Page 57 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

She took perverse pleasure in it too. She was ready to let him in her ripped jeans and take whatever he wanted. Thinking of what he’d been already capable of, without ever getting her completely naked, sent ripples of heat over her skin, and she clamped her legs together, trapping his hand between her thighs. He tipped his head, grinning lasciviously, and she teasingly smashed her hand against his cheek, pushing him to look forward. “Just keep your eyes on the road, all right?”

He suppressed a laugh and drove. About forty minutes later, he took the Broad Street exit off I-95. “My uncle’s got a little pub in South Philly. We could grab a bite, and you can meet some of my family.”

Surprised and thrilled at the prospect of meeting more of his family, Laney tried not to get too far over her skis about it. It was still only a first date, after all.

He turned onto 11th Street. “It’s no five-star place, but I thought you’d like it.”

He parked in a tiny lot behind a brick building and took her hand as soon as she was out of the car, guiding her around to the front. There was a small patio with only one couple braving the cold wind, and Laney automatically lifted the collar of her jacket.

“Come on,” Ethan said, towing her past the iron rod tables and chairs with the red umbrellas. “You’ll warm up inside.”

Above the door, a sign read Grady’s in gold lettering, and Ethan held the door open for her. It wasn’t what she was expected from all he’d said about the “little pub.” It was gorgeous, with shiny wood floors and chestnut furniture. Walls portioned the restaurant off into different sections, some with big, oversized chairs around tables and others with picnic-style seating. Sconces and low-hanging chandeliers provided light and an old-world charm. Patrons were scattered all over the place, laughing and chatting. A waiter passed with delicious-looking food that smelled even better.

Ethan tugged her toward the bar, where a tall white man with salt-and-pepper hair waved and hauled Ethan into a hug. “Hey! Long time no see!”

Ethan returned the hug with one arm, not letting go of Laney’s hand with the other. “Hey, Uncle. How’re ya?”

“Good, good. Glad to see you.” He gestured to Laney. “And who’ve you brought today?”

“This is Delaney. Laney, this is my Uncle Tim.”

“Nice to meet you.” She shook Uncle Tim’s outstretched hand before he pointed to the bar.

“Want to sit here or…?”

Ethan looked to Laney to decide. She smiled at them both. “Bar is fine.”

Tim nodded and grabbed a couple of menus. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he said then disappeared toward the kitchen.

Laney removed her jacket and hung it and her purse on the hook under the bar. “So, he’s your…?”

“My mom’s brother. One of five, all born and raised here.”

“Wow. Big family.”

“Yeah. I have…” Ethan lifted his attention toward the ceiling for a few seconds. “Twelve first cousins on that side. Every once in a while, we all try to get together. It’s nuts.”

Laney nodded, trying to remember Ethan’s parents. She’d met them once, at their high school graduation. “What about your dad?”

“He’s from upstate New York. My parents met in college.”

“Are you—” Laney’s question was cut off when two women, not much older than them, came out from the kitchen.

“Hey, cuz!” the one with fire-engine-red hair said.

Ethan hugged them both. “Hey.” He pointed to her. “This is Laney. Laney, these are my cousins, Siobhan—” he gestured to the dark-haired one “—and Colleen—” then tipped his chin to the redhead.

Siobhan strutted around the bar. “You didn’t tell us you were coming. We could’ve gone out.”

Ethan sat back down. “We have tickets to a concert at eight.”

“Oh, nice.” Colleen tossed down a pair of coasters on the bar before grabbing two glasses from the shelf behind her. She filled the first with Guinness and plunked it down on Ethan’s coaster, then asked Laney, “What would you like to drink?”

“I guess I’ll have a Guinness too.”

Siobhan leaned into her. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Ethan never brings his friends around.”

“Yeah, I was starting to think he didn’t have any,” Colleen added.

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