“I’m with your ma.”

I smile as I take another scoop, holding it up to his lips. “Try it.”

“No way,” he says, his face scrunched up in disgust.

I pout, my lip out as I say, “Please?”

He laughs as he shakes his head. “You’re pout won’t work. We’ve talked about this before.”

I glare. “Yes it does. I got you to kiss me last time.” He goes to protest, but I stop him. “Please,” I say, jutting my lip out even more.

His eyes darken and then he takes my finger in his mouth, sucking the PB&J off. Biting the tip, his eyes stay locked with mine as he moves the Goober around in his mouth before swallowing. Shrugging his shoulders, he says, “It’s okay.”

I smile triumphantly. “Told ya.”

“So you did, come here,” he says, dropping his lips to mine. I go to deepen the kiss but he pulls away, cupping my face, looking deep in my eyes. His thumbs caress my jaw as he holds my gaze, his eyes searching mine. I’m not sure for what, but I love the way he looks at me. Like I’m the only girl in the world.

“I brought the Goober because I wanted to sweeten you up a bit before I asked you something.”

I laugh. “I’m already sweet.”

He nods as he drops his lips to mine for a quick kiss. “I was supposed to say that.”

I laugh as he presses into me. The feel of every inch of him silences me as he says, “But I need to ask if you’d be my date to this ball my ma and sis are throwing.”

I smile. “Of course I will. I’d love to.” I pause, watching him for a minute. His shoulders are so tense, and he’s working his lip. “Why do you look nervous? Did you think I’d say no?”

I laugh as he smiles back, running his nose along mine. “I don’t know. I don’t want to go. It’s stupid and my family is intense. There is a chance that you’ll hate them.”

I shake my head, holding his jaw in between my fingers. “I’m sure they are great. Just like you.”

His mouth pulls up at the side as relief floods his beautiful face. “I don’t know about that, but I do hope you like them.”

“Me too.”

He grabs my waist, pulling me closer, desire swirling deep in his blue eyes. Looking at my lips, he bites his, squeezing my waist as he brings me even closer. Dropping his head, his lips meet mine and I swear everything inside me turns to mush as he kisses the living crap out of me. I love kissing him. I love the feel of him, the way our bodies fit together. It makes me breathless and giddy all in one. I never want to leave this moment. It feels so perfect being wrapped up in his arms but when I hear yelling from inside, I pull back, cocking my head towards the sound.

“I have nothing to say to you,” I hear Fiona say.

“Who is she talking to?” I ask, breaking away from Declan before taking his hand in mine to pull him with me. He comes willingly as I say, “She sounds really mad.”

I start for the door as Declan says, “I think Kane was coming by.”

“Oh no,” I groan as I open the door to find Kane and Fiona with only the bar between them.

“Give me a chance to explain, Fiona, come on,” Kane pleads.

Fiona shakes her head. “There’s the door, don’t let it hit you on the arse.”

“Fiona, baby, look at me, come on,” he says, reaching across the bar to reach for her. She swats him away but then he gets ahold of her hands, bringing her to him with the bar still keeping them a good distance apart. “I don’t want to be apart from ya, baby, but I was stupid and scared because… because… fuck, baby, I’m just not good enough for you.”

Fiona pauses then as her face freezes in shock. “What?”

“You deserve someone that is gonna be something. Me, I’m a fuckin’ malter. I don’t have jack shit going for me, I live paycheck to paycheck. I come home smelling like crap. You don’t want that. You’re going to school, getting your degree in marketing, baby. How you gonna feel telling folks that your man works at the O’Callaghan Distillery, racking fuckin’ grain?”

Shaking her hands from his, she reaches out, taking his face in her hands. “I’d be proud ’cause you’re mine. I don’t care if you live paycheck to paycheck as long as you do it with me. I don’t care that you’ll come home stinking, because more than likely, I will, too. But none of that matters because I’m not asking you to marry me, Kane. I’m askin’ you to be with me, love me. The rest will fall in place later. Right now though, I just want you.”

Kane smiles as he covers her hands with his. “Really?”

She nods. “Yes, you big lug. I’m mad about ya, and I don’t care about anything else. Just you, just us.”

Kissing her nose, he whispers, “I’m sorry and I promise, Fiona. I wasn’t getting off with Ellen. She’s my friend.”

She nods, leaning her head against his. “I believe you.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you, baby,” he whispers, kissing the side of her mouth.

“It doesn’t matter now that I have you in my arms.”

He smiles before taking hold of her and pulling across the bar. She laughs loudly, and my heart constricts in my chest as I watch them kiss like they hadn’t in years. When they part, Fiona holds his face, her face bright as she says, “Don’t do something stupid like that again. Just talk to me, don’t hold it in. Okay?”

He nods. “Okay, so I guess we are together, huh?”

She laughs before smacking his arm. “Yup, together or nothing.”

“I pick together,” he says with a wink.

“Good choice.”

“I think so, which means you have to be my date to this dumb ball the O’Callaghans are throwing.”

Fiona eyes him, and I can’t help but grin like a fool as she asks, “Is that why you came to apologize, so you’d have a hot ass date?”

He looks at her stone face as he answers, “Well yeah, can’t expect me to go with someone ugly, do ya?”

She smacks him again as I laugh out loud along with Declan.

“You arse!” she accuses with a grin.

He smiles as he brings her in close. “No, I apologized because even though you just want me, I want a future with you. I’m mad about ya, Fiona. So mad.”