I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t.
“Okay.”
I was like a fish out of water when this kid, who was taller than me, cosied up to my side, put his arm around my waist, and held his phone out. His friends didn’t seem at all bothered, like their friend stopping a stranger, complimenting them, and then asking for a picture was a regular part of their day.
“Smile.”
We both smiled as he took the picture.
“Seriously good lookin’,” he muttered to himself.
When he turned to look down at me, he looked over my head first and jumped back.
“Christ,” the kid yelped. “Ye’ scared the shite outta me, man.”
Before I could turn around, he said, “Is there a reason you were touching my girl, kid?”
Oh. Shite.
I turned to face him. “He is just bein’ nice, Dame.”
“Yeah, man,” the kid echoed me. “I wasn’t bein’ rude. I just told ‘er how good lookin’ she is.”
“What’s with the picture bullshit?”
“It’s a school assignment. We have to—”
“Try again.”
The kid’s friends snickered as he froze to the spot.
“Okay,” he said, nervously. “I have a bet on with a mate at school. We have to see which one of us can get the most pictures with hot women. We get bonus points if they kiss us.”
I gasped. “Ye’ little fecker.”
The kid looked at me and grinned. “Sorry, but ye’ are beautiful. That wasn’t a lie.”
“Get lost,” Damien growled, “before I put my foot up your ass.”
All three of the teens fled, and I was left staring after them with my lips parted.
“What just happened?”
“What just happened was you’re too trusting of people.”
I turned to Damien and frowned. “He just wanted a picture, and he called me beautiful.”
“How can you not see when guys lust over you?”
“Because he was a child who wasn’t lustin’ over me maybe?”
“I could sense his thoughts with just one glance at him,” Damien said. “He thought you were a hell of a lot more than beautiful.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “Why did ye’ get out of the truck?”
“Because three teenagers stopped you and one was eye fucking you,” he replied with a raised brow. “You expect me to just let that happen?”
I laughed. “You’re so … so…”
“So what?”
“Protective.”
Damien relaxed. “Because I love you.”
“I know. I love ye’ too … but I’m still mad at ye’”
He leaned down and kissed me. “I’m still mad at you too.”
When he turned and jogged back towards the truck, Ryder was staring at me, and when he shouted, “Alannah, you’re so beautiful, will you take a picture with me?” I stuck my middle finger up at him in response. He laughed as I continued my journey into the house. Branna, being the super mother that she was, had already settled both twins in their nursery and was tiptoeing down the stairs as I closed the front door behind me.
“I was goin’ to help ye’ with the babies.”
“No need.” She smiled. “They’re great sleepers.”
That they were. I followed Branna into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She flipped the kettle on and placed a baby monitor on the counter so she could keep an eye on her sons. I filled her in on what happened to me out front with the teenagers, and she thought it was the funniest thing since sliced bread.
“It’s you, me, and a cup of tea.”
I hummed. “Tea makes everythin’ better.”
I thanked her as she made me a cup and set it down in front of me.
“Ye’ve got that right,” she said, exhaling a breath as she plonked down on the chair with her own cup in front of her.
My lips twitched. “Ye’ seem tired.”
“I’m fuckin’ knackered.”
“I was serious earlier when I said I’d babysit the twins. When they’re bigger, I’ll babysit overnight whenever you and Ry want. I love kids. I take Georgie one night a week for Nico and Bee, and I have Jax and Locke tomorrow night for Kane and Aideen.”
“You’re insane,” Branna said with a shake of her head. “I mean that in the nicest way possible.”
I giggled. “Thanks, I guess.”
“I know I said earlier that I’ll cry, and I know that I will when ye’ take them, but me and Ryder need this break you’re givin’ us on Saturday. Our lads are great babies, but we need this alone time together. Havin’ quickies is the best we can do right now. I felt awful for Ry this mornin’. We were havin’ sex, and just as we were gettin’ into it, Jules screamed bloody murder to be fed. I got me rocks off, but Ry didn’t.”
I cringed. “I’ll take them for the whole day, so ye’ can have sex the entire time with no interruptions.”
“Thanks.” Branna chuckled. “Ye’ have no idea how much we’re lookin’ forward to stayin’ in bed all day.”
I could imagine.
“How long do ye’ have left on your maternity leave?”
“Three more months,” she answered. “I miss it so much, but when I think of leavin’ the boys, I get so down.”
“Will ye’ reduce your hours when ye’ go back?”
“I can’t because we need both incomes now that we have the twins,” she explained. “I’ve done a few shifts over the past few weeks, just to test meself with the boys in the crèche set up for the staff. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t bring them to work with me and check on them whenever I want to.”
“You’re lucky,” I said. “Aideen would kill for that, but at least Kane’s job doesn’t require him to actually leave the apartment, so she knows the boys are in good hands with ‘im while she’s not there.”
Branna nodded in agreement.
“Tell me to fuck off if I’m oversteppin’ ‘ere,” she began, “but did I notice some tension between you and Damien at Alec and Keela’s?”
I took a sip of my tea.
“Branna, ye’ don’t know the half of it.” I sighed, settling into the chair. “Let me tell ye’ about how much that white-haired fucker has irritated me so far today.”
A half an hour after I entered Branna’s house, Kane showed up with Jax and Locke while Aideen was at work. A half an hour after they showed up, Nico, Bronagh, and Georgie stopped by. When Alec came over, any semblance of peace was completely gone out the door with his big mouth. Luckily, the twins, Nixon and Jules, could sleep through anything, so not even Alec Slater could ruin their nap.
“Where’s Keela?”
“At home,” he answered as he fell into the chair next to me. “I saw the kids arrive and wanted to come over and play with them, but she wants me to play with her, and I refuse to. I’m too scared my cock head will hit my kid’s head if I have sex with her.”
“Alec!” I screeched. “Too much information!”
Nico laughed, Kane’s lips twitched, and the sisters giggled.
“You’re so fucking cute.” Alec snickered. “You have loud, angry sex with Damien in my guest bedroom, but I can’t say cock head without you—”
I dived on him, grabbed his earlobes with my fingers, and pulled on them until he was a hollering mess.
“Mercy,” he yelled. “Mercy, woman!”
I released his ears and slid back onto my chair, ignoring the cries of laughter from around us.
“Now,” I said as I straightened my dress. “Keep it PG.”
“You’re a violent little midget!” Alec hissed as he rapidly rubbed his ears.
I glared at him. “Remember that the next time you want to air me business in public.”