An Escape

chapter seven

a/n: i think i need to change Sean's name. I know Cian and Sean aren't pronounced the same way at all but whenever I read them together I can't help but pronounce both of them in my head as "seen".

chapter seven

Everything was silent for a beat, a noticeable beat. Maisie was too caught off guard to even realize that Sean was giggling like a school girl to himself. She couldn't take her eyes off of Cian and apparently he was just as surprised as her. His golden eyes stared into her as he took her in.

He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. She always looked beautiful at work, but this was another level. Cian knew he looked like a fool standing there staring at her, not saying a word but he genuinely could not move.

Thankfully, he didn't have to break the awkward silence as Bianca did what Bianca did best, break the ice.

"This is your hot ass coworker, Mays? God damn, how do you get any work done?"

Maisie felt her face flush red as she broke eye contact with Cian to gawk at Bianca. She was not helping.

"Cian, Sean... what are you guys doing here?" Maisie asked breathlessly.

Cian opened his mouth to reply but Sean beat him to it, "I told you this morning our friend invited us out tonight. Small world, right Maisie?"

Sean's words caught Cian's attention, "You two saw each other this morning?"

The younger brother smirked, "Yeah, when I left Maisie's apartment".

Cian tensed up as if ice cold water had been dumped over his head, "Oh. You two are.... how nice".

Maisie stepped forward, "Don't listen to him, Cian. He was not at my apartment this morning and he's never been there".

The trio was interrupted by a loud voice coming from the kitchen, "Yo!!! Who made all of these jello shots?"

Maisie turned her attention to the red headed man holding the tray of jello shots she had brought with her, "I did. They're for everyone, so please help yourselves".

The red head, who she assumed was Bianca's friend Alex, grinned at her, "Now I can see why dumb and dumber are fighting over you. Wifey material for sure".

She could feel her face getting hotter as the group's attention stayed focused on her. In an attempt to divert the attention to a more willing subject, she introduced Sean and Cian to her best friend.

"Sorry, I'm being so rude. Cian, Sean, this is my best friend, Bianca. We've known each other since middle school. Bianca, this is my coworker, Cian, as you so kindly pointed out. And this is his younger brother, Sean".

Cian stepped forward, "It's nice to meet you, Bianca. Maisie has told me a bit about you".

Bianca eyed him up and down, "Oh? She's told me a bit about you too. I am a bit disappointed you're not wearing the leather pants featured in your new year's post on the 'Gram".

Masie laughed nervously and shoved jello shots into everyone's hands, hoping that if she could get them to consume enough alcohol, everyone would forget this night ever happened.

Cian graciously accepted the shot and downed it before she could even hand one to his brother. Ironically, Sean seemed like the safest person to hang with to Maisie. Bianca was saying way too much, partly because she pregamed the pregame, but also because she was Bianca. Being around Cian always made Maisie nervous and she figured alcohol would not help there. She did not know Alex at all and that made her just as nervous. So yes, Sean seemed like the safest choice.