Page 39 of One Little Indiscretion

“I’m giving you my blessing but you need Ronan’s and Finn’s, too,” Carrick told him, thinking that yanking Levi’s chain was the best fun he’d had in ages. “They helped raise Tanna. I think it’s only fair you ask them, too.”

“You do realize that I don’t actually need their permission?” Levi grumbled, sending Ronan an anxious look.

Carrick swallowed his smile. “I do, but Ronan and Finn take their responsibility to our sister very seriously.”

Levi released a curse and stomped across the room to where Ronan was standing. Carrick saw him jerk his head to Finn, a silent request that he join them. Carrick finally allowed his laughter to escape.

Sadie touched his elbow and raised her eyebrows at him. “What are you up to, Carrick Murphy?”

Carrick’s eyes traced her delicate features and he saw the curiosity in her bright blue eyes.

It was strange that she immediately picked up that he was messing with Levi; many wouldn’t. Very few people had, over the years, managed to read him and he mentally squirmed. It unnerved him that she could.

Since Sadie still seemed to be waiting for an answer, he lifted one shoulder. “Levi asked for permission to marry Tanna. I felt it my duty to give him a hard time.”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “Men. Honestly.”

“He’ll probably announce their engagement tonight.”

Sadie shifted from one foot to the other. “That’s wonderful. But I can’t help thinking that I shouldn’t be here, that I’m crashing this party.”

Carrick lowered his voice. “The moment you conceived my child you became part of this family. They might not know it yet, but I do. You have every right to be here.”

Sadie looked like she had her doubts, but instead of arguing, she looked across the room to where Levi stood with Tanna’s brothers. Carrick followed her gaze and noticed how Levi’s gaze wandered over to Tanna and when her eyes met his, the sexual energy arcing between them threatened to blister the paint on the walls.

“Holy smokes, hand me a fan,” Sadie muttered.

Carrick groaned.

“There are some things an older brother does not need to see,” Carrick muttered, turning his back on his sister and Levi. “She was ten, like, yesterday.”

Carrick felt Sadie’s hand slide into his and his bumping heart settled, then sighed. What was it about this woman that made him feel relaxed and energized and horny?

Carrick tugged Sadie toward the drinks table and after offering her a virgin mojito, he poured himself a whiskey. Sadie murmured her thanks and sipped her drink. “It must have been as scary as all hell, having the responsibility of a ten-year-old.”

It had been and Carrick didn’t mind admitting it. “It was, but what other choice did we have? Somehow, between us, at twenty, nineteen and eighteen, we made it work.”

“What about school and dating and, you know, having a life?”

Carrick thought back, able to clearly remember his sister as a little girl and the day-to-day grind. “We came up with a system. I dropped out of college to work full-time at Murphy’s. Luckily, we had an amazing management team who looked after the company until I was old enough and experienced enough to run it myself. Ronan and Finn finished college and joined me when they were done.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to finish school, Carrick.”

It wasn’t that big a deal. Yeah, sometimes he thought he might like a certificate on the wall, but he’d learned all he knew through workplace experience, books and the management team, and he thought he was doing okay. He hadn’t killed the company yet. In fact, they’d had one of their best years ever.

“You must’ve been out of your mind with worry when you heard about her accident.”

The worst night of his life. Carrick took a sip of his whiskey and stared down into his glass. He shuddered, remembering his panic, those anxious hours waiting to hear if she’d make it and meeting Levi for the first time. “Levi was the first person on the scene and he visited her while she was in the hospital. Somewhere along the way they fell in love.”

“But they are only getting together now?”

“They got engaged back then but Tanna was so young. She dumped him a few days before the wedding,” Carrick explained.

Sadie smiled at the happy couple. “I don’t think that’s going to happen again.”

“It had better damn well not,” Carrick growled. “The last non-wedding cost me a frigging fortune.”

“You don’t really care about the money.” Sadie slipped her hand into his and squeezed his fingers. “You’re an awesome brother, Carrick. I can see that she adores you.”

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