Mr. McCullough handed over the spoon and Ashlynn dished out soup. It was like a line at a soup kitchen the way these people rushed for food. Hadn’t they been fed today? Soon as the kids came barreling in, she decided it was more like a litter of puppies racing for milk.
There were so many dark heads and bright blue eyes. Braydon seemed the only blond, and though Finn and Luke had lighter features, the rest were what she assumed was referred to as Black Irish. Even the children were beautiful. What a family of heartbreakers.
Braydon handed her a bowl and directed her to the long table. Everyone settled in and a hush fell over the crowd as they began to eat. Wow.
Becca brought the spoon to her mouth and froze as the flavor settled over her tongue. “Oh my gosh. This is delicious.”
Braydon smiled, shutting his eyes. “Mum’s cooking. Told you it was the best. This doesn’t even have her dumplings.”
The phone rang and no one moved. Mallory, Finn’s wife, was the first to acknowledge the ringing. “Frank, do you want me to get that?”
“I’ll get it,” he grumbled, stealing one more bite before rising. He plucked the phone off the wall and Becca smirked as she noted it was almost three decades old. “Hello? She’s what? Sweet Jesus, Kelly, you know better.”
“Is that Kelly? Tell him to bring home milk,” Ashlynn shouted.
Frank sighed. “I’ll come get her.” He hung up the phone and grabbed his keys. “I have to go get your mother. She’s snockered.”
“She’s supposed to babysit,” Mallory said.
“I can watch the kids,” Kate, the eldest sister volunteered.
“All of them?” Colin, Sammy, and Finn asked at once.
Kate glanced at the little ones piled around the table in the dining room like a litter of puppies nursing off a momma. “I suppose, but each one of you owe me babysitting next month.”
Becca’s eyes bulged. Kate had five kids. These people were pros in the child-rearing department.
“Deal,” Finn said.
After dinner everyone dispersed to drive the children to Kate and Anthony’s house. She gave Sheilagh a hand cleaning up the kitchen while Braydon disappeared somewhere with Alec.
“What do you think of the family, so far?” Sheilagh asked. “It’s a sign of strength that you haven’t run off screaming yet.”
Becca grinned. “I think they’re wonderful.”
“Good, because I can tell Bray really likes you.”
“Oh?” She pretended to pay close attention to the dish she was washing. How did someone have so many children without a dishwasher?
“Don’t act like you don’t see it,” Sheilagh remarked, stacking the bowls back in the cabinet.
“I have nothing to compare it to. I only met him a couple months ago.”
“Trust me. You’re different.”
“Well then I guess the question is what does the family think of me?”
Sheilagh snickered. “We won’t know that until we see how you hold your whiskey.”
Becca jumped as a pair of familiar hands snaked around her waist and pulled her close. “Don’t let her scare you, angel.”
Relaxing in Braydon’s hold, she finished the last of the spoons. “Are you ready?”
“Yup. Sheilagh, you wanna drive together? Alec said he isn’t drinking.”
“What?” She stomped off into the other room.
“Is she mad her husband isn’t going to drink?”
Braydon shrugged. “Probably, but it’s for the best. When Alec drinks he starts spouting off lines from Hamlet in a cockney slur and no one knows what the bloody hell he’s talking about. Come on. I’ll get your coat.”
They arrived at the bar the same time as Mallory and Finn. Becca had been worried about Carla and Nikki until she spotted them—dancing with two flannel-covered men on the dance floor.
“Oh, look, your friends made new friends,” Sheilagh laughed.
Becca frowned. “Do you know them?”
Sheilagh squinted. “Nope. But I think that one works at the bank.”
Becca frowned, trying to imagine the flannel covered man with a belt buckle the size of Texas as a bank teller.
“Braydon! Welcome home!” The man behind the bar yelled, causing Becca to do a double take. He was gorgeous, in a tattooed bad boy sort of way.
Braydon stepped up on the footrest and leaned over the bar to hug the man. “Thanks, Kel. This is Becca, my girlfriend.”
That was the fourth or fifth time he’d introduced her as such. She wasn’t complaining, but wondered why he felt the need to label her to his family. “Nice to meet you,” Becca greeted, shaking his hand.
“Your friends are a little crazy,” he said, tipping his chin toward the dance floor. “Especially the short one.”
“Yeah, you better watch her,” Becca warned. “She’s on the prowl.”
“She’s a few years too late,” Kelly said, waving his ring finger in the air, his thumb tapping his wedding band. “Happily married. She’s a feisty little thing though.”
“Did Dad pick up Mum?” Braydon asked.
Kelly rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and she’s no help. Wait until Ashlynn hears how she encouraged your friends. Anyway, what are we drinking tonight?”
Braydon ordered himself a beer and her a glass of wine. The men pushed two tables together so everyone could fit. Once the drinks were flowing everyone wore a smile and started in on funny anecdotes.
“Finn, let’s dance,” Mallory said, rising from the table.
“Oh, I love your shoes,” Becca complimented. Mallory was so pretty and full of life. There was something so romantic about the way her husband never took his eyes off her. Sheilagh and Alec followed the couple to the dance floor.
Samantha, Colin’s wife, slid into Mallory’s seat. “So your Bray’s girlfriend. I didn’t really get a chance to talk to you at the house with the kids running around. He told me about you though.”
This was Braydon’s ex. She wasn’t sure how to process the fact that he’d discussed their relationship with the other woman. “What did he say?”
“He told me about your son. Hunter, right?”
All of her guards went flying up at the mention of her son. “That’s right.”
Oh God. This was the moment she’d been dreading. The moment when the truth came out about how Braydon really felt. She’d tolerated years of ignorant misconceptions from uninformed people regarding autism. It would crush her to find out Braydon might be putting on an act.
“I’m a teacher, so he had some questions.”
No wonder he’d been so accepting and unshakable. He was directing all the awkward questions at his ex.
“Did I say something wrong?” Sammy asked, looking confused.
Becca shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just surprised he discussed Hunter with you. I didn’t realize others knew I had a son.”
“Well, we all love children. No one’s judging the fact that you have one.”
But she’d seen all their children. Each one appeared developmentally on target and socially well-adjusted. It wasn’t the same. Even parents could harshly judge what they didn’t understand. Glancing nervously at Sammy, her train of thought derailed.
What the heck was she doing? These people had been nothing but accepting since the moment she stepped foot on their property.
There was a fine line between protecting Hunter, and being the one to constantly reiterate that he was different. He was her son. Period. Her paranoia over others’ acceptance was becoming more cumbersome than the actual reality. It wasn’t right for her to be so hyper focused on Hunter’s differences when no one else was making a big deal out of their situation. She needed to chill.
“Is he with his father for Thanksgiving?”
“Yes.”
Sammy smiled sadly and surprised Becca by patting her hand. “That must be difficult for you, missing a holiday with him. Maybe one weekend you can bring him back so we can meet him.”
Becca t
ook in the other woman’s kind eyes and soft smile. She seemed very sincere. “Hunter has difficulty with large crowds.”
“Oh, well, of course we wouldn’t want to overwhelm him. If he came for a visit you guys would be more than welcome to stay with Colin and me for the weekend. Colin has a way of keeping his relatives at bay when necessary. Of course, there’re still our little guys, who can be a bit rambunctious, but I’m sure they’d have a blast with Hunter. You should think about it.”
Samantha was really nice, she decided. They all were. It was baffling and incredibly refreshing at the same time.
Braydon returned from the bar and placed a fresh glass of wine in front of her. She desperately needed a sip. “Wanna dance? I picked the next song on the jukebox for you.”
Glancing over the rim of her glass she beamed. “You did? What did you pick?”
“You’ll see. Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her to where the others had been dancing to a fast paced song.
“What’s Finn doing?”
Bray shrugged as his brother did a strange impression of a bird. “He has his own special kind of dancing. We just nod and smile.”
He took her hand and swung her close. “Are we slow dancing?”
“Maybe.”
The song came to an end as a new one started. She recognized it right away as her personal favorite, As Tears Go By. “I love this song.”
His voice was low, his eyes twinkling in the dim lighting. “I know. You said. It reminds me of you.”
They moved in a slow circle, his hand holding hers tight as the rest of the world fell away. “What do you think they’re singing about?” he asked, his voice low and close to her ear.
Her mouth pinched, guarding her secrets. “You’ll laugh.”
“No, I won’t.” His gaze met hers and held. “I promise.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she rested her head on his shoulder and quietly confessed. “I think he’s singing to me. The day that Hunter was diagnosed I went to the park and cried as I watched from my car while all the children played. This song was playing on the radio. It was the one time I let myself really face what I was up against. My son wasn’t talking and the specialists warned he might never speak.”
His hold shifted, putting enough space between them so he could meet her gaze again. “I didn’t realize it was a sad song for you.” His expression was weighted with regret. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not sad, not anymore,” she quickly reassured, not wanting to diminish his sweet gesture. “That was the first day of the rest of my life. Since then the song has taken on a different meaning.”
“How so?”
“I think when they sing about the evening of the day it represents our unpredictable schedule and the nights we went without sleep because Hunter needed to be awake. The tears going by are his victories, like the first time he said my name or made eye contact with me and smiled—all the things I was told not to expect. Those moments didn’t happen when expected, but they happened.”
Relief softened his features and he pulled her close again, hugging her as they danced. She loved that Braydon was so affectionate, always holding and touching her and hugging her. She’d gone without such things for so long they still seemed to surprise her and take her breath away.
She pressed her cheek to his shoulder and quietly confessed, “I miss him.”
“I know it’s difficult being away from him, but I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“It’s hard being apart for so long.”
“Understandably.” He kissed her cheek and they danced silently for a bit. “Becca?”
“Hmm?” she hummed, lulled into a state of contentment, safe in his arms.
“Don’t get mad.”
Safe feeling gone. Lifting her head, she met his gaze, trepidation causing her steps to falter. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, I have to tell you something and you’re not gonna like it.”
She didn’t want him to spoil their peaceful night. “Then don’t tell me,” she said childishly, as though that would solve anything.
“I have to.” His brow puckered with regret. “I did something you told me not to.”
She stepped back, releasing her hands from his hold. The music faded to white noise as her head filled with panic. If it was something she specifically told him not to do then it was something meaningful she didn’t want to happen. “Tell me.”
He offered a half-smile, but she could see whatever he was about to admit was serious. She waited, fearing they might all be driving home in Nikki’s car that night.
Glancing down, he drew in a breath then met her expectant stare. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Her breath held for an uncalculated length of time as she stopped moving. Her lungs began to burn and she sucked in a gulp of air, throwing the earth back into motion.
Shaking her head, certain she hadn’t heard him right, she frowned. “What?”
“Don’t get mad. I know I promised I wouldn’t, because those words aren’t little to you, but they aren’t little to me either. They’re big, too big to keep inside anymore. I love you.”
Her vision wavered and her lip trembled. “You…love me?”
“Yes. I love everything about you. Being here with you only made me sure of everything I’ve been feeling. You’re right for me and I want to be right for you.”
Her heart beat erratically. “Oh, Braydon…”
“You don’t have to say it—”
She cut off his words, lunging herself at him and sealing her mouth to his. Silly boy. How could he not realize she’d fallen head over heels for him? There was a sudden outpouring of applause and catcalls. Pulling back, she ducked her face into his shoulder, heat burning her face. “Everyone’s looking at us.”
“Well, let’s give them something to really shout about.” He dipped her back and kissed her deeply. The group of drunken McCulloughs went crazy, shouting and whistling like they were at a sports event.
When he dragged his lips away she was dizzy.
He grinned with cockiness, pressing his forehead to hers. “I played another song for you.”
The Stones ended and Blind Melon took over singing No Rain. She laughed, remembering when they danced in her kitchen. “God, I love you too.”
His grin froze, a million sentiments flashing in his eyes. The main one she recognized was relief. “You make me happier than I’ve been in a long time, Becca. Dance with me.”
Taking her hand he spun her around the dance floor. The rest of the McCulloughs came out to join them, Finn led the pack with his unique dance moves and had them all cramping with laughter. It was likely the best night she’d had in…well, ever.
Chapter Ten
They stumbled into the big house sometime after two. Becca giggled uncontrollably as her foot caught on the carpet and she did a not so graceful wild turkey dive into Braydon’s room.
“Good night, lovebirds!” Sheilagh called from down the hall as her door slammed.
“Good night.” Braydon shut and locked his bedroom door. “You’re in trouble.”
The bed covers fluffed as she collapsed onto the mattress. “I like trouble.”
He shook his head. “You’re a giggly mess. I’m shocked I haven’t lost you to a fit of snorts.”
On cue, air went up her nose in the most unladylike snuffle. “Oops.” Her fingers covered her nose, but it was no use. Her laughter turned to unladylike snorts and she was inconsolable for some time as she had quite the one woman, drunken giggle fest.
Once the last giggle seemed drained from her lungs, she flopped to her back and hummed happily. “Tonight was fun.”
Braydon removed his shoes and stripped off his clothes, yanking clothing off Becca at the same time. He’d been waiting hours to get her back to his room. Dropping to the bed, he stripped off her shirt and unclasped her bra, wasting no time getting one of her pert nipples into his mouth. She moaned and twisted beneath him.
“I want yo
u so much I can’t stand it,” he whispered, plumbing her breasts and teasing the tips.
She stretched beneath him, extending her arms into the pillows and wrapping her legs around his hips. “I’m yours.” Her eyes closed, a content, punch drunk grin curving her lips.
He paused. He didn’t want to overestimate the meaning of her words seeing as she’d had a lot to drink, but he wanted there to be sincerity behind her muttered statement. Releasing her breast, he rose to study her face. “Are you?”
Her eyes slowly opened and she nodded. She was his. His lips crashed to hers as he kissed her with all his pent up passion and desire. Her tongue dueled with his as her fingers tunneled through his hair.
Need thrummed through his veins, demanding he claim what was his. Taking her hand, he pressed it to his cock. Her palm gripped his hard flesh and pulled at his length, sending chills up his spine. His fingers delved between her thighs and found her sex, wet and hot. She arched into his touch as he probed deep between her folds. “Tell me what you want.”
She writhed, lost in the passionate moment. “I want you to take control. I don’t want to decide.”
Pressing two fingers deep, he stilled, holding her body on the precipice of pleasure. “You like when I’m in control?”
Head tipped back into the mattress, cheeks flushed, she nodded shyly. Drawing in a deep breath, scenting her arousal, his jaw twitched as his inner caveman growled. Withdrawing his fingers, he slowly lifted the digits to his mouth and tasted her.
“Turn on your stomach.”
She obliged, scrambling to her hands and knees and giving him an outstanding view of her ass.
“Scoot forward so you can reach the headboard.”
Hoisting her hips higher, he traced his fingers down her spine as he admired the view. His lips pressed into each rounded cheek, needing to taste more of her. Twisting, he dropped to his back and slid his shoulders between her knees.
Heaven.
Gripping her ass, he tugged her low, extended his neck, and made a long sweep with his tongue over her glistening sex. She shot up, but he held her close, sipping from her, nibbling at her soft skin as though it were succulent fruit. “Stay still,” he commanded, pulling her sex down to his mouth. Peeking upward, he watched her breasts swaying as her body gyrated over him.