Page 16 of Ronan

I wipe away the tears that fall and take a deep, calming breath. Mommy doesn’t know the kind of emotions and memories her comments have stirred up. She doesn’t mean any harm.

After all, she knew nothing about Geno or who I became as a result. I thought I was so grown back then. He was gone by the time I had planned to introduce him to my family.

Suddenly, a chill runs through me. The sun that has been baking my back seems to catch some shade as if clouds have rolled in. However, from the scent that surrounds me, I know it’s not clouds that are blocking the sun.

“Has anyone ever told ya how pretty yer toes are, love?”

I close my eyes as his voice washes over me. His warm breath fans my ear and sends tingles over my skin. Ronan is the last person I want to talk to right now.

However, his voice does somehow soothe the pain I’m feeling. It’s like a warm, comforting blanket. It wraps around me and makes me feel like everything will be okay.

I frown at the feeling. No matter what, no man will ever fill that void. I can’t allow it. For so many reasons, I can’t allow it.

“Looks like I arrived right on time. I brought ya something,” he murmurs when I don’t reply.

I open my eyes and tilt my head back. I’m met with his intense blue-hazel eyes. They’re filled with concern as his gaze bounces across my face.

He’s squatting behind me, but he’s still so imposing compared to my stature. I’m five-eight. Ronan has to be about six-five and around two hundred and sixty pounds, give or take.

A big boy. Just like I like them. I write AA romance, but this man makes me want to join Kaye in writing IR.

I’ve never dated a white guy. Puerto Rican, Asian, African, but never a European guy, although I have thought about this man in the most inappropriate ways every time I’ve seen him.

I blame it on the lack of sex. It’s been more than a while. Almost four years, to be exact.

I can’t help eating him up with my eyes. I love the blue dress shirt he has on. The top three buttons are sitting open.

This man looks like he’s comfortable in his skin. I love that about him. Confidence in a man is it for me. Ronan has it in spades.

He holds up a gift bag in front of me and gives me a smile. I wrap my hand around the handle, but he doesn’t release the bag. My heart begins to race.

I’ve been trying to keep my distance from this man since that woman in the bar. He’s not mine, but I didn’t like how she flirted with him after interrupting our moment. Yeah, she did me a favor, but I still wasn’t cool with it.

Ronan is a huge flirt. That chick ate it up and had no problem rubbing it in my face. I left not long after and vowed this man isn’t for me. She could have him.

However, I did notice his absence over the last two weeks. I’ve been trying so hard not to ask after him. I have enough going on, not to mention he’s not for me.

“Thank you,” I say as he finally releases the bag.

“Thank me after ya see what’s inside.” He winks at me, then stands and moves to take a seat next to me on my blanket.

A quick glance tells me Dae-Dae is still riding his bike and entertaining himself. The kid is cute, but we bump heads. He’s too smart for his own good.

“What do we have here?” I ask as I pull the tissue paper from the bag.

“I got ya a wee gift to bring a smile to your face.”

I look into the bag and gasp. It’s a bottle of my favorite wine and salted caramel chocolates. Both from two of my favorite places in Brooklyn. I had mentioned both at the bar that night when I was talking to his brothers.

“You got me a bottle of red and chocolate truffles. How the heck did you get these?”

“I had to make a quick trip to New York for business. On my way back home, I thought of ya. I stopped in Brooklyn to get ya the gift.”

I bite my lip. Fucking this man will be messy. He’s one of my best friend’s boyfriend’s uncles and I’m not looking for anything serious.

“What exactly are you looking for in return?”

“Ach, ya wound me. It’s a gift. No strings attached.”

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