Redeeming Justice

by Suzanne Halliday

  She also now knew that Brody was in residence all summer until the winter holidays; that Carmen lived nearby in town; that Cam and Drae lived on the property in their own houses; and that Betty had an apartment above the business center. Ria and Ben had renovated the old stable master’s house where they lived year round. One big happy family that Meghan was now in the middle of.

  The second she started down the steps, Alex appeared at the bottom to escort her in to the dining room. She was glad she’d changed into something less casual the minute she saw his eyes light up. Wearing a 1950’s style dress with a halter top, cinched waist, and full skirt, she skipped down the steps and pulled up at his eye level.

  “Major, you look dashing,” she told him as her eyes took in the crisp white shirt and black trousers he wore. He’d made some kind of effort with his hair but it was so out of control it was hard to tell. The beard however stayed. She’d never kissed anyone with facial hair before. Wait. What? Had her thoughts actually gone there? Good lord.

  He smiled into her eyes for a brief second before slapping a neutral expression on his face. “C’mon Meghan. Come and meet the family. You look fantastic, by the way.” She stumbled slightly at the sound of lusty appreciation in his voice but managed a quick recovery. When he put his arm out for her to slip her hand into, she almost died. Everything about his demeanor screamed gentleman.

  “Everyone,” he rumbled as soon as they got close to the gathering of people, “this is Meghan O’Brien. She’s visiting from Boston.” Short, sweet, and to the point.

  To Meghan he said, “I’d make them all wear name tags but I suspect the teacher in you knows all about remembering who’s who.”

  He took her around the room after that, introducing her to everyone. They were an uncommonly friendly bunch that clearly had a bond with and affection for each other. Especially for Alex who came off as the Big Daddy of the group. Meghan was deeply conscious of the emotional tie they all shared.

  She’d have to have been blind not to notice a bit of eyeball hockey going on between Alex, Draegyn and Cameron. It was interesting to watch—rather like a conversation that only they could hear. Meghan knew who they were of course; David had spoken of them all. Especially Cameron. She wondered if Alex had told them yet how he knew her. Until she got some indication that he had, she wasn’t going to bring any of that up.

  Dinner was off the charts good, as was the company. Hearing that she planned on doing some exploring while she was around, everyone chimed in with suggestions and told her what to definitely avoid. Gus even offered to give her a few riding lessons so she could take one of the horses out. Meghan couldn’t believe it. Maybe she was finally going to live out her cowgirl fantasy. The thought made her giddy.

  After dinner, everyone headed to the patio ablaze with the warm light of a dozen candles. Even though it was July, a small fire crackled in the fireplace since the evenings took on a chill in the desert once the sun went down. It was such a warm and friendly gathering that Meghan felt she’d known them forever instead of having just met that day.

  Alex let her wander off to chat with others and didn’t try to dominate her attention, but he did keep his eyes on her. She knew this because every time she glanced in his direction, she was aware of his gaze locked on her like a tractor beam. It was….well, it was disconcerting and thrilling at the same time.

  Eventually, people started drifting away until just Cam and Drae remained along with their wives. This was the inner core of Family Justice. The brothers. Meghan had an easy time remembering David’s words. He’d written so often of the three men and their fellowship. It certainly was an odd quirk of fate that found her here with all of them.

  “Meghan,” Tori said. “Alex says you’re a teacher. What do you teach?”

  “I would be the gym teacher!” She laughed at their startled expressions.

  “Well shit,” Cam snorted. “I’d have actually gone to class if my teacher looked anything like you!”

  Lacey elbowed him and pretended to look peeved. “Oh great!” she dead-panned. “Hot for teacher much?”

  Meghan grinned when Cam swatted his pregnant wife on the butt then kissed her soundly.

  Drae moved closer to the fireplace and sat down with Tori on his lap. They looked adorably cute, his hand resting on her bump while she sat with her arms around his neck.

  “I thought about teaching as a career,” Tori told them. “But honestly, with my temper, I’d rip some kid’s head off for being obnoxious on day two.” Her frankness got a chuckle from everyone.

  “It’s not all that bad,” Meghan assured them. “It’s tough being a kid these days. They grow up way too fast. But teaching isn’t all I do.” Alex looked up when she made that pronouncement.

  “When I’m not trying to get our nation’s youth up off the damn couch and away from their portable technology, I do motivational work with athletes. Fitness training and stuff like that.”

  “For real?” Alex asked.

  She chuckled. “Yeah. Why so surprised? Not a girl’s job?”

  “Oh, fuck no! That’s not it at all. I’m intrigued.”

  She had his full attention so she fleshed out all that she did. “Well, in addition to my teaching certification, I also have an advanced degree in Kinesiology. You’d be surprised the demand for my services and not just for athletes. How the body moves in space goes well beyond sports and recreation. A lot of big corporations are heavily invested in wellness programs for their employees. Now that I’m not teaching in a school, I’ve been thinking about doing some freelance work in that field. Last year I earned my certification in massage so if nothing else I can always put my talents to good use in a rehab center.”

  “Before you go and do anything like that, let us know,” Draegyn told her. “We’ve been talking about getting a trainer to help with the agency programs. I’d be interested in hearing your opinions on how best to make that happen.”

  “Sure. I’d be happy to share my expertise. With the ladies too!” Turning her attention to Lacey and Tori she asked, “What kind of exercise are you Mommy’s-in-Waiting doing?”

  “Yoga,” Lacey told her with a grin. “It helps a lot.”

  “My exercise?” Tori snorted. “It’s called lugging this bump around on my tiny frame. I want to try some Yoga but Lacey’s coach is booked solid.”

  “Well, this is your lucky day. I’d be happy to get you started on an easy routine that you both can do right through the end of your pregnancy.”

  Looking at Lacey she asked, “May I?” with her hands open asking for permission to touch her big belly. “I can probably tell you what position the baby’s in.”

  “Really?” Lacey asked, her eyes shining with delight. “Well, then get over here and tell me what junior is up to.”

  Meghan laughed as she pulled Lacey upright and told her to stand with her back against her husband’s chest.

  “Junior, huh? Do you know it’s a boy, then?”

  Cam interjected, “No, we don’t - because my wife wants it to be a surprise.” He kissed the side of her face good naturedly as Lacey settled against him.

  Meghan rubbed her hands together and then began gently running them over the pregnant belly. She mapped out the position of the fetus then asked Lacey if she wanted to touch her baby’s head.

  “Oh my God. Are you serious? You can tell that?”

  “I have the magic touch and yes, I’m serious. Here. Give me your hand.” Meghan took the woman’s trembling fingers and placed them on her belly at the top of the baby’s head. “Head,” was all she said. Moving Lacey’s fingers lower, she pushed them into a cupped position and pressed against her belly. “Butt,” she informed the astonished pregnant woman.

  Just like that something smacked against Lacey’s belly on the other side making her flinch. “Oooh. He likes having his tushy rubbed,” she joked. “I suppose that was a foot kicking me in the ribs.”

  “Dad,” Meghan asked. “Wanna try?”

  Cam’s
astonished expression was all kinds of cute. He looked shell-shocked, the way all pregnant fathers do, but he reached out with his hand and let her press his fingers against his baby’s head. “Wow,” was all he said as his wife turned her face into his neck.

  Glancing away from the loving interplay between the expecting parents, she found Alex looking at her with an unreadable expression.

  Catching Tori’s eye she told her, I’ll show you some yoga basics tomorrow if you’re up to it. Will help with those swollen feet.”

  Drae chimed in at the mention of the swollen feet. “Is yoga okay with your doctor, honey?” he asked his wife tenderly.

  Tori snuggled into his chest and rumbled, “Mmm hmm.”

  Drae laughed and gave her a big hug. “And that my friends is how the wife reminds her husband that it’s time for bed.”

  It wasn’t long after that before it was just her and Alex, alone again, on the patio.

  Watching his brothers’ bundle their pregnant wives off to head for home, Alex felt emptiness in the area of his heart that was becoming all too familiar. He wasn’t jealous of what they had so much as he was envious. How had those two managed to get so damn lucky?

  “They’re good people,” he heard Meghan say. “David talked about you guys. I think he had a bad case of hero worship for Cam. Would they remember him?” she asked quietly.

  He went and sat next to her on the wide sofa and reached for one of her hands. He wasn’t sure why he did; maybe he wanted to comfort her although it was more likely that he just needed to touch her. She had the softest hands imaginable. He wondered how her velvet touch would feel on his skin—how could he not?

  “Yes, Meghan. They’d remember him.”

  “You didn’t tell them who I am, did you?”

  “No,” he answered quickly. “But I will.”

  “I hope having me here doesn’t make them uncomfortable.”

  “No. They’re not like that. They really liked David. He was one of them, if you know what I mean. Cam and Drae will want to take care of you once I tell them. There’s a reason why so many Vets have worked here in the compound. We look after our own.”

  She nodded and changed the subject, gently pulling her hand from his. “You’re leg is bothering you, isn’t it? I can tell so don’t bother with denials.”

  She shocked him with her dead on assessment. His leg was fucking killing him.

  “Let me guess,” she went on. “You don’t bother with anti-inflammatory meds and prefer to tough it out. Am I right?”

  He nodded with a self-deprecating smirk. “I fucking hate drugs.” The half roll of his shoulder said this was a familiar defense. “Or maybe it’s….I hate fucking drugs.”

  “Hmmm,” she said. “Understood and duly noted. But you do know there are other things you can do to take the edge off, right?”

  “I swim and that helps a lot but when it aches like it does tonight, well….,” he waved his tumbler of scotch in her direction.

  “Do you have a Jacuzzi?” she asked.

  “Uh. Yeah. Of course.”

  She smirked at him. “Ever get in it?”

  “Not so much,” he replied.

  “Well Major, your treatment plan should include liberal use of water therapy to keep the muscles from seizing up. That’s what’s causing your discomfort. The way you stand tells me a lot.”

  He chuckled and swallowed the end of his drink. “Woman, are you for real? Gym teacher, coach, trainer? Is there anything you can’t do?”

  “Well I can’t ride a damn horse but Gus says he can help with that! But don’t change the subject. Jacuzzi. Warm water. Your ass in that water. Was there anything about that you didn’t understand?”

  “Are you disrespecting my awesome ass, Miss O’Brien?”

  “I most certainly am not, Major.” She had a sly smile plastered on her face.

  The whiskey was making his hard edges melt. He’d consider crawling into the hot tub if she did too. The idea of seeing her delicious body in a bathing suit fired up his brain and made the decision for him. “I will consider the Jacuzzi if you’ll join me.”

  “Deal!” she squealed with delight.

  “You wanna go grab a suit or are you the au naturel type?”

  She burst out laughing at his audacious suggestion. “I’ve got three brothers. There’s no skinny-dipping going on, sir! Not unless you want your ass kicked by a couple of Boston’s finest; two firemen and an EMT. Feeling lucky?”

  He was grinning at her. She was fun to flirt with. “Oh, fuck no! I’ve got too much respect for first responders to be dumb enough to tangle with any of ‘em. Especially not over a naked sister in my hot tub. Go grab a suit and meet me back here, okay?”

  She got up and dashed for the house telling him she’d be back in a hurry. Well, this is certainly turning out to be an interesting evening.

  Alex wanted a fucking medal for minding his damn manners and for keeping his hands away from Meghan as they sat in the tiled hot tub next to the pool. His reaction to her in a bathing suit had almost turned embarrassing. When she appeared in a white halter styled one piece he didn’t know what was worse, her magnificent tits or the curvaceous masterpiece that was her hips and ass. Both were wreaking havoc on his sex drive.

  All but diving into the hot tub to hide his growing hard-on, he went to help her over the side and thought he’d been zapped when she put in her hand in his. Relaxing was no longer an option. Not while his cock danced in the warm, swirling water, and she looked like some pale skinned goddess in the moonlight. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  She’d put her curls up in a clip so they wouldn’t get wet and all Alex could do was stare at her neck like he’d never seen one before. How he kept from sinking his teeth into her skin and sucking on the exposed flesh was a complete mystery. He wondered if she knew what she was doing to him.

  “This is nice,” she sighed with her head against the rest at her back. “Is it helping with the stiffness?”

  Oh, for fuck’s sake. She was referring to his leg but the only stiffness he could concentrate on was the one that wanted to be buried inside her.

  When he didn’t answer, her head came up and she looked at him with a worried frown. “Is everything alright, Alex?”

  There were a bunch of options open to him at that moment. He could pretend everything was just dandy. Or he could claim his leg needed some attention. He could even fake a miraculous recovery, but he doubted she’d be fooled. Not after what he knew about her impressive qualifications. He settled on an option that wiped all the other ones clear off the slate.

  Pulling her onto his lap in one smooth motion, he wrapped her in his arms and pinned her to the spot with a look. To her credit, she didn’t shy away from the heat he knew was blazing in his eyes.

  “I’ve wanted to do this since the moment you walked through my door.”

  He heard her small whimper as his mouth closed in. There was a warning bell going off in his head but the tsunami of desire swamping his senses muffled the sound.

  Meghan couldn’t move. And she could barely breathe. Being dragged onto the lap of a very aroused and incredibly sexy male instantly shut her brain down. Shit. It had practically taken an act of God to peel her eyes off Alex’s athletic body when they dropped their towels and got in the hot tub. Seeing him in a pair of indecently tiny swim trunks, she hadn’t missed the patchwork of scars and distressed skin running the length of his torso and one leg. The unexpected impulse to kiss each old wound shook her up, big time. What the hell?

  Ten hours ago, give or take a few, she’d knocked on his door thinking she would zoom in, get the closure she hoped for, and zoom right back out. She had in no way anticipated sticking around as a guest, or drooling all over him in a hot tub.

  She felt his hand move to the back of her head, his fingers speared into her hair spreading wide against her skull as his lips got closer and closer to hers. Holy shitballz. He’d wanted to kiss her since the moment she walked through h
is door? Really? Oh my fucking God. She might have been embarrassed by the moan of want that escaped her throat if not for the searing look of male satisfaction on his face.

  His lips were soft, confident. Nibbling her bottom lip as he angled her head just so, she shuddered when his tongue licked the seam of her mouth. This was not going to be an ordinary kiss.

  The sound of the churning water filled the air, broken only by her groaning, “Ahhhh,” when his mouth closed over hers.

  Wow. There was no way she’d ever been kissed like this before. He was so manly about everything he did, including devouring her mouth. Until that moment, she’d only known the kisses of boys if what he was doing to her was any indication of how a grown man went about things. It was like a movie kiss. Hot. Deep. Perfect. And that beard. Oh my God, it felt as good against her skin as she imagined. He seriously had no right to be this friggin’ hot.

  Alex’s fingers dug into her flesh when she wiggled on his lap, turning into him to plaster herself against his chest. With an arm around his neck, her fingers clutched at his hair. Messing it up a bit more wasn’t going to be a tragedy so she let her greedy hands loose, spearing trembling fingers into the shaggy mane, pressing against his skull.

  The rumbling in his chest told her he liked what she was doing to him. After drawing back just long enough to give each of them some air he plunged onto her lips with a ferocity that set off pulsing waves of arousal inside her. God, he tasted so good. The hint of Scotch whisky on his breath invaded her senses. When his tongue slid against hers, she sucked on it and swirled hers inside his mouth. His earthy groan had her folding like a house of cards in a windstorm.