He lifted his eyes to hers.
“Do you want to leave first?”
He propped his hands on either side of her waist and leaned forward, kissing her gently on the mouth. “I’ll walk out first. You come out a few minutes later.”
She grinned. “This is like high school.”
“Welcome to my world. That’s how I have to operate with a bunch of nosy-ass brothers around.”
She watched him leave, and then sank against the counter.
“Holy shit.”
If this was what happened every time they were alone, their non-restaurant dinner date might end up in flames.
Chapter 16
“Just take it.” Cali shoved a stack of condoms at Ireland’s chest.
“Whoa, I don’t need these.” She shoved them right back. “It’s my first date in, like, two years. I’m not going there. I’m not even sure Bran thinks of me that way.”
Okay, that was a lie. Bran thought of her that way. He’d made it clear, since his lips were always landing on hers whenever they were alone…or hers were landing on his. Whatever. The point was, Ireland wasn’t sure if Bran thought of her as more than a hookup.
Ireland suspected the last few boyfriends she’d had were more like extended hookups. Men didn’t appreciate her, and she was tired of that shit.
Cali wore short-shorts and a tank top, her hip cocked to the side while she held Buddy. “Take one, that’s all I’m saying. You said you weren’t on the pill—”
“Because it’s been an ice age since I’ve been with a guy.”
“Exactly. So don’t ruin your opportunity to get a little lovin’.”
Ireland shook her head. “I don’t know what Bran is thinking. It could be a fling for him, and I don’t want a fling.”
Cali walked over and rested her hand on Ireland’s arm, and Buddy swiped Ireland’s T-shirt with his wet tongue. “If you decide to…be in the moment, I want you to be safe, that’s all.”
Ireland twisted her mouth to the side. She liked Bran, when he wasn’t being an asshat. And for some extremely annoying reason, he did it for her—the way he smelled of man and soap, the way he touched her. The guy even tasted good.
Fine. Probably not a bad idea to bring protection, just in case.
Cali scanned Ireland’s face and grinned, shoving a condom in Ireland’s purse. “Just one. No pressure.” She winked, and Ireland sighed.
“I’m not kissing and telling, so don’t wait up.”
Cali pouted. “You’re no fun. Fortunately, I’ll be able to read what happened on your face.”
Dammit. That was true. “Leave me alone!” Ireland shouted as Cali and Buddy rounded the corner to the bedroom hallway.
Ireland pulled out the condom and read the package—“Jumbo-sized.”
Great. What if Bran wasn’t jumbo-sized and it didn’t fit? And why the hell was she thinking about this anyway? Nothing was going to happen.
She shoved the condom back in the side pocket of her purse, rubbed her front teeth with her finger to make sure she didn’t have lipstick stuck there, and glanced at the ceiling, saying a silent prayer. “Everything’s going to be fine. It’s just a date.”
Bran glancedat the picnic basket he’d borrowed from Hayden and Adam and made sure it was safely tucked in the back of his truck as he rounded the bumper and headed toward Jaeg’s front door. The car he’d owned before the truck was a beater from his days as a restaurant manager in town. He’d never lived off the trust fund his father had created for him, and he still didn’t. The money had never been important to Bran, and living off it would have meant he’d approved of how his father had put work ahead of family.
Bran made enough now at Club Tahoe to buy a new truck and a large house if he chose. Instead, he’d bought Wes’s small cabin and was fixing it up. Of course, the added money he earned running four restaurants instead of one came with a boatload of responsibility and stress in his life. Either way, the truck came in handy when he needed restaurant supplies that couldn’t wait. And when he wanted to take a beautiful woman to a remote location.
Fuck. Was this a good idea? Being alone with Ireland? With no one around to interrupt?
