“Sure, but not to their own house or when they bring two guys for the first time.”
“You’re worried they’re going to know what we’ve been up to. Why we’re late,” Bennett added.
I glanced up at him. “You’re not worried? My brothers might kill you. Or worse, you might get the evil eye from my mother.”
A smile turned up the corner of his mouth, but he kept his eyes on the road. “Has anyone ever gotten the evil eye before?”
“Marsha Carruthers,” I replied right away. “When Tucker was in eleventh grade, she made it clear she wanted him to deflower her. That didn’t go over well. Last I heard, she was living in Detroit.”
Cash laughed, deep and throaty. “Deflower? Tucker?”
I rolled my eyes and smiled thinking of my brawny brother.
“Being late isn’t going to have your family know what we’ve been up to as much as this.” Cash ran a finger along my neck. I gasped, grabbed the rear view mirror and angled it toward me, not caring if Bennett needed it to drive. I lifted my butt up as far as the seatbelt would allow to look. There wasn’t exactly a hickey, but the delicate skin of my neck was a rosy pink. Whisker burn. When had that happened? In the shower? I looked to Cash and his beard. No way. I glanced at Bennett next, at his pale stubble that caught the morning sunshine.
“You!” I said, pointing, then poking him in the upper arm.
“Angel, it was unavoidable and you weren’t complaining at the time,” he replied, sounding not the least bit sorry. “I didn’t get a chance to shave this morning.”
I pursed my lips as Bennett pulled up in front of my house. I recognized my family’s various trucks and SUVs on the street and in my driveway. My parents and my brothers either had a spare key or knew where one was hidden, so they weren’t sitting around on my porch waiting.
* * *
“I doubt you’ll get the evil eye from my mom. She’ll probably be thrilled I’m with you two. As for my brothers… I’m their baby sister and they will think you’ve deflowered me even though I’m twenty-six years old. I hope your life insurance is up to date.”
Bennett took one hand, Cash the other.
“They can be pissed all they want. It’s none of their business what we do.”
I knew he was right, but that didn’t stop my brothers from being overly protective.
Bennett climbed from the truck, but Cash squeezed my hand and I looked up at him. “I still need to talk with you. Explain.”
I saw Duke and Tucker come out onto the porch. Duke crossed his arms over his chest and Tucker held a mug of coffee—clearly they’d made themselves home in my kitchen while they’d been waiting—although I knew that wasn’t going to stop him from beating the shit out of someone, if required.
I tipped my chin toward my house. “It’s going to have to wait. I’m surprised they’re not holding shotguns.”
I slid out the driver’s side and Bennett took my hand, helped me down, led me up the walk.
“I’m pretty sure you know Bennett and Cash,” I said to my brothers as way of introduction.
Duke uncrossed his arms to shake Bennett’s proffered hand.
“Looks like they gave you more than a ride home,” Tucker said, nodding his head as greeting to Bennett and Cash.
“Boys, let your sister into her own house,” my mother said, although I couldn’t see her around my hulking brothers.
They stepped back and I went up to hug her. Her hair, while threaded with gray, had been dark like Duke’s. I looked nothing like her, the only genes we shared were in height. “Gentlemen, it’s good to see you again,” she said with much more enthusiasm than Duke and Tucker.
Of course, my mother knew them. She knew everyone.
“Sorry we’re late,” I said as a bland excuse as we walked through my house to the kitchen, the blissful scent of coffee filling the air. I glanced at Cash who carried the big bakery box. “We brought breakfast.”
Ava and Colton were leaning against the counter drinking coffee, Liam seated at my small kitchen table. Ava waggled her eyebrows and gave me a blatant thumbs up. Clearly, she was thrilled things were working out. I saw my dad in the family room reading the paper and I went over to him, leaned over the back of the couch and gave him a kiss on the top of the head before I went back into the kitchen. He was content reading in peace. Kaitlyn opened the bakery box on the counter, peeked inside.
“Where’s everyone else?” I asked.
“Jed had a late night at the bar so he’s sleeping in,” my mother said. “Gus is out of town. Kemp, Poe and Parker should be here soon. Porter and Jill are in Chicago for a college friend’s wedding.”