Page 8 of Knot that Simple

Her hair was long and curly, full of volume, framing her delicate face with high cheekbones. She was the type of woman born to take up space, but instead, I watched as she folded in on herself, shoulders down, biting her lip, uncertain. Sure, it was hard to be in a new place, but I’d bet anything this was just who she was.

She was apologetic as she walked, apologetic as she stood there. It was breaking my fucking heart. A woman like her should never feel this way. I wanted her to laugh big and be as loud as she liked. I wanted her to dare to be herself with us.

We had time, I told myself, enough time to teach her she didn’t need to be scared.

Oisin directed us all to grab coffees, Gabriela asking for black but making a face when she tried the americano we got her. I chuckled; I’d bet anything coffee here was horrible in comparison to the stuff in South America.

She didn’t complain, though. I took my cup of tea and offered to her. When she shook her head, I made a face.

“We know how to make tea at least,” I insisted and handed her the cup.

She took a timid sip but offered a smile. “Much better.”

“The girl likes tea!” I sighed in a silly way. “Now I’m in love.”

Gabriela laughed, a little raspy but freer than before.

“I think it’s okay. Don’t get to excited.”

I put a hand over my heart and made a face. “You wound me.”

She smiled again. Jesus, making that woman laugh quickly became my life’s calling. If being an absolute clown was the way to get her to relax, I’d be ridiculous all day long.

We piled again in the car—Lorcan in the front, holding the wheel ten and two like the control freak he was, and Gabrielabeside him. Then, Oisin and I in the backseat, Alice all by herself in the last row of the seven seat car.

“We are approaching Adare,” Lorcan said after a while. “We’ll staying in a B&B here.”

I saw Gabriela’s head bob, her eyes glued to the windows, trying to make sense of the small roads leading us away from the motorway. Oisin suggested the stop when we were planning the trip. Her flight landed just after seven, and we believed a five hour trip to Kerry would be a little too much for them.

This way, we all could have a good meal and a nice night of sleep and leave tomorrow after breakfast.

Lorcan never liked to drive at night anyway. I suggested grabbing a hotel beside Dublin Airport, but he refused to stay in Dublin more than he needed to. Lorcan was a country man through and through.

“This is pretty,” Gabriela said as we got into the village.

I looked too, even though I’d been here multiple times. It was a beautiful village, one that felt like the Ireland of postcards. Beautiful colorful houses, stone walls, good people. I was glad this was going to be their first impression of our country.

Though I’d go to the ends of the Earth for this woman already, it would be nice if she liked our home. I rubbed my chest, feeling a little overwhelmed. Finding your omega felt like a big wave. You could look at it, could measure its height, but you never truly understood its power until it was upon you, until it crashed into your chest and you no longer had power over your body.

That was how it felt when I saw Gabriela for the first time: like I couldn’t breathe, as if my heart was trying to jump out of my chest and give itself completely to her. She was mine, and I was utterly hers.

Unreasonably hers.

Lorcan found a place to park, and Oisin and I hopped out of the car to help the girls with their luggage. Gabriela said the big stuff could stay behind; she just needed their cabin suitcase with their toiletries and a change of clothes.

Alice was rubbing her eyes. I’d bet she was having a car nap, so I picked her up, and she immediately lowered her head to my shoulder.

“I can carry her,” Gabriela said.

I nodded. “I know. You have strong arms.”

She frowned, looking down at her puny arms, and I laughed.

Gabriela wasn’t a petite woman. She had big thighs and a gorgeous bum. Even with the heavy jumper she was wearing, I could see her breasts were heavy. Yet, she was still small in comparison.

Oisin and Lorcan brought all our bags to the B&B, and Gabriela hugged her midsection, looking unsure what to do while we did it all for her. I smiled and nodded to the street, making sure she was trailing just by my side. I kept Alice high in my arms, but my eyes never left her mother.

Gabriela had only spent a few hours on this side of the Atlantic, and she already was learning a tough lesson. She wasn't alone anymore.

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