“What about a situation when a gay couple want to adopt?” I chime in, supporting Marisol in her defense of me. “Should they bring a child into a situation where they may face discrimination from bigots?”
“The child would have two loving parents.”
“So would ours.” Everyone falls silent when Seth speaks. He has the kind of deep, rough voice that commands attention. His hand lands on my knee, and he squeezes gently. “Whether you approve or not, Ash and I are going ahead with this, and I promise you, if she gets pregnant, she won’t be left to raise our baby alone.”
Liam’s jaw firms, but he nods once. He may argue against me, but he knows better than to pick a fight against the King of Stubborn.
“Dad, what do you think?” I ask, noting he’s the only person at the table who hasn’t spoken up.
Dad smiles, affection gleaming in his eyes. “I think this might bring you back together.” He shrugs. “Or maybe not. Either way, I look forward to meeting another grandchild soon.”
“Thank you, sir,” Seth replies, his thumb brushing over my kneecap. I resist the urge to melt into his touch, not wanting to fuel any speculation about us reconnecting. “Everything is going to work out fine.”
9
Seth
After Ashlin’s father says his piece, the mood around the table lifts. While he’s a softly spoken man, no one seems willing to directly contradict him. No doubt he and Joanne, Ashlin’s mother, will have words later, and Liam definitely isn’t finished with his crusade to change Ashlin’s mind, but for now, both of them let it go. I’m proud of Ashlin’s determination, which doesn’t waver in the face of their disapproval. She must have known this was how the night would go, but her back is straight and—except for in the initial aftermath of her revelation—she doesn’t let her old habit of shrinking until she’s invisible take over. Perhaps I should have paid more attention when she told me she was stronger than she used to be, because now I’m seeing evidence of it with my own eyes, and it’s sexy as fuck.
I’m like any red-blooded alpha male. I like protecting what’s mine, and Ashlin used to fall within that category—still does, not that I’d admit it to her—but seeing her stand up for herself drives me crazy in the best way.
Marisol launches into a story about her daughter’s karate class, and I sense the tension ease from Ashlin as the focus is drawn away from her. I make a mental note to send Marisol a box of chocolates. It’s nice to know she still has Ashlin’s back. The two were always close, but after the miscarriage, Ashlin pushed Marisol away, unable to handle the fact that her sister-in-law had a healthy child and was pregnant with another while we’d lost ours. Somewhere along the way, she must have moved past that.
My attention shifts from Marisol to her husband, whose hard gaze is leveled directly at me. When I see him staring, he raises a brow in a silent challenge. My hand is still on Ashlin’s knee—fuck, I love touching her—and I do my best to silently communicate to Liam that I intend to stand by his sister whatever may come. To be honest, his quiet doubt is better than the outright hostility I expected to be met with tonight. I’m not sure why Ashlin never opened up with her family about our relationship, but it’s a relief not to have to overcome their negative opinions as well as her own reservations.
My body soaks up Ashlin’s nearness like I’m a plant that hasn’t seen sunlight in days, and just as I’ve begun to wilt, a solitary ray shines upon me to bring me back to life. Every time she moves, there’s a shift in the energy field that I can’t help responding to. If she weren’t sitting beside me, I’d be drinking her up visually as well as with my other senses. She tilts her head, her hair tumbling to the side, and the floral scent of her perfume wafts toward me. My teeth grit. I want to expose her throat and suck her pulse point. My dick begins to wake, and I immediately turn to Russel, needing a distraction.
“How is the business going?” I ask. My former father-in-law runs an Irish pub.
“People always need beer and good company,” he replies with a self-deprecating smile. We both know that there’s far more to his success than that, but I let him play it cool. “And you? The gym is producing some top-notch fighters.”
“I only take on the ones who are willing to put in the work.” I glance over at Liam, and smirk. “You sure you don’t want to leave retirement behind, old man?”
His brows draw together in a scowl. “You’ve got a few years on me, grandpa. It wouldn’t be right of me to come back and show those kids that their coach isn’t the man he used to be. I’d crush their dreams.”
“You keep telling yourself that.”
“Mari.” He turns to his wife. “I could take Seth, couldn’t I?”
“Uh.” Her eyes widen like a deer in the headlights, but her mouth twists with humor. “If I say yes, will you accept that and resist the urge to do something stupid to find out for sure?”
“Of course.” He smiles easily. “You’re my wife. You know all.”
“Then, yes.” She winks at me. “Sorry, big guy, but my scrappy Liam could definitely take you down.”
A laugh rumbles up my throat, shocking me. How long has it been since I sat around a table with family and talked shit? Years. I wasn’t sure I’d ever have this again.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“You’d better.”
“I’ll keep him in line,” Ashlin cuts in, catching my eyes and smiling. The expression winds me more effectively than a kick in the gut. She makes a karate-chopping motion with her hands. “I’ll bust out these bad boys if he tries anything dodgy.”
Affection wraps around my heart, and for some reason there’s a pricking sensation in the backs of my eyes.
No. I will not tear up in front of the woman I want to impress.
“I’m terrified,” I drawl. “Please don’t hurt me, Ash.” To my surprise, I actually mean what I say, even if it’s not on the level everyone thinks. She may be half my size, but my little angel could crush me beneath her heel if she wanted. I’m hers to do with what she will. Not that she seems to have realized it yet. Joanne speaks at the end of the table, and the attention moves away from us.
