This Love (Cowboys & Angels 6)

“They love each other very much.”

His voice made the hairs on me neck stand and a tremble rushed through me entire body. I kept me eyes focused on Cord’s parents while I answered. “You can see it with how they look at each other. It’s beautiful.”

“Do you need any help?”

Taking in a deep breath, I forced meself to look at him.

Ugh.

His deep blue eyes made me heart flutter, and when he smiled, me knees knocked together. They actually knocked together.

“Hmm, your eyes.”

Squeezing mine shut tightly, I cursed myself for the slip-up and shook my head before looking at a smirking Cord.

“I mean, you can help getting ice for the drinks.”

He lifted his chin and said, “Oh, ice.”

I nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

While Cord got a bucket of ice from the icemaker in the kitchen, I helped Melanie carry out the food. Harley and Amelia helped while everyone else got settled at the table. Waylynn had put Liberty down in a small portable playpen while Corina had Merit in a swing. Both babies were sleeping away.

A million and one conversations were going on at the table, and I loved it. It had always been just me, ma, and da for dinner. This was a nice change.

Cord had filled up everyone’s glasses with ice and tea.

“Look at the birthday boy helping out!” Tripp teased as Cord walked the iced tea back into the kitchen.

“Oh, I just sat down. Maebh, will you grab the bread and butter, dear?” Melanie asked.

“Sure!” I said and headed into the kitchen. Cord came walking around the corner, and we ran right into each other. I let out an oof sound, the wind nearly knocked out of me.

“Sorry, Maebh. I was walking too fast.”

“S’okay,” I mumbled, trying to get me breath. How in the world did the man knock it right out of me? “It’s like walking into a brick wall, though,” I said, taking in a deep breath.

Cord lifted his arms and flexed, and I nearly dropped to my knees. He smirked a little. “Did you forget something?”

Me eyes raked over his body, and I didn’t even care if he noticed. He was so nice to look at. It would give me a nice mental image for later when I was alone in me bed.

Cord stepped closer and brushed a piece of hair from me face.

“Why are you blushing, darling?”

I swallowed hard. Why was he calling me darling? It made me skin tingle from the tip of me toes to the top of me head. “It’s warm in here and running back and forth from the kitchen and all.”

He nodded and looked into me eyes like he knew I was handing him a line of bullshit.

I stepped away and his mouth dropped into a tight line.

“Your ma needs the bread and butter. I’ve got the bread, but not sure where she keeps your butter.”

It took Cord a few seconds to acknowledge what I had said before he made his way across the kitchen to the refrigerator.

He held it up. “I’ve got it.”

I laughed at the tub of Irish butter.

With a shake of his head, he smirked, “Grab the bread and let’s eat.”

Her laugh made my chest squeeze. In a good way. A very fucking good way. I took a chance and glanced across the table at Maebh. Luck would have it, my mother made sure we were the last two to sit down and we were sitting directly across from one another.

“Maebh, spell your name!” Corina called out.

With a roll of her eyes, Maebh glared at Corina. “Why do you insist on having me spell me name all the time.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Damn that accent of hers. Because being beautiful wasn’t enough, she had to add adorable on top of it. And innocent. Let’s not forget the bomb Harley had dropped on me about Maebh being a virgin.

My eyes moved over her body, or what part of it I could see since she was sitting.

“M. A. E. B. Hache.”

“No, it’s H!” Waylynn chuckled.

Staring at Waylynn liked she’d lost her mind, Maebh teased her right back. “That’s what I said, hache.”

Jesus, I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted another woman in my entire life. The fact that she was a virgin and deserved someone who wasn’t a whoring prick wasn’t lost on me, but I didn’t care. I was a greedy bastard.

Maebh smiled even bigger and turned her head. When our eyes met, her cheeks turned even pinker, and she glanced down to her plate.

“How’s the restaurant doing, Maebh?” my father asked.

“It’s amazing. We’ve had a steady crowd since opening night and have received some lovely reviews. The Austin American Statesman even gave us flying colors!”

The way she beamed made me sit up a little straighter. I was proud of her and amazed at the same time. I wanted to ask her why she’d picked America to open up an Irish restaurant and bar, and not Ireland.