It’s not horror that dawns, more like JFC WTAF OMG, yes, please. But I somehow manage to pull him in for another snuggle instead. “I’m not making any promises, but I think that would be amazing.”
I go to walk off, but he snatches me back to him. Whispering in my ear, he adds, “I’ll ask Tynan to be there too.”
Using my hand over his mouth, I shut down everything. “I’m nervous about today. Later, tonight, tomorrow, we can talk about your heat, but let me focus on meeting Ronin’s family first.”
Rafferty rolls his eyes, looking adorable, while he tongues my hand almost like an example of how his heat will be. He reaches over and grabs my handbag and my hand before we make a mad dash outside. Honestly, I’m surprised the rest of Pack O'Connor didn’t come inside.
Ronin’s on the phone, talking a mile a minute to someone with a heavy Italian accent. I’m solely focused on the way he’sassessing me, and holding his hand out for me to help me climb into the front seat, to even hear what he’s talking about.
Admittedly, it’s made even harder to follow Ronin’s conversation because Rafferty’s at my ear, teasing me. “I’ll phone the dealer and ask them to put a step around the side for you, short stuff.”
He shuts the door on me, but I don’t get the chance to settle before my seat is dropping backwards, Keegan’s lethal smirk hovering above. He waits until I’m lying all the way back before giving me an upside-down kiss that’s completely inappropriate, given the audience. And toe-curlingly perfect, given the circumstances.
Before I can do or say a thing, his finger is on the controls of the seat, taking me up to sitting. The moment I’m back in position, Ronin is driving off, still talking.
Twisting, I catch Tynan’s eyes. He’s walled himself away, and braced for my presence, hiding behind even more barriers than usual.
My admiration for him grows exponentially. I told him to protect himself, and he has. I won’t begrudge him that. I only hope, one day, he remembers what I said about trusting me too.
Ronin hangs up, keeping his focus on the road. Grateful he’s somewhat distracted, I sit forward, barely moving a muscle and taking his moment of silence to try to steady myself. Being in the car with them sounds ridiculously easy, but it’s getting harder to maintain any sort of distance. And no shit, I keep blurring those lines every chance I get.
I squeak when something touches my neck and go to brush it off, but it's not something easy to budge. Ronin’s hand slides around my nape, his thumb trailing over my racing pulse. He calms me in a few touches before obliterating my heart rate all over again as he drags me over my seat to his mouth.
The fool is laughing under his breath at the shock in my eyes.
Kissing Ronin is hard to describe. It’s like sipping on a drink made from the essence of life—it’s a feeling, an emotion, and a taste of joy, rolled into one. He leaves me wondering what way is up or down with each swipe of his tongue, each chase as I pull away. He doesn’t let me, though, and keeps kissing me with a passion, and a determination, that tells me loud and clear what he truly believes—I’m his, and he is mine.
Someone blows their horn behind us, after Ronin takes too long at the light, and I half brace for him to throw the vehicle into park and drop into a rage. It’s not like Alphas are exactly forgiving in nature, but instead of getting upset, he kisses me slower, more deeply than before. When he’s ready, he breaks our kiss and guides me back to my seat.
“Tally girl, you’re going to get me into trouble. I can feel it.”
I smirk because I still can’t talk; the delirium is riding me hard today. Using the mirror on the sun visor to fix my lip gloss, I triple-check the others in the back are okay. These grand PDAs are uncharted waters for me.
But it’s not me the others are watching. They’re each waiting on Ronin, that’s pretty obvious. My buzz sours into a fresh wave of anxiety, and I wonder if my gig is busted.
“I’m in a spot of bother,” Ronin says. Given his expression, it’s hard to judge if he’s joking or being serious, because his scent and smile stay the same.
“Okay…” I say, trying to lead him on to explaining himself.
Keegan clears his throat, so, clearly, it’s a pack thing. “Ronin should start what he’s trying to say by confirming that we know your stance. This isn’t a case of us bulldozing over that.”
Rafferty scoffs in the back. “Tal, open the glove box.”
“Or not!” Tynan snaps, silencing everyone and changing the mood inside the car.
I turn to face him, and instead of hiding his emotions, I get a deep dive into them once again. His eyes are swirlingwith apology and frustration, hope and acquiescence. I shut my eyes, not needing to check that inside the glove box will be my wedding ring.
Taking the easy route when I open my eyes, I peer out the window as I speak. “I put that on, and every person in this city will see it.”
“I have no issue with that,” Ronin says, Keegan quickly agreeing with him.
“I do.” Tynan and I speak together, with the same volume and firmness.
“What the fuck happened last night?” Ronin’s temper flares, his Irish charm disappearing in a flash of anger.
I suspect if we weren’t driving, Tynan would leap out of their expensive SUV and race away from the questioning. But what happened between us, the place we reached together, is mine to own, as much as it is his.
Twisting around, I run my hand up and down Ronin’s leg, trying to soothe him. “Nothing bad at all. Back to today, though. Mass and lunch with all your family is pretty intimidating. You get that?”
