“And we could just as easily be having a girl.” She then handed Emma Kate over to him. Reluctantly, he nestled her in the crook of his arm. Her eyes fluttered open, and she stared up at him. Her face began to crumple, and she looked like at any minute she was going to scream.

“Shit! I’ve pissed her off!” Aidan moaned.

Emma laughed. “No, you haven’t. Just rock her a little and put her pacifier in.”

Aidan fumbled for the bib where the pacifier was attached. When Emma Kate opened her mouth to cry, he popped it in. Immediately, she started sucking on it and calmed down. He swayed his arms back and forth, and within a few minutes, her eyes grew heavy. When she was asleep, Aidan glanced over at Emma. He couldn’t fight the proud grin that stretched on his face.

“You’re a natural,” Emma replied.

“I don’t know about that.”

Mark and Stacy came back to the table with their food. “Good for you, bud. You know, preparing for the future,” Mark said, motioning to Emma Kate in Aidan’s arms. “I’d barely been around a kid before I had mine.”

“Well, I’m lucky to have lots of nieces and nephews.” He shifted Emma Kate in his arms. “And from them, I know enough about dirty diapers that I’m pretty sure she’s soaked through.”

Mark groaned. “Fabulous.”

Emma rose out of her chair. “No, no. I’ll go change her.” Aidan happily gave her the baby before glancing down to see if he was wet as well.

Stacy handed Emma the diaper bag with a grin. “You’re the best, cuz.”

“No problem.”

As Aidan watched Emma’s retreating form, a piercing giggle erupted in his ear. “Hey, handsome, I’m Mary. You wanna dance?”

Aidan turned around to see a girl—a very gorgeous girl, but a teenage one at that, beaming at him. “Um, I don’t think so.”

Her ruby red lips puckered in a pout. “Why not?”

“First of all, I’m here with Emma, and second, I think I’m a little too old for you.”

“I’m nineteen. Besides, Emma is my cousin. She won’t mind.”

Aidan fought the urge to say Like hell she wouldn’t! Even pregnant, Emma had enough hellcat in her to knock Mary into next Tuesday for flirting with him. With an exasperated sigh, he held his hands up. “Look, it’s really nice of you to ask, but really, I have to say no.”

Emma picked that moment to come back with the baby. She surveyed the two of them before speaking. “What’s going on?”

“I wanted to dance with Aidan, and he won’t,” Mary admitted.

Aidan gritted his teeth. “And I clearly explained to her that I was here with you.”

“One little dance wouldn’t hurt.” Emma then titled her head up at him—giving him a sickeningly sweet smile. “I don’t mind, if you don’t.”

Oh no, she had not just sold him out to her horny cousin. He knew she must have some motive for doing this. It was some way of getting a dig at him for not making them more of an official couple—to illustrate he was more available or something. That or he was just way too paranoid about her motives.

“Fine,” he muttered, as Mary jerked him by the hand and dragged him to the dance floor. Thankfully, it was an upbeat song, so he wouldn’t be forced to press up against her. He had no idea how to dance like the music called for, and by the look of pure amusement radiating on Emma’s face, he knew he was making a fool of himself. He was going to get her back for this if it was the last thing he ever did.

When the dance ended, he forced a smile. “Thank you, Mary.”

“Anytime, hot stuff,” she replied, smacking his ass. She gave him a wink before hurrying off to join a gaggle of girls in the corner.

“What the f**k?” he muttered under his breath.

“Still up for a dance, stud?” Emma asked.

“Considering your cousin just mauled my ass, I’m not really feeling it.”

Emma giggled. “Oh please? I wanna dance with my man.”

The music turned over from a fast breakdown to a sweet ballad. Aidan reluctantly let Emma wrap her arms around him. “I’m sorry you got molested,” she said, gazing up at him.

Aidan snorted. “Whatever. I just can’t believe you pawned me out like that to her. I thought there would be a catfight when you saw us talking.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “I’m not that jealous.”

“Oh really?”

She grinned. “Besides, when I was changing Emma Kate, I heard some of the girls saying they had bet Mary she wouldn’t have the balls to dance with you. I figured I should let her win big tonight.”

Aidan threw his head back and chuckled. “I cannot believe they were doing that.”

“You’re a good-looking older man, why wouldn’t they?” She wrapped her arms tighter around him. “Back in the day, I might have even put a little money on getting to dance with you.”

His lips nuzzled her neck. “Babe, I’m yours for free anytime, anywhere.”

“Hmm, I just might have to take you up on that,” she replied.

After swaying to another slow song, they returned to their seats as the band appeared to be taking break. The lead singer, who Emma had introduced as Dave, took the microphone. “I just want to take a moment while all my friends and family are here to make a big announcement. Yesterday, I asked Laurel, the love of my life, to marry me, and she said yes!” Dave said.

While the crowd erupted in bellowing cheers and whistles, Aidan felt Emma tense beside him. Although she plastered a beaming smile to her face, he could tell her cousin’s engagement bothered her. It didn’t take much for him to understand why. He knew that even though she was thrilled to be having the baby, she still wanted what Laurel had—love, commitment, and a sparkling diamond on her finger. Aidan wondered if he was the man who could give Emma that or if she was just wasting her time believing he could.

“Now, I’d like to take a break for a few minutes and dance with my lovely fiancée.” His gaze searched through the crowd until it honed in on their table. “Em, would you come up and do the honors?”

If Emma had tensed before, she went absolutely rigid at the prospect of singing. “No, no, no! I haven’t sung in so long.”

“That’s not true. You regaled Mason and me with your vocal stylings a few months ago,” Aidan argued.

Emma shot him a death glare. “I think there’s a hell of a lot of difference singing a baby to sleep in the privacy of my own bedroom than in a barn full of people!” she hissed under her breath. She then shook her head at Dave. “Really, I couldn’t.”