Page 13

Layla

“I cannot believe you just called her Karen!” I can’t contain my laughter as we approach the Pergola Garden.

We took off from the Bottle Chapel at a near run, hands grasped tight, not even bothering to stop at the Butterfly House. The more distance we put between ourselves and that hateful woman, the better. Had we been fully making out, I could have understood her outrage, but it was a short and barely heated kiss. Our hands weren’t even roaming.

“Is that not her name?” Teagan asks with obvious confusion. “You called her Karen, so I just assumed you knew her.”

This sends me into another fit of giggles, leaving me clutching my side and gasping for air.

“Teagan…” I choke out between laughs, “It’s an expression. A Karen is a woman that constantly complains about everything or asks to speak to the manager over stupid, inconsequential shit! They find something to bitch about wherever they go.”

He palms the back of his neck and blushes. It’s almost as sexy as seeing him shirtless.

“So, her name isn’t Karen?” he asks sheepishly.

I giggle and shake my head. “I mean, I don’t know who she is, so I can’t answer that, but based on her reaction, I’m guessing that’s not really her name. But she’s well aware of what it implies.”

“Well fuck,” he groans. “I feel like a right eejit now.”

“Don’t,” I say with a laugh. “That lady was a bitch.”

Teagan gasps in mock astonishment, “Layla Diaz! There are children present!”

When we reach the walkway to the pergola, our pace slows to a lazy stroll down the gravel path. Azaleas line either side before seamlessly blending in with the vining Carolina Jessamine and Star Jasmine that drapes over the top of the structure. A soft breeze ripples around us as we approach the multi-tiered fountain in the middle of a rounded platform with steps leading down to the lake.

“You mean the same children that we scandalized earlier?” I turn to bat my eyelashes at him.

“Yes,” Teagan says, smiling warmly and pulling me into his arms, “exactly the same.”

Placing my hands on his chest, I gaze into his bright green eyes, my pulse thrumming. His lips turn up in one corner before he leans his head closer.

Is he going to kiss me again? Please let him kiss me again.

“Layla,” he starts.

“Yes?” I breathe.

“I need to apologize to you,” he says remorsefully.

What? Oh no. He didn’t really want to kiss me, did he?

My heart sinks into my stomach and the smile on my lips falls. “What are you apologizing for?”

Teagan brings a hand up to tuck my hair behind my ear. “I didn’t ask your permission before kissing you. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the day I met you, but I shouldn’t have taken it from you like that. I’m so sorry.”

My eyes widen momentarily before I burst out laughing. I shouldn’t laugh at him, but the fact that he thought I wouldn’t give it to him willingly is comical. We’ve been dancing around this moment for weeks.

His brow furrows as he waits for me to get control of myself. Taking a deep breath, I try to suppress my giggles. Once I’ve composed myself, I run my hands up to his shoulders and then down his biceps, squeezing firmly.

Hijole, those muscles…

“Teagan O’Brien,” I say seriously. “you are, without a doubt, the most thoughtful man I’ve ever met.”

When his arms tighten around my waist, the butterflies in my stomach go soaring. “So why are you laughing at me, Lovely?”

“In what universe would I ever say no to you kissing me? “ I ask quietly. “I’d have to be completely loco not to want you to kiss me.”

That boyish grin takes over his face and all I want is to kiss him again and never stop.

“Honestly, this wasn’t how I had planned it. I just hated to see you cry. I didn’t even really think. I saw your tears and my knee-jerk reaction was to kiss you.” he says softly.

Why is he so perfect?

I smile coyly at him. “So you had planned on kissing me at some point?”

Teagan cups the side of my face, lightly brushing his thumb over my cheekbone. “Oh, without a doubt. I told you. From the day we met, I took one look at this perfect mouth and was a goner.”

His thumb moves lower, tracing over my bottom lip, eyes zeroing in on my mouth.

“I hope you’re not waiting for my permission again,” I whisper.

The last word has barely left my mouth before his lips are on mine. Using that damned thumb again, he pulls my bottom lip down, forcing my mouth open. There’s nothing cautious about this kiss as his tongue plunges in, taking me captive. His other hand slips from the small of my back, creeping down until he’s cupping my ass. I squeak in response but don’t pull away. If anything, I press myself closer, thankful that the pergola provides more privacy than the Bottle Chapel. My hands begin exploring, one slipping to the nape of his neck, where I run my fingers through his hair, and the other snaking down his chest to his hard stomach. Shuddering in response, he pulls his mouth from mine to deposit small, soft kisses along my jaw until he reaches my earlobe and nibbles on it. The moan I’ve been trying to keep at bay slips free.

“Lovely Layla,” he whispers hoarsely, “if you keep putting your hands on me like that, we’ll prove your friend, Karen, correct and behave indecently in a public place.”

I whimper, convinced that at this moment, I wouldn’t care if we were in the middle of a crowded room. My body blazes for him. I wasn’t even this turned on when I had sex for the first time. The thought of sleeping with Teagan has me pressing my thighs together and gripping his hair tighter.

Teagan chuckles darkly against my neck. “Oh, the things I want to do to you, lass…”

“Oh god,” I pant against his shoulder. “Should we go? We should go. Right?”

Pulling back, he smirks at me. “Nah, we haven’t seen everything yet.”

I gape at him. Is he kidding? The feel of his hard cock pressing against my stomach says otherwise.

“C’mon, love. What’s next?” he asks, grabbing my hand to lead us back the way we came.

“You’re evil,” I grumble and pout dramatically. “Pure evil.”

He barks out a laugh and slings an arm over my shoulders, pulling me close, and kissing the top of my head. “What’s the saying? Good things come to those who wait?”

I scoff. “Eso es estúpido. ”

Teagan

It takes literally every ounce of self-control I have not to drag Layla to some sheltered spot and fuck her up against a tree or one of the pillars of the pergola. Her mouth is so soft and sinful, and those noises she makes! Christ almighty. The way her body molded to mine is full of all sorts of seductive promises. I’m not sure what came over me when I grabbed her arse, but I have no regrets. I want to sink my teeth into those luscious globes.

“I forgot to ask how Mac was this morning,” Layla says, bringing me out of my dirty fantasies.

“Hmm? Oh! Right. Yeah, he had a bit of the fear in him alright, but seems to have realized he was being a bit of a prick last night. Said he was planning on going to Myra’s later to properly apologize, like.”

The tosser was downright surly when I checked in after my run this morning. His flat isn’t far from the one I share with Eamon now, so I was able to keep my word to Layla.

“That’s good. Hopefully, they can figure this out together as peacefully as possible.”

“Aye.”

We walk aimlessly down the path without saying a word for a few moments, just absorbing the scenery. Layla is still tucked under my arm and it just feels right. For the entirety of my relationship with Ashley, I thought she was the one , but it pales in comparison to the way I’m pulled to Layla. Obviously I think she’s gorgeous, but it’s so much more than being physically attracted to her. I want to know her secrets and deepest desires. I want to win all of her smiles and laughs. I want to put her on a pedestal so everyone can see how incredible she is.

“So are you ever going to give me an answer?” I ask teasingly.

She angles her head to look up at me questioningly. “To what?”

“Taking me home with you for the holidays.”

“Oh.” Her face falls and she bites her bottom lip.

Shit. Maybe now that we’re…well, I don’t know exactly what we are, but we’re something…maybe meeting the family is too much too soon ?

“Layla, it’s okay. I understand if it’s too uncomfortable for you,” I say, trying to save the mood.

“No,” she says. “It’s not that. Well, okay maybe it is, but I won’t be uncomfortable because of you. I wasn’t kidding when I said my family can be a lot. I don’t want them to overwhelm you, because they absolutely will ask you when we’re getting married and having children.”

The idea doesn’t terrify me like she thinks it does. I’ve always wanted to get married and have a family. Not right this second, but someday.

“I’ll just tell them we eloped because I knocked you up. It’ll be grand.”

Layla gasps so loudly that I’m afraid she’s hurt herself. I whip my head in her direction to find her staring daggers at me, so I just grin back at her. Then she begins to let loose a string of Spanish that sounds like it’s supposed to be intimidating, but the way her cheeks flush in anger just makes me want her all the more.

“Are you laughing at me?” she demands, eyes narrowing.

I school my features, biting back the laugh she’s accusing me of. “Nah, definitely not laughing at you. I would never.”

She rolls her eyes and darts out from under my arm, walking ahead a few steps. That won’t do.

“Now hold on, lass,” I say, catching up to her and wrapping my arms around her from behind, pulling her against my chest. She relaxes into my embrace, but I still plan on groveling. “I was just slagging you. Remember what I told you the night we met? About it being the Irish way and a form of affection between couples?”

“I know,” she mutters, leaning her head back against my shoulder.

“But…” I hedge.

Turning in my arms, she places her palms flat on my chest then peers up at me. “You think they’d be shocked by that answer, but honestly, they’d be thrilled. Don’t get me wrong, they’d be pissed about not being able to throw a lavish, Mexican wedding, but ultimately, they’d be ecstatic. And I hate that.”

It’s my turn to frown now. She doesn’t want to get married and have a family ?

“Explain this to me,” I say.

“ Mierda ,” she breathes. “All I’ve ever heard my entire life is that there’s no greater achievement than getting married and having a brood of children. Yes, I do want to experience those things someday, but it feels like a cage, you know? Like no matter what I do, no matter what degree or job I have, no matter what passions I have, nothing will ever be as great as being a wife and mother, so why even bother? I’m young, Teagan. I want to live my life for me before I start living for others. I have two little sisters that I helped care for as babies, so I know how hard having kids can be. I’m not ready for that.”

I blow out a breath as I process the truth she shared with me. It seems like it’s been festering for a while, but she hasn’t been able to let it out. And it’s fucking heartbreaking. She should be able to pursue whatever she wants in life, without others telling her what’s best for her. I get just as worked up over women’s rights as I do corporate greed. There’s no sense in any of it.

“Hey,” I murmur, bringing my hands up to cup her face. “I don’t fully understand what you’re experiencing, but I do know what it’s like to want a different life than what your family wants. My Da is constantly harping on me about not taking over the family farm. Don’t get me wrong, if an emergency happened and I had to, I would, but that’s not where I want my future. I want to make a difference in the lives of people, rather than sheep.”

Layla snorts indelicately, but a smile starts to spread across her face.

“Atta girl,” I say, kissing her forehead. “But seriously, it’s not fair for your family to put those expectations on you. Their dreams aren’t yours. And if you want, I’d be happy to stand by your side and tell them just how amazing and capable you are all on your own. Which you are.”

“Thank you,” she tells me, stretching onto her toes to place a chaste kiss on my lips. “Anything for you, Lovely.”