She laughed. “He doesn’t like the term ‘babysitter.’ He prefers ‘child haute couture consultant.’”

I sighed and smiled. “Of course he does.”

Eilish swallowed another bite of her sandwich. “Sean’s always been eccentric. By the way, maybe you can talk to him for me? Every time he comes to visit he brings presents for Patrick. It’s lovely and all, but I don’t want my son thinking gifts every week are the norm. I tried to explain this to my cousin, but he won’t listen,” she said, exasperated.

I was touched she was asking me for help. “Sure. I’ll just keep kicking him in the shins during training until he agrees to stop.”

She laughed. “Maybe something less extreme?”

“Spoilsport, but okay, leave it to me.”

She looked at me then, our lips so close they almost touched. “Thanks.”

We continued eating in silence, our eyes finding each other from time to time. When we were finished, I wrapped my other arm around her and pulled her to sit between my thighs. There were a few tourists ambling about, but the outcrop provided us with enough privacy. Eilish exhaled softly and rested her head against my sternum.

“This is nice,” she said, her voice relaxed.

I squeezed her a little and pressed my mouth to the top of her head. “Mm-hmm.”

Time passed. In spite of the cold I could’ve fallen asleep. Being with her made everything peaceful.

“Bryan?” she whispered.

“What is it, love?”

“I’m glad I told you about Patrick.”

I smiled even though her back was to me and she couldn’t see it. “Me, too.” Lowering my mouth to the side of her neck, I brought my lips to her skin. She let out a tiny moan and shifted in place.

“I think you’re going to make a fantastic dad,” she continued, and I kissed her again, feather light.

“I hope so.”

“You will. You’re s-so good with him.”

God, my heart was gonna burst if she kept talking like this. It felt like a dream. Too good to be real. Even when she admitted to me that Patrick was mine, I never imagined we’d end up here.

“Eilish.”

“Hmm?”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

She barked a laugh at my use of her earlier words and I flipped her on her back, climbing over her. I took her mouth in a hot, searing kiss. I’d been dying to do this since leaving the boat. How could I miss the taste of her so much? It had only been an hour since we’d arrived.

She melted beneath me, her mouth opening, our tongues dancing. She arched off the ground, her thighs parting and wrapping around my waist. I groaned loudly when our bodies met intimately. Too loudly.

Footsteps started coming our way.

We snapped apart in a flash and I gathered up the blanket, shoving it in my bag. My breathing was still fast and I willed my erection to go down. The footsteps transformed into a small group of German-speaking tourists, and I prayed they didn’t glance in the direction of my crotch. When I caught Eilish’s gaze I could see she was trying her hardest not to laugh. She was well aware of my predicament.

I cleared my throat. “We should start heading back.”

She glanced at her watch, her lips twitching. “Yeah, I told the babysitter I’d be home by eight.”

I arched a brow. “Something funny?”

Her mouth formed a tight line. “Nope.”

I approached her. “You sure?”

Her gaze flicked to mine, then away. “Uh-huh.”

“Okay, then.” I turned and headed over to grab the last of our things.

“It’s just . . .” Eilish began and then trailed off.

“Yes?”

She shook her head and finally let her giggles flow free. I couldn’t help smiling, too, even though I wasn’t entirely sure an inconvenient hard-on warranted so much laughter. It was infectious all the same.

She gestured to the retreating group of tourists. “I studied German at school, so I can pick out certain words. One of the women commented about you to her friend.”

I smirked. “Oh yeah? What did she say?”

She dabbed the wetness from the corners of her eyes. “Something along the lines of a bratwurst big enough to feed an army.”

My smirk died. “I wish I hadn’t asked.”

“Really? I thought men enjoyed compliments about that . . . particular area.”

“They do. But armies are generally made up of a bunch of blokes.” I arched a brow meaningfully. A loud burst of laughter escaped her, and she clamped her hand over mouth. God, she was too fucking adorable.

She sucked in a breath, finally calming down from her fit of giggles. “You’re too much, Bryan Leech.”

“That’s what the German ladies think anyway,” I deadpanned, my smirk returning.

Eilish burst into laughter all over again.

Chapter Twenty-One

JoseyInHeels to ECassChoosesPikachu: Pick up pick up pick up!! I’M LITERALLY DYEING!!

ECassChoosesPikachu to JoseyInHeels: What are you dyeing? Your hair? What color?

JoseyInHeels to ECassChoosesPikachu: ... really? That’s what I get? I’m desperate for info and you joke about my grahmer.

ECassChoosesPikachu to JoseyInHeels: Grammar is no joke, but “grahmer” is. ;-)

*Eilish*

I didn’t exactly regret what we’d done on the boat. Regret wasn’t the right word.

I . . . worried about it.