“Family can be complicated. I have three brothers, and they drive me crazy.”
His gaze swung to her. “Three brothers?They’re not big guys, are they?”
Her brow furrowed.
“First Jaeg comes at me like a father for taking you out,” Bran said, “and now I learn you have brothers? You’re not going to tell me your father is an ex-boxer, are you?”
She smiled and shook her head. “He’s a civil engineer.”
“Thank God.”
“But he’s tall.” She waved her hand down her body covered by the blanket. “Tall genes run in the family.”
He nodded. “That seems about right. I would go for the statuesque redhead with three brothers. We’d be doomed if we had kids, destined to have all boys, considering the number of sons in our families.”
Ireland’s chest tightened. No man had talked about kids with her, even in jest. “Do you want to have kids? After what happened?”
He looked down at his large hands. Hands capable of giving so much pleasure and comfort. “Not sure I deserve kids.”
She rested her head on his broad shoulder. “You’re too hard on yourself. You’d make a great father.”
“Fathers need to be responsible. They need to be there for their kids.” He looked up at the stars. “Money, friends, even grades—it all came easily. I took everything for granted. Do you know what I did after the girl told me I’d gotten her pregnant?”
Suddenly, Ireland was afraid to find out. Afraid his actions had turned Bran Cade into the hard-assed man he was today. Only tonight he hadn’t been closed off. He’d been open, sexy, and…loving.
“I called up my friends and got drunk. I was so drunk, in fact, I slept through two days of school. When I finally got around to telling her I’d support her and do the right thing, the deed was done.”
“What deed?”
“Her parents had convinced her to have an abortion. They told her she’d be raising the child alone and that I wouldn’t be there for her.”
Ireland looked out at the trees. “They didn’t know you. You’re responsible. Look at how well you run the restaurants.”
He laughed, but it was bitter. “The restaurants are barely surviving after the decisions I’ve made. Not sure starting a relationship right now is responsible either.”
Ireland’s shoulders stiffened, and she scooted to the side. “Y-you regret tonight?”
“No,” he said. “Never.”
“Because it was magical, so don’t make me regret what we shared.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. “I want everything we share to be right for you. I just worry about the timing, but I’m not going to let it stop me. I want this. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. And happy to do what we just did again.” He winked and kissed her softly on the lips. “Right now, if you want.”
She studied his face. “I don’t want to hear any more about regrets.”
“No regrets. Not with you.”
She thought she could trust Bran, but he’d not always been consistent. “Why the change from cold to hot?”
“Hot?” he said.
“Steamy, sizzling, set-my-panties-on-fire hot.”
“Hmmm.” He nuzzled her neck. “Good thing you’re not wearing panties now. Easy access and less risk of a forest fire.”
She smiled. “Answer the question. Why the cold treatment when we first met?”
“I have rules.”
