Whiskey Prince Read online

  I think I look like a fool.

  Rolling my eyes, I head out of my room and towards the back of the house since the front is busy with guests arriving. The ball is starting in twenty minutes, and I may be running a tad late. Since I don’t want to come to this God-awful thing anyway, I take my time getting in my car and heading to the Maclaster land. Kane sent me a text earlier inviting Amberlyn and me to dinner with them, but I declined since my stomach is a mess from Amberlyn meeting my da.

  I haven’t seen him yet, nor do I want to, but I can just imagine all the things he is thinking after reading that rubbish in the paper. I want to call Amanda and tell her that she needs to stop writing that shite, but it will fuel her more. I just wish it would all go away. Can’t I date a girl and be happy without the whole world and my family having a say on her? I don’t know why I am letting it bother me, but it drives me insane. With other girls I dated, I didn’t give a shite. I was happy, dicking around with who I pleased, and didn’t give a damn what they thought of the girl but with Amberlyn, I want them to respect her. She is more than some floozy; she is my future.

  She just doesn’t know that yet.

  Shaking my head to rid the stress from today, I pull into the driveway and see that Amberlyn is looking out the window. When she sees that it’s me, she grins before letting the curtain fall. I hate that I’ve kept her waiting, and I hope she isn’t too mad at me. Nervous, I head towards the door. I go to knock, but Mrs. Maclaster pulls the door open with a bright grin on her face.

  “Declan, how are ya?”

  I smile as I step in and go to answer her but the most beautiful thing in the world catches my eyes. Before, no one has ever caught my eye the way Amberlyn does and right now is no different. Standing in a sinfully gorgeous dress with her dark, reddish hair in curls around her face, I can’t seem to form a coherent thought. Her face is made up in a soft, beautiful way, her lips as pink as the shoes she wears, formed in such a shy way. I don’t know what it is, maybe the see-through fabric below her breast, or the way her shoes show off her legs in a delicious way, or maybe it’s her eyes, but it takes everything for me to keep my composure as I say, “You’re gorgeous.”

  Her face breaks in a grin as she steps towards me and I reach out, lacing my fingers with hers.

  “So gorgeous,” I breathe.

  She looks shyly down at her dress before looking up at me. “You don’t think it’s slutty or anything?”

  “Slutty is the last thing I am thinking. Elegant, beautiful, classy, perfect… Did I say gorgeous because, Amberlyn, I could go on for hours. Know that no one will stand a chance against you when you step foot into this ball.”

  As her face warms with such a stunning color, Mrs. Maclaster says, “Why can’t ya talk to me like that anymore, you big lug?”

  I turn to find Mr. and Mrs. Maclaster behind me as Mr. Maclaster says, “Because I’ve already married you. I don’t have to say that shite anymore. You know I think that!”

  Not liking that answer, Mrs. Maclaster yells, “The hell I don’t! Woo me before I find someone else to woo me!”

  “For goodness sakes, please go!” Mr. Maclaster hollers before stomping off behind her, flashing me a dirty look on the way. Looking back at Amberlyn, we both laugh. She is so beautiful when she laughs that my laughter stops short. Leaning over, I take her lips with mine, kissing her with such need. Her hand comes up to cup my face as I deepen the kiss, glad for the privacy since it is probably the only time I’ll have to kiss Amberlyn the way I want to tonight.

  Pulling away, I run my thumb along her jaw as I whisper, “I can’t get over how gorgeous you are.”

  She smiles, smacking my chest softly. “So what? I’m not gorgeous any other time?”

  I smile, bringing her closer to me. “Of course you are. It’s just weird seeing you all dolled up.”

  Wrapping her hands around my neck, she grins up as me before nodding. “I am thinking the same about you. Super hot, Declan O’Callaghan. I love your hair.”

  She then twirls her fingers along the hair at the nape of my neck, sending chills down my spine. I love when she does this and maybe I should forgo the beanie more often, just so she touches me like this. Looking into her sparking blue eyes, I want to tell her how I feel. How when I look at her all I see is my everything, but I am so scared that she isn’t feeling the same. I think she is. Like right now, her eyes are glossy as they hold mine, but is that love? I’ve never felt like this. I don’t know how to know if someone feels the same. It’s fuckin’ stressful, and I wish I had the balls to just admit how I feel.

  Clearing my throat, I say, “Are you ready?”

  She nods slowly, meeting my mouth with hers, teasing my lips with her teeth before deepening the kiss. I’m lost when she does this. For someone that hasn’t been with many men, or kissed them for that matter, she really knows how to rock my world. I just can’t get enough and when she pulls away, I bring her back for more. She melts in my arms as I deepen the kiss, showing her how I feel. I don’t know if it is translating as love like I intend, or maybe lust, not really sure, but fuck, I love kissing her.

  Pulling away before I do something that would offend Mr. and Mrs. Maclaster a lot, I put space between us, holding her hands in mine. She grins up at me, her lipstick gone, her face red, and her lips swollen.

  “I’m pretty sure I have no lipstick on.”

  I shake my head, a grin pulling at my lips. “Nope, it’s all gone.”

  “Yeah, on you,” she says, laughing as she turns to go to the kitchen. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I remove as much as I can before she comes to me with a baby wipe. “Here.”

  I smile a thanks before wiping my face and following her to the mirror that hangs by the door. As she reapplies her lipstick, I clean my face and I can’t help but feel domesticated, as if this is something we’d do when we were married. Dropping the baby wipe, I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, pressing myself against her as I run my nose through her hair.

  “I don’t want to go,” I whisper. “I just want to hold you.”

  “You can hold me there. I got pretty; you have to show me off.”

  “I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

  “Too bad, I spent three hours shopping with Fiona and another two getting ready; you owe me a glass of something and dancing.”

  Removing my nose from her hair, I groan as I meet her beautiful gaze in the mirror. She really is stunning tonight and while I don’t want to share her with anyone, I can’t help but be excited for everyone to see who I’ve been blessed to love for the rest of my life.

  “Fine. We can go.”

  She sends me a sneaky grin before tucking her lipstick in her bag before saying, “Let’s go then.”

  After saying goodbye to her aunt and uncle, we get in the car and head back to the estate. My nerves are all over the place, and I want to drive off the road just to breathe. I think Amberlyn senses my nervousness because she holds my hand in hers, stroking it softly as we drive. Once we arrive, I bask in the beauty of my home. It’s lit up tonight with thousands of lanterns, and a spotlight is shining on the house that says O’Callaghan boldly on the stone. Hardly anyone is outside, and I’m glad. I don’t want to deal with anyone yet, even though it is inevitable.

  “Are we late?”

  I shake my head as I pull up to where the workers are waiting. “Not really, they are announcing us when I get there, so really, I decide when to come.”

  She gives me a look, and I flash a grin before getting out. I head around to meet her on the other side and as she unfolds from the car, I can’t help but be stunned by her beauty again. The dress comes to her calves and fits her so tightly that I am convinced she is wearing no underwear. That thought alone has my slacks a little too tight for comfort.

  “Spectacular,” I whisper again, taking her hand in mine.

  She blushes as she shakes her head. “Stop, you are making me giggly.”

  “Good,” I whisper in he