Holding Out For Skye (13 page)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

No, I’m not
, Skye thought as they neared his parents’ home in Cambridge. Her stomach felt like there was a huge black hole in it and objects were swirling round and round in it.

She wanted to hurl. She wanted him to do a U-turn and drive her home. Which he would probably refuse. She calculated how much it would hurt if she jumped out of the car right now.
Way too much
, she thought mournfully.

Cian shot her a glance. She was clutching her purse so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. He thought of the right words to say to ease her anxiety as he pulled up in front of the house he’d been raised in.

“We’re here.”

“What?” Skye jumped in her seat and turned to him, her eyes wide.

“We’re here,” he repeated gently.

“I think I’m going to hurl.”

Trying to make her forget her nervousness, Cian teased, “You should have listened to Nick when he told you all those donuts would make you sick.”

“Very funny,” Skye retorted.

“Be a brave little soldier now, love,” he bolstered as he patted her shoulder.

“Easy for you to say.” She sighed. “I’ll get the brownies. You take the flowers.”

He had brought flowers for his mother as well, multi-colored tulips. The gesture had tugged at her heartstrings. He kept surprising her with the different aspects of his personality. He’d been right when he’d said she didn’t know everything about him.

Skye was afraid that the more she learned about him, the bigger a hold he seemed to have on her heart. A heart that would break when he left.

From his various conquests, Skye knew he had a short attention span and never stayed long with one woman. She didn’t want to feel too much for him but he wasn’t playing fair. He was making it hard not to care about him. She turned her mind away from thoughts of him leaving.

It wasn’t in her to dwell long upon things she couldn’t change. No, she had gone into this with her eyes wide open and she wouldn’t blame him when he left.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Skye blinked and discovered she’d been staring at him. “Nothing.”

Cian hadn’t missed the sudden look of sadness that had come in her eyes. What had brought that on? “Skye?”

“I’m fine, really.”

Skye got out with the plastic container in her hand and waited for him as he got the flowers and locked his car.

Skye took her first look at the three-storey Victorian house, which had a veranda in front, with two rocking chairs side by side and a small iron table next to them, idyllic for having iced tea on a hot summer day. The walls were painted a pale shade of lavender, the shutters that same color.

It looked like a happy home. She wanted a house like this one day but smaller and hers would be painted blue, of course.

“Coming?” Cian was watching her, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Yes.” Skye swallowed, bracing herself.

Cian knocked on the door, and as they waited, out of the corner of his mouth he said, “Don’t worry, love, the kicking and screaming doesn’t show.”

“Kiss my ass,” Skye hissed at him just as a woman opened the door.

Oh,
shit.
This had to be his mother. Had she heard her? She had the same piercing gray eyes and blond hair as her son. She was dressed in a beautiful lavender blouse and cream-colored Capri pants. Her silky hair was cut in a short sophisticated and chic style.

“I believe this is the first time in history one of my son’s girlfriends dared to tell him to kiss her ass meaning it for the insult it was.”

Cian gave his mother a charming grin. “Hi, Mom.” He leaned down, gave her a one-arm hug and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled as he presented her with the bouquet and pressed her face to the flowers, much like Skye had done earlier.

His mother had heard her alright. Skye waited for the earth to open up and swallow her whole. And waited. Nothing happened. Why, oh why, couldn’t nature just be on her side for once?

“Mrs. Hunter, please accept my apologies for swearing in front of you.”

“And she has good manners, too,” she remarked to Cian, then turned back to Skye. “Don’t worry about it, dear. I’m sure he deserved it.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be the adoring mom always firmly on
my
side?” Cian demanded.

“That’s your delusion talking, honey.” His mother smiled at Skye, who had the sudden insane urge to laugh but managed to refrain herself. “I’m Ava Hunter. What a beautiful dress! Skye, is it? Please come in.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Hunter.”

“Oh, you’re too nice. I’m sure it’s nerve-racking to be here.”

Now Skye knew where Cian had gotten his ability to never miss a trick from. She didn’t know how to respond to that.

“He threatened to tie me up and gag me to get me here.” Skye slapped a hand over her mouth at the words, absolutely horrified. Had she actually just blurted that out? His mother burst out laughing. Oh, she had.

“I did not,” Cian denied, a twinkle in his eyes, trying not to laugh.

“Yes, you did.”

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“So Cian’s back into kindergarten, I see,” a male voice said from behind Cian’s mother.

Mrs. Hunter’s laughter rang in her ears again and Skye inwardly groaned. With her luck, it was probably Cian’s father.

Right on cue, Cian said, “Hey, Dad.” He reached past his mother and embraced his father. Mr. Hunter was a tall man, with blond hair lighter than his son’s, hints of gray at the temple, and sparkling blue eyes. Cian had gotten his height and lanky build from his father.

What would his parents think? They had been behaving like children. Skye shot Cian a glare, at which he gave her a charming smile.

“Somebody just shoot me now,” she muttered.

His mother reached out and patted her hand. “Oh, honey, don’t worry about it. You’re a welcome breath of fresh air after his previous girlfriends.” There was no missing the ripple of laughter in her voice.

Cian scowled at his mother. “Thanks a lot, Mum.” His mother sent him an indulgent smile. He turned to his father. “Dad, this is Skye. My father, Neil Hunter.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hunter,” Skye said nervously.

Cian’s father smiled at her. “Likewise, my dear. And how did my son manage to get such a pretty girl like you to go out with him?”

“Seriously, Dad, you’re ruining my image here,” Cian protested.

And he’d inherited the charm from his father
, Skye thought, a smile tugging at her lips. “He begged.”

His father let out a booming laugh and clapped his son on the back. “She’s a feisty one.” Skye blushed. “Come on into the living room. Everyone’s in there.”

Everyone? Who was
everyone
? Skye sent Cian a questioning look but he purposely avoided looking at her.

“What do you have there?”

Skye glanced at where his mother was staring. “Oh! I made brownies.” She handed the container to his mother.

“And a cook too.”

Skye didn’t want her to think she was something she was not. “Um, I’m not really much of a cook. I only know how to make the foods I like.”

“My dear, that’s how it should be,” his mother replied. “I’ll just put this into the kitchen and be right back.” She gestured to the bouquet and brownies and headed into the kitchen as they all stepped into the living room.

One look at the room full of people with drinks in their hands, talking and laughing and Skye stopped short, a look of horror on her face which she quickly replaced with a blank expression before anyone could notice.

The rotten bastard. He’d tricked her! He’d said this was
just
a
small
lunch,
just
his family. There were about
five
people lounging in the room, not counting his parents and the two little rugrats playing on the carpeted floor, a cute little boy around three or four years old, who was making an accident happen with a pair of red and yellow trucks and an adorable little girl who looked around two years old.

Five and two little people, including his parents—that made seven and a half right?—who had stopped whatever they were doing to turn to stare at her. Skye felt faint. She wasn’t equipped for this!

“Uncle Cian!” the children screamed as they rushed towards Cian. Cian laughed as he picked each of them in turn and swirled them in the air, much to their delighted shrieks.

“She doesn’t look like your type.” The words came from the tall slender young woman in a dark green blouse and black jeans, sitting on the arm of the couch taking up the king’s place in the room. Her foxy red hair was in a sleek short style which suited her pixie face and she had the same striking gray eyes as Cian’s. She got up and came over to hug him.

“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be in school?” Cian looked so sweet with the little girl in his arms, her cheek pressed against his shirt that Skye’s heart went soft at the sight. After a shy smile at her, the boy had run back to play with his toys.

“I’m home for the weekend. Aunt Ava said you had a new girlfriend so of course I had to come see,” she said, staring at Skye.

Looked like someone had already
made up her mind about her
, Skye thought. She probably thought Skye wasn’t good enough for Cian. And she’d be right.

“Of course.” Cian rolled his eyes. He turned to Skye. She looked ready to bolt. He caught her hand in his, alternately to comfort and to keep her from bolting. Couldn’t have her running out on him, now could he? His family would never let him leave it down if she ran away screaming. “Breathe,” he whispered.

“I’m going to kill you,” Skye informed him through gritted teeth, a polite smile on her face as she tried to figure out how she could get out of this.

“Skye, this insolent young woman is my cousin Amber, on my mother’s side. She goes to Boston University. This little princess is my niece, Jenny. The boy who deserted me for his toys is her brother, Cameron. That’s my older brother, Robert and his beautiful wife Abigail on the couch. They own the two little pip-squeaks. The lazy guy on the arm of that sofa is my other brother, Austin and the sexy brunette is Austin’s fiancée, Holly.”

“Hi,” Skye managed to say, hoping she didn’t look as pole-axed as she felt.

Robert was the spitting image of his father, same build, blond hair and blue eyes. He had on blue jeans and a pale blue shirt. His wife was a pretty little thing, with long auburn hair and light brown eyes. Skye loved her cerulean blue dress. They both set their drinks on the coffee table and smiled at her as they stepped forward to greet her and Cian.

The little girl reached out her tiny hand towards Skye. “Pretty, Uncle Cian,” she said in her sweet toddler voice.

Skye’s heart turned to putty. She was so cute. She had her mother’s auburn hair and her father’s blue eyes.

“I know, baby.” Cian’s smoldering eyes met Skye’s. “
Very
pretty.” Skye felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

“Come here, pretty girl yourself.” Amber took Jennifer from Cian as Abigail and Robert hugged him.

“Hello, Skye,” Robert greeted her. “What did you see in my brother?”

Cian glowered at him. “Seriously? Are you really my brother?”

“Right now, I don’t know,” Skye replied honestly. They all laughed at that.

“I see you’ve gotten to know my son very well,” his father noted. Skye smiled at him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Skye. I love that dress. Come, sit with us.” Abigail took Skye’s hand, leading her to the couch.

Skye sent Cian a help-me look as he released her hand. He gave her a you’re-on-your-own look right back. Rotten bastard. Throwing her to the wolves. She was definitely killing him later.

Austin Hunter had his father’s blond hair and his mother’s gray eyes with the same devilish twinkle Cian’s had. He was attired in black jeans and a white cotton shirt. His mischievous grin reminded her of Cian’s. His fiancée, Holly, had shoulder-length shiny black hair and moss-green eyes. Her green knee-length cotton dress fitted her perfectly. A beautiful diamond ring glittered on her left hand. She looked perfect, like a model. She smiled at Skye as she sat down on the couch next to Abigail.

Mrs. Hunter bustled in. “Good. You’ve met everyone. What would you like to drink? A little wine, maybe?”

“Just juice or water, please. I don’t drink,” Skye said a little self-consciously.

“Not ever?” When she shook her head, Austin gave her an incredulous look. “And you’re going out with
Cian
? The
Party
Guy?”

“Thanks a lot, bro. Warn her off me, why don’t you?” Cian remarked sarcastically.

“Gladly do it, little brother. She’s too good for you.” Austin winked at Skye.

“Don’t mind him, Skye,” Holly put in. “Austin’s an outrageous flirt.”

Skye’s lips twitched. “Like Cian, you mean?” Holly laughed as Cian sent her a mock look of hurt. He mimed getting stabbed in the heart. Skye rolled her eyes at him. The goof.

“Hey, you’re the college girl!”

Skye sent Austin a startled look. “Um, how—”

“The one who wouldn’t give Cian the time of the day,” Robert noted.

“Yeah, that’s her,” Austin agreed. They both chuckled.

Skye could feel her face flushing. Damn, Cian must have told his family about her.

“I can’t believe you told your family about me!” Skye blurted out.
Oh,
no, not again.
What the hell was wrong with her tongue today, blurting stuff out like that?

“Of course I did. You made a big impression on me,” Cian explained smoothly.

The others laughed at that. Mrs. Hunter handed her a glass of peach juice. “Thank you.”

Skye liked his family even though she was still nervous. Cameron tugged on her dress. She glanced at him.

“Are you going to marry Uncle Cian, too?” His amber eyes stared at her seriously.

“Cameron!” his mother called out.

Skye’s eyes widened. “Too?”

He nodded. “Like Aunt Holly.”

Well, well.

“Oh, dear!” Mrs. Hunter exclaimed. They all stared at her. Cameron, with his earnest look, waiting for her answer and the rest of them watching to see what she’d do. Skye’s gaze met Cian’s. Amusement glinted in his.