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My sister-in-law worried her lip. “She didn’t say that.”
“You said, that Maebh said, it was impossible for her to have kids. Why? If she told you we kissed, I highly doubt she left that part out.”
“It’s not my place to tell you, Cord. Just don’t hurt her. If you’re not interested, please leave her alone. She’s…well…she’s too special to be dicking around with.” Putting her hands on her hips, she mean-mugged me.
My eyes narrowed at Harley.
“You dragged my ass in here and then dropped that on me. Spill it.”
Harley’s hands went up in the air and then dropped as she sighed.
“Did you even hear the part where I said I was pregnant?”
I nodded. “Congrats and ‘bout damn time. So, why can’t she have kids?”
“Ugh! Cord! Please, I’m asking you to not be a Parker!”
“What’s that supposed to fucking mean?”
“Don’t go after Maebh just because she’s the latest flavor of your month. She’s already turned off by your playboy ways, and she has…um…”
“You don’t think I’m good enough for her?” I asked, my chest felt like it had been kicked. Is that what Harley thought of me? Did Paxton feel the same way?
“What! Of course I do. I think you’re confused by your feelings, and she’s so different from the girls you’re used to. Her heart will be broken if you lead her on, and with her being a virgin and all, I don’t want you to—”
Harley’s face constricted with horror as she slapped her hand over her mouth. The silence was so loud, I couldn’t even take a breath.
I stumbled and hit the pool table, grabbing it to keep my legs from going out from under me. My heart had never hammered in my chest like this before.
“W-what?”
“Oh, God! Oh, God! Cord, please don’t tell her you know. She’ll kill me for letting that slip. Stupid pregnancy brain!”
I pushed my hands through my hair and took in a few deep breaths. Maebh was a virgin? A virgin?
I looked at Harley. “That’s not fucking possible. You must have misunderstood her. Have you seen her? How old is she?”
Her head tilted. “Does it matter how old she is? She’s saving herself for the right guy. And the right guy isn’t the guy who is going to lead her on and run.”
My stomach knotted up, and I made my way to one of the stools.
“Cord, I mean it. You can’t let her know that you know. That’s for her to tell, if she even has a reason to tell you.”
Snapping my head up, I met her gaze. “I… Wait, I need to process this.”
Harley rolled her eyes and started going off in Spanish. “Porqué hay hombres tan ignorantes!”
I stood. “Okay, all I got was a word that sounded like ignorant!”
“Fine, how’s this for ya? Porqué los hombres son tan estupidos. Better?”
“Why do I feel like you just called me stupid?”
She groaned. “You are stupid! I find it hard to believe you’ve never been with a virgin. Why are you freaking about this?”
“I have, but that’s not the same thing. This is different!”
“It’s not different. Maebh is an amazing twenty-five-year-old woman who is saving herself for someone who will love and respect her. I’m not sure you’re the guy, and based on that T-shirt, I’m pretty sure Maebh knows you’re not the guy.”
My jaw nearly hit the ground. “I respect her! Why do you think I pulled away? I’m so fucking scared that if I get close I’ll hurt her because I’m a prick who only likes to fuck women and move on. I’m scared of these weird feelings, and the last thing I would ever want is to hurt her. She’s better off without me in her life. But I…can’t… Ahh, fuck!”
I shouted the last two words, and Harley didn’t even flinch. She was pushing my buttons, trying to make me realize what a dick I was, but she didn’t need to remind me. I knew.
“You can’t what?”
I dropped against the pool table. “I can’t stop wanting to know her. Wanting to kiss her…touch her. Make her mine. Harley, I don’t know what to do. I’ve always said I wasn’t the settling down kind of guy, but tonight, seeing her holding Liberty…”
I slowly shook my head. “For a moment I let myself dream she was holding our baby. Then when you said she couldn’t have kids, I panicked. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Harley took my hands in hers and looked up at me. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You, Cord Parker, have fallen for a girl. You’ve been Smurfed.”
I closed my eyes while I groaned. “Not you, too.”
“Ignore the boys, Maebh,” Melanie said with a sweet smile. “They like to give each other a hard time.”
I smiled. “I’m not bothered by it.”
It was a lie, but I didn’t need to let Cord’s mother know I was smitten with her manwhore of a son. Sighing internally, I tried to push me feelings away.
