Shane

I probably should have warned her about the lion’s den I’m taking her to, but I doubt she’d have agreed to come with me if she knew I was bringing her to a family dinner.

It’s probably a jerk move, especially since, in a way, I’m using her to get my mom off my back about her friend’s daughter. If it was up to my mother, she’d be more than happy to arrange a marriage for me, even if it meant making me the unhappiest bastard in Ireland.

“Shit,” I mutter, pulling into the driveway that leads up to Emer and Aiden’s large house.

Both Cillian and Owen’s cars are parked out front.

The entire band is here, which means their wives are as well.

Makena frowns at me. “Where are we?”

I wince as I say, “My sister’s house.”

“Your sister?” She twists her lips into an incredibly sexy pout.

“Ye’ll love her. I promise. She’s a bit of a pain in the ass, and can’t cook to save her life, but she’ll make ye feel right at home.”

Makena just stares at me, her mouth parted, eyes wide. “You said dinner.”

“With a few friends.”

“With your family.”

I sigh, realizing how awkward the entire thing seems. Trying to impress a woman by introducing her to my mother isn’t usually one of my signature moves. Hell, I can’t remember a time I’d actually dated a woman long enough to introduce them to my family.

But that’s not what this is.

We’re not dating.

Just friends.

That’s what we agreed on.

Friends with a few indulgent benefits.

“Ye can meet the rest of the band. Looks like the whole crew is here.”

She keeps frowning. “They’ll think…What if they recognize me?”

“Ye need to stop caring so much what other people think.”

Her arms cross over her chest. “Easy to say when the world loves you.”

I hear the insecurity in her words. I told her the truth when I said I hadn’t Googled her, but I already knew enough about her jackass of an ex, so I could guess at the things the media would say about her. Because she was right, when the world loved you, they hated everyone who didn’t.

Taking her hand, I give it a small squeeze. “If ye stay in that hole ye’re living in, ye’re going to miss out on yer life.”

“You sound like Quinn.”

“She’s a smart lady.” I wink.

“Who constantly gets into trouble.”

“And I bet she’s enjoying every minute of it.”

That cracks a smile from her.

“Come on,” I say, opening my door. “I promise ye’ll enjoy yerself. Ye might have yer ear chatted off by my mother, but-”

“Your mom’s here?” She groans and rests her head on the back of her seat. “Look what I’m wearing-”

“She won’t care what ye’re wearing. All she’ll be focused on is that I finally brought a woman home. And she’ll fall in love with ye, just like I-”

Shit.

I cough and let go of her hand, then awkwardly get out of the car.

Jeezus, I’m losing it.

Makena slowly gets out of the car, but I don’t reach for her hand this time. Not when I see the confused look that plays across her expression.

There’s a tension between us that wasn’t there a moment ago. One that I put there. Because damn if the woman doesn’t have me mumbling all types of romantic bullshit that would normally tickle my gag reflex just hearing it.

“Maybe this isn’t a great idea,” she says, staring up at the house that Aiden personally designed and had built for my sister. It’s inviting and warm, just like Emer, but the size is impressive and slightly intimidating.

Most women would be fawning all over themselves to meet the band, but not Makena. And I know it’s more than just her dickhead ex-husband and the shit he’s put her through. She’s not someone who places value on people because of their name or status.

I like her more for it, even if I wouldn’t mind her fawning a little over me.

“We’re here now.” I place a hand on her lower back as I lead her up to the large stone house.

Not bothering to knock, I open the door, immediately bombarded by noise. People clamor, talking over each other, laughter mixed with an infant’s high-pitched cry and a dog’s bark. Music plays in the background, and the scent of my mom’s stew and meat pies fills my nostrils.

This is home.

It isn’t the house, but the people that occupy it.

My family.

As much as I like to complain about them, they’re all I have. That, and my music, which at the moment is almost non-existent.

It’s my brother-in-law, Aiden, that sees us first as he comes out of the kitchen holding two glasses of wine.

“Ye made it. We were beginning to wonder if ye were coming-” He stops when he sees Makena. His confused look quickly turns into a knowing grin. “Well, hello there.”

I warn him with a glare, practically able to see his brain spinning with what he thinks this is.

“Makena, this is Aiden.”

Aiden nods, his hands currently occupied. “Nice to meet ye, Makena. Do ye prefer red or white?” he asks, lifting the two glasses he’s holding toward her.

“White would be wonderful.” She takes it from him, and I lead her into the large, open room where the racket is coming from.

There’s a hush as soon as we enter, all eyes darting between Makena and I like we just walked into the room wearing sparkling unicorn costumes and banging tambourines. Even my niece, Cadence, who hasn’t started to walk yet, has the same surprised gaping look the rest of them do.

“Good job on not making this awkward, guys,” I say, chuckling with an ease I don’t feel. “Makena, this is my family.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.” With Cadence on her hip, Emer walks towards us and pulls Makena into a half hug, which I should have warned her about. My sister hugs everyone. Even when they clearly aren’t comfortable with it. “Shane doesn’t usually bring…friends to family events.”

Makena gives a small, tight smile. “I didn’t realize I was coming to one.”

“That’s my brother, always one for surprises.” Emer gives me a side glance that’s full of questions, then looks back at Makena. “Ye’ll be joining us for dinner, then?”

“I…”

“She is,” I say, not giving her the chance to back out.

“Good.” Emer’s smile broadens. “Where are ye from, Makena?”

“Just outside New York.”

“Another Yank,” Emer laughs. “By God, ye’d think there weren’t any single women in Ireland.”

“Pardon?” Makena’s cheeks grow red.

Emer tilts her head and looks at me, then back at Makena. “Ye don’t know much about our family, I take it?”

“No, I just…we just…this is just…” Makena winces and looks at me like she’s hoping I’ll explain. But hell if I know what this is between us. Not yet, anyways.

“Come on.” Emer hands Cadence to Aiden, then takes Makena’s hand, pulling her toward the far side of the room where the other women are sitting. “I’ll introduce ye to everyone.”

Owen and Cillian are on me the second Makena leaves my side.

“Ye brought a girl home?” Owen says, a goofy grin stretching across his face.

“Don’t start. It’s not like that.”

“What’s it like, then?” Cillian asks, smirking, rubbing a hand over his beard.

I grunt, not wanting to get into the details with the them, because I don’t really know what my endgame is yet.

Cadence squirms in Aiden’s arms, then stretches her pudgy hands out to me and makes a whining sound until I take her. The first thing she does is tangle her little fingers into my hair, clamping her gummy mouth around my chin in what Emer insists is a kiss.

“Watch out,” Aiden says. “She just cut her first teeth, and she’s in a biting phase.”

The warning comes a second too late as her sharp baby teeth dig into my flesh.

“Ow,” I mutter, which makes the kid laugh, then go in for a second chomp.

This time, I’m ready. Twisting her around in my arms, I hold her so that her back is against my chest.

“Little piranha,” I mutter. “Ye ready for this?” I ask Cillian.

He glances over at his wife, Delaney, who looks ready to pop any day now.

“Just want everything to go all right.” He drags his fingers through his hair, and I notice the dark circles under his eyes. “She’s got this whole idea of having a home birth. But after what happened with Emer…”

I wince, remembering how we almost lost my sister and Cadence.

The men are silent for a moment.

As if sensing our sudden unease, all four women glance over at us.

Delaney gives Cillian a small smile while rubbing her enormous belly. Bree is caught in some silent conversation with Owen that defies their distance, and Emer grins like the Cheshire cat at me.

But it’s Makena’s gaze that sucks the air out of my lungs. Dark eyes locked on me, I swear I see every second of the rest of my life written on her beautiful face.

She belongs here. The thought ricochets in my head.

“Ye’ve got it bad,” Aiden says beside me, chuckling.

“What?” I pull my gaze from Makena, who’s resumed her conversation with the women.

“Don’t jinx it,” Owen says.

“Jinx what?”

“Shit,” Cillian mutters. “Guess I’m going to lose that bet.”

“What bet?” I demand.

“Ye like this one,” Owen says, nodding at Makena.

“She’s just a friend,” I lie.

Cillian and Aiden laugh loudly, and Owen grins. “Right. And ye brought her here tonight, why?”

“Because my mom wouldn’t stop rattling on about setting me up with one of her friend’s daughters,” I say a little too loudly, causing Emer to turn and glare at me.

“She’s been on ye for years about that,” Owen says.

“Where is my mom?” I ask, knowing Aiden would have already picked her up.

“Kitchen.” Aiden nods towards the hallway that leads to the newly renovated kitchen that my sister has little use for considering her specialty is burnt eggs and undercooked toast. “She kicked Emer out before ye came.”

“She seems to be feeling better,” Cillian adds, though his expression remains tight. “But she doesn’t seem to be following the doctor’s orders.”

We all care about her, no matter how much of a pain in the ass she can be at times.

I nod, shifting Cadence in my arms. “The woman doesn’t know the definition of rest.”

As if on cue, my mom comes bounding out of the kitchen, clapping her hands and exclaiming that dinner is ready. When she sees me, she gives a small disapproving nod.

“Good of ye to join us,” she says before clucking her tongue and taking Cadence from me. “Figured ye would have been down at Ol’ Tommy’s pub again. And don’t think I didn’t hear the rumors about ye bringing some girl-”

“Mom,” I say, stopping her. I motion for Makena to join us. The others are all slowly trickling into the dining room, but I have no doubt they’ll be eavesdropping from the other room, wondering how this will play out.

Makena winces as she comes to stand beside me.

“I’d like ye to meet Makena Fraser.” I say, placing a lazy arm over her shoulder. The gesture was meant to be casual, but I see my mom take it a whole other way. Her eyes widen, and her pursed lips pull into a wide smile.

“Makena,” she says, taking her hand in both of hers. “It’s so nice to meet ye. What a wonderful surprise. Shane doesn’t usually bring his girlfriends home.”

“I’m not-”

“We’re taking things slow.” I interrupt Makena’s protest, happy for one evening to have my mom off my back about settling down.

It seems to satisfy her, at least for the moment. And I know that when whatever this is with Makena ends, I’ll be able to use the heartbreak card for at least six months to keep the woman off my back.

Sometimes I surprise myself by how smart I am.

Chuckling under my breath, I lead Makena into the dining room.

“Why did you say that?” she frowns up at me.

“What?”

“You implied that we’re dating.”

“I said we’re taking it slow. We are, aren’t we?” I grin down her, but she doesn’t smile back.

“We’re just friends.”

Before we round the corner, I take her arm and pull her towards me, trapping her so her back is against the wall, cupping the side of her face.

“Is that what this is?” I lean close, tasting her breath on my lips. The need for her sparks a fire inside me that blazes dangerously hot.

“Shane.” My name comes out like a rasp, a sound that goes straight to my cock.

I kiss her softly, knowing I’m only torturing myself, because one kiss will never be enough. Not with her. She whimpers, and I groan into her mouth.

“Your…family…” Her words are tortured, but they bring me back to the present.

I pull back and run my thumb across her bottom lip, which is still damp from our kiss.

“They like ye.”

She frowns, and I can’t tell what she’s thinking.

“I like ye.” I kiss her again, stopping the objection I know is coming. Her body slowly melts against mine, and I know I’ve won.

I’m just not sure what the prize is yet.