“Hello, Skye,” Robert greeted her. “What did you see in my brother?”
Cian glowered at him. “Seriously? Are you really my brother?”
“Right now, I don’t know,” Skye replied honestly. They all laughed at that.
“I see you’ve gotten to know my son very well,” his father noted. Skye smiled at him.
“It’s nice to meet you, Skye. I love that dress. Come, sit with us.” Abigail took Skye’s hand, leading her to the couch.
Skye sent Cian a help-me look as he released her hand. He gave her a you’re-on-your-own look right back. Rotten bastard. Throwing her to the wolves. She was definitely killing him later.
Austin Hunter had his father’s blond hair and his mother’s gray eyes with the same devilish twinkle Cian’s had. He was attired in black jeans and a white cotton shirt. His mischievous grin reminded her of Cian’s. His fiancée, Holly, had shoulder-length shiny black hair and moss-green eyes. Her green knee-length cotton dress fitted her perfectly. A beautiful diamond ring glittered on her left hand. She looked perfect, like a model. She smiled at Skye as she sat down on the couch next to Abigail.
Mrs. Hunter bustled in. “Good. You’ve met everyone. What would you like to drink? A little wine, maybe?”
“Just juice or water, please. I don’t drink,” Skye said a little self-consciously.
“Not ever?” When she shook her head, Austin gave her an incredulous look. “And you’re going out with Cian? The Party Guy?”
“Thanks a lot, bro. Warn her off me, why don’t you?” Cian remarked sarcastically.
“Gladly do it, little brother. She’s too good for you.” Austin winked at Skye.
“Don’t mind him, Skye,” Holly put in. “Austin’s an outrageous flirt.”
Skye’s lips twitched. “Like Cian, you mean?” Holly laughed as Cian sent her a mock look of hurt. He mimed getting stabbed in the heart. Skye rolled her eyes at him. The goof.
“Hey, you’re the college girl!”
Skye sent Austin a startled look. “Um, how—”
“The one who wouldn’t give Cian the time of the day,” Robert noted.
“Yeah, that’s her,” Austin agreed. They both chuckled.
Skye could feel her face flushing. Damn, Cian must have told his family about her.
“I can’t believe you told your family about me!” Skye blurted out. Oh, no, not again. What the hell was wrong with her tongue today, blurting stuff out like that?
“Of course I did. You made a big impression on me,” Cian explained smoothly.
The others laughed at that. Mrs. Hunter handed her a glass of peach juice. “Thank you.”
Skye liked his family even though she was still nervous. Cameron tugged on her dress. She glanced at him.
“Are you going to marry Uncle Cian, too?” His amber eyes stared at her seriously.
“Cameron!” his mother called out.
Skye’s eyes widened. “Too?”
He nodded. “Like Aunt Holly.”
Well, well.
“Oh, dear!” Mrs. Hunter exclaimed. They all stared at her. Cameron, with his earnest look, waiting for her answer and the rest of them watching to see what she’d do. Skye’s gaze met Cian’s. Amusement glinted in his.
“In that case, I’ll have to marry your uncle Austin,” Skye quipped.
Austin hooted with laughter and the rest of his family joined him in an echo of merriment. Cameron cocked his head, thinking it over.
“Over my dead body!” Cian’s eyes were alight with humor and something else that looked suspiciously like possession. No, her brain was probably turning to mush from too much stress.
“Well, Cameron says Holly’s going to marry you. What’s a girl to do? I have to marry Austin.” She gave him an innocent smile. Holly giggled at that.
“There’s no way you’re marrying Austin,” Cian disagreed adamantly.
“Normally, I’d be all for it, Skye, but Holly would kill me,” Austin grinned, his eyes twinkling.
“And you’d be right,” Holly retorted, then leaned over and dropped a kiss on his chin. He smiled back at her. They looked very much in love.
Another tug at her dress. She looked down at Cameron. He gave her a shy smile. “I like you. I’ll marry you.”
“Cameron, you’re definitely my son,” Robert observed, chuckling.
“Had any doubts?” Abigail demanded.
He grinned at her. “Why, no, honey. Just emphasizing how he’s his dad’s son.” Abigail pfft at him, but she was smiling.
Oh, you darling child, Skye thought. She leaned down and kissed Cameron on his cheek. He blushed bright red. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me. I like you too, Cam. It’s a deal.”
“Great. First, my mom sides with you, my father and eldest brother dish me out, my older brother tries to steal you away, even my sister-in-law and the future one are taken with you and now, the last straw, my nephew proposes to you so blatantly in front of everyone. That’s it. I’m never bringing you home again,” Cian swore, his eyes gleaming with laughter.
Skye sent him an eye-roll as his family laughed at him, even Amber. She had never liked any of his girlfriends before but Cian hoped she and Skye would be friends.
His mother took Skye’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Next time you come visit, honey, leave the Grinch at home.”
Skye giggled. She actually giggled! Happiness flooded Cian’s body as he watched her. He had seen the tender look on Skye’s face when she’d looked at Jenny and Cameron. Trust his niece and nephew to get to her heart. Skye didn’t know it but she’d just made an instant family. She would never be alone again.
He grabbed his nephew around the stomach and tickled him, much to Cam’s delighted giggles. “Trying to steal my girlfriend, eh?”
Cameron shrieked with laughter, trying to get away from his uncle as little Jennifer clapped her hands in delight for more, until their grandmother finally came to save him, announcing they’d better start on their lunch before the day was gone.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was one of the best days of her life. Skye had never expected she’d have fun. But enjoy herself she did. Cian’s family was loving and funny. They completely put her at ease, not giving her time to feel nervous. Thank god she hadn’t dropped a spoon or fork or embarrassed herself in any other way.
The Hunter family seemed to be winding their way around her heart. Everyone had raved about her brownies, much to her embarrassment.
Hours later when they were leaving, Cian’s parents walked them to the door and hugged Cian. To her shock, Mrs. Hunter hugged her too and handed her a container with the potato salad that Skye had found delicious. Treated to a hug filled with such love and warmth left Skye speechless. She was firmly told to come visit again.
Skye was kept reeling over it all as Cian drove her home. She was tired but in a good way.
“Dollar for your thoughts.”
Startled, Skye blinked at him. “Dollar?”
“Well, last time I tried with a penny, it didn’t work out.”
Penny? Oh right, she remembered when they’d first arrived at his parents’ home, he’d asked her what she was thinking. A smile flitted to her mouth.
“Just thinking about the day. I like your family. They are so cool. How did you turn out the way you did?” Skye teased.
“Cute. Very cute. They like you too.”
Skye shook her head in amazement. “I don’t understand why they would.”
No, she wouldn’t, Cian thought. She couldn’t see how special she was, but his family did. Just like he did.
“Except for the warts, you’re not so bad,” Cian ragged her, smiling as he pulled up to her apartment building.
“Har har. Why didn’t you tell me your brothers and their other halves would be there?” Skye drilled a
hole into him with her eyes.
It only made him smile. “And of course, if I had, you would have cheerfully agreed to willingly show up.”
“No freaking way.”
“My point exactly.”
Skye scowled at being bested. Then she realized she should get out and head up to her apartment. She unbuckled her seat belt. Maybe if she moved fast… .
“Okay, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Not so fast.” His fingers shackled her wrist before she could open her door.
Shoot. Heat spread from her wrist up to her arm. Skye should have known he wouldn’t let her get away so easily. She turned to stare at him in resignation. “All right. One kiss.”
Cian grinned at her. “How generous of you, darling.”
He tugged her closer and was it normal that her pulse sped up in anticipation? His lips met hers in a tender, gentle kiss that filled her heart with warmth.
When he pulled away, Skye stared at him solemnly. “You don’t play fair.”
Cian laughed and stole another kiss. “I never play fair. I’ll walk you up.”
“No, you don’t have to.” He started to protest but Skye shook her head at him. “I had a wonderful time with your family. Thank you.”
She had no idea how those words got to him. It meant a lot that she liked his family.
“Just this once, I’ll let it go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Skye smiled at him and got out of the car. Then something struck her. She turned and walked backwards. “No calls tonight.”
“And you said I don’t play fair,” Cian called out.
She laughed and waved her fingers at him. Cian stared after her long after she got inside the building and disappeared from his sight. Then he took out his phone and stared at her photo. He wondered how he could get her to wear that dress again. Scheming on how to do just that, he turned on the car and drove away with a smile on his face.
THE PHONE RANG just as she got inside her apartment. Skye locked the door and rushed to her room to grab it. It was Kiera.
“Hey, you. Are you psychic or something?”
“Good, you’re finally home. How was lunch?”
Skye smiled as she pulled her shoes off and lay back on the bed. “It was okay.”
“Geez, it’s like pulling teeth with you. I need deets!”
Skye laughed and proceeded to tell her about the surprisingly fun day she had had. “I didn’t drop or spill anything so it was a good day.”
“You’d never have embarrassed yourself, Skye.”
“You weren’t there when I blurted out to his mother that Cian threatened to tie me up and gag me,” she reported wryly.
“You what? You didn’t.”
“Trust me, I did.”
Kiera’s laughter rang in her ears. “What did she say?”
“She laughed it off. Kiera, she was so nice and loving to me.”
“Why wouldn’t she be? You’re great.”
“And you’re prejudiced.”
“I’m not. So the kids stole your heart away.”
“Cam’s so cute and Jennifer’s like a little angel. You’d have loved them. But enough about me, what about you, how was the second date?”
Ash had taken Kiera out on a picnic at the Boston Public Garden.
“I thought you were too sleepy when I called you last night to remember I had a date with Ash.”
“Like I’d be too sleepy to forget that.”
“Right. Forgot who I was speaking to for a moment there.”
“You did not!” Skye exclaimed. “And you’re changing the subject.”
“Since when did you become so bossy?”
“I’ve always been bossy!”
Kiera laughed. “Yeah, that’s true. It was an amazing day. We got on the swan boats and it was one of the most romantic days I’ve ever had.”
“Deets! I need deets!”
Kiera laughed again. “Well, the weather was great. He spread out a blanket on the grass and we sat side by side.”
“Ooh, romance was in the air,” Skye chimed in.
Kiera giggled. “We had a lunch of prawns in this awesome sauce, sweet and sour fish with braided bread. The flavors exploded in my mouth. For dessert, he’d brought fresh juicy red strawberries with cream.”
“Oh. My. God. He brought you strawberries.” Skye loved strawberries.
“Yep. And after that we had our romantic glide on the water. Then we had a long walk holding hands. It was all so wonderful.”
“Wow. He went all out. How do you feel about him, Kiera?”
There was a pause then she said softly, “I like him more than I have ever liked anyone before.”
“That’s good,” Skye replied gently.
Although Skye didn’t much care about love and finding Prince Charming, Kiera wanted someone in her life. Someone to love and spend her life with.
Not necessarily Prince Charming—hell, he only existed in fairy tales anyway, plus she and Skye were both pragmatic women—but a good guy who would appreciate her, treat her well and truly love her. Such a guy hadn’t been found yet. But it looked like Ash could be the one. Skye was really happy for them both.
“I’m just going to take it slow and see how it goes,” Kiera said.
“That’s a good approach. By the way, in my sleep-starved stupor last night, I forgot to ask you—what did your mum think of Ash?”
Kiera and her mother lived together. Her father had died when she was a kid and her two older sisters were married and lived in California. So it was just her and her mom. Mrs. Carmichael was great. Whenever Skye had gone to visit Kiera, she’d been plied with motherly love and great food.
“She totally loved him. She said I’d better marry this guy or else she was disinheriting me and adopting him.”
Skye burst out laughing. “That sounds like her. So, you think Ash would be agreeable to a fast wedding, say, around this week?”
“Oh, stop it, you’re worse than her. It’s only been two dates!”
“Hey! I’m trying to help here. You said so yourself, two memorable dates. He’s a guy so fast weddings should appeal to him.”
“Skye!”
“I can hear you just fine, you know. You don’t have to shout.” It was so much fun ragging Kiera. But then she turned the tables on Skye.
“I wonder if Cian would have the same idea. Right, we would probably have to tie you up to get you to the chapel. I wonder if the minister would take a nod as a yes when it came time to say your vows since you’d be all gagged up.”
Skye gasped. “I can’t believe you just said that! You traitor!”
Kiera giggled. “Back at ya.”
Skye chuckled. “Okay, it’s a draw.”
Long after they finished talking, Skye just lay there thinking about the day.
She glanced at her phone as it announced the arrival of a text message. It was from Cian. Skye had said no calls so he’d found the loophole in that and texted instead. She couldn’t help smiling. It read: Miss me, will u.
Her smile widened as she texted him: Not likely. Remind me who this is again.
Cian replied back instantly: The Neanderthal. Gonna get u back 4 that.
She laughed. U wish. No text msgs either.
Her phone vibrated. Man, u’r so strict. Dream of me, will u? His answer made her smile again.
Weird dream, u mean. Skye could almost see him grin at that, knowing he’d remember how when she’d woken up yesterday and seeing him, had immediately attributed his presence to being a weird dream.
Any dream of me is bound 2 B mind-blowing, O Ignorant one.
What a big ego u have, O Arrogant one. Go away, she sent back.
Ah, yes, let u have ur beauty sleep, u mean, princess. Ok, ‘Night. Sweet dreams. xoxo. P.S. See what an
agreeable guy I am?
Not about to let him have the last word, Skye texted: Agreeable like hell. ‘Night. P.S. Scratch the xoxos.
That night, when Skye went to bed, she found out that she missed Cian’s arms around her. Missed him, she thought morosely. Damn him.
Something nagged at her, keeping her awake. She finally got up and went into the kitchen, where she’d left the vase of irises. She pressed the flowers to her face again, feeling a sense of wonder envelop her body.
She carried the vase to her room and set it on her nightstand. Then she got back into bed. An awed smile lit her face as she looked at them one more time before finally closing her eyes and drifting away.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Monday came around way too fast. One minute it was Sunday evening and the next, dreaded Monday was here again. Why couldn’t Sundays last longer? Skye thought to herself as she headed to the break room. She definitely needed a day between Saturday and Sunday.
Ash and Sarah were there, helping themselves to freshly made coffee. Yay, fresh coffee and she hadn’t had to make it too! Looked like the gods were smiling down on her today.
“Hey, Sarah.” Sarah was in Ash’s team and she had always been nice to Skye. A while back, she’d had a formatting problem for a database she’d been working on and Skye had helped her out.
“Hi, Skye,” Sarah said. “How’s it going?”
“I’m good. How about you?”
“Great. I heard about you and Cian.” Sarah smiled when Skye groaned.
“Not you too.”
“What can I say? You two are hot news.” Sarah raised her mug in a toast as she left.
Skye stared at Ash, who was grinning. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Skye said as way of greeting. “My boyfriend won’t like it.”
“How will we continue with our secret love affair then?”
Skye snorted and headed for the coffeemaker. “Careful. If he hears you, he might just have to take you down.”
“I’d like to see him try. So how’s it going? I hear you met the Hunter family already.”
Skye almost spewed coffee on the counter. “Where did you hear that?”
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