Always Loving You

  Yeah, he, Gage, and Dominic were as different in personality as night and day, but the differences worked well. Between them all, they had every aspect of their business covered. Mac had grown up as an only child, but along with Declan, these were the brothers of his heart. He couldn’t imagine loving a blood relative any more than he loved the men he had served alongside in the marines. They all had a tattoo that said “brotherhood,” and it wasn’t just an inked word to him.

  Dominic jabbed Gage in the side as they walked through the door of East Coast Security. “Why are you so damn cheerful this morning? Get laid last night?”

  Without missing a beat, Gage dropped into a chair in front of their bank of monitors. “Of course.” Then smirking at them, he added, “Didn’t you?” When they both just frowned in answer, he laughed. “Oh, come on. What’s so difficult about it? You see woman, pick up woman, fuck woman, then repeat. If you two would stop sitting around talking about your feelings and buying tampons, you might actually get lucky. Tell you what, I’ll go out with you both tonight and be your wingman.”

  Mac shook his head, then flicked his hand to Dominic. “Go ahead and do it before I kill him.” Gage looked around in confusion, but it was too late. Dominic jerked the chair he was sitting in backward and suddenly his feet were up in the air as he hit the floor.

  Dominic smirked, saying, “Thank fuck, I couldn’t listen to another word from this cocky little bastard.”

  Always the good sport, Gage started laughing as he rolled out on the floor and to his feet. “All right, have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t try to help a brother out, though.”

  They all spent the next few hours running through the security feeds and finalizing assignments for the next week. When a text message buzzed through on his phone, Mac looked down at it distractedly.

  DECLAN: Evan’s birthday party at McDonald’s @ 2:00. Be there, asshole.

  Mac chuckled, wondering not for the first time if everyone called their friends such flattering names or if it was just them. Maybe something left over from their days in boot camp.

  MAC: I hear ya, dickhead. What does the little guy want?

  DECLAN: Who the hell knows? The list changes every day. Ask Ava. Ellie gave her the latest list last night. Appreciate you coming. His mom is out of town on her honeymoon and I’m trying to provide a distraction to her being gone, ya know?

  MAC: Yeah, man, I hear ya. I’ll make sure Dominic knows. Gage is heading to a customer site this afternoon, so I don’t think he’ll be there. Later, brother.

  Mac immediately sent a text to Ava concerning Evan’s toy list.

  MAC: Avie, what does Evan want for his birthday . . . ? You feeling okay?

  He was starting to worry when it took her almost twenty minutes to answer his text.

  AVA: Skylanders. Are you coming to the party? I could pick up something from you and me if you like . . . I’m fine.

  Shit, Mac thought, Gage was right. He was turning into a pussy. Why else would he get a big thrill out of giving a joint gift with Ava? His cock was twitching in his pants as if she had said something dirty. Truly pathetic. Before long, he’d start setting his DVR to record Ellen.

  MAC: Yeah, thanks, Avie. I’d like that. Need me to pick you up on the way there?

  And just like that, Gwen was out of town and he had fallen back into the habit of looking for ways to spend time with Ava. He tapped his fingers on his desk impatiently before her response finally came through.

  AVA: That’s okay. Dominic is picking me up on his bike. You know, if you fall off, you should get right back on. Didn’t want my skating accident to scare me off. Thnx, though. See u there.

  Mac stalked out to the lobby just in time to see the asshole in question walk out the door, giving him a shit-eating grin as he waved good-bye. “I’m going to kill that fucker,” he snapped to the empty room. It seemed that life was not only shitting on him, but taking a colossal dump. What. The. Fuck?

  Chapter Eight

  Ava grimaced when she threw her leg over Dominic’s bike. The last thing she felt like doing today was riding a motorcycle after damn near breaking her neck on a busy street that morning, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Luckily, Dominic had been on board when she texted him while talking to Mac. She had enlisted Emma to stop by and pick up the presents she had bought for Evan from her and Mac, since she wasn’t sure if Dominic had anywhere to store them on his bike. Luckily, Emma had left Brant in the car and God willing, he was in the dark about her mode of transportation to the party.

  “I hear you’ve been a busy girl this morning,” Dominic yelled over the roar of the bike.

  She tried to shake off the embarrassment she felt knowing that someone else knew what a fool she had made out of herself that morning. It couldn’t be helped, though. Dominic was likely to witness even more humiliating moments in her quest to get Mac’s attention if he planned to help her. “Yeah, you could say that. I was going to see if you would help me out, but I didn’t have your number. I had to get it from Declan this morning. By the way, he’s a little suspicious as to why I suddenly wanted to contact you.”

  “I’ll bet.” Dominic chuckled, obviously vastly amused by the thought of Declan’s discomfort. What was it with these guys and their need to get under each other’s skin? Of course, when she thought about it, that was exactly what one brother would do to another. “I was hoping that you’d just let the whole skating idea go. I didn’t think you’d be out on the damn sidewalk twelve hours later putting on some roller derby. I’ll give you credit, though, Mac’s nerves were totally frayed over the whole incident.”

  Dominic’s words distracted her from the ache in her injured shoulder long enough to ask, “Really? What did he say?”

  “It wasn’t so much what he said as how he stomped around the office with a stick up his ass. I mean, more than usual. You’ve got his attention, Blondie. Not that I think you ever really lost it. Maybe you should just leave it at that for a few days before you break a bone.”

  Ava smacked his back, shaking her head emphatically. “No, I can’t stop now. I just need some ideas on what to try next.”

  Dominic sat quietly for a moment, appearing to ponder her statement before snapping his fingers. “Hey, I got it. How about the new zip line place right in the middle of town? That would be pretty easy to bring Mac by. We’re riding over to North Myrtle Beach tomorrow to talk to a new customer, so we’ll be going right by there.”

  Every ache and pain in her body seemed to pick that moment to remind her how stiff and sore she was after the debacle this morning. She didn’t know if she was ready to get back on the horse quite that soon. “Er . . . I don’t know. I was thinking of something later on in the week.”

  Dominic rolled the kickstand up on the bike, preparing to set off. “I hate to say this, Blondie, but you might get more results with Gwen gone this weekend. If you wait, she’ll be back in town, and even though I’m already sort of plotting against her, I wouldn’t feel great about her having her face rubbed in it.”

  Ava instantly felt guilty about what she was doing. It was obvious from the tone of Dominic’s voice that he genuinely cared for the other woman. It had been far too easy to forget that there was someone else involved in the whole scenario, someone who would be hurt if Ava got what she wanted. “Crap, I’m a horrible person, aren’t I?”

  Dominic planted his feet squarely on the ground, turning his head slightly to look at her. “All’s fair in love and war, Blondie. Unfortunately, there has to be a loser. If I thought for a minute that Mac loved Gwen or vice versa, I wouldn’t be helping you regardless of how I feel about her. He may not be able to admit it to himself, but Gwen is just a temporary replacement for you. Mac wants someone in his life and he made it happen. If I know him like I think I do, though, he’s feeling right about now like he’s made a mistake.”

  “And Gwen?” Ava asked, wondering why he was so sure she wasn’t in love with Mac.

  “If Gwen had serious feeli
ngs for Mac, she wouldn’t be watching me around our apartment complex like she does.”

  Ava snorted, unable to hold it in. God, was this man vain! “Have a high enough opinion of yourself?”

  Rolling his eyes at her tone, he said, “Men just know these things. I’ve busted her for looking at my ass several times, and she got all flustered over it.”

  “Okay, so obvious question here. Why don’t you just talk to Mac about the whole thing? I can’t imagine he would ever go out with someone if he knew that you were already interested in her. That’s just not how he is.”

  “But I didn’t make the first move, Blondie. He did. I fucked up. He just needs to remember that it’s always been you for him and you need to show him that you finally understand and return those feelings. Hell, why don’t you just talk to him?” At the look of panic on her face at his suggestion, he grinned. “That’s right, isn’t it? Sometimes you’ve got to take the long way around to get to where you need to go. That’s why I’m helping you; you’re my long way to what I want.”

  Smiling at him uncertainly, she said, “Um . . . thanks, I think.” Were they both going about this all wrong? Should she just talk to Mac about her feelings? The fear of rejection was enough to make her tremble. She was taking serious chances here—doing crazy, reckless things to get his attention. Why was the risk of breaking her neck so much less scary than saying I love you?

  Being a future cat lady seemed a lot simpler than what she was attempting now, that was for sure.

  * * *

  Brant and Emma were standing in the parking lot when they pulled in a few moments later. Emma looked thrilled to see her sitting on the back of a Harley with Dominic between her thighs. Brant just looked confused.

  Dominic steadied her as he helped her from his bike. She was grateful for the Tylenol she had taken before leaving home, which kept her aches down to a mild throb. Emma ran over and threw her arms around Ava’s neck in an unusual display of affection. “Holy hotness, I forgot what a stud Dominic is. You looked like a motorcycle queen when you rode in.” Ah, now it made sense. Emma was using the hug to speak to her without the men hearing. “By the way, Brant is about to freak out over the whole thing. I give him thirty minutes before he pulls you aside and starts quoting the crash statistics of motorcycles.”

  As if on cue, Brant gave her a frown as Emma pulled away. Dominic said hello to the couple, looking amused at the tense expression on her brother’s face. Emma, thankfully, said something about being hungry and ushered them all inside. It was so funny to Ava to see her ultraserious brother trying to control his instinctive cringe as the noise level assaulted them. She knew that he had rarely spent time in fast food restaurants before Evan and then Emma came along. That was one thing about Brant: he was always family first even if it killed him.

  She studied the woman who had stolen her brother’s heart for a few moments, looking for cracks in her veneer. It had been a tough few months for Emma. Her sister had drowned in a surfing accident in Florida and she knew that both she and her family were still trying to deal with the loss. That was one reason she didn’t cut Emma slack at the office. When they were bickering, Emma didn’t have time to be sad. She had those hours each day when she could be her normal sassy, funny self, and truthfully, it was a bright spot for Ava as well.

  With Emma leading the way, they pushed through the crowded McDonald’s, making their way to the play area and the rest of their family and friends. As she looked around, Ava spotted Mac sitting in a corner talking to Evan. He smiled as he saw her before frowning when he noticed Dominic behind her. Oh, shit, maybe this hadn’t been the best idea. It would defeat the purpose of trying to get Mac’s attention if he ended up killing Dominic and hating her in the end.

  Looking for the world as if it didn’t bother him at all, Dominic walked over to where Mac and Declan were now talking. With Evan back on the playground, she suspected the men were calling each other their usual unflattering nicknames. Dick-measuring contest: check.

  The next people to enter the crowded room were Claire and Jason with their daughter, Chrissy, followed closely by Gray and Suzy. Suzy was sipping what looked like a frappé and wrinkling her nose in dismay. Ava walked up saying hello as Suzy said, “Come on, what’s wrong with Chuckie? At least they have pizza there.”

  “You hated Chuck E. Cheese.” Gray smiled wryly. “If I remember correctly, you told baby Henry to ask for a Hooter’s party the next time.”

  Ava hadn’t seen Nick and Beth come in, but suddenly Nick’s head popped up between Suzy’s and Gray’s. “Henry’s daddy is completely on board with that suggestion.”

  Beth shook her head next to her husband. “Go take Henry to play with the other kids, perv.” Everyone laughed as Nick, Gray, Brant, and Jason joined the other men, leaving the women to themselves.

  “Thanks for coming, everyone.” Ella sighed. “I know this is the last thing you wanted to do on Sunday, but this is what Evan picked. With Julie away on her honeymoon, we’ve just been trying to distract him.”

  Ava looked across the room smiling as Evan let loose a bloodcurdling battle cry before throwing himself on Declan’s back. Evan was the result of a one-night stand between Evan’s mom, Julie, and Declan back when he was in the military. Declan hadn’t found out until last year when he ran into Julie at Danvers. Apparently, Claire and Julie were friends. Julie had tried to track Declan down when she found out she was pregnant, but the military had a strict policy on giving out information on their servicemen. When Julie recognized Declan, she had taken the opportunity and finally told him about Evan. Even though it was a shock, Ava had been proud of the way he had stepped into the role of dad. Like Mac, Declan carried many tough memories from his time in the marines. It had taken the love of Ella and Evan to make him accept that he could have something as normal as a wife and a child. Now they were expecting their second child, which was obvious from Ella’s enormous stomach. Ava had to swallow the urge to beg her to sit down as she bustled around the room and her pregnant belly jiggled alarmingly.

  Claire looked to make sure that none of the men was nearby before leaning over to whisper, “So, how’re things going with Mac?”

  Before she could answer, Emma chimed in. “You should have seen her pulling up on the back of Dominic’s bike a few minutes ago. I thought Brant would spaz out.”

  “Oh my God,” Beth moaned, “I wish I had been here to see that.”

  “Me too,” Suzy admitted. On cue, they all looked toward Dominic. “I know he’s not the goal here, but I can’t see anything bad about having that between your legs.” Almost in perfect sync, they all nodded.

  “True, dat,” Ella said, causing everyone to laugh. “Sorry. I’ve been around Evan too long. That kid has his own lingo.”

  “He is good-looking,” Ava admitted, “but he’s not Mac. I will say, though, he’s damn funny now that I’ve gotten to know him a little bit. G-lo would be crazy to let him get away.” Mouths dropped as Ava told the girls why Dominic was helping her.

  “Jeez, that’s something right out of Dallas, isn’t it?” Beth added. “Maybe you should just all get together and swap.”

  Claire raised her hand in that cute way that seemed habitual. “Question here. How far are you two willing to go to get Mac and Gwen’s attention? I mean, are you also pretending to be involved now? Mac’s gotta wonder if something is going on there.”

  Ava slumped back against the wall behind her, frowning. “I really don’t want to go that far. Mac and Dominic are friends, and I wouldn’t want to change things between them. I know Mac wonders, though. He brought it up earlier . . . right before I kissed him.”

  “What!” Every head in the playground turned in their direction when Emma’s shrill voice rang out. Emma winced, and then threw up her hand, waving everyone off. “Sorry. Just a little PMS issue. Nothing to see here.” The kids looked confused at her statement, but the men immediately turned their heads away at that apparently taboo subject. “Why am I just hearing abo
ut this?” she whisper-shouted as she glared at Ava.

  Ava rolled her eyes before saying, “Maybe because it just happened a few hours ago. Can you not broadcast our conversation to the whole place, please?”

  “All right, girls, stop your bickering and spill the details,” Suzy interjected, looking ready to smack some sense into both of them.

  Looking around to make sure no one else was listening, Ava told them about initiating the kiss with Mac that morning and about his statement that she belonged to him.

  “Oh my God,” Ella moaned, causing her stomach to shudder. “That is so sexy. Did his voice go all deep and growly?” Fanning herself, she said, “I love it when Declan gets all dominant with me. I try to act like I don’t, but I melt when he orders me around.”

  They all stopped to stare at the visibly flushed Ella. Looking intrigued, Suzy asked, “Did you just have an orgasm or something? Because it looked that way to me. Just sayin’ . . .”

  Ella flushed an even brighter shade of red before brushing her hand over her face. “Maybe a little one.” Looking mortified, she added, “When I went for my checkup this week, the doctor told me to abstain from sex right now because of the Braxton Hicks contractions I’ve been having.”

  Ava looked at her brother’s wife in concern. “Are you okay? Are they worried about the baby?”

  Ella shook her head, not appearing worried, which helped Ava to relax slightly. “No, they say it’s common. But . . .”

  Beth put an arm around Ella, before finishing her friend’s sentence. “You’re so horny you’re about to explode, huh?” Next to them, Claire nodded in understanding. Apparently, along with pregnancy came a huge rush in horniness. Ava would have thought it would be just the opposite, but maybe it was better than eating a jar of pickles every night.