Who did he think he was?

"And if I don't?"

Alec smirked. "If you don't, when your mom gets here, I'll tell her that you had a wet dream about me and destroyed the bed sheets."

"Bastard!" I screamed and dove forward and swung my hands at him.

Alec grabbed me and laughed as he fell onto the bed, pulling me with him. I struggled to get off him when I sat up.

Alec gave me a wink before looking at where I was seated on him. "Does this remind you of something? A certain dream maybe?"

"No, because you were on top in the dream-" I widened my eyes in horror at what I just said. "Shut the fuck up, Alec."

He laughed as I rolled off him.

"I hate you," I said into my pillow.

He threw his arms over me. "No, you don't. You may not like me, but you don't hate me. We're friends after all and friends shouldn't fight like we do."

I grunted. "Friends, huh?"

"Yep."

I sighed, caving in. "Okay, we're friends. Now will you get off us?"

"Us?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "Me."

"But you said us."

"Us means me as well."

Alec tilted his head at me. "You know something? I’ve been living in Ireland for three years and the Irish still make me scratch my head when they say certain things."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It can't be that bad since you still live there."

"Even if I hated the people I'd still live there."

I raised my eyebrows. "Why?"

"It where my family is, where home is... I like the view, too."

I chuckled. "I like it too, it's pretty."

"You're pretty."

I deadpanned, "Stop that."

"Stop what?" Alec smiled while giving me the 'fuck me' look.

"That! Stop tryin' to seduce me."

Alec blinked his eyes, stared at me for a moment then laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't even realise I was hitting on you."

"Maybe because you flirt with people so much it has become second nature to you, just like breathin', you do it and don't even notice."

"It's a skill."

"It's a pain in the arse, that's what it is."

Alec waggled his eyebrows at me. "I know something else that can be a pain in your ass-"

"Alec, I swear to God, if you finish that sentence I will shove me foot so far up your arse that you will need a surgeon to remove it."

Alec stared at me blankly, unblinking then mumbled, "You're even more creative with your threats than Bronagh."

I inwardly smiled. "I'm sorry for threatenin' you, and while I'm at it, I'm sorry for bein' such a bitch to you. Why don't we start over. Hey, I'm Keela Daley, nice to meet you."

Alec smiled at me and took my hand in his. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles before he said, "Nice to meet you, Keela Daley. I'm Alec Slater."

I sighed as I blew out a breath, which caused Alec to chuckle.

"So, Alec, what do you like to do for fun? Keep it PG."

Alec smiled, then shook his head and said, "I like animals. When I'm back home, I help out with the local shelters that the DSPCA runs. They have very limited funds so volunteers are always welcome. I donate money as well, but donating my time is something I enjoy. What about you, what do you do for fun? You can get as explicit as you want with your answer, just throwing that in there."

I wanted to laugh at the ending to his sentence but I didn't because I was too busy processing the fact that he volunteers at animal shelters because he enjoys it.

That just added to how attractive he was.

"Um, I like to write. It's nothin' as cool as volunteerin', but-"

"Don't do that, don't put something you like to do down. Don't even compare it to something someone else likes to do. It's yours so put it on a high pedestal."

I blinked.

"What?" Alec asked as I stared at him.

I cleared my throat and said, "I've never had someone, besides Aideen, be so direct with me before."

Alec shrugged. "Spend a little time with me and you can see how direct I can be, kitten."

I raised my eyebrows. "Was that suggestive? I can't really tell."

Alec chuckled. "Never mind, let’s get back to you, what do you like to write."

I felt my cheeks heat up with the spotlight suddenly on me and my writing, I was about to take an out when Alec leaned and gripped my chin with his fingers and said, "Don't even think about it, kitten. You started this conversation and I'm seeing that we finish it."

Well, excuse me.

"You have to understand that this is a sensitive topic for me, only Aideen knows I write and now you. You're still new-"

"I'm trying to get in a little wear and tear with you so I'm not so new anymore. The more we talk, the more that happens. You talk, I’ll listen. Tell me about your writing."

I furrowed my eyebrows together and asked, "Are you serious? You really want to talk and listen to me?"

Alec frowned at me. "Why is that so shocking to you? People converse daily."

"You have only talked about sex since we met. I'm honestly haven' trouble separatin' that part from 'serious' you right now."

Alec smiled. "You don't know me, kitten. You know what I want from you but that's it. You don't know me at all."

I felt like he was challenging me.

"Well, maybe I want to get to know you. Maybe I want to get inside your mind and figure it out too. I want to understand you."

Alec reached his hand up to my face and ran his fingertips over my cheek.

"You'd lose your mind trying to understand mine, kitten."

"Don't be cryptic with me, I like you better when you're straight forward."

Alec drew back his hand and laughed. "I like your honesty kitten, don't ever lose it."

"I don't plan on it."

"Good. Come on, we can finish this conversation later, I want to go out."

"And do what?"

Alec pulled me from the bed and onto my feet then into a hug. "Now that we're friends, let's go get our hair done."

I pulled back and gave him a look.

He smiled at me. "You need a wash and blow dry."

I rolled my eyes then looked up to the Heavens. If I didn't kill him by the end of this trip then I would believe that miracles really did exist.

"I got my hair done because you hounded me for the last hour, but I'm not gettin' a tattoo and you can't make me."

Alec groaned out loud for the tenth time in thirty seconds.

"For the last time, I'm getting inked, you're just going to sit there and be quiet. I won't be long-"

"No, you're not leavin' me out here on me own, what if one of the artists thinks I want to get a tattoo and then they force me into gettin' one?"

Alec rubbed his eyes with both hands before he focused on me. "Sweetheart, I don't think anyone could force you into something you didn't want to do even if they tried."

"Whatever, I'm comin' into the room with you."

Alec groaned out loud again but instead of arguing, took my hand and interlocked it with his. "Come on then."

Victory!

I huddled close to Alec as we moved closer to the reception desk in the tattoo parlour. Okay, it wasn't exactly a reception desk, but it was clearly the place to go when you wanted to talk to the person in charge. The man in charge just so happened to be a six foot tall black man who was covered in tattoos.