After I came clean about the FBI and my involvement with them, I explained that it was because of them that I pulled away from Branna in the first place. I had agreed to help the feds to cover my ass for the death of Trent Miles and a few of Marco’s soldiers. To do away with the threat of prison, I spied on Brandy Daley for the feds, and I immersed myself so deep into the investigation that I almost lost myself, and Branna, in the process. Because I chose not to tell Branna about the situation, I indirectly formed a huge crack in our relationship. One we were still healing from. We switched up our tactics this time, and instead of doing everything ass backwards, we took things in baby steps.
That meant date nights with just a chaste kiss on Branna’s front porch.
We spent time together, lots of time, and reintroduced ourselves to everything we loved about one another, and learned new things along the way. It sounded boring, but it was anything but. When I knew I was going to see Branna, my stomach fluttered with butterflies, my heart pounded with excitement, and I couldn’t remove the smile from my face for all the money in the world. We were happy again. I was me, and Branna was Branna. We weren’t our old selves anymore; we were new and improved versions. What we endured—not only over the past two years, but from the moment we met—made us better people. Stronger people.
It solidified our bond and proved to me that we really could overcome anything.
I stared at Branna as I entered the living room of Alec and Keela’s home, and like a bee to honey, I was drawn to her. I moved next to her, reached out and poked my finger into her side, making her squirm.
“What’re you smiling about?”
Branna smiled, devilishly. “Just thinkin’ about the plans I have for us later.”
I was pretty sure I just gulped.
“What plans?”
I slid my arm around Branna’s waist when she smirked at me, and it was all I could do not to push her up against the wall and claim her lips with mine.
“One little smirk and I’m already hard for you.”
The little terror reached out and rubbed her hand over my thigh. “How hard?”
I gritted my teeth. “Stop, or I might succeed in traumatising my brothers this time.”
She laughed, most likely thinking back to our first night together when we were so hot for each other that we almost forgot my brothers were next to us, horrified.
“I don’t think I can wait.”
My entire body tensed. We had been taking things incredibly slow, so slow that a little kiss got my gears turning. I wanted sex with Branna. I wanted it more than my next breath, but because we had been putting it off, I was so nervous about it and felt a little faint. “It’s your call, Bran.”
“Now.” She licked her lips. “I want to feel ye’. All of ye’.”
“Fuck. Yes.”
Leaning down, I covered my mouth with hers and kissed her with hunger ... until a couple of throats were cleared.
“Uh, guys?” Alec mumbled. “I’m all for you both bumping uglies after such a long drought, but we’re still here. Jax, too.”
At the mentioned of Jax, Branna and I broke apart in an instant.
“Sorry.”
“What’re you sorry for, Bran?”
Branna looked over her shoulder when her sister spoke, and she smiled as Bronagh waddled into the room. The woman was so pregnant that simply breathing looked like it made her uncomfortable.
“Nothin’,” Branna replied. “We’re just talkin’.”
“Is that what you call it?” Keela snickered.
Branna looked at Keela, amusement dancing in her eyes as she said, “Keela said Dominic is sexy!”
Keela gasped at Branna’s declaration. “You agreed with me!”
Bronagh groaned. “Don’t use any word around me that has sex in it. Sex does this to ye’”—she pointed at her large, round stomach—”and gives ye’ stretch marks!”
“Did ye’ get many?” Keela inquired, apprehension to her voice. She and Alec were trying to get pregnant.
“Yes!” Bronagh huffed. “On me stomach, thighs, breasts, and even on me arse. Me fuckin’ arse!”
Dominic opened his mouth to speak, but Bronagh pointed her finger at him dangerously. “Not now,” she warned. “I don’t wanna hear it. I’m fat, I have stretch marks, I haven’t seen me feet in weeks, and I forget what regular sex feels like. Don’t annoy me more than I already am.”
Alec looked like he was about to pass out.
“Pregnancy stops you from having sex?” he asked wide-eyed before looking at Keela and saying, “We’re adopting.”
We all laughed.
“It’s only the past few weeks that it’s stopped,” Dominic grumbled. “It hurts her a little, so we don’t do it.”
“Why would it hurt?”
Everyone look at Branna for the answer to Kane’s question.
“Lots of different reasons, but there doesn’t have to be a specific one.” She shrugged. “When a woman is pregnant, there is more blood flow to the entire pelvic region, and that engorgement is sometimes just too uncomfortable durin’ sex. It goes away when the baby is born.”