Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (83 page)

“The
Scot is here.” Morgan nodded in response to his statement, and
waited for the look of disappointment on his handsome face. “Good!
Let's give him a ring, he can meet us for a drink.” Morgan's
mouth fell open, and Angel quickly put his finger under her chin and
closed it for her.

“Shit
ain't cute, quit it.” Angel scolded her.

It
took several silent moments for Morgan to respond, but finally, she
nodded and called Finlay.
I'll never understand men.
Never.
Tanner never ceased to
surprise her, and it was one of her favorite qualities in the man.

It
took all of one and a half rings for the big Scot to answer her call.
“The wee man answering yer texts now?” Morgan pulled
her bottom lip into her mouth, her teeth biting hard as she fought
the heat rising from her neck. Angel tsk'd, and she quickly released
it.

“Uhm,
sorry about that. I...uh...,” her eyes met a smiling Tanner,
and he nodded in encouragement, “would you like to meet us for
a drink?” She closed her eyes and was nudged on her side by
Angel's small arm. Finlay's rich voice came through and the trio all
heard his response.

“Aye, I'm in the lounge of my hotel, you....all of you...can
meet me here.” He told her where he was staying, and she
quickly agreed to the meeting.

“See
you in ten minutes.” His hotel was only blocks from her own.
She had actually debated on moving to a room there when she saw it on
her way to her hotel, but had decided to stay in the place that she
had already booked. They ended their call, and she quickly slid her
phone into her back pocket. “Well, this is awkward.”
Tanner and Angel laughed, then the Aussie put his arm around her
waist and pulled her close to his side.

“It's
alright, Love. Just a few drinks with friends is all.” He
squeezed her tighter, until she smiled and nodded.

It
was more than just awkward for her, because she knew that she had to
face the drama of what had happened with Finlay. The only light she
could see in the situation was that Fin wouldn't discuss their
personal business in front of anyone, so it would be postponed a bit
more, and that was certainly a plus in Morgan's world.

Chapter
Four

“
Ya
gotta be joking. Is that where he's staying?” Tanner snorted a
short laugh and ran a hand through his hair, pushing a long, dirty
blonde chunk from his eyes.

“
Yeah,
why?” Morgan answered quickly, and tucked her hands into the
pockets of her jacket. The wind had picked up, making the temperature
feel much colder than it actually was.

“
Me
too,” Tanner laughed again. Of all places in Paris, both the
Aussie and the Scot had ended up in the same hotel. Morgan could only
laugh. She knew neither of them would have wanted her in a separate
hotel. For the moment though, it was another thing she was grateful
for because telling either of the men that she wasn't going to get a
room with them would have added points to the awkward chart.

“
Good,
I can send you to your room if you misbehave!” Morgan nudged
his arm with her elbow and the three of them laughed as they
approached the front door.

“
Me,
misbehave!?” Tanner pointed to his own chest, feigning a look
of shock at Morgan's accusation. “I think you should be more
worried about that one.” Morgan followed his hand with her eyes
and saw that he was pointing at the backside of Angel as the front
door of the hotel closed behind him.

“
Oh
shit.” Morgan brought her hand up to her forehead as she'd done
earlier and sighed even louder. Angel had already entered the
building and there was no telling, nor stopping, whatever was about
to come out of his mouth.

Angel
walked right through the lobby and to the lounge, like he owned the
whole damned hotel. His head was held high, his collar was still
popped and his shoes still shined like a biker's bald head. He saw
Finlay before the Scot saw him and Angel strut across the room, doing
his best runway walk. Before Fin even had a chance to react, Angel
planted a big, wet, kiss on the side of Finlay's face and sat down
across from him, crossing one leg over the other in a fluid motion.

“
Ye
wee arse! Ye cannae be doin that!” Finlay pressed his palm
against his cheek and firmly rubbed the kiss from it, then quickly
rubbed his hand on his jeans to remove the remnants of chapstick from
his palm. “Ye scared the ever living shit out o' me.”
Angel was lucky to not have been hit, just out of a natural reaction
to being surprised.

“
I
see you're still working out,” Angel sighed and reached across
the table, hoping to touch one of Finlay's large biceps. Finlay
adjusted in his chair and was just out of reach for Angel's perfectly
manicured finger. “And you're rocking that beard like a
mothafucka.” Again, Angel reached across the table and Finlay
grabbed his hand and held it down. “Aw, Boo, you're holding my
hand. I'll be honest though, I think this relationship is moving too
quickly.” Angel pulled his hand out from under Finlay's and
brought a finger to his lip. “But if you insist,” he
placed his hand over Fin's and the big Scot used his feet and pushed
his chair away from the table, and put his hands safely on his lap.

“
Stop
it.” Finlay cleared his throat, but couldn't stop the smile
that fought on his lips. Angel had a way of making things awkward,
but he was always amusing and he could see why Morgan loved him so
much. “Where's Morgan?”

“
She's
outside, riding through the mothafuckin' outback with Tan Man,”
Angel said with a straight face. “Where's your baby momma?”
Finlay's head lowered and his gaze landed on his lap. Angel actually
regretted the words he'd just spoken.

“Dead.”
The one and only word was given in response, and it was the word
that Morgan and Tanner heard as they approached the table. Tanner
looked to Angel, but the vacant stare that was returned didn't
explain anything. For right then, Tanner thought it would be best to
change the subject, whatever the subject was, and lighten the mood.
He reached his hand across the table, in front of Angel's face, as he
spoke.

“Finlay,
how are ya, mate?” Finlay stood and smiled, and took Tanner's
hand. The firm grip, a silent gesture, told Tanner that his early
evening was about to get very interesting. A large, yet controlled
smile, took hold of the big Scot's face.

“I'm
well. How are you, uh...?”

“Tanner.
You know good and well that his name is, Tanner.” Morgan
spoke as she pulled their hands apart at the same time as Angel
pushed their hands away from his face.

“Why
is everyone acting like I'm not sitting right the fuck here? Who in
the shit hell shakes hands in someone's face? You both are supposed
to be rich and you're acting like you've never had one mothafuckin'
manner.” Angel's audience began to laugh, and the ice was
officially broken. “That's right, laugh it up. But sit your
asses down and order a bitch a glass or three of something
expensive.” Morgan smiled as she took her seat next to Angel,
Finlay growled under his breath when he saw where she had chosen to
sit, and Tanner took a step to the side and fell quickly to the
remaining chair between Morgan and Finlay. It was true, the ice was
broken, but the tension still more than lingered below the surface.

“Well,
I'm just going to have my usual.” Morgan took another breath to
announce her choice of drink, but all three men answered for her.
Moscato. Her eyes widened as she feigned a look of surprise, but she
also liked that they all knew her well enough to know what she liked.
“Okay then,” she relaxed a bit more in her chair and
crossed her legs, “what are you all having?” Her eyes
scanned the three men as she asked, and Finlay answered first.

“
Scotch.
The best they have.” He looked at Morgan and she felt for
several seconds that they were the only two in the room. “It's
been a long day.”
It's been a long month.
Their eyes were still locked on one another when Angel spoke.

“
Oh....I
want one of those too.” He'd never had scotch of any kind, but
if Finlay liked it, then he would give it a try. It was Tanner who
spoke up next.

“
Beer
for me.” Morgan looked away from Finlay and toward Tanner, his
easy smile brought one to her lips as well. The man lived life so
easily, and she envied his ability to always be himself, no matter
his surroundings.

“
Beer
actually sounds good, I think I'll have one instead of wine.”
Morgan was tired from traveling, and everything else that she was
forced to deal with that day, and an ice cold beer was exactly what
she needed.

“
I
changed my mind, I'll have a beer too.” Angel's thick accent
made Morgan smile again, and she turned her head and winked at her
best friend. He and Morgan were very much alike in some ways. They
were both surrounded by the finer things in life, yet neither of them
knew enough about them to thoroughly enjoy them.

Finlay
was still looking at Morgan. He watched as she flipped a lock of hair
from her shoulders and saw the smile that took over her face as she
told Tanner that she'd take whatever beer he was ordering. He also
watched as her gaze followed Tanner's backside as he made his way to
the front bar, then as she turned to Angel with a different kind of
smile. She looked happy, and of course, that was what Finlay wanted,
but as selfish as it was, he didn't want Tanner there. He didn't want
Angel there. He just wanted a chance to talk to Morgan and at that
point, their only interaction had been her stating that he knew
Tanner's name.

The
Scot sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, like a child who
didn't get the correct toy in his kid's meal from a fast food
restaurant. He watched the happy interaction between Morgan and
Angel, and waited a few moments to see if the only woman at the table
was going to acknowledge him. She didn't. Her eyes went to Tanner
and seemingly scanned right past Finlay and back to Angel. He let out
an audible sigh, yet she still didn't look.

“
No,
Sticky, we are going to find you a salon as soon as mothafuckin'
possible and address those...” Angel was correcting Morgan on
her plans for the following day, when Finlay groaned, loudly.
Finally, she looked in his direction, and even Angel stopped speaking
and sat back in his chair, mocking Finlay by crossing his own tanned
arms in front of his chest. “Obviously, Finnystick has
something to say.”

Morgan
laughed quietly at Angel's gesture, then slowly turned back to
Finlay, placing one fist under her chin. “Something wrong?”
she spoke softly, yet with a slight sarcastic undertone.

“
Ye
know damn well what yer doin', and I...” Finlay began, but was
interrupted by Tanner's return.

“
I
hope this will do for ya,” Tanner passed two beers across the
table, directly in front of Finlay. Both Morgan and Angel grabbed
their bottles, Angel took a big gulp, and Morgan held hers between
her hands for a moment, noticing the face Finlay was making behind
Tanner's back. She felt the twitch of a smile, but held off, knowing
it would only add fuel to the tension. “And I hope this works
for ya too, mate. I asked for the best.” Tanner placed a short
glass, filled with the best scotch the hotel offered, in front of
Finlay.

Finlay
knew he shouldn't be mad at the Aussie. It wasn't
directly
his
fault Morgan was ignoring him, but he still felt that if Tanner
weren't there, things might be easier. Easier for what? He asked
himself that question, only to realize he had no answers. In reality,
Tanner may have made things easier, at least he was there to keep
Morgan calm, otherwise, he was sure she never would have returned his
calls or texts. And if for some reason she had, Finlay knew she
probably wouldn't have given him much time to explain.
No,
he
thought,
it's a good thing the wee lads are here.
She couldn't
run away.

“
Thanks
mate, ye didn't 'ave te do that,” Finlay finally answered and
Tanner shrugged it off, giving Fin a firm pat on his shoulder before
taking his seat beside him.

“
You
can get the next one,” Tanner nodded at Finlay, then brought
the beer to his lips, drinking half the bottle before bringing it
back to the table. Finlay nodded back and took a rather large drink
of his own. “So, what's this I hear about going out tomorrow?”
Tanner directed his attention back to Morgan. “If you'd like
to, uh...do all that girly stuff, I'll take you around.” He
didn't know what else to call the beautifying process she and Angel
had spoken of.