In an embarrassing display of synchronicity, the five men crossed their arms over their chests and scowled at the giggling women, who thought the men’s discomfort was hilarious. All men and women crossed their arms. It was just that their timing was terrible.
Phones were out, and pictures were snapped before Dagr could blink. Then, before he could leave the tow-headed huddle, Bébhinn said she wanted a family picture. She set her phone on the bar and put a timer on it. When Rowan tried to opt out, her daughter wrapped an arm around Rowan’s waist and one around Dagr’s.
When she grinned up at him, clearly enjoying the moaning and groaning coming from the men, he couldn’t help but kiss her upturned lips.
forty-seven
BÉBHINN
Bébhinn couldn’t helpthe snorts of amusement on the ride home to her house. She and Dagr had flipped through the burst of pictures she’d set her phone to take of the group once they’d left the O’Faolain building, and while they sat in her Jeep, she had already sent them to her mom and aunts.
In one of them, Bran, Patrick, and Dagr had all leaned down to kiss their women. That one was getting framed.
Seeing Dagr’s face turn red when he saw all the twinning was hysterical. Bébhinn knew they were all having fun with the “long lost brother thing,” but it was just too amusing to let slide.
Another bonus of the teasing was that her family finally relaxed around Dagr. The men were able to interact in a comfortable camaraderie.
Being able to claim Dagr as hers in front of her family—euphoria.
River made Dagr promise to ask his dad if he’d ever heard of a “bitch” named Helen Lowell. She was my father’s first wife and, from all accounts, a horrible excuse for a human being. Thestory of when her mom had verbally kicked Helen’s ass had been a favorite one to retell over family meals. Bébhinn could always tell that it moved her father.
Things had gotten more serious when Dagr dropped a bomb by admitting his father had mentioned his birth mother was American and had been very young.
“Are you really going to ask your dad about his birth mom?” she asked as they pulled up to her house.
“Absolutely. I’d do just about anything to get your aunts off my tail.”
He leaned over the console and kissed her until they were both breathless before stating, “None of us believes I’m really a long-lost family member, but it sure broke the ice faster than a silent luncheon. Your mom and sisters are very clever.”
“Oh, they are,” she assured. Bébhinn knew what they’d been up to and completely approved. “It helps that my brothers love their wives more than anything else in the world and would do anything to make them happy.”
“Including family photos with their sister’s new boyfriend, who happens to be much older.”
“And that,” she admitted. “What did you think of Mom?” she asked as they exited the Jeep.
“I really liked her. Your aunts too.” He hesitated like he wasn’t quite sure if he should say whatever it was he was thinking.
They paused on the steps leading to the front door. “What is it?”
“I sensed that your family might be treating your mom more carefully than maybe she would like. When they did that, I could see her withdraw even more.”
She sighed, knowing what he witnessed was true. The house was empty when they walked inside. Mags and Gray were at a yoga class, and Blair was surely in the back garden tendingher plants. “It’s getting better, but yeah, I probably need to say something to my aunts. It’s not been a year yet, we’re all still trying to find our new normal.”
“I understand. I do.” He sat on a kitchen chair and pulled her between his legs. “It took years before I stopped looking for Mom when I walked into our house.”
She placed her hands on his shoulders and felt his muscles ripple beneath her palms. “You were so young. I can’t imagine.”
He started at her thighs, moving his hands along her sides to her ribs and back down again, bringing her a little closer to his body with every pass. When his fingers began to drag over the side of her ass to the undersides of her breasts, her breaths increased in rhythm.
“When do you have to leave?”
“In an hour. I’ve a car scheduled to pick me up.”
“Do you want to spend the next fifty-nine minutes in my bed?”
“God, yes.” He surged to his feet and brought her along, lifting her easily and carrying her to her bedroom. “I was afraid you might be too tender after last night.”
They kissed down the hall, bumping into tables and pictures. “Tender, but not too terribly.” She bit his lip.
