Page 23

Teagan

Marcos looks at me questioningly, clearly hearing the amusement in my voice. “What am I missing?”

Layla puffs her cheeks before releasing her breath. “Rowan is…something.”

I give Marcos a brief history of how I know Ro, including how we play together, which leads to a full-blown conversation about playing footie. Layla eventually gets bored and leaves the room under the guise of taking a shower. I’m only slightly resentful of the fact that I don’t get to join her, but I’m enjoying getting to know her oldest brother. He’s a good chap. We’re close in age and have been playing football most of our lives, though he’s been playing competitively longer than I have. Getting promoted to CFC is a huge accomplishment for both him and Ro .

“So,” Marcos says, clasping his hands together. “As Layla’s big brother, I’m obligated to make sure you know that if you hurt her, I’ll be forced to kick your ass. I really don’t want to do that because you seem like a decent guy and someone I’d get along with.”

He laughs, but I can see how serious he is, which I respect. I have a sister and while we aren’t exactly close, I get where Marcos is coming from.

Looking him in the eyes that are so similar to Layla’s, I level with him. “I can assure you that I have zero intentions of ever hurting Layla.” The sincerity of my words is evident. “She’s important to me and the only thing I want is to make her happy.”

He peers at me for a moment before nodding. “I can tell. She’s glowing, amigo. And it’s definitely not because her brother is visiting.”

We both laugh, but inside I’m absolutely busting with pride. I know that Layla and I are good together, but when her family can see it too? Yeah, that makes a man feel good. The big test will be when we meet the rest of her family during spring break.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate you saying that. I hope your parents feel the same. I’m looking forward to meeting them in a few weeks.”

A mischievous grin spreads across his face. “Layla did warn you about our family, didn’t she? Mami is a force to be reckoned with.”

I grin back at him. “Aye, she did. Must be where she gets it, yeah? She doesn’t have a problem putting me in my place.”

He nods knowingly. “Our twin sisters are just the same. Papá, Raf, and I all know exactly where we stand. Word of advice? When it’s that time of the month , just agree with whatever they say.”

“Marcos Diaz!”

We both jolt in surprise and turn towards Layla, who is standing behind the sofa with her hands on her hips. I didn’t even hear her sneak up on us. If looks could kill though, Marcos would be dead meat. He only laughs, standing and walking over to her with outstretched arms.

“Awe, c’mon chaparrita. You know it’s true!” He attempts to wrap her in a hug, but she steps back.

“Oh no, you don’t,” she hisses at him. “I know what you’re doing. Trying to get Teagan to agree with you so he gets in trouble.”

“Actually, I like Teagan and hope you don’t do anything to scare him away. It was a genuine warning so he’ll know what to expect. You, Mami, and the girls are scary.”

She slaps him upside the head, muttering a string of what I assume are Spanish curses. Watching the two of them is immensely entertaining. My sister doesn’t joke around with me like this, no matter how much I’ve tried.

Layla notices me enjoying their tiff and narrows her eyes at me. “Something funny, guapo?”

I stand and round the couch, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her into me. I kiss her temple, my lips brushing against her soft hair. “Nah, just love watching the two of yous go at it.”

Her eyes dart to mine, brows furrowing. I can tell she wants to say something, but she presses her lips together before turning her attention to her brother.

“Are you planning on staying here, Marcos?” she asks.

“That’s why I brought my bags with me, but I’m not sure if I want to share space with lovers. You might keep me up at night.”

Layla blushes so violently I can feel the heat radiating from her. Before she has a chance to fly off the handle at him, I intervene.

“Hey, I’ll stay at my place, so don’t worry about that.” Layla makes a noise of protest, but I hold up a hand. “It’s okay, Lovely. It’s just for a little while, yeah? I need to do some stuff at the flat anyway.”

She sticks her bottom lip out in a pout, and only because her brother is standing less than two feet from us do I refrain from sucking it between my teeth.

* * *

“How do you think Marcos will like Ro?”

Layla and I are in the kitchen washing dishes shortly after her brother leaves to meet with Rowan. I offered to take him, but he insisted he go on his own so that he could get a feel for Ro without his mates around.

“Honestly,” she says, drying her hands on the towel next to the sink. “He’ll probably love him. They have a lot in common. Football, lots of girlfriends…okay, well that’s all I can think of off the top of my head.”

Chuckling, I place the clean and now dried mugs in the cabinet. It’s a mundane task, but the sense of rightness I have sharing space with Layla is at the forefront of my mind.

“You think he’s serious about this mot of his?”

A delicate snort leaves her before she turns, resting against the edge of the counter. She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing those luscious tits up. I’m going to miss burying my face in those every morning and night while I’m back at my flat.

“It’s hard to say with Marcos. He’s only ever been this serious about playing pro, so it’s throwing me off. I’d be interested in meeting her just to see what the fuss is about. He’s brought so many girlfriends home over the years and always behaves in a certain way. We’d be able to tell a lot by the way he acts.”

“Aye, that makes sense. Not that I ever brought a string of lasses home to meet the family, but the ones you feel more serious about bring out a different side of a man.”

Layla doesn’t respond, so I glance over to find her narrowing her eyes at me and her jaw clenching. Abandoning the dishes, I stalk towards her and wrap my arms around her waist and snake my hands down to cup that lovely arse of hers. Those brown eyes flare with desire.

“Ach, you’re not jealous, are ya, Lovely?”

“No,” she lies.

Chuckling darkly, I yank her hips into mine so she can feel what she does to me. She whimpers at the contact. “Have you not realized that I know you?” I bring my lips to her ear. “That I know your body? I can tell when you’re happy, sad, angry, jealous…turned on.”

She shivers, a small gasp leaving her before she whispers, “Can you read my mind too?”

Skimming the tip of my nose from her ear to her shoulder, I say, “Not yet.”

“Good,” she breathes, sinking to her knees before me .

“ Cailín ,” I growl out. My heart is thundering and my cock twitches in anticipation.

Layla places her hands flat on my thighs. “Tell me what I’m thinking, Teagan.”

Her voice is soft but there’s a fire in her dark brown eyes. I’m ready and willing to let her consume me. It’s not often she gets the jump on me like this. Not that I don’t love when she sucks me off, but I’m usually chomping at the bit to get my mouth on or my cock in her pussy. All I want is to please her and make her come, over and over. I can’t get enough of her.

“Show me.”

Her gaze doesn’t leave mine as she tugs my gym shorts down to my knees, taking my briefs with them. My cock springs free and her eyes drop to it greedily. Her soft hands glide leisurely up my legs to my stomach where her fingers trace the lines of muscle before she rakes her nails back down. Goose flesh erupts all over my skin.

“Layla…”

Her eyes flick to mine before those perfect fucking lips close around the tip. My hips buck reflexively, forcing my cock further into her mouth. She hums and runs the tip of her tongue along the sensitive underside of the head, making me simultaneously groan and twist the fingers of both hands into her hair. Layla doesn’t move, just keeps me in her mouth, tracing me with her tongue. Breaking out into a cold sweat, I’m about to start begging when she finally sucks me to the back of her throat.

“Fuck!” I cry out at the sudden sensation then follow up with a string of random words of affirmation as she works me over. “Cailín…baby…fuck…yes…”.

Just as I start to come, she pulls to the tip and stops. Completely flustered, I gape at her. She winks at me, scraping her bottom teeth lightly over that spot, and my vision tunnels as I spill my release into her mouth. My fingers loosen from her hair and skim down her cheek until I reach her chin. I grip it firmly, making sure she’s paying attention.

“Swallow it, lass.”

She obeys so beautifully. Gently, I extend my arm, pushing her off of my cock. Her lips are so red and swollen, that it’s distracting.

“Come here,” I quietly order, offering her a hand.

She takes it and I help her to her feet. After righting my shorts, I fold my arms around her. She smirks at me, so I capture those lips with my own and kiss her deep and slow. When we come up for air, I murmur against her mouth, “Let me make one thing very clear, Lovely.”

Layla hums and leans back, probably thinking I’m about to take her to bed, which I am, but right now she needs to hear what I’m about to say.

“There is not a single woman on this earth that you need to worry about. Do you hear me?”

Her eyes soften and she nods. “I hear you.”

“Do you believe me when I tell you that my eyes, mouth, hands, and heart are only yours?”

She goes rigid in my arms, eyes flaring in alarm. Not the reaction I was expecting.

“Hold on, what’s that look for?”

“Teagan, don’t say things unless you really mean them.”

I’m properly confused now. When have I ever not been completely open with her?

“Layla, what are you talking about? I’m always honest with you.”

She looks away, biting her bottom lip. “That thing you said last night? While you were drunk?”

Shite. Now I’m really worried. “Aye. What did I say?”

She inhales deeply, still not meeting my gaze. “I feel really stupid for even bringing this up. Because I want what you said to be real, but only if you absolutely mean it. I don’t want you to say it because you feel obligated.”

Something clicks in my brain, a flash of a memory. My drunken arse looking at her as she and Ro drag me to a car and knowing at that moment that she’s my everything and there’s no turning back.

“I said I love you.”

Her head snaps back in my direction, eyes wide. “You remember?”

A corner of my mouth tips up in a small smile. “Aye. Once you started talking, it clicked. ”

“Oh.” She worries that bottom lip with her teeth again. “Did you…”

She stops herself and looks away again. Gently cupping her cheek, I bring her eyes back to me and hold her gaze. “Aye. I meant it then and I mean it now. And I’ll mean it every day until the day I die. I love you, mo chroi.”

“You never did tell me what that means,” she says with a sniffle.

“My heart. It means you’re my heart.”

Tears well and spill onto her cheeks, but her face lights up in a radiant smile. “I love you too.”

Then she’s raising herself on her toes to kiss me. It’s consuming, like kissing Layla always is, but this time it holds so much more weight. We’ve been heading in this direction since the beginning. I think we both knew going into this that it wasn’t just a casual fling.

Breaking the kiss, I brush strands of hair from her face and tell her earnestly, “I’m sorry that the first time I told you was while I was in rag order. If I could take it back and do it over, I would in a heartbeat.”

A breathy laugh bursts from that perfect mouth. “It’s okay. You more than made up for it.”

“Ach, I owe you for something else too.” I tell her, a wicked grin forming.

Her head tilts to the side, eyes questioning. “What’s that, guapo?”

“A mind-blowing orgasm.” Then I scoop her into my arms, eliciting a shriek and peals of laughter, and carry her to bed.