Seducing Bran

by Jules Barnard

  Holy shit. “You want to have children?”

  “With you?” he said. “Yes. Especially if we have a brainy, redheaded spitfire.”

  Ireland swallowed. Was this really happening?

  Everything he’d said was exactly what she’d ever wanted to hear from him. Yet he’d crushed her hopes for them only days ago. “You hurt me, and I don’t know if I can trust you.”

  Chapter 32

  Ireland returned to the head table with the rest of the wedding party, but she glanced every few minutes at Bran, and caught him looking back at her. When they’d parted, his demeanor said he hadn’t been pleased with how she’d left things, but he wasn’t pushing her.

  Actually, right now, he was talking to the woman next to him, who was smiling and touching his arm.

  Ireland wanted to punch the woman. But she didn’t need to go all cavewoman, because Bran gave no signs of interest. There were no heated looks like the ones he sent Ireland from across the room. He was being polite to his tablemate, and Ireland couldn’t fault him there. He was a good man.

  A good man. And he wanted her back. Had acknowledged his mistakes and wanted to try again.

  But would he stand by her no matter what? She’d been burned too many times in her professional and personal life. She couldn’t take it if Bran turned on her again.

  Ireland danced with the wedding party and mingled with relatives on both sides of the family. Hunt was on the dance floor swooping in and dipping every beautiful woman he got his hands on, including Kerstin. Which had Gabe frowning and shifting his jaw.

  Interesting.

  Gabe never got jealous over women, not even his ex, Jennifer. And as far as Ireland knew, Gabe hadn’t been introduced to Kerstin until the wedding.

  Maybe Ireland’s arrogant brother had finally found someone he wanted and couldn’t have?

  Ireland walked across the room to the champagne table, musing over her brother’s love life, and heard her name mentioned.

  “Ireland’s a good employee, but the software disaster at Club Tahoe cooled down our CEO’s interest in having her design a system for the Las Vegas facility,” Adam said to Levi. “It’s been put on permanent hold.”

  Ireland stiffened. She’d heard nothing of this from her employer. But the program she’d designed for Club Tahoe had malfunctioned, even if it hadn’t been her fault. Just the thought of her work at Club Tahoe tainting the good reputation she’d managed to build in Lake Tahoe sent her stomach roiling.

  “What’s this?” Bran stepped away from a side conversation a few feet over and approached Adam and Levi, whose backs were to her. They didn’t appear to know she was there, and neither, it seemed, did Bran.

  Adam shrugged and straightened the sleeve of his tux jacket. “Ireland is a nice girl, but the company won’t risk using her now. They’ll hire someone they can trust.”

  “They can trust her,” Bran said. “Ireland is a brilliant programmer, and Blue is lucky to have her. In fact, if they don’t appreciate her, Club Tahoe will hire her.”

  Ireland’s jaw dropped and she stared at Bran, who looked up at that moment and finally saw her.

  Bran blinked and looked away. He ran a hand through his hair and stormed off.

  Ireland watched him leave, his long stride cutting across the room.

  He’d stood up for her.

  When he didn’t have to. He didn’t know she was there listening.

  Ireland had felt moderately responsible for how things had gone down with James. The Tech Banquet employee was a jerk, but her presence on the job had infuriated him further.

  Ireland walked across the room, but she couldn’t find Bran. She wanted… She wasn’t sure what she wanted. But he’d defended her, and that meant something. He didn’t know if she’d give him a second chance. She didn’t know. Yet he’d spoken up for her in front of his family, the very brothers he’d said came first a few days ago.

  And if Bran was truly willing to make her a priority… Well, that changed everything.

  Ireland checked in with Cali to see if she needed anything, then beelined it out of the reception tent to the main house. She needed space. To clear her head. To process Bran’s actions.

  She climbed the stairs and entered a bathroom on the second level. The Langs had set up fancy temporary bathrooms next to the giant lawn tent, but a porta-potty, nice though it may be, wouldn’t give her the space she needed.

  She flattened her hands on the vanity and stared at herself in the mirror. “Holy shit.” Had any man stood up for her the way Bran had tonight? The way he had with James when James had manhandled her in the parking lot?

  Bran had been there for her more than she gave him credit—feeding her, loving her, calling her his. Yes, he’d fucked up, but Ireland had assumed the worst as soon as Bran had taken a mental step back. When he’d had what probably equated to his career and the careers of his brothers hanging over his head.

  He deserved a second chance. They deserved a second chance.

  Ireland’s chest warmed for the first time since that awful night at Bran’s house. She shook with excitement and trepidation, because no matter what, love was a leap of faith. But if Bran was willing to try, it was worth it.

  The door opened—and closed just as quickly. But not before Bran squeezed himself inside the bathroom.

  Ireland spun around, her heart racing. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

  “Came to find you.” He stretched his neck, his face strained. “I’m sorry about that out there. I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but Adam was dead wrong. He hasn’t heard all the details of the police investigation into James, and I couldn’t listen to him spew bullshit. You’re an incredible worker, and smarter than the five of us combined.”

  Ireland stared at his strong jawline at eye level, then moved up to sincere blue eyes. “You put me first.”

  “I’ll always put you first.”

  Ireland jittered with emotion. She reached for the lapels of Bran’s jacket and jerked him close, kissing him before he could say another word.

  It took Bran all of a millisecond to react, and then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.

  He lifted his mouth just above hers. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”

  “You had it coming.”

  “Using my words now?”

  Bran had explained away the kiss on the boat all those weeks ago by telling her she’d had it coming. “They were good words,” she said.

  He lowered his mouth to hers and slid one hand to her ass, squeezing her rear over the silky, asymmetrical dress Cali had picked out for the bridesmaids. “Did I mention how beautiful you are in this dress?”

  She grinned. “You like? Does my description make more sense now?”

  “Nope. But it wouldn’t matter what you wore. You’re beautiful in everything—though naked is my preference.”

  “Were you serious out there? About trying again?”

  He leaned back and looked into her eyes. “I was an idiot. Don’t hold that against me. I love you, Ireland, and I want us to work.”

  Her face spread into a wide smile. Love was reckless, but there was no one she’d rather be reckless with than her not-so-monk-like boyfriend, who did his best to take care of the people he loved. Ultimately, Bran’s heart was in the right place, and that was what mattered. “I want us to try again as well.”

  He closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. “Thank God.” He kissed her, and Ireland wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

  She slid her hands up the back of his strong neck where the skin was soft, her fingers clinging to his silky hair. “I have an idea.”

  “Hmm,” he said, and continued to kiss her lips, nipping here and there and mapping out her ass with his hands.

  She assumed his one-syllable utterance meant, “What did you have in mind?”

  “You know how we’ve always been interrupted in bathrooms and offices?” she said.

  His hands stilled on her ass.
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  “What do you think of christening one of these small, sacred rooms we like so much?”

  Bran reached back, blindly locked the door, and lifted her onto the bathroom vanity. He slid his hands up her legs and beneath her dress. “This is why I love you. Your brilliant ideas.”

  Ireland tugged at his tux jacket and yanked it down his arms, then went to work on his shirt.

  “You don’t need to take all this off for us to get busy,” he said.

  “I need to see my man’s hot body,” she replied.

  He sent her a crooked smile and helped her take his shirt off, hooking it on the doorknob. “Admire all you like, but your dress is coming off.”

  And that was how they ended up naked in the second-floor bathroom.

  Bran kissed her breasts and slid his fingers up her legs. “You’re wet for me.”

  He was a naughty boy. “So, so wet,” she said.

  Bran growled and nudged her legs apart. Then he scrambled for his tux pants and pulled out a foiled wrapper. Within seconds, the head of his erection entered her, filling her body.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  He kissed her cheek, the lids of her eyes, and then her mouth, right as he went in all the way to the hilt. “Not more than I love you. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  She tilted her head back, feeling him deep inside her. “You’re forgiven. Now get back to work.”

  Bran wrapped his arm behind her, supporting her weight, and tilting her to just the right position.

  This countertop sex hit some sort of internal erogenous zone, because before she knew it, she was panting and clinging to him on the brink of orgasm.

  Bran leaned her back farther, supporting her with his strong arms, and licked her nipple over and over. Then he sucked.

  That did it. Ireland’s orgasm hit with the force of a truck. Her body convulsed, her mind drifting somewhere into the clouds.

  She heard and felt Bran shake with his own release moments later as she slowly came down from the clouds.

  Ireland kissed the top of his head while his face was planted in her cleavage after he’d collapsed on top of her in a post-sex stupor. “That was fun.”

  “Hmm.”

  More monosyllabic words. She’d give him time to recover.

  They clung to each other until Ireland feared her butt would forever hold the imprint of the countertop ledge.

  They dressed, and Bran was eyeing her ass.

  “Don’t start that again,” she said.

  “What? I missed you,” he said. “Can you blame me?”

  She slipped on her heels then fell into Bran’s arms, where she belonged. “No. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you either.”

  They returned to the wedding reception, no one the wiser, and danced the night away with friends and family.

  Bran held Ireland’s hand and smiled whenever their eyes met, the most delicious secret just between the two of them.

  “Good,” Adam said, approaching them from the side, Hayden slipping off to chat with someone else.

  “What do you mean, good?” Bran said.

  “My plan worked. You and Ireland are back together.”

  Bran dropped Ireland’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Adam shook his head. “Cade stubbornness was in full effect. I dropped that line about the Blue CEO kicking Ireland off the project.”

  Ireland blinked. “The CEO hasn’t reconsidered me working at the Las Vegas facility?”

  Adam reached for a bite-sized dessert off the tray of a passing waiter. “Hell no. That man loves you. He has no idea what happened at the club—not that it was your fault.”

  “You tricked me,” Bran said.

  Adam munched on his dessert. “Yep. And it worked.”

  Bran frowned. “It helped. I was already trying to win her back.”

  Adam shrugged. “No need to thank me. But don’t forget to name your firstborn child after me.”

  “What if it’s a girl?” Ireland chimed in, suddenly finding Adam’s antics amusing now that she knew her reputation at Blue was intact.

  Adam looked up as though considering. “Adamina has a nice ring to it.”

  Hayden walked over and wrapped her arm around Adam’s waist. “What’re you up to?” she said.

  Adam dropped a kiss on her lips. “Just a little Cade knocking of skulls. You know how we are.”

  “You mean pigheaded and arrogant?” She turned to Bran and Ireland. “I hope he isn’t causing problems.”

  Ireland looked at Bran and flushed when a flashback of the bathroom drifted into her mind. She cleared her throat. “No problems at all.” She looked at Adam. “Since I know Bran won’t say it, thank you.”

  “My pleasure. Don’t forget,” Adam said as he turned to walk away with Hayden, “Adamina. It’ll be a new trend in baby names.”

  Bran shook his head. “Jackass.”

  “But he was right,” Ireland said after Adam and Hayden had left. “I needed to know you’d be there for me. Needed that gentle nudge”

  Bran wrapped his arms around her, hugging her thigh to thigh in front of everyone in the room. “I’ll always be there for you.”

  Chapter 33

  Ireland walked into Prime and searched the busy restaurant for her boyfriend. She found Bran with a group of customers, smiling and pouring them champagne.

  Ever since Cali and Jaeg’s wedding four weeks ago, Ireland had been happier than she’d ever been in her life, professionally and personally. These last few weeks, she’d helped Bran decorate his house, and they’d spent almost all of their free time together, particularly during Cali and Jaeg’s two-week honeymoon.

  Which brought up another thing. Ireland needed to find a new place to live. She couldn’t intrude on Cali and Jaeg’s newlywed home much longer. Something to add to her to-do list as she navigated work and spending quality time with her boyfriend.

  Bran walked over. “Hi, beautiful. You ready to get your sweat on?”

  Ireland wore spandex. No one looked good in spandex, but Bran was hyped up about them working out together and Ireland building strength in case she ever needed to protect herself from a creep like James again. “Ready as I’ll ever be. Though I can’t promise athleticism.”

  He grabbed her hand. “I’m going to work you so hard, you’ll be begging me to stop.”

  She leaned over. “That sounds naughty.”

  “I can’t help thinking of other things when I see you in tight clothes.” He looked down admiringly. “Let’s get this gym visit over with, so we can head back to my place for another workout.”

  “You’re a dirty boy.”

  “Yes, I am. Now give me five minutes to hand off a few things to the manager, and I’ll be right back.”

  Ireland waited outside, stepping onto the beach to admire the lake while she waited for Bran. Hunt was still on duty at Club Kids. She supposed it was early enough that most parents hadn’t picked up their children from day camp yet.

  Before she knew it, Bran was standing beside her. “Hey, I didn’t see you walk up.” Ireland’s smile fell. “Everything okay?”

  Bran’s face was flushed, and he was staring out at the lake. “I just received a letter.”

  She glanced back at the restaurant. “Here?”

  He nodded. “My dad’s old secretary showed up and dropped it off. It was from my father.”

  Ireland didn’t know much about Bran’s dad, except that he’d built Club Tahoe and hadn’t spent much time with Bran and his brothers.

  “I don’t understand,” she said. “Why would your dad’s secretary drop off a letter from him now? Why not when he first passed away?”

  He grabbed her hand and let out a sigh. “Esther worked with my father for decades. She was more than a secretary; she was like a second mother to us. As for why now, read the letter.” He handed her a sheet of paper with creases folded in it. The date was nearly two years ago to the day.

>   * * *

  Dear Bran,

  * * *

  I worried about you, son. You never were the same after what happened in high school. Oh, you thought I didn’t know about the girl you got pregnant? I might have been gone from home often, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have eyes on you boys.

  Five, there were five of you. I had my hands full. Which was why I kept tabs even if I couldn’t be present. Had to make sure you boys stayed alive or your mother would have killed me in the afterlife.

  In short, I hope this letter finds you well. I hope you’re no longer beating yourself up for the past. And I hope the woman you’ve fallen in love with understands what a caring, kind man you are beneath the hard exterior.

  If you’re wondering why you’re receiving this letter now, well, that’s simple. Esther has been given strict instructions. All you boys are to receive a letter on the day you fall in love—or thereabouts. So don’t tell the next son in line. My guess is Hunt will be the last, but I’ve been wrong before.

  * * *

  Love,

  Dad

  * * *

  Tears glistened in Bran’s eyes, and he blinked. “We had a pretty major rift, but I never knew he watched out for us in his own way. We all believed he didn’t care.”

  Ireland wrapped her arms around him.

  “Looking back, I can’t even blame him for everything,” Bran said. “You’ve seen how me and my brothers are. We’re pigheaded, and our teenage years were more about rebelling than anything else—no wonder the old man had spies watching us. The only one who went to work for our father was Adam, the ass-kisser.

  “I bartended at a local restaurant and took classes at the community college. Got my two-year degree, and off I went to run a restaurant. I worked there for years, thinking that was the most I wanted out of life. And then Dad died and suddenly my brothers and me were in charge of Club Tahoe. I stepped it up with the restaurants, but I never thought I’d enjoy it. I thought it was more punishment for my sins.”