“Exactly.”
“Why?”
“Less pressure?” he sighed. “I don’t know. I’m trying to figure this out as I talk, babydoll.”
I stared at Kane for a long moment. “Is this just because I’m pregnant?”
“No,” he instantly replied. “Look, I talked to Dominic and he made me make sense of why I think of you all the time and enjoy arguing with you so much. It’s because I like you but don’t know what to do about it. I don’t like people, Aideen. Ever. I sometimes can’t stand to be around my brothers, but I want to be around you all the time. Do you understand that? I want to be around you. I need you, babydoll. You keep me sane, by driving me insane.”
I blinked and tried to avoid the heavy part of what Kane was saying with a joke. “Did he give you a run down on his Man Bible as well?” I asked.
I could have sworn he blushed.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “He’s learned a few things from being with Bronagh.”
I couldn’t help but snort.
“I don’t know what to say, Kane,” I admitted and shifted my stance. “I’m twenty-eight years old, and I’m pregnant with your baby. Startin’ a relationship with you seems to be the logical thing to do, but if I’m honest, I’m really scared. What if it goes badly and we hate each other more than before?”
Kane stepped forward. “We won’t let that happen.”
“We can’t let it happen,” I corrected. “Do you understand me? We can’t hate one another whether we get together or not. I don’t want our child to grow up in a hostile environment.”
Kane’s face softened. “Trust me, babydoll, that’s that last thing I want, too.”
I inhaled and exhaled. “I’m very unsure about this, but if we don’t put a title on it, and just continue the way we are, I’ll become more trustin’. Is that okay?” I asked. “It’s the best I can do right now. I can’t jump into a relationship with or without a title without trustin’ you.”
Kane nodded his head. “That’s fine by me, babydoll. I’m just relieved you want to try.”
“I do. I like you so much. I’d be lyin’ to you and meself if I said I wasn’t feelin’ for you lately.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “What things have you been feeling for me exactly? Be descriptive.”
“How descriptive?” I grinned.
Kane gasped, “Aideen Collins, are you flirting with me?”
“Flirtin’? You mean me awkwardness is seducin’ you?
He laughed, “Just give me a come-hither look and you’ll seduce me plenty.”
I burst into laughter. “Bloody pervert,” I said as Kane invaded my space and folded his arms around me, pulling me against his body.
I wrapped my arms around him and sighed with a smile on my face. This felt right. I didn’t know if it was right, but it felt right, and right now that was good enough for me.
“I’ve never been someone’s boyfriend before. Sorry if I’m shit at it.”
I laughed against Kane’s chest. “I’ll ease you into things.”
“That sounds good to me, babydoll.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled wide.
I felt happy.
Truly happy.
I just hated that there was a voice in the back of my head that whispered, but for how long?
“Aideen?”
I looked at my little brother when he called my name. Gavin and my other brothers were in my new apartment putting up new shelves and bookcases that Kane bought for the apartment. He was out with Nico so he couldn’t put them up for me, but I didn’t mind because it gave me a chance to hang out with my family.
I was officially fully moved out of my old apartment and settled into my new one. It didn’t take long for the movers Alec hired to shift everything because Kane already took care of buying new, expensive furniture for the new apartment so it was just things like my clothes and such that needed to be moved in.
“Aideen?” Gavin repeated.
“Hmmm?”
“What’s the difference between a girlfriend and a girl friend?” he randomly asked me.
I gave him my full attention.
“Why?” I asked.
Gavin shrugged his shoulders. “I text this girl I’ve been hangin’ around with and asked her what she was to me and she said me girl friend with a gap between the words. I don’t get the difference.”
I looked at the text when he showed it to me then shrugged my shoulders and said, “The difference, little brother, is the space between girl and friend that everyone calls the friend zone.”
My older brothers burst out laughing while Gavin glared at me and said, “Pregnancy has made you evil.”
I evilly smirked. “So I’ve heard.”
Gavin grunted, “I feel sorry for Kane, he has to put up with you twenty-four-seven.”
I rolled my eyes at him.
Kane and I had been dating, without putting a title on it, for just over a week and things had been great with us. We were getting on better than ever. The only thing I had done with him so far was kissing though. Intense kissing. He wanted to have sex, bad, but I was nervous about it because it was different now that we were together.
Gavin leaned over to me then and got my attention when he put his hand on my stomach. He grinned when the baby moved under his touch. “He loves me already.”
I grunted, “She... and you’re just lucky.”
Gavin snorted and pulled his hand away. “He always moves when I talk, or when I touch your stomach. He can sense me.”
“The poor kid is probably sick of hearin’ your voice and turns over to get away from you... did you ever think of that?”
Gavin gave our oldest brother the finger and it caused me to snicker.
“He loves me,” Gavin repeated, firmly.
I smiled. “Of course she does.”
Gavin laughed, “No more girls are allowed in this family, only boys.”
I snickered to myself, “Whatever you say.”
Gavin grinned at me then looked at his phone when it beeped. He got a text message and whatever it read caused him to stand up. “I’ll call you later, sis.”
My stomach churned.
“Where are you goin’?” I questioned.
Gavin gave me a stern look. “Out.”
“Don’t be a smartarse, Gavin,” James grunted as he glanced at our little brother.
Gavin raised an eyebrow. “I’m twenty-two; I don’t need to check in when I go someplace.”
“Why?” Harley questioned. “Is it too cool to let your family know where you’ll be at?”
“No, it’s just none of your business.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Gavin.”
He looked at me and widened his eyes. “Don’t you dare.”
He knew what I was about to do.
“Are you goin’ where I think you’re goin’?”
He shrugged and it made my blood boil.
“Tell our big brothers about your new friends.”
Dante walked over to my front door and leaned against it with his arms folded over his chest when Gavin turned and walked towards it with the intent of leaving.
“Move.”
Dante grinned. “Make me.”
Gavin’s hands balled into fists, and his entire body tensed, but he didn’t attempt to make Dante do anything, which I knew he wouldn’t.
“Thought so,” Dante smirked.
Gavin growled, “Dante, just move.”
“No,” Dante responded. “Who are these ‘friends’ Aideen is talkin’ about?”
Gavin looked at me. “You’re a nosey fuckin’ bitch. Why can’t you just keep it to yourself?!”
He hissed as Dante forcefully smacked him across the head. “Don’t you ever talk to her like that, you disrespectful little shite. Do you hear me?”
Gavin rubbed his head. “Tell her to mind her business then!”
I shook my head. “Forgive me for fuckin’ carin’ about you!”
“I’m fine!” Gavin bellowed. “I don’t need lookin’ after.”