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“Ye brag away,leannán.”
She stands, moving around the island. I glance over when she stands beside me, watching what I’m doing as I start to add the pork chops to the heated pan.
Ronan might say he’s not the world’s best cook, but dinner is delicious. He even cuts mine up for me so I can awkwardly eat one-handed. It’s cute, sitting at the table between the kitchen and living areas, eating dinner with him. Family-like.
We’re almost finished when I finally work up the nerves to mention Mellie’s offer to Ronan.
“So… Mellie mentioned that she and Niall would be okay with me staying with them,” I say softly, risking a peek at Ronan.
His eyes are burning into my face, his jaw set, and his hand has tightened so much on his fork that his knuckles have gone white. I brace myself for him to tell me “absolutely fecking not” or something. But he doesn’t.
“If that’s what ye want, lass,” he says tightly.
My heart clenches in my chest. He’d let me go and stay with them if I wanted? Even though that’s absolutely not what he wants? The man is full of surprises tonight. I am surprised at how much I want to rush to reassure him.
Reaching with my good hand, I brush my fingers over his white knuckles and offer him a soft smile.
“I thanked her for the offer, but I want to stay here for the moment.”
Ronan nods stiffly, but his hand relaxes, and so does his jaw. I keep my fingers on his hand for a moment longer, looking away as I withdraw to my side of the table.
Ronan clears his throat, dropping his fork onto his plate and standing up. He cleans the table quickly as I sit and watch him wash up in the kitchen.
“I can help.”
He doesn’t look over as she waves my offer away. “Not with a bandaged hand ye can’t, lass. Make yerself comfortable on the sofa.”
So I’m not sitting awkwardly at the table as the sink runs, I do stand, moving over to the living area and settling myself on the sofa. Picking up the remote, I flick the TV on and scroll through the channels until I find some random reality TV show.
It’s different from what Mellie and I watched today but just as silly. Leaning back into the leather sofa, I stare at the scene before me until I hear Ronan moving away from the kitchen.
The sofa beside me dips as he takes a seat. I’m tugged sideways until I’m cuddled up in Ronan’s arms, my feet gently lifted over his lap. Leaning my head against his shoulder as his arm cradles me, I smile at him, feeling like teasing.
“Is this a typical night for you then? Snuggling in front of the TV?”
Ronan’s eyebrows shoot up as he glances down at me in surprise. He catches the teasing in my tone, snorting, rolling his eyes, and dropping a kiss on my forehead.
“Ye’re the first,leannán,” he says quietly.
Turning my eyes back towards the TV, I smile smugly as we watch a bunch of women competing over this guy.
I have no idea how long we watch the TV, but my eyelids grow heavy as I’m wrapped in Ronan’s warmth, his fingers stroking my arm and leg softly until I can’t stay awake.
I’m vaguely aware of Ronan carrying me into the bedroom, stripping off my T-shirt and shorts, and putting me to bed. He crawls in with me, his lips pressing against my temple.
“Sleep now,leannán,” he murmurs. Unable to resist, my mouth twists into a smirk, even though my eyes remain firmly shut.
“I’m not your sweetheart,” I mutter sleepily. Ronan chuckles into my hair.
“Ah, but ye are,leannán.”
I sigh, snuggling into his warmth. Yeah. I so am. Not that I would admit it tohim.
Chapter Fifteen
FIONA
I have never lived in a building with a doorman before, so I’m still getting used to having a “gatekeeper.” I hobble across the room as the phone beside the door rings. I seriously cannot wait until my feet are healed. It’s not super painful to walk on them – mainly wicked awkward.
