Forever Too Far

closet where I had hung up my things and found another dress that fell just above my knees and had a higher neckline. I could wear my knee length boots with this one and it would be cute enough.
         I slipped it on and then turned to grab my boots.
        “You’re wearing boots? Those boots?” Rush asked as I slipped my foot into the first one.
         “Yes,” I replied.
         Rush groaned and shook his head. “Damn boots make a man think of you wearing nothing but those boots.”
         “Rush. You have got to stop. You think everyone wants to see me naked. In case you haven’t noticed , I have a stomach that pooches out. No man wants to see me naked... except for you.”
         Both of Rush’s eyebrows shot up. “You really think that , don’t you?”
         “I don’t think it , I know it.”
         Rush let out a defeated sigh. “And that’s one of the reasons you’re so damn irresistible. Come on, my sweet Blaire. Let’s go eat dinner.”
     

 
    RUSH
     
         With Blaire beside me during dinner I wasn’t going to be able to focus on Nan. I was going to be protecting Blaire. When Nan had woken up from her coma and she’d found out about the baby she had almost seemed to thaw a little toward Blaire. Then she’d found out Abe wasn’t her father. Kiro was.
         Nan had been spiraling out of control since then. I understood her desire to have a parent who loved her. I had hated Abe Wynn for years because of the fact my little sister was so broken. But it hadn’t been Abe’s fault. My mother should have been honest and fucking Kiro should have stepped in like my father had and done something.
         Blaire squeezed my hand ti ghtly as we stepped into the dining room. I scanned the room and was relieved that Nan wasn’t here yet. I wanted to get Blaire seated and relaxed before my sister showed up.
         “ You require this family gathering up and you show up late,” Kiro drawled as he leaned back in his chair and took in the sight of Blaire. I was beginning to hate the man. For several reasons.
         “Nan isn’t here yet. We’re not late,” I replied and walked Blaire to the other end of the table and sat her down beside Dean and I took the chair on the other side of her.
        “He’s in rare form. Started hitting the rum early,” Dean explained to Blaire. The apologetic look on my dad’s face reminded me that he wasn’t as heartless as his friend. I knew that already. He hadn’t ignored me. But then Kiro hadn’t ignored Harlow either. However, I wondered if she would’ve been if her mother’s mother hadn’t taken her in. Kiro only supplied the money. Her grandmother had raised her. He’d just shown up with ponies and promises he never kept.
         “I’m just being me,” Kiro called out from his end of the long table. “You keeping that pretty girl of yours far away from me, aren’t you?” Kiro said with a laugh. “I’m just looking, boy. It isn’t like I’m gonna touch her. She’s carrying your kid. I stay away from the pregnant ones. I don’t want anymore kids blamed on me.”
         Blaire tensed beside me and I rested my hand on her leg. This wasn’t somethin g that should upset her. It was a good thing. Even if I wanted him to stop looking at her.
         “Daddy, leave Rush and Blaire alone. Your teasing them just makes everyone uncomfortable,” Harlow said. She’d been sitting quietly to the left of Kiro. She rarely talked so I wasn’t used to her soft-spoken voice. It still amazed me that the man had produced her. She was nothing like Kiro. She was also the only person who could make Kiro calm down. Her voice seemed to ease him.
         “Alright, darlin’. I don’t wanna ruin your dinner. I was just funning around.”
         “No funning,” she replied in a gentle command.
         Blaire ducked her head beside me. “I like her,” she whispered so softly I almost hadn’t heard her. I smiled. I hadn’t been wrong about Harlow if Blaire liked her. She was genuinely a nice girl. Nan was going to give her hell.
         The loud clack of heels hit the m arble floor leading into the dining room. I tensed and prepared myself for Nan. She swooped into the room wearing a short, ice blue, fluffy looking dress and stilettos on and her long red hair was pulled up on her head with curls falling loosely around her face. She had made sure she looked good for this. That was Nan. I watched