt go unanswered, go over and over the reason why she’d lost her friend and end up crying into her pillow when she realised how much she still missed Zack. So she asked, ‘What did she say?’

      ‘You remember her son, Tony? He’s at the high school now but he’s struggling with math. She asked if you’d mind helping him some nights and said she’d give you something for your trouble.’

      ‘Like a tutor?’ she asked, skewering a hunk of cod with her fork and popping it into her mouth.

      ‘I suppose that’s what they’re called,’ he said, joining her at the table. ‘It would be nice if you could find a use for that fancy degree of yours.’

      He dug into his own meal, letting her think things through. He was right of course, if she didn’t do something vaguely math related then she’d wasted four years of her life and a lot of her family’s money. And how hard could it be? She’d been working at college level by the time she hit high school.

      ‘I’ll help,’ she said, feeling a zing of excitement for the first time in weeks. ‘It could be really fun.’

      He tried to hide his smile behind a hunk of fish but she caught it. ‘That’s great, because I told her you’d be round at seven.’

      She rolled her eyes. It had been the same thing with Oxford. He’d applied and then, when she got accepted, planted the suggestion until she came round to the idea. At least this time there wasn’t an argument about it.

      ‘Can’t wait.’

      ***

       To: Elle Muir, Gemma Howard

       From: Ciara Bree

       Subject: Catching up

       Hi girls,

       Just checking in to see what you’ve been up to? Gem, any progress with Brian yet?

       Elle, I really hope you’re settling into the business. Gem tells me your granddad is really proud of how far you’ve come. I’m so happy for you and I bet you’re loving bossing around those interns!

       This week has been crazy busy. I started working at a café in Dublin part-time and twice a week I’m tutoring a local boy in maths. I’m really enjoying it and have just discovered an open learning university are looking for part-time distance learning tutors! It’s got me really excited, but of course I might not get the job.