I roll my eyes, but my cheeks burn under the weight of his stare.
"Sex doesn’t equal a relationship." I wipe my hands over my apron.
He chuckles under his breath, the sound causing goosebumps to break out over my skin as he crosses to the table and takes a seat. "Fine, let’s try this your way.”
For a moment, it’s awkward as I busy myself plating up the food while Ronan opens the bottle of red wine that I found and pours us each a glass. When I set his food down in front of him and take a seat, silence hangs heavy in the air, but I clear my throat and decide to be the one to extend a hand first.
"What was it like, growing up with all your brothers?"
He leans back in his chair as he watches me with such intensity that not just my cheeks burn but my entire body.
"Loud. But it was good most of the time.”
“Not all of the time?” I push a few carrots around my plate.
“Being the oldest, I lived to a different set of expectations, which always made me feel separated. And now that my father’s gone… Well, let’s just say my brothers and I are not as close as we used to be.”
I nod, understanding what he’s going through far too well. "I love my brother, but we clash all the time. He’s all I have left, though."
I look up and blink when Ronan’s expression softens, offering a rare glimpse behind the hard mask he always wears.
"If there’s one thing I get, it’s losing people."
A strange, heavy silence falls between us at his words, and for the first time, I don’t see Ronan the monster.
Instead, I see a son who just buried his father. The urge to reach across the table and touch his hand nearly overwhelms me, so I clench my hands in my lap instead.
He clears his throat before reaching for his wine and taking a long sip.
"What about you? What do you want out of life, Ciara? Really."
I blink again, startled by the genuine curiosity in his voice.
"I want a family." I keep my gaze on my plate as my cheeks heat. “A couple of kids, maybe a few dogs… And I want to travel. I’ve never even been to Vegas. Can you believe that?"
Ronan laughs. A low, rich sound that makes my stomach flip.
"Maybe I'll take you someday."
I smile at him before I can stop myself. "And you?"
I dare to meet his eyes as I stab a roasted carrot with my fork.
"I want kids, too. A family of my own."
It’s stupid how much those words warm my heart.
I should hate him, but right now, I just see someone who might want the same things I do.
"You’d be a good dad," I blurt out, and Ronan’s eyes darken, something flickering in them that I can’t quite name.
He reaches across the table and wraps his fingers around my wrist, rubbing his thumb over the sensitive skin.
My breath hitches at the feeling of his calloused thumb against my skin, which is already warming even from such a small touch.
"Come here," he says under his breath. "I can think of another way we could get closer.”
I try to pull my hand away, but he holds it firm.
