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Padraig and Pop Pop both looked at him, Padraig with shock…and Pop Pop with something much more dangerous—a knowing amusement that seemed to scream “Gotcha!”
Kelli was oblivious to the undercurrents because she just rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Sure I am. I’m a regular bundle of cotton candy. I just came over to let you know we’re next up, Colm. Hope your fragile ego is going to be okay with me stealing the spotlight, Johnny.”
He chuckled. “Dream on, June. I think we both know who’s going to carry this number. Just try to keep up. And don’t embarrass me. I have a karaoke reputation to uphold.”
“Phew,” Padraig said. “There we go. I was starting to worry about you two.”
Colm rose from the stool, happy to step away from the quiet scrutiny of his grandfather, who was still looking from Colm to Kelli and back again. Not that Colm expected to be let off the hook completely. Pop Pop was definitely going to question him later.
He only hoped he had an answer by the time he did.
The couple onstage had just finished scream-singing “Love Shack” as he and Kelli approached. Uncle Sean, who was serving as the karaoke deejay tonight, gave them both a wink as he introduced them. As they stepped onstage, they adjusted the microphone stands to their heights—which in their cases meant raising both of them.
Kelli stepped over and gave him a quick hip check and a grin as the music started. He rolled his eyes, then leaned in, the two of them doing their best Johnny and June impersonations. Colm had a naturally deep voice, so channeling the man in black wasn’t hard at all.
Kelli moved in time with the fast pace, laughing and adopting June’s attitude as well as sound. On the chorus, she stepped over, sharing his microphone, and the crowd cheered even louder than they already had been.
Their faces were close…and Colm felt the oddest desire to close the distance between them, to press his lips against hers.
He stumbled over a couple of words.
Shaking himself, he forced his eyes away from her face and back to the monitor flashing the lyrics, even though he knew all the words by heart.
Neither of them were strangers in the pub when it came to karaoke night, but they’d never sung together. He typically pulled out an Ed Sheeran song, while Kelli was partial to the ladies of the sixties—rocking out to Janis Joplin or Joni Mitchell. Colm suspected they were going to start getting countless requests for duets after this.
As the song ended, the audience gave them a standing ovation, the first of the night. He grasped her hand to steady her as they started to leave the stage, high-fiving Sean with the other. She started to pull her hand away once they’d taken the one step down to the floor, but he held firm, using it to tug her closer.
“You did okay,” he said, acting as if her performance was subpar.
She leaned toward him, her breasts brushing against his arm.
Colm was surprised by the way his body reacted when her narrowed eyes. Jesus. His cock actually twitched and started to thicken.
Since when was that look a turn-on?
What the fuck was that about?
He released her hand.
“Oh, honey, I know you tried, but…” she said, lightly tapping his cheek. He suspected she was going to say more, to pile on her own playful insult, but something behind Colm caught her eye. “Shit. Incoming,” she murmured.
Colm turned, taking a second to find what had captured her attention. Then he saw her—Brooke. Standing at a nearby table, looking at him.
When she caught his eye, she lifted her hand and waved, giving him a slightly nervous smile that told him she at least had the good grace to feel bad about leaving him high and dry the morning after. She had even left her panties—he’d found them in his bed the next day. They were currently on top of his dresser, sitting there like some goddamn souvenir, taunting him.
Kelli gave him a slight nudge. “Go talk to her. See if…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, didn’t have to. Kelli knew exactly how much that night with Brooke had rattled him, shaken up his well-ordered, no-rush-to-the-altar lifestyle.
He nodded, then gave Kelli a smile, feeling slightly torn. He’d been having a good time with her. So much so, he’d been able to push Brooke from his mind.
He no longer considered her his frenemy, but did he really think of her as a friend?
As just a friend?
Kelli leaned closer, her breath hot on his cheek, and once again he was overwhelmed by the desire to turn his head the slightest bit to kiss her.
“What are you waiting for?” she murmured, obviously confused by his hesitance, considering how many times he’d mentioned wondering why Brooke had vanished without a word.
