Say You're Mine (The Gallaghers Book 1) by Layla Hagen (comprehension books .txt) 📕

I pinched her ass again, and she rewarded me with a playful giggle.

Watching her take off her clothes gave me a raging hard-on, but I was determined to behave. Only the vixen wasn’t making it easy. Once we were beneath the water, she poured shower gel in her palms, spreading it all over her body, driving me crazy. Whirling her around, I applied shower gel to her back. I took a small detour, soaping her breasts again. She gasped as I twirled my fingers around her nipples and pressed my cock against her ass cheek.

There. Now we were both on the edge.

My need for this woman was insatiable. But we had a party to attend, so I rinsed off the soap without any more shenanigans.

Isabelle pouted. “You’re not playing fair.”

“You’re the one who tempted the hell out of me, soaping up like that.”

Her pout transformed into a grin. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. You’re so sexy when you’re turned on.”

“So you’re not just extra sassy but extra feisty today. Good to know.”

“All your doing.” Rising on her tiptoes, she gave me a quick kiss, then took a huge step back. “Now, let’s get dressed. Without any interruptions.” She attempted to sound stern as she said the last three words, but her smile gave her away.

She dressed in a breezy pink dress that showed no cleavage, but half her back was bare.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I said.

She startled, looking up in the mirror on the dresser door. She was putting on earrings and hadn’t seen me approach.

“Thank you,” she said softly. Her cheeks turned pink.

“Why do you always blush when I say you’re beautiful?”

She shrugged, fumbling with her fingers at her ear.

“Let me do that,” I offered. “You can’t see anything.”

I finished clasping her earrings. It felt so domestic to do this for her, and it seemed so damn right. This whole day had been incredible.

“Come on. Let’s join the party.”

She took my hand, and we headed outside.

A lot of my parents’ friends had already arrived by the time we made it to the backyard. Mom and Dad must have told them I was here, because no one acted surprised to see me, just happy.

I introduced Isabelle to everyone. We had four more cousins from Dad’s side, but they lived in the next town, so I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Donna and Jana. Speaking of which, they were both looking at me with a familiar expression.

I was certain they were going to want to know more about my relationship with Isabelle, but I assumed they’d wait until tomorrow.

I was wrong. They both flanked me when I went to the second grill my dad had especially bought for this occasion, for the sole purpose to keep the food he’d already grilled warm.

“Cousin dearest, we want to know everything about Isabelle,” Jana said.

“Right now, before you return to New York,” Donna added.

“You do have a phone, you know,” I teased.

“Yeah, but we’re so much better at drilling you face-to-face,” Jana said with a grin. She nudged me with her shoulder playfully. “Come on, let’s fill our plates and move away, or we’re going to smell like smoke. And people might realize we’re gossiping.”

“You’re gossiping,” I pointed out, but we did move away from the grill. We’d each put kabobs and grilled veggies on our plates.

Donna put an arm around mine. “No, no. You’re about to as well. You’re out of practice, but we’re going to remind you how things work in this family.”

I glanced around, looking for Isabelle. She’d been talking to Dad last time I checked. Now she was with Mom and my aunt.

“Aww, you know what? You don’t even need to say anything. Look at you, searching around for Isabelle,” Donna said.

“She’s my guest here. I want to make sure she’s having a good time.”

“Sure, that’s why you look at her like this. You care about her,” Jana added.

“I do. Very much,” I replied.

Jana and Donna exchanged a knowing look.

“Why are you two so coy?” I asked.

“Nothing...well, we got the impression that Isabelle cares about you a lot too when we were out today. Just in case you’re interested.”

“I am interested.”

Donna grinned. “See? You do remember how to gossip. Thank God.”

“What did she say?” I prompted when neither of them volunteered more information.

“It’s not just what she said,” Jana informed me. “The way she said it is important too. With dreamy eyes and a lot of... heart? I can’t explain it.”

“Well, you’re not being a lot of help to our broody and fortress-loving cousin here.”

I stopped in the act of plunking my fork in a grilled bell pepper. “I’m neither of those things.”

“Ummm, yes you are,” Jana insisted. “You’ve always been like that, but even more so after what happened last time you were here.”

Frowning, I considered her words. “I did what I had to do.”

Donna smiled sympathetically. “You haven’t been home in years, Brayden. You think keeping everyone at arm’s length somehow protects us.”

“It does,” I insisted.

“The security measures you have in place do the job just fine,” she went on. “Last time took us by surprise. But we miss you, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we don’t mind taking extra precautions if it means spending more time with you.”

“But you all visit me in New York,” I countered, remembering the incident all those years ago when a group of fans followed me here. They vandalized my parents’ house while we were out on a walk. I’d never seen my folks so scared.

“Which is fine for us,” Jana said. “You know we love the city. But Esther and Mark don’t like leaving their home as much. They don’t feel comfortable in New York. Esther especially loves having you here, in her home.”

I said nothing. Honestly, I was so taken aback by this conversation that I didn’t know what to reply.

“But Isabelle’s definitely on your case. I like her. Don’t push her away, or I’ll fly