Free Marital Bitch by JC Emery Page B

you?” Thomas’s eyes travel up to Brad and they narrow. This is a pissing contest in a civilized form, just barely.
    “I’m Thomas Nate,” he holds his hand out, but Brad just stares at it and shakes his head. I want to chastise him and tell him to play nice with the little blond weasel, but I remain silent. I’m enjoying this far too much to stop it. Repercussions be damned!
    “ Colleen works at my father’s firm,” Thomas raises his eyebrows in challenge. He knows what my job means to me. “Twelve is just a lot. Don’t you think?” he asks Brad. It’s not like twelve children is even a remote possibility—even if we are Catholic—so this conversation is just ridiculous.
    Thomas really shouldn’t be asking Brad anything. They are polar opposites. I can’t see any good coming of this. Then again, I couldn’t see any bad in marrying Brad, and look where that logic got me…
    “Ah,” I feel Brad nod his head and then lean down and kiss my ear. “You’re not from here, are you, Thomas? You see, around here… family is the most important thing. A woman’s husband and her family come before any job does. And a man’s wife and his family come before everything else.” Grinning, he ghosts his lips over my neck. My hormones take over and I sigh, my eyes fluttering closed. I try to focus on what Brad said to Thomas—telling him how little my job means to me, which is a complete falsehood; but… Brad’s lips are… on my neck, and… it just feels so… good.
    Growing up, James used to play cops and robbers with Brad. I tagged along more often than not. One of us would be the robber and the other two would be the cops, hunting down the bad guy. While Charlotte, and Mary, and Maggie played inside with child-sized kitchens and baby dolls, I ran in the streets with my brother and best friend. More times than I can count, my mother would ask me to play inside with the girls. She’d tell me I could be a mommy if I stayed inside, but I was always more interes ted in hunting down the bad guy. And that’s what it was like growing up in Southie. Girls grow up to be mothers and wives. Boys grow up to be what they dreamed of when they were young.
    “Well, I should be going,” Thomas says, and before I can thank him for coming, he storms out of the house. I can practically see my career going with him and my heart falls. How did I ever get into this mess? All I wanted was to be able to have a career and be a wife and mother. It shouldn’t be an either or thing, even if it feels that way.
    The firm was very clear in their position on where they believe my priorities should lie. No doubt Brad’s little speech ticked off Thomas enough to send him running to daddy; but there’s nothing I can do about that now. I think I could use a beer now, actually. Brad hands me a fresh beer immediately. I’m half creeped out and half amazed. I take a sip, so very grateful. The beer is ice cold. He always seems to know what I’m thinking. I smile at his handsome face, looking past the stubble for once. When he’s quiet, he’s really very attractive.
    “I know I’m hot, pretty girl. It’s okay, you can say it out loud,” he laughs and leans down, blowing a raspberry on my cheek. Like I said, he’s attractive when he’s quiet.

CHAPTER NINE
    (Colleen)
     
    Who does that? Nobody. Except, Brad did.
     
    JAMES AND DARLA approach; James is grinning, their eldest child and only daughter, Lilly, hanging onto his back. Lilly is five, and a handful. She is the apple of Brad’s eye and he is her hero. Their middle son, Alex, is in James’s arms, half asleep. The child is a magician. He disappears and reappears it seems at will; but he’s my little monster no matter what. Darla is wearing a scowl and holding their baby, six month old boy, Fitz.
    Lilly jumps off of James’s back and into Brad’s arms. “Uncle Brad!” she shouts, half excited, half annoyed. She looks so much like her mother when she pouts. “You were