by Tl Reeve
“Who’d you think I’d date?” Mack scowled.
“Someone with a stick up their ass,” June said on a snicker. I relaxed marginally. Maybe I would fit in with them after all.
“Come sit with us,” December said. “We’ll fill you in on all the juicy gossip we know about Mack.”
Uh... I glanced over at Mack who’d turned to talk to someone else. Nothing like being the chum in shark-filled water. “Thanks.”
Each of the women were beautiful in their own rights, and it was kind of off-putting. None of them had a stitch of ink on their bodies that I could see, and none appeared to be bikers or gearheads, so this was about to get awkward real fast.
“So, what do you do for a living?” July asked, pouring herself some wine.
“I own a garage with my brothers,” I said then quickly added before they could say another word, “I rebuild engines.”
“Okay,” Kayan said. “We’re screwed. Might as well turn in, ladies. She’s got us beat by a longshot.” There was a hint of teasing playfulness there, so I didn’t take it the wrong way. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was being serious too.
“You’re the one who Gareth talks about,” December said with a snap of her fingers. “He said you did excellent work and might be the competition.”
Heat filled my cheeks. “Well, Gareth is a great guy who happened to give my shop a chance a few months ago. Now we have more work than we can handle sometimes.”
“He is, isn’t he?” December grinned. “Speaking of which, incoming, ladies.”
Their gazes landed on said men as they approached with my brothers in tow. Hunter and Landon fit in perfectly while Jackson, well, he had a few years to grow into his stature. At the front of the pack was Mack. How he disappeared so quickly after being next to me moments ago, I didn’t know.
Each of the women’s faces turned ravenous as the men grew closer, and I could admit I understood their hunger because the same yearning burned deep within my belly when my gaze landed on Mack. The men dispersed, each going to their respective wives or girlfriends. I hadn’t gotten far enough into our conversation to figure out who was with who with the exception of December. Mack stood beside me, and my brother hung around the periphery.
“Are you going to introduce us to your new friends, Wes, or are they going to awkwardly stand there shifting their feet?” July said with a tinkering laugh.
“These are my brothers,” I said before pointing to each of them “That’s my eldest brother, Hunter, middle brother, Landon, and baby brother, Jackson.”
“Giiiirl...” Kayan said. “You must carry a beating stick with you everywhere you go. Because I know women be dropping their panties all the time for this bunch.”
Jackson turned a bright shade of red, which was easy considering our skin tone, while Landon and Hunter chuckled.
“They can handle their own.” Kayan wasn’t far off though. Women did throw themselves at my brothers. Kind of gross to even think about. “Jackson used to be bait to help Hunter and Landon.” I don’t know why I said anything, but it was fun to watch them squirm instead of the other way around.
“Because he’s adorable,” Harmony said.
“I’m out,” Jackson said, starting to walk away.
The women quickly chattered at him to stay while giggling like a bunch of teenage girls. The husbands looked none too pleased, but there was laughter in their eyes as each of their wives tried to soothe Jackson’s embarrassment.
“Jackson just started as a sous chef in my kitchen,” Mack said, drawing their attention from my brother. “He’s actually very talented.”
Everyone took notice then. While they asked their questions, the side door opened, and Waverly stepped outside with Macey. The minute Jackson’s gaze landed on Waverly, I knew we were in trouble. Once again, Mack made the introductions of my brothers to his sisters. The look on Jackson’s face was priceless. I had to get a picture. He was struck dumb while Waverly had stars in her eyes.
It was sweet. Kind of shy and simple. Waverly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she held her hand out to Jackson. He took it, licking his bottom lip. Ah, to be that young again. I glanced at Mack who watched their interaction. Younger sisters weren’t the same as younger brothers. Sure, I’d kick the ass of any woman who hurt my brothers, but my brothers would tear the balls off of any man who disrespected me.
Jackson’s soft, “Happy birthday,” drew my attention back to Waverly and him.
The group of wives sighed wistfully and aww’ed at the young pair. “To be so innocent,” one of the ladies said.
“Without a care in the world,” December added.
Little did they know we were still struggling with the loss of our parents. I turned to Mack and grinned. “Looks like someone has a new puppy.”
Mack chuckled. “Yes, she does.”
Waverly pointed to the horses then motioned for Jackson to follow, leaving Hunter and Landon to stare after them in disbelief. My brothers looked to me for help, and I shrugged my shoulders. Not my circus. Not my animals. Of all three of us, Jackson needed a little downtime. He’d been super focused on school and work, and he didn’t have as much fun as our brothers did. If Waverly changed that, well, so be it.
“Ladies, if you know any single women who might be interested in two burly men, have I got a deal for you.” I grinned at Hunter and Landon over the rim of my wine glass. “It’s about time our little family settled down, after all.”
Chapter Six
Mack
* * *
After seeing my family and friends out to their cars, I made a quick stop to the kitchen, grabbing another beer for myself and a glass of wine for Ireland. I noticed she’d stopped drinking after the first glass of wine my mom had given her when she had arrived. Flame housed my wine cellar, and I’d made sure to get some of the bottles she liked and stocked up both at the apartment and here at the house. If we ever ran out, I’d have my staff bring a couple of bottles to have on hand for her.
I found Ireland tucked into the reading nook near the fireplace, a spot I liked to sit in when I got stuck on a problem which needed a quick solution. The space was quiet and comfortable, allowing anyone who sat there to relax. I almost didn’t want to bother her. She appeared quite smitten. Almost as though she’d come home. My heart gave a heavy thump in my chest at the idea of her living here with me.
I cleared my throat, pushing the thought aside. We were still too new in our relationship—and we were in one—to be asking her to move in. The type of woman Ireland had been raised to be didn’t jump the gun. I liked her cautious mindset. If she was too agreeable, I’d worry maybe she only saw me for my money.
“Hey,” I said. When she glanced up at me, her eyes were a bit glassy from being caught up in whatever book she’d been reading. I handed her the glass of wine. “I thought you might like this.”
“I really shouldn’t.” She eyed the glass warily.
“We kind of went a little overboard, huh?” The fine hairs at the nape of my neck stood on end at the memory of the night in my apartment. I’d spent more time than not remembering the sounds of her sighs and moans, and the way she arched to me when she climaxed. I yearned for her to touch me again, to stroke my cock to release. Fuck, I wanted her so bad.
She sighed a laugh and nodded, taking the glass from me. “I think so. I’m just as much to blame.”
“No, it was my fault,” I answered a little too fast for my liking. God, what was it about this woman that could tear me into raw bits?
“Thank you for tonight.” She took a sip of the win and grinned. “I had fun meeting your family and friends.”
“They like you too.” I held my hand out to her. “Would you like a quick tour of my home? I’d have done it sooner, but stuff and people.”
This time, she laughed. “I’d love a proper tour now that we’re alone.” She stood taking my hand. The warmth from her palm spread up my arm and into my chest. Having her so close to me without
being able to show her how much I missed her was pure torture. Now that I had her to myself, I wasn’t letting go. “Lead the way.”
I’d watched as her facial expressions changed while we moved from room to room. Her emotions had been locked down tight, but her eyes, those beautiful emerald green eyes, had shone brilliantly while she took in every inch of my home. For me, I could picture Ireland living here, raising our kids together as a family each time we entered another area of the house. I knew the hardest part of that scenario would be convincing her.
Although a daunting task, it was one I was prepared for.
“Come on, let’s go outside for a bit. The night’s still warm, and I’ve got an amazing view of the stars from here.” I opened the patio door and waited for her to step out.
Ireland looked up and gasped, pointing across the sky in an arch. “The Milky Way.”
“Yes.” I snagged up one of the blankets I kept for outside, then led her over to the firepit where the ladies had been sitting earlier. The outfit she had on, although hot as fuck, was more for the day and not the chilly nighttime.
Wrapping the blanket around her first, I sat in the chair and pulled her down with me. When her butt hit my lap, I waited for her to decide if she would stay or if we needed to continue to go slow. Thankfully, she’d kept her ass planted where I left her. And I was right, she was cold. The only downside was now she could feel the hard length of my erection against her hip. Not like I was embarrassed. Ireland knew she turned me on and snatched me inside out.
She sighed. Her warm breath feathered lightly across my collar bone as she snuggled into me. “This is nice.” She accepted her wine glass from my outstretched hand before taking another small sip.
We sat quietly for a long while, enjoying the fire and the drink. It seemed neither one of us was in a rush to break the silence.
“Mackinley huh?” was how she broke the tranquility, and I chuckled.
“Yup. It’s a family name, going back a couple of generations. It’s always given to the first-born son.” I reached down, tucking my finger under her chin so her eyes were on me, mostly for me to see her reaction. “Better get used to it, cupcake, because I’ve always planned on continuing the tradition by naming our first son Mackinley too.”
Yeah, I fucking went there, and I wanted her to know right off the bat what my plans were. I soaked in her widened eyes, the gasp of shock, and the subtle hint of her tongue licking at her lips.
She gasped. “Mack—”
“Stay the weekend with me, Ireland.”
I tightened my hold around her waist when she placed her hand on my chest and pushed into a sitting position, wedging my dick deeper into her hip.
“Mack—”
I cut her off again, “Just to be together and get to know each other better. I’m not expecting sex, baby.” I gave her a saucy wink. “That being said, if you want to let me in that sweet pussy of yours, I won’t say no either.”
Her skin was so pale I could see the flush of red filling her cheeks even in the shadows. I loved knowing I could make this bold, take no prisoners woman blush. It also made me want to see how far the red went. Maybe later, because I’d spoken the truth. I needed her to stay, though not because I wanted to have sex with her. I yearned for more time with the woman I planned to marry and put as many babies as she allowed in her.
I wanted to learn all her likes and dislikes, to see if she woke up happy or grumpy in the morning. I’d bet the two hundred dollars in my wallet our first night together was a fluke and she wasn’t a morning person. She probably required massive amounts of coffee to even get her to talk, let alone smile.
“I don’t have any clothes with me,” she said hesitantly.
It wasn’t a yes, but it also wasn’t a no either. I took what she gave me and ran with it. “I’ve got plenty of t-shirts you can wear tonight, even clean boxers I’m more than willing to lend you. We’ll throw your clothes in the washer before bed, and I’ll run you back to your house later tomorrow to get whatever you need.”
I’d found over the years there was always a solution to any problem, and damn if I wasn’t going to find one to keep this girl near me as much as possible. No doubt if I told her I was ready to marry her tomorrow, she’d head for the hills, not knowing about the Mayson’s or the power of the BOOM—the knock you on your ass, earth shattering realization you’d found the one person who’d complete you. And that was okay too. I liked working for my rewards. There was no doubt in my mind Ireland Banks was my gift in life. I’d do whatever needed to be done, short of murder. Hell, deep down, I knew I’d even do that to make sure the woman sitting in my lap was always happy.
“Okay, I’ll stay.” Her warm breath felt like a caress against my cheek. It didn’t surprise me one damn bit when she added, “I’m not promising past tonight though. I might find out you hog all the covers, or worse…snore. Then I’ll just have to smother you with one of your pillows.”
I laughed at the snark in her reply. “To my knowledge, I don’t snore, and I’ve got extra blankets if needed.” From the interactions I’d had with our families and what I observed today, I knew the Banks siblings were close. I didn’t want to cause issues by having their sister spend the weekend with me. “What about your brothers? Will they be okay with you staying the night and possibly the weekend?”
“I’m a big girl, Mack, and don’t require their permission,” she said harshly, making a move to get off my lap.
That wasn’t about to happen.
“Jesus, calm down. I didn’t mean it that way,” I assured her.
She crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing the milky white flesh over the top of her tank. Focus on the conversation at hand, motherfucker and not on her lush tits.
Ireland snapped her fingers, seeing my distraction. “My eyes are up here.” Thanks to the flickering flames in the pit, I could see the ire in those emerald eyes of hers. “Stop looking at my breasts and explain yourself.”
A lot of men would be intimidated by Ireland with her red-headed temper and attitude. It was the opposite for me. It made me hard as fuck, and I suspected she’d be as docile as a lamb once I got her underneath me.
“Sorry, cupcake,” I said, trying my best to look remorseful. Her brow cocked, and I knew she wasn’t buying it. “I’m a breast man all the way, and yours are spectacular.”
Ireland rolled her eyes. “Then explain yourself.”
“I only meant because your garage is working on my Aston. Will they have an issue with our relationship while we’re doing business together?”
“Oh,” she said now appearing slightly repentant for her outburst.
Even though I was amused by all the indignation leaving her body at my explanation, I had no intention of dampening Ireland’s spark. I highly enjoyed this model.
“It’s not the first time one of us has dated customers,” she admitted.
I grunted in displeasure, not wanting to think about my Ireland dating a man other than me, let alone her possibly fucking any man but me.
As if sensing my discomfort, she added, “My brothers have done it in the past. A couple of times it didn’t end in the best of circumstances, so they’ve stopped. But we don’t have a rule about it if that’s what you mean.” She shrugged. “I’ve only had a couple of boyfriends, Mack, and none of them have been customers.”
Shifting in my seat, I fought to keep the annoyance coursing through me out of my features. “Yeah, about that, babe, I’m not exactly a fan of knowing about past boyfriends or lovers. Some guys are curious about it, but I’m not. Might not have been your first, cupcake, but sure as shit, I’ll be your last. Same goes for me with you.”
She smiled at me. “Aww, Mackinley, that was actually kind of sweet.”
I shrugged. If being a caveman was what she thought was cute, I was all for it. “If you say so.” Ireland yawned, and I tucked her head back onto my shoulder, enjoying the feeling of her lush body pressed against mine again. “I’ve got workers coming
in the morning to finish the clean-up, but I gotta finish putting shit away. Stay out here and enjoy all the stars. I’ll come get you when I’m done. Okay?”
“I can help,” she mumbled into my chest.
“You could, but you’re a guest in my house, which means I do the work, not you.”
Her help would’ve been appreciated, but I knew I’d laid down my intentions pretty heavy with her, and I wanted her to be able to think about it without me hanging around. I figured when I came back out to get her, if she backed out of staying tonight, I’d have to pump the brakes and slow down even more with her.
“Kind of antiquated thinking on your part, don’t you believe?”
“Maybe, but that’s how I was raised, so blame my mom,” I replied. “Tell you what though, if you find your sweet ass at my house every weekend or I give you a key, then we’ll have a conversation about changing my rules.”
She tipped back her head, her gaze catching mine. She didn’t look pissed off, which I took as a good sign. “Bossy.”
“Yup. In bed too,” I stated before standing and gently placing her back on the chair and tucking the blanket around her. I placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Drink some of your wine and relax for me, baby.”
“‘Kay.”
Thanks to the double French doors leading out back, I was able to keep an eye on her while I did what I had to do. The only time she was out of my line of sight was when I went to my bedroom on the second floor and grabbed a pair of new boxers, a t-shirt, and a new toothbrush for her. I left it all for her on the counter of second floor bathroom, figuring she’d balk at using the master bathroom while I occupied it with her.
Surprisingly, I found her awake when I returned to the fire pit shortly thereafter. Ireland was still cuddled under the blanket, and the fire was low enough I could spread the remaining coals out and leave it for the night.
“Ready for bed?”
She nodded. “It gets a bit nippy out here.”
I grinned. “I set up everything you’ll need in the hallway bathroom upstairs. If I missed something, check out the drawers. My sisters keep their shit here for when they spend the night and are too lazy to pack.”