“No, just Kevin. Keith’s a policeman, Kieran’s a contractor and Kincaid’s a—” She paused, cocked her head and looked at her last brother. “What would you call it? A spy?”
For the first time, Jeff saw a chink in the wall of muscle as Kincaid smiled at his sister. “FBI, Kelly. Hardly a spy.”
She shrugged. “Well, whatever. So why don’t you guys get lost while I talk to Jeff?”
“Not hardly,” Kevin muttered, and walked past her, pausing just long enough to glare at Jeff again. Then he nodded to his brothers, and the four of them went into the house.
No doubt, Jeff thought, to lay an ambush for him. Man, what had he done to get all four men so damn mad? Hell, he hadn’t even been in the country for the past year and a half!
“I tried to get rid of them,” Kelly was saying, “but once they found out you were coming, they wouldn’t budge.”
“I don’t care about them,” Jeff said. “I’m here to see you. It’s been a long time, Kelly.”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling up at him, “it really has.”
“You look great,” he told her, and for the first time in eighteen months, reached out and cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. God, she felt good. Soft, warm and so damn smooth. Just the touch of her skin was enough to set off a back fire in his blood. And if she didn’t have a platoon of brothers just a stone’s throw away, he’d show her just how glad he was to see her. As it was, he’d have to wait or take on all four of them.
She pulled in a long shaky breath, telling him silently that she was just as affected as he was. A flush of heat filled her cheeks, and her eyes went that deep, smoky green that he remembered so clearly.
But there was something else. Something … different about her. She looked rounder. Softer. Hell, the plain truth was, she looked good enough to eat. And he was a hungry man.
“What?” she asked, tipping her head to one side and looking up at him.
“Hmm?”
“You’re looking at me a little … strangely.”
“I’m just trying to figure out what it is that’s different about you.”
“Different?”
“Not different bad, honey,” he said, pulling her close enough to kiss. “Just … different.”
Kelly flattened her palms on his chest and leaned toward him. A soft ocean wind slipped past them and lifted her hair off her neck. He felt the warmth of her hands clean through to his bones and for the first time in too damn long, he felt alive again.
The scent of her surrounded him, and he lost himself in it. So many nights, he’d dreamed about this moment. Having his hands on her again. Feeling the soft brush of her breath against his skin. Cupping her face in his palms, he stroked her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs and let his gaze move over her features. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.
She reached up and covered his hands with her own. “Jeff, I’m sorry about Kevin. He’s just—”
He grinned down at her. With her right here beside him, he couldn’t have cared less about a handful of brothers with bad attitudes.
“Kevin who?” he asked, and bent his head to claim the kiss he’d waited so long for. She leaned into him, lifting up onto her toes to meet that kiss and do a little taking of her own.
Softly at first, as if reminding himself of the taste of her, Jeff quickly gave into the thrumming need inside him and deepened the kiss. He parted her lips with his tongue and explored her mouth as his hands moved up and down her spine, pulling her harder, closer against him.
Kelly clung to him, and gave herself up to the wonder of having him back home. Alive. Safe. The magic of his touch shimmered throughout her body, and she told herself that she hadn’t imagined it. It had been so long, she’d almost convinced herself that what she’d felt in Jeff’s arms couldn’t possibly have been real. Yet here he was, and once again her body was on fire and burning from the inside out.
The shriek of a child’s laughter finally shattered the spell, though, and Kelly reluctantly pulled free of his arms. After all, what with the fight and now this kiss, they’d given her neighbors enough of a show for today.
Besides, there were still a few things that had to be said.
“Jeff …”
“Yeah?” His hand slipped from her cheek to her neck, and his thumb rested on the pulse point at the base of her throat.
“Come on in the house,” she said, and reached up to take his hand in hers.
He laughed shortly. “With that bunch? Am I allowed to fight back?”
She grinned at him. “Don’t worry about them.
I’ve been dealing with them for years. Their barks are worse than their bites.”
Jeff rubbed his jaw. “Honey, if that’s his bark, I don’t want to see his bite.”
“Hey,” she countered, “are you saying a Recon Marine isn’t tough enough to handle three civilians and a Gunnery Sergeant?”
“If that’s a challenge, honey,” he said in a low growl, “consider it taken.”
Three
The inside of the house was just as he remembered it. He’d always thought it looked a bit like a child’s playhouse might. The rooms were small, cozy. Fresh flowers dotted every table, and brightly colored pillows were stacked on all of the chairs. It was cool, welcoming, with the faint scent of lavender flavoring the still air. Pale blue walls gave the impression of a soft summer day, and the overstuffed furniture invited people to settle in and stay for a while. And there was nothing he would’ve liked more.
However, the four huge brothers glowering at him from across the room took the edge off his homecoming.
He had no idea what he’d done to deserve all the hostility, but he was damned if he’d back off. Jeff’s spine stiffened and he lifted his already bruised chin. His body still humming from that kiss, he was prepared to face down whomever he had to to get Kelly to himself.
Unconsciously, he mirrored the brothers’ stance. Arms crossed, legs braced wide apart and a defiant glint in his eyes. One at a time or all four at once … Jeff was ready for them.
“Kelly,” Kevin said, “I think we should—”
Jeff’s gaze shifted to Kevin and he felt a brief spurt of satisfaction at the other man’s split lip and already blackening eye. On the couch in front of him was a Smokey Bear hat, and Jeff knew that Kelly’s older brother was a drill instructor. He should have guessed when he heard the man talk earlier. His voice was rough from too much shouting, and he was talking to his sister as if he were giving orders to a boot recruit.
And from what Jeff remembered of Kelly’s temperament, her reaction should be worth watching.
He was right.
