Free Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Lyla Payne Page B

already looking put out, which is weird considering what I
thought
was a connection in the barn last night. The sudden change adds an extra snarl to the hopeless tangle of confusion in my belly.
    â€œMeet you out front. The rest of you have a lovely day.”
    â€œOh, hey, Grady.” Katie stops him with a touch on his arm. She’s gotten up and starts collecting plates and silverware.
    â€œYep?”
    â€œBunch of the old gang that’s around for the holiday are getting together in Ballyvaughan tonight, around eight. You should come. Brennan’s in, and so is Jessica. It’ll be grand.”
    I jerk my head around to look at Brennan, who told me nothing of this little excursion, but he’s ignoring my gaze in favor of another patty of black pudding. My stomach churns just looking at it disappear between his lips.
    â€œOh, yeah, it’ll be grand. No doubt about that.” Grady shakes his head, looking amused enough to make me suspicious, and disappears from view.
    *
    â€œAre you sure you won’t come with me?” I ask again, wanting him to say yes but not willing to beg.
    â€œI don’t feel like being stinky and sore,” Brennan says, reaching for me and sliding his hands around my bare waist as I try to shrug into a flannel shirt borrowed from Molly. “But you look sexy as hell in that farmer’s getup.”
    â€œDon’t get used to it,” I tease, buttoning it up the rest of the way. Being naked—or even partially so—around Brennan is asking for trouble, and we agreed not to violate rules about sex under his mother’s roof.
    Being a devout Catholic she’s definitely into the whole no-sex-before-marriage idea. Even though her son and I definitely
are
into it, this is her house. It’s important to me to respect her beliefs. I’m so glad I remembered to squirrel that stupid pregnancy test away in my suitcase before anyone saw it.
    Brennan pulls me in for another kiss. I don’t refuse, even though I’m not feeling it. His tongue slides over my bottom lip, earning the groan he’s looking for, and I forget for a moment that everything’s shit, kissing him back.
    â€œYou are killing me, Jessica MacFarlane. I want you so bad.”
    â€œ
Mmmm
,” I murmur, wishing I wasn’t breathing quite so heavily. “But it’s only a couple more days. Just think how good it will be then.”
    He sighs and squeezes me once more before turning me loose, swatting my butt as I move toward the mirror. “I don’t know how it can be better than it’s been for the past six weeks. But fine.”
    â€œYou’re adorable when you pout; has anyone ever told you that?”
    â€œMaybe.” He sticks out his lower lip, eyes shining with desire. “Is it working?”
    I laugh, Brennan laughs, and it feels so good to be at ease with each other. This is the first time we’ve been tested, and we’ll make it through it.
    â€œSo what’s with this get-together tonight?”
    â€œOh yeah, sorry I didn’t have time to mention it. Katie invited us last night, but with all the drama with Pop it kind of slipped my mind.”
    â€œSure, it sounds like fun. I’d like to meet your friends.”
    I watch him in the mirror and glimpse the tiniest grimace as it passes over his face. Desperation to somehow salvage this—us—sends my heart racing, blood squirming like worms in my veins, but the answer as to how doesn’t come no matter how long I take to braid my hair.
    Once a touch of makeup hides the dark circles under my eyes, I turn and spread my arms. “How do I look?”
    â€œDamn well too good to be out riding horses with the like of Grady Callaghan,” he grumps.
    I stop, wondering if it’s wrong to ask the question, then deciding I don’t care. There’s no way to figure out where I fit on the Donnelly game board without understanding all the pieces. “Do