When Daire walked in, his lips tightening as he took in the scene, I felt worse.
I pushed my way between Max and Hawk and went straight to Daire.Tilting my head back for a kiss, I met his surprised eyes.
“Why so surprised?”
His mouth curled into a slow smile.“I like that you’re willing to give me a kiss in your parents’ home.A public claiming.There’s going to be no holding me back now.”
He dipped and brushed his lips across mine.
“You’ve been holding back?”
“A bit,” he murmured.
“Don’t.”
His eyebrows rose.“All right,” he smiled slowly.“I won’t.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners.
“Anyway,” I laughed.“My mother loves you already and I think my dad is ready to be your best man.”
I clapped my hand over my mouth and stepped back as my eyes popped open.“Ohmigod.I didn’t mean it.It just slipped out!”
He stared down at me, his face serious.
I prayed the floorboards would open up and swallow me.
Dipping his knees, he took my hands in his and stooped to meet my eyes, his face serious.“Harley, there’s something you should know.Max is going to be our best man.”He broke into a grin.“But I like where your head's at.”
I rolled my eyes, my face in flames.“It’s too soon to even think about it,” I protested.
“I think about it all the time,” he admitted.
I stilled.“Really?”
“Really.”
Despite my assurances to Hawkley of my happiness, dinner was tense.More than once I caught bewildered looks passing between my parents.
Noelle studiously avoided talking much to anybody, while Max redirected the conversation time and time again.
I turned the problem over and over in my head like a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit.
Cuddled up beside Daire in bed that night, I asked, “What happened between you two?”
He stiffened then sighed.“I’ll tell you one day soon.”
“Things were tense between you two at the beginning, then I thought they got better.Whatever it was, it seems to be rekindled.”
“No,” he shook his head adamantly and pulled me tighter into the cradle of his body.“It most definitely has not.He’s an overprotective big brother and I can’t fault him for that.But he’s way off base.”
“But there is something.”
He stroked the underside of my breast lazily with his thumb.“You know how there are things that seem important at the moment but it’s only because of other factors that they get blown out of proportion?This is one of those things.I promise you.It’s nothing important.And when I feel it’s the right time, when you’re sure of your place with me, I’ll share.”
“Will I think it’s a big deal?”
“If you do, you’ll be wrong.”
