Free Luck of the Irish: Complete Edition by Liz Gavin Page B

wanting to make people wait for her, Keira rushed down the stairs, leaving her phone inside the room. She realized it as she sat down on her seat and couldn’t go back for it.
    The day went by quickly and Keira had a great time with the small group guided by a young Scottish woman, who knew everything there was to know about the Wicklow Mountains. By the end of the day, when the van dropped her off at the B&B, Keira’s head was still spinning with everything she had learned, while her body was deliciously sore from the intense hiking. She went straight to her room to rest before dinner.
     
     
    After dinner, she read before going to sleep, which was an old habit of hers. Keira loved reading all kinds of books but she had recently discovered erotica. In the past, she used to think these kinds of books weren’t worth her time because they didn’t have literary value. She was surprised to learn there were actually good authors writing hot, kinky stories and that there were well-known writers, who published erotica under pen names, to avoid public criticism or in order not to antagonize their own regular readers.
    She finished the steamy short-story and went to sleep hoping Declan would stay out of her thoughts. She wasn’t that lucky. He haunted her dreams again and she once more woke up with a start, out of breath and trembling with yet another powerful sexual release.
    “Seriously?!” she said aloud, as she got out of bed and stumbled across the room to the bathroom. Her legs were wobbly, her throat was dry, and she felt faint as erotic images popped up in her head.
    She splashed her face with cold water, returned to the room, and sat on the bed. The alarm clock showed six in the morning. It was too early to get up but she didn’t want to go back to sleep and risk having more disturbing dreams. Besides, she had a long day ahead of her because she was going to drive to Waterford, stopping at Wexford.
    She went downstairs for breakfast, and was the only guest in the dining room. She invited Sylvia to sit down with her to keep her company.
    “I’ll miss you and John, you know? I had a wonderful time here.”
    “You’re very kind, my child, but if I can be honest with you, you don’t seem like you had a good time at all. You’ve got a shadow darkening your face. It’s so sad to see that.”
    “Don’t worry, my friend. I’ll be just fine.”
    They talked about trivial stuff as Keira finished her meal.
    Only when she returned to her room, did Keira remember she hadn’t turned her phone back on since the night Declan called, two nights before. She hurriedly turned it on again to find out there were many missed calls. Two from her parents, one from her sister, and seven from Declan. She rolled her eyes and played the voice messages.
    “Hey, honey. How are you doing? We haven’t heard from you since you told us the concert had been canceled. Are you feeling any better? How is the road trip going? Call us when you have a chance. Your father and I worry about you, Keira. Drive safely! Bye, sweetie.”
    She smiled as she listened to her mother’s voice. She considered calling home, but remembered it was too early to call her family in Boston. Ireland was five hours ahead so she decided she would call them when she got to Waterford.
    The next message was from her sister, “Hey, Keira. I called just to check up on you but I guess you must be sleeping. It’s late in Ireland. You should be out having fun and getting hammered with a couple of new friends. That was the plan, remember? Having a blast?” her sister laughed before adding. “Anyway, call me! Tell me you’ve met a handsome Irishman who’s swept you off your feet. Or just call me because I miss you, little brat. Bye.”
    She smiled at her sister’s good mood. She had always wished to be more like her in that aspect, Who am I kidding? I’ve always wanted to be more like her – end of story .
    Keira loved her sister deeply, but she had always felt a