“I get it.” I whispers against his lips before peppering his cheeks with soft kisses. I want to be his safe space. His anchor in the storm. I can be that for him.
“To be frank, I would think it’s a bit weird if I was seeing it from an outsiders point of view, like your brother.” Corrin grabs my hips again and lifts me off the hood. I instantly wrap my legs around his waist and hold on tight. “But you have no idea how happy it makes me that you get me like this. I have never felt this close to someone so fast.”
Looking deep into his chocolate brown eyes, I can feel his sincerity.
“So this thing, between you and me, it’s real? We weren’t just a one night kind of thing?”
“Fuck no.” And he starts walking. Still holding me in his arms, Corrin climbs the stairs one at a time up to his apartment.
“Don’t drop me,” I let out a giggle when he bounces me a little once he reaches the top.
“Never.” Corrin someone finagles the door handle open, then shuts us inside. He walks over to the living area and falls back on the same couch where we had our deep chat last night. Once I’m sprawled out on top of him, both laying horizontal on the couch, he starts talking again.
“Do you know what ‘mo mhuirnín’ means?”
“I’ve heard you say it a few times,” I shake my head and answer. “I’m guessing it’s Irish, but no, I don’t know the translation.”
“Yes,my darling, it’s Irish.”
“Oh, Corrin.” I have always loved cute nicknames, or pet names people give their significant others, but I never put much thought into someone having one for me. Calling someone something like baby or honey is sweet, but a simple word like darling just feels like more. “Can you teach me other Irish words?”
“Cinnte.” Corrin nods. “That means absolutely or certainly.”
Needing to feel even closer to him, I burrow down into Corrin, my head on his chest just below his chin. I wiggle my hands down to hold him along his rib cage, and that has him squeezingme tighter into his chest. Our legs are intertwined and I rub my foot along his calf.
“Do the Kings you know have special names for their Old Ladies?”
“They do.” I nod. “Not all clubs or chapters do this, but the one back home does. Once the guys claim their women, and give them their property patch, they also give them their Old Lady name.”
“It’s a special name, right? More of a term of endearment just for them, not just some random nickname, right?”
“Yes. And then everyone associated with the club calls her that from then on. Their birth name is really only used for legal things. It’s not only considered the woman’s new name, using it is a sign of respect for her, her man, and their relationship.”
“Well, we don’t have anything formal like that in our family structure, but the special term of endearment idea works the same in a way. At least for me it does.”
I maneuver a bit and prop my chin up on the back of my hands, which are now folded over Corrin’s sternum, so I can see his handsome face. “What was it you called me? Mo . . . what?”
“Mo mhuirnín.”
“Mo mhuirnín.” I repeat it back slowly trying to enunciate the syllables back. “Muh-vur-neen.”
“Very good, darling.” Corrin leans up a bit to kiss my forehead, then my nose.
“So what does this mean for us?” I can’t help but ask him. I think I know where this is all leading, but I need to hear him say it.
“It means you are mine now, Saylor. I want us to be together for as long as you’ll have me.” His right hand trails up and down my back as he gives it to me straight.
“Are you sure?” I have to ask. “We just met last night.”
And we’re moving again so quick, I have no chance but to grab on and hold tight until Corrin rearranges us. This time we are both sitting on a couch cushion, him with his legs straight, my knees bent and my legs straddling his lap. Corrin folds my hands into his and places them in our laps.
“My heart has been waiting for you for a long time, mo mhuirnín. I have been watching everyone else around me fall in love and be happy and start their families, and I've been wanting that for myself more than anything. It may make me sound so selfish so say this all so blunt and upfront, but I want what Tadhg and Fergus have. I want a wife. I want babies. And I want that one day soon with you, Saylor. Please tell me I’m not alone in this. Please tell me I’m not alone.”
It's like he pulled my wishes right out of my heart and fulfilled them tenfold. How is this happening?
“You will never be alone again, Corrin. You are my mo mhuirnín too.” I crawl into his lap and hug him as tight as I can. “Ever since my daddy died, I have been trying to figure out where I fit in the world, but I’ve found it. I found you.”
“Bet you didn’t think you’d have to move to the other side of the country to find me, did you?” he shakes us both with a deep laugh.
