Page 51 of Breathless With Her

“Well, what do you want?”

“I just want her happy,” I whispered, not realizing the words were out until they were already there.

“So, what does that mean?” Amelia asked, coming over to put her hand on my forearm. “Because you need to be happy, too, Devin.”

I snarled at them all and rolled my shoulders back. Even Captain leaned against me as if he knew I was feeling a little down. I didn’t want them to see that. Dimitri might have been joking earlier, but I was the one who took care of people. Just like he was, but since he was down south, I was closer to the rest of the family. I had to be the strong one.

“I’m fine. We’re only a few weeks in. It’s not like there’re wedding bells or some shit.”

“Well, she does make wedding cakes,” Caleb said, grinning.

“Yeah, not for herself. That’s not happening.” It wasn’t going to happen. Especially if she had anything to say about it.

Not that I wanted to get married. But the idea that we were in such a murky relationship was weird. Because I did want to settle down eventually. I wanted a family. I looked at the way Dimitri was with Thea, the way they already had their dog and were thinking about babies. I wanted that.

It just wasn’t going to happen with Erin.

So, I had to figure out what to do with that.

“I thought I was going to make all of your wedding cakes?” Thea asked, putting her hands on her hips. “It was sort of the deal when I came into this family.”

“Well, if we bring another baker into the family, we’re going to have to have baking wars. Maybe we’ll get a TV show,” Amelia said, clapping her hands. “It would be fun.”

“No baking wars,” Dimitri said. “Plus, Thea’s the best.”

I raised both brows. “Yeah, pretty sure Erin’s the best.”

“Those are fighting words. And here I let you eat my cheese.” Thea took the plate from me and lifted her chin. “There is no cheese for people who mock my baking.”

“I didn’t mock it. I just said Erin was superior.”

“Because you’re sleeping with her,” Caleb said, reaching around Thea for another piece of cheese. “You have to say that.”

“What, I like her goods.”

“Oh, shut up,” Amelia said. “That wasn’t even a good joke.”

“No, it really wasn’t.” I grinned and shook my head. “You’re amazing, Thea. We’ll just put you as equal. That way, I won’t get kicked in the shin.”

Thea raked her gaze down me, and then met my eyes. “Oh, I wasn’t going to kick your shin, dear Devin.”

I winced and covered myself. The rest of the room laughed.

We talked, and I just listened to my family and wondered how this had happened. I hated feeling insecure, hated feeling like I wasn’t doing things right.

But it was fine. I could make Erin happy. If only for a little while.

And then I’d find what I needed. Find that time to settle down.

Because in the end, I was the one with my destiny in my hands. No one else.

And I wasn’t going to get hurt. Nor was I going to let Erin get hurt. We’d figure it out.

At least, I hoped.

Chapter 11

Erin

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