by E. C. Hier
“What? So, you’re in Boston?”
“I am,” he said.
“Even better,” she said. “Text me the address and I’ll see you in a few hours, quite a few, don’t wait up.”
She hung up the phone, and he stared at it opened-mouthed for a while until Olivia touched his arm. Kieran was only just starting to sort his life out, he couldn’t deal with his sister’s drama as well. He couldn’t turn her away either. He had no idea how much cash she’d scraped together but a fair bit would go on the flight.
“My sister is on her way here,” he said sitting back onto the chair.
“Why, how?” Olivia asked.
“She’s on her way to the airport and she’s coming here,” he said rubbing his face with his hand as if he could rub away the newly formed headache.
“Auntie Chloe will have your room,” Olivia said and disappeared into her bedroom.
“But I’m not sleeping in the same room as her,” he said following her.
Olivia was shedding her clothes and he turned away, reluctantly. He wasn’t about to jeopardize their friendship by perving on her. When he heard her sit on the bed he turned around to find her wearing a pair of soft pajamas and they did nothing to curb her sex appeal. He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Our parents relied on us heavily because even though my Dad is too ill to work he’s plenty well enough to knock my mother up year on year and then with twins as well.”
“You need to be there for her, I know,” she said leaning back against the pillows.
“You come first along with our baby but yeah, she comes second,” he said.
“My parents died when I was very young and I didn’t have any siblings. I lived with my Gran for years; she died a couple of years ago and I inherited her money. I bought the shop and this apartment but it’s time to change again. My roots are spreading. I’m making my own family, and business, a new home,” she said closing her eyes and turning towards him.
“You have your life sorted,” he said stroking her cheek.
“Hardly, I fell in love with a man who dumped me, leaving me pregnant and alone,” she said burying her head in the covers.
“I didn’t know you loved me,” he said switching off the light.
“I didn’t know either,” she said.
Her breathing grew deeper, and he covered her up. He wasn’t ready to leave her for the cold comfort of the single bed in the next room so he removed his jeans and jumper and then lay his head beside hers watching her sleep.
After a while, her arm reached out and her fingers splayed out on his chest. He couldn’t move if he wanted to because her hand had anchored him to her with unseen chains, chains that he was desperate to wear.
Chapter 17 - Olivia
When Olivia woke she felt so warm and snuggled that she was disorientated. Strong arms held her close and her head was resting on a firm chest. Kieran’s scent identified him before she even opened her eyes and she took a deep breath in, nuzzling her nose against his t-shirt. He was snoring lightly, and she lifted her head to see his peaceful face. Creamy skin with a hint of pink and flame-red hair greeted her.
She had been so tired the night before she couldn’t quite remember how he’d ended up in her bed. She only remembered the phone call and the imminent arrival of his sister.
It was strange, for years she’d lived quietly with no living relatives and few friends. She had barely shared her entire life with anyone and certainly hadn’t shared her home since her Gran’s passing. Kieran had stayed over a lot in those romantic three weeks but here she was now getting ready to share her home with the father of her unborn child, his sister, and soon enough a baby who would depend entirely on her. Her life was suddenly crowded and instead of scaring her she welcomed it.
Kieran moaned in his sleep and pulled her closer which fired up her sex drive once more. Of all the perfect poster heroes she’d found, Kieran was the one face and one body that she craved more than any of them. She could see his imperfections, the scars, the freckles, the laughter lines, and nails bitten to the quick. She loved him, all of him: flaws, crazy runaway mouth, and accent that she didn’t always understand. She didn’t want to be with anyone else but she wasn’t quite ready to tell him that yet.
“Morning,” he said, and she heard the caution in his voice.
“Morning,” she replied.
“My sister will be here soon,” he said looking down at her with large green eyes. “How are we going to fit?”
“You can share my bed but only because I’m not sharing with her,” she said but she couldn’t keep the humor out of her voice and she didn’t miss the smirk that crept onto his face.
“It must have been terrible sharing a bed with me,” he said in a teasing voice. “I bet I snored and farted. I’ll make breakfast to make it up to you.”
He leaped out of bed leaving a cold spot behind and she admired his retreating form as he disappeared. She would rather have breakfast of the man variety served in bed, she thought, but she would keep that to herself too. The doorbell chimed, and she sat up.
“I’ve got it,” he said and opened the door to let a skinny strawberry blonde into the apartment.
“You’re disgusting, put some clothes on. Don’t be walking around like that when the baby comes, you’ll scare it,” the girl said and Olivia knew she was going to like her.
“Come in, little miss uninvited,” he said. “I’m making breakfast. Meet Olivia.”
“Hi,” Olivia said, and the girl threw her arms around her.
“I can’t wait to be an auntie,” Chloe squealed.
There wasn’t the usual awkwardness of getting to know a new person. Chloe was just like Kieran but in girl form and younger. She dumped her case in the hall and took over making the breakfast much to Olivia’s surprise. She fried bacon and eggs like she was born to do it and Olivia just sat back while Kieran made three cups of strong tea.
“Did I tell you my brother is an idiot?” Chloe said.
“Hey!” Kieran protested.
“You did,” Olivia said.
“Well, he is, but he’s an honest one,” Chloe replied.
Kieran put his head in his hands and groaned as Chloe reeled off a list of good and bad points about Kieran that soon turned into funny anecdotes.
There was no tension and Kieran kept stealing glances at Olivia in between mouthfuls of fried food. She laughed more than she’d ever laughed over breakfast before and it felt like a truckload of tension had lifted from her shoulders. She wasn’t alone, the baby had a family, and she was happy. She was pretty sure she was missing something but for the first time ever, life felt right.
“Are you here to stay, Chloe?” Olivia asked when Kieran found his way to the shower.
“I hope so,” she said. “Let me show you what I do.”
Chloe switched on her tablet and showed Olivia a handful of handmade bags, scarves, and other small accessories. She was talented and the shop she had set up online seemed to be doing well. Olivia thought about the workshop attached to the cottage and wondered if the girl could use it to make things in. It occurred to her then that she was making long-term plans with her like it was settled but she hadn’t talked it over with Kieran. She blamed the hormones running around her body and the baby that was making her crave the family that seemed to have landed on her.
“You can make me a baby bag,” she said. “One with space for nappies and whatever else you need for little ones.”
“Would you like it to look sassy and smart, boho, or maybe I could weave Captain America’s face into it?” she asked admiring the poster collection.
“I’d like to see that,” Olivia laughed hard. “Maybe boho style would be more suitable.”
“Do you love my brother?”
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat because she really hadn’t been expecting such directness from a nineteen-year-old girl who’d just flown three thousand miles across the ocean. Kieran came out of the bathroom wrap
ped in a towel with steam billowing around him and she looked up at him. It was certainly a sight she wanted to see more often.
“I do,” she said.
“What are you girls whispering about?”
“None of your business,” Chloe said shooing him away.
“That’s good because he’s crazy about you and he’s going to make an awesome daddy,” she said. “But for the love of God, can’t he wear more clothes?”
Olivia left the siblings in charge of her laptop so they could sort the paperwork out. She walked to work with a smile on her face and when Louise caught sight of her, she was treated to a big grin. Having her life so openly available to people was a new thing for her and while she found it comforting that they cared about her so much it was also a little embarrassing. She sighed and hurried passed them into her office.
“What is that?” She yelled, and the shop went silent.
“Just a little present,” Louise replied in a sing-song voice.
She could hear them snickering but couldn’t seem to move. The new addition to her wall was unexpected but very welcome. The tall muscular red head in the firefighter costume wasn’t anyone she recognized, but he was certainly good to look at. He didn’t quite look like Kieran because his body was sculpted into the Greek god effect but his hair was the same fiery shade and he seemed to carry off a very similar cheeky look.
“We thought you might like it,” Drew said.
“I do,” she replied placing her hands on her hips.
“If you don’t like it I’d be happy to take it home,” Drew winked.
“If it helps you to know,” Louise said when Drew had gone. “I like Kieran; I really do. I also think you should give him the chance you never really had before.”
“Have you two been hanging out while I was sleeping?” Olivia asked astounded.
“He phoned me while you were on your way to work,” Louise shrugged.
“What?”
“He just apologized and told me he thought the world of you and would take care of you and the baby regardless of how things turn out between the pair of you. I like him, I can’t help it. He’s got the cutest accent, I could listen to him all day long,” Louise said smiling.
“I may have to fire the lot of you,” Olivia called out. “Unless you bring me some carrot cake and tea.”
Olivia sat down and switched on her computer to find that her desktop picture had been changed to a grownup version of the redhead from Harry Potter. She was pleased to see the guy had all of his clothes on. Firefighters she could handle but Ron Weasley was forever fourteen in her eyes. She sighed and opened her mail.
When a tray with a cup of tea and a cake arrived on her desk, she was glowing. Her offer on the house had been accepted and her request to rush the sale had also been agreed. She would be able to move into her new house in just a few short weeks.
Chapter 18 - Kieran
Chloe’s resolved to lead her own life had encroached on all their lives but she needed a new start away from their family if she was to make something of herself. They filed the paperwork for the visas and Kieran emailed his CV to his prospective employer. Chloe would have to work a day job as well as her online crafts projects and with space now cramped in Olivia’s apartment, he was worried that they’d all get in each other’s way.
When Olivia called later that morning to ask if Chloe could do some waitressing for a few weeks to help her friend in her bakery, Chloe jumped at the idea but it still meant that the three of them would be living in close confines in the evenings. He wanted to make things right with Olivia but instead, he’d offloaded all his problems onto her.
The first few days went well and Chloe’s easy way with people smoothed the conversation but three was definitely a crowd when it came to cozy evenings in front of the television. If he didn’t start working on repairing their relationship, the baby would arrive and they would be just two platonic parents living together. Sleeping in the same bed was like torture because he had her in his arms but he couldn’t do more than hold her. It was also the sweetest part of the day because he drifted off to sleep with her scent in his nose and her curves pressed against him.
He needed to take her on a date and try to get the magic back. Taking a pregnant woman out at night wasn’t ideal when all she wanted to do was curl up on the sofa with hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun. He would have to meet her from work and take her somewhere during the hours when she had the energy to spare.
That was when he came across the holistic fair. If they were anything like the ones back home, then they would have fun and maybe she’d remember how good they were together.
When he arrived at the coffee shop he was greeted with smiles and hugs from the staff, much to Olivia’s annoyance. When Drew sneaked a hug in, he realized that he didn’t need to worry about the man’s stunning looks anymore. Drew was definitely gay if the appreciative glance he gave him was anything to go by.
“You need to tell me where we’re going,” she moaned.
“That’s not how a surprise works and you know it,” he replied tucking her hand in his.
“I hope it has a bathroom because I can’t seem to go for twenty minutes without needing to pee,” she said.
“I’m sure it has,” he grinned.
When they arrived at the building, she was surprised by the banner across the door but still headed straight for the bathrooms. He waited patiently outside until she came back and then guided her into the fair. Warm air and the smell of incense rushed at them and the corners of her lips lifted up. The smell of food mingled with the incense and he was pretty sure he’d chosen well.
“Wheat grass,” she said pulling him along. “I need one of these.”
“Are you sure you want to drink that?” he asked sniffing the contents.
“Oh yes,” she replied slurping the brilliant green goop immediately.
He guided her to the foot massage stand, and she was helped into a chair. When a woman began massaging oils into her feet, she groaned and to Kieran’s ears, it sounded not unlike the groan she used to make when they were in bed together. If she kept that up he’d need to find some tight fitting underwear.
“That was so good I nearly peed myself,” she whispered.
“I wasn’t expecting that response,” he said laughing.
“I wasn’t expecting our baby to be so energetic,” she said reaching for his hand.
She enjoyed an Indian head massage, a vegan snack pot, and some homemade cream for stretch marks being rubbed into her stomach before he dragged her over to the more mystical side.
There were various mystic arts, and he knew she would be interested in them. When she chose to visit a small stall draped with sheer white curtains, he waited by a nearby stall and bought a small Buddha and some lucky Chinese Foo dogs with ugly faces. He was told they would protect their home or business and he figured they would be a lovely addition to Olivia’s new house which he’d only seen pictures of.
When Olivia finally stepped out of the white curtain, Kieran rushed to her; she looked shaken. He wrapped an arm around her and led her to one of the seats in the dining area. He pulled a can of tea they’d picked up on their stroll around the fair and handed it to her and she sipped it gladly.
“I really don’t like the look you’re wearing right now,” Kieran said rubbing her back. “Are you in pain?”
“Not really,” she said. “Not physically.”
“What did she say? Do I need to have words with her?”
“No,” she said her lips lifting in a slight smile.
“Then what is it?”
“Do you mind if I don’t tell you right away?”
“As long as it isn’t about yours or the baby’s health,” he agreed reluctantly.
She was obviously done with the fair and he had the urge to get her home as soon as possible. Kieran guided her outside, and they took a cab home. He wanted to ask what the woman had said but Olivia was just gazing out of the window absently.
>
He held onto her hand wanting to feel close to her because it felt like she was shutting him out. Kieran wasn’t sure about his plan to give her a fun day anymore, maybe he should have just taken her to the cinema.
When they got inside the apartment, she went to lay down and he set the Foo dogs on the shelf in the hall. If there was any chance they really worked, he wanted to have them available. He placed the Buddha on the mantelpiece just below Thor and he wondered if mixing gods was going to get him into trouble.
His family was Christian, but he hadn’t really thought about that since he’d left school and his mother had always been too busy with the children to bother dragging them all to church. He could have done with some insight just then but he didn’t believe it would come from Buddha, Thor, two ugly Foo dogs, or a man with a cross.
He made them both a cup of tea and placed them on the nightstand. She was resting on top of the bed with a faraway look in her eyes. He was desperate to ask what the woman had said behind the curtain but he didn’t want to force her. He didn’t want to force her to think about their relationship but he wanted that back too.
“I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone and I don’t know how to prove that to you,” he said sitting beside her.
“I think I know that,” she said quietly.
“Do you?” he asked shuffling down the bed until they were face to face.
“I love you,” she said reaching up to stroke his cheek.
“You have the most amazing touch,” he said. “You make everything feel right.”
“You do that to me,” she said and her breath tickled his cheek because she’d come closer.
“Do I? Because, I want to make love to you several times a day and I’m not sure you feel the same about me, not in that way,” he said, and he blinked the moisture away that was trying to leak out of his traitorous eyes.
“But I do,” she said meeting his lips with hers.
He kissed her back with all the pent up passion he’d been keeping in for days, if not weeks. He made an effort to be gentle and take things slowly but within minutes they were both naked and her newly curvaceous body had him breathless and eager like a kid in the candy store. He wanted to touch her everywhere at once but he needed to be inside her and she had parted her thighs to allow him access.
