How would the man he loved like a big brother respond?
How would you respond if your sister married a man she’d known less than two weeks?
Exactly what he was worried about. He had managed to win her brother Patrick over, though.
But Patrick isn’t Top.
He swallowed hard and pulled into the driveway all too soon leading to the imposing house. One blue and two pink balloons floated on the breeze, tethered to the mailbox. The thought of Megan being around the babies worried him, even though she insisted she couldn’t wait to spoil them rotten. He’d keep a close eye on her to help her process any unresolved or unexpected emotions.
While surrounded by evergreen trees, there were enough houses in proximity that the children would probably have other kids to play with. Nice place to raise a family. Looked like Adam did okay for himself after he retired from the military. That club he ran must be doing well because he doubted the man’s pension would have been able to pay for something like this.
He parked the bike and they removed their helmets before walking up the sidewalk to the front door. His nerves raw, he reached for her hand and squeezed.
“Stop worrying. Adam loves you.”
Like a brother Marine, maybe. Not necessarily a brother-in-law.
The door opened before they knocked. A slightly older Master Sergeant Montague, grayer at the temples, stood there. But Ryder had grayed some himself.
Adam’s gaze went first to Megan, then to him. The confusion on his face was quickly masked, and he opened his arms for Megan. “Good to see you again, hon.” He then extended his hand to Ryder. “Glad to have you here, too, Wilson. Heard the hog and thought Damián was stopping by early to check on things before the party.” He zeroed in with familiar intensity. “I knew Megan was coming, but didn’t expect you so soon after we talked. Glad you’re here, though.”
He didn’t seem upset to have Ryder here. Then again, he didn’t know in what capacity Ryder had shown up. He’d promised a visit to hang out with his Marine buddies, though.
“We’ve actually been on the road the past week. A little…” Don’t call it a honeymoon. “…vacation.” He and Megan had decided to visit the Four Corners, Mesa Verde, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in a circuitous route to Denver—definitely as a honeymoon.
He thought he detected some surprise in the older man’s face, and, if so, it was masked quickly. “Glad to hear you two hit it off.”
Oh, we hit it off all right.
“Excuse my manners. A combat zone has nothing on three newborn babies when it comes to sleep deprivation.” Adam stepped back and waved them inside.
Ryder placed his hand at the small of his wife’s back and guided her ahead of him. Adam didn’t miss the gesture and cast a puzzled glance in his direction. The sooner they came clean, the better.
But the moment they walked into the house, all hell broke loose. He heard at least two babies wailing from upstairs and Karla called for Adam to hurry. The man’s face blanched as he took the stairs two at a time.
“Oh, my. Let’s see if we can help.”
Ryder wasn’t sure what he could do but followed Megan up the elaborate staircase. No sense hanging out down here alone.
They followed the sound of the crying babies and found themselves at the open door to the master bedroom, judging by the king-sized bed. Megan went in without knocking, but Ryder felt strange barging into his master sergeant’s bedroom without an invitation. He hung back at the door. Looked like with three adults they’d be able to handle whatever the problem was.
Megan didn’t hesitate and went straight to the half-moon shaped bed next to where Adam reached for one of the babies. She didn’t miss a beat, just reached in, picked up a baby in a green blanket, and held it against her chest and shoulder.
God. The sight made his chest tighten. She turned to him and smiled, but he saw the tears in her eyes. Oh, baby. He ached for her and started toward her until Adam intercepted his path to take the other baby to his wife. The much-younger, black-haired woman sat in a glider chair trying to comfort a third crying baby.
Holy fuck! She wasn’t comforting; she was breastfeeding!
Ryder turned around and headed back into the hallway. Holy fuck! He’d seen the bare breast of Top’s wife. He wanted to go back downstairs, but needed to check to see if Megan was all right. He turned, making sure the door blocked the view of Adam and his wife before focusing on Megan.
She soon had the baby calmed down as if she’d been around babies her whole life. When she met his gaze, a tear rolled down her cheek. He motioned with his finger for her to come to him.
“Oh, Ryder! Isn’t she the most precious thing?”
He placed a hand on her back and with a finger under her chin, raised her face toward his. “How’re you doing, Red?”
“I’m fine. I’m okay, really.” She tried to glance away.
“Look at me, Red.”
She met his gaze and blinked away another tear. “We’re going to have our own babies someday, Ryder. Until then, I’m going to just live vicariously by being a doting aunt to these little ones.”
“You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.” He bent to kiss her and was finally able to look down at the baby. He expected her to be small, but she was tiny. Triplets. Hell, he’d be happy with one at a time.
A movement from his peripheral vision sent him on alert and he shielded her and the baby until he turned to see a Latino woman with long dark hair carrying a lunch tray. When she met his gaze, she seemed just as wary of him and diverted her path to give him a wide berth.
Wanting to put her at ease, he said, “I’m Ryder Wilson. This is my… This is Adam’s sister, Megan.” Good save, but he needed to get this secret out in the open before it killed him.
At the mention of Megan, the woman smiled at her in recognition. “So glad you made it. Kitty’s been expecting you. I am Cassie.”
Who was Kitty?
“Oh, Karla’s told me a lot about you. I bet you’re excited about your opening on Tuesday.”
The two chatted about art for a moment. He’d make sure Megan went to the exhibition. Maybe she could work on something with the owner to display her photographs there sometime. He knew how excited she was to be doing the exhibit at his sister’s gallery in Santa Fe.
“I was just bringing Kitty some lunch.” She walked into the bedroom.
“I’d better take this one back in there. Why don’t you go grab something yourself?”
“I’ll wait for you.”
“I think the girls have things in hand now.” Ryder turned to watch Adam walking toward them. “Megan, I think she’s ready to feed Kate now. Ryder and I are going down to the kitchen. Hang a right at the bottom of the stairs and you’ll find us when you’re ready. No rush, though. We have some things to talk about.”
Here we go.
Ryder turned to whisper in Megan’s ear. “I’m not saying anything about us until you get down there.” When he pulled away, she nodded and smiled. He followed Adam toward the staircase. On the landing, he paused to look out over the Denver skyline in the distance. “Beautiful view.”
“Sure is.” Adam stopped walking and looked out, too. “Million dollar view. Doc—Marc D’Alessio—sold this place to us or we’d never have been able to afford something this nice. It had been a gift from his grandfather, but if you remember Doc, he’d rather be in the wilderness than cooped up in the city.”
Ryder didn’t remember that at all, but nodded. He certainly understood the feeling. Cities scared the crap out of him. He hoped they wouldn’t have to venture out in that one anytime soon.
“Now, how about a beer while we wait on Megan?”
“Yeah. Sounds great.” He’d never shared a beer with Top before, but maybe one or two would take the edge off his nerves.
“Follow me.”
They walked into a kitchen any chef would want as his or her own. Every stainless-steel appliance known to man and lots of count
er space. At the moment, the counters were filled with bowls of food that smelled out of this world and a large half-sheet-cake box.
“Coors, Birra Moretti, or a local IPA?”
“The IPA, please. Thanks.” He glanced at the double oven. “Someone must love cooking in here.”
Adam grabbed the IPA and closed the fridge. “Hell, I can barely boil water and Karla wasn’t much better, even when she had time.” He handed the beer to Ryder and chose a bottle of water for himself from a box on the floor. Damn, if he knew the man didn’t want to join him, he’d have asked for water, too.
“I love to cook. Maybe I can help out by preparing some meals while Megan and I are here.”
They hadn’t discussed sleeping arrangements. Of course, Megan was invited to stay, but until Adam knew about the wedding, no invitation would be extended to him. Hell, he’d just put his foot in it—again.
Adam leaned his hip against the granite counter. “Mind telling me what’s going on between you and my sister?”
He’d expected to be offered a place to sit and talk, but twisted the cap off his beer and took a swig before responding. “Megan and I hit it off. We just… We’re in love.”
Adam stood to an intimidating height and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You just met her, what, three weeks ago? A little fast to be making declarations like that.”
If he thought that declaration had been hasty… “Believe me, I know it’s unusual. But the minute I met her, I knew Megan was something special.”
“I sent you to her to protect her, not get…romantically involved.”
By the way Adam said romantically, he knew the word “sexually” had been on the tip of the man’s tongue or at the very least on his mind. Ryder should just come out and say they were already married, but Megan ought to be here, too. He was her brother, after all.
“Believe me, I fought it hard.” At first. “I didn’t want you to think I was taking advantage of…” your baby sister. “…the situation.”
“Then why did you?”
Okay, wait a minute. Clearly, the man didn’t know his sister and her powerful personality. “I think we should wait and include Megan in this conversation.” Hurry, Red. I need reinforcements.
Adam glanced down at his left hand. Ryder raised it as he took another swallow of his beer to wet his parched mouth and throat.
“Does she know you’re married?”
Ryder nearly choked. He’d forgotten all about his wedding ring. It already seemed a natural part of him. He hadn’t removed it since he married Megan more than two weeks ago.
Red, forgive me, but I’m not going to have my master sergeant thinking I’m married to someone else and screwing around with his baby sister.
“Yeah, she knows. She’s the one who asked me, after all.”
“Asked you what?”
“I asked him to marry me.” Both men turned as Megan entered the room, walked over to Ryder, and snagged the bottle from his hand. She took a long swallow before turning to smile at her older brother. “And Ryder said yes, eventually.”
Eventually? Hell, theirs was the fastest engagement on record.
“You’re married? To each other?”
“Yes, Adam. Technically, we’re on our honeymoon.”
Adam ran a hand through his close-cropped hair and stared first at Megan, then Ryder. “I love Megan more than anything. I’ll never do anything to break her trust or—”
“You’d better not, or you’ll have me to answer to.”
“You and Patrick, both.”
Adam’s gaze zoomed in on Megan. “Patrick knew and didn’t say anything?”
“I swore him to secrecy. He was our videographer. Mom knows, too. Because she was so upset with us for rushing into it, we decided to wait and tell you face to face. Later on we can show you the video so you can see the ceremony.” She smiled up at Ryder. “It was beautiful, even if it was only at the justice of the peace’s office. Ryder made it full of meaning.”
The almost imperceptible glance at Megan’s waistline told Ryder what Adam thought automatically, before he seemed to realize there was no way he would have known she was pregnant in such a short time. Apparently, he didn’t know Megan’s history.
“What did Mom say? I’ll bet it killed her to miss the wedding.”
Megan stiffened, and Ryder stroked her back. “I know she wanted to be there, but I was afraid Ryder would come up with a thousand more reasons why he shouldn’t marry me if I gave him any time to think about it.” She grinned up at him to let him know she was teasing, although she was dead right. “I wasn’t going to let this one go. He’s the only man I will ever love.”
Adam be damned, Ryder lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, then pulled back and smiled. How’d he get so lucky?
Adam, for one, had helped bring them together. And a persistent lance corporal had a hand in their being together, too.
He turned back to Adam while holding Megan closer against his body. “I have you to thank for bringing us together. I know this outcome isn’t what you intended. Hell, I sure didn’t expect to ever find love again. But…your sister can be very…persuasive.”
Adam crossed the room slowly, his expression somber until he stretched his hand out to Ryder who had to pull away from his wife to shake it.
“Welcome to the family, Ryder. I guess we’re now brothers in more ways than the Marine Corps.”
“Thanks, Top.” He couldn’t help the lapse to the man’s former nickname. “I’ll do everything I can to be the man she deserves.”
“Oh, Ryder. You could never let me down.” She moved back to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist.
“I guess you’re planning to live in Albuquerque.”
Ryder wasn’t sure how to answer. God, don’t let him ask what I do for a living.
“Actually, Adam, we’re ready to start a new life. Right now, Ryder’s renting a place north of Albuquerque, but we’ve fallen in love with Colorado during our honeymoon tour this week. I think we might just look around at the possibility of moving up here.”
Adam took a step back. “That going to be a problem with your job, Wilson?”
Okay, back to the formalities. “Actually, I’m currently between jobs.” That sounded better than telling him he’d been unemployed for years, holed up in a house in the Jemez Mountains too afraid to venture near a workplace in the city for fear of having a panic attack, and—
“Ryder’s great at maintenance, construction, project management—all kinds of things, really. Maybe you know of someone who might be hiring, Adam.”
He probably wouldn’t be unemployed for long with Megan as his agent.
“I might. Damián’s bought a shop downtown where he repairs and customizes Harleys. And his wife, Savannah, is working at a clinic where they’re about to expand. Might be some construction subcontracting needed there. I can also introduce you to Luke Denton. He subcontracts for local builders and can probably hook you up with a number of jobs, too. He has more work than he wants at the moment.”
An enormous weight lifted off his shoulders at Adam’s encouraging words, but something burned at his gut. He couldn’t be less than completely honest with Adam. “There’s something you need to know.”
“Ryder, don’t—”
He met Megan’s worried gaze. “It’s okay, Red.”
She leaned closer to whisper. “There are some things I don’t think my brother needs to know about our relationship.”
Realization dawned at what she was worried about, and he grinned.
Jeezus. No fucking way was he about to tell him about what he enjoyed doing to Adam’s sister in private.
He smiled. “Don’t worry, Red. I don’t think your brother is going to let me walk out of here in one piece if he finds out what I do to you in the bedroom. Or the kitchen. Or—”
“Hush! He’s only a few feet away and isn’t deaf.”
“You two need a room or something?” Adam interrupted.
&
nbsp; He felt the heat emanating from her cheeks before pulling away. Her cheeks flamed. So fucking hot. He loved it when he made her blush. But Ryder quickly sobered. He still had something to come clean about. He met Adam’s gaze, surprised to see the man stifling what appeared to be a grin.
“Adam, when you called me asking for my help, I was having a rough night. You know some of it from our later talks by phone, but before you recommend me for work, you might as well know I haven’t been able to keep a job since my discharge four years ago.” Ryder closed his eyes, wishing he had another beer. His mouth felt like it had been swabbed with cotton balls. “A friend gave me a place to live when I returned from Fallujah, or I’d have been homeless. But that’s not all.”
Megan rubbed his arm, still covered by his leather jacket. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hang on for dear life, but needed to get this out and stand on his own two feet. This was Top. He didn’t want to be found lacking in this man’s eyes.
“Mostly I’ve been hiding out—away from everyone.” He lifted the bottle to his lips before remembering it was empty. Adam handed him an unopened bottle of water and Ryder took it, downing half of it before he continued. Adam’s steely gaze bore into him. He couldn’t read the man’s reaction, but still had more to say.
“I can’t promise to have my PTSD under control at all times.”
“No one can.” Top’s words took Ryder by surprise.
“Beg your pardon?”
“If you think anyone who’s seen combat can just cram all that shit—” Adam paused and glanced at Megan. “Sorry.”
Megan shook her head. “Please. I’ve heard—and said—worse.”
Adam didn’t seem happy to hear that, but focused on Ryder again. “Look, we have a lot of crap to deal with, and having our loved ones see the ugly side of what we’ve done, seen, or been through is less than ideal. But we’re human, too. Cut yourself some slack, Ryder. Megan’s tough, just like my Karla. She’s going to be there for you no matter what.”
Ryder turned to Megan who smiled her support back at him. “She already has been. I’ve always tried to be up front with her about what to expect.”
“You haven’t scared me away yet, Ryder.”
Nobody's Dream (Rescue Me Saga #6) Page 42