To Love & Protect (Bryant Brothers Book 2) Read online

  Philip stepped into the open doorway. He was freshly showered and dressed, his hair combed, his beard trimmed. She’d watched him do it. He really was that good with a pair of clippers.

  Propping his shoulder against the doorframe and sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks, he said, “Really?”

  She nodded and resumed curling her hair. “Every year, for as long as I can remember, all plans hinged on whether Mom was having a good run at the casino. If she was, Gran and I had a nice, quiet dinner together. Sometimes at Gran’s house and sometimes out at a restaurant. The last few years, as Gran’s health began to fail, those years eating out became more and more the norm.”

  He watched her through the mirror, his expression open.

  “There was no one else,” she continued. “My grandparents divorced before I was born, and Mom used to tell me all the time that her father was a no-good, deadbeat dad and they were all better off without him in their lives.”

  “No extended family either?” Philip asked.

  She shook her head, and her fresh ringlets bounced. “Gran sometimes talked about family out on the East Coast, but I’ve never met them and she had never gone out to visit as far as I was aware.”

  “It feels like there’s more to this story.”

  She sighed and blinked rapidly to chase away the tears so she could apply eye makeup. Some days the knowledge that her grandmother would never again wrap Maecie in her arms and affectionately kiss her cheek was harder to accept than others.

  “Those were the good years. When Mom was winning and didn’t need us to put dinner on the table. It’s never been about spending time with family for her. It’s always about whether she had enough money or credits to be able to spend her holiday at the casino. If she didn’t, she would show up at Gran’s house fully expecting a Thanksgiving dinner to be laid out for her. Problem was, we never knew until a day or two beforehand whether she would make her presence known on what I consider an important family holiday.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way despite your childhood. I feel that way too.”

  She smiled, catching his eye in the mirror. “I’m glad you feel that way despite the distance you’ve put between yourself and your family.”

  “So, if I hadn’t dragged you out to the middle of nowhere, what would you have made for dinner today?”

  “Well, this year is the first time I would have had to deal with Mom without Gran’s support. And since turkeys are sold frozen and I hadn’t actually bought one, if Mom had shown up, I probably would have made a pork tenderloin. Or maybe steaks, although grilling is definitely not my forte.”

  She was honestly more excited over the prospect of a real family Thanksgiving than she probably should be, given her current situation. Because to be honest, as fabulous as yesterday was, she shouldn’t get her hopes up that she stood a chance of being accepted into Philip’s family.

  Despite the heart-to-heart chats they’d had, she could tell he wasn’t ready. Those walls he’d built over the last four years were still very much intact, although yes, she had caught glimpses of the person she’d seen pictures of in the album on his shelf. But would he let that person out when they went to dinner this afternoon?

  She wasn’t holding her breath. Things like that took time, and she’d had a whole forty or so hours to convince the guy that he deserved to be happy.

  And yet she was so comfortable with him, she half wanted to quit her job at the salon and move in with him. Surely, they needed hairstylists in this area. Surely, there was civilization close enough that she could set up a shop and take care of their grooming needs.

  Surely, she needed to stop thinking like a lovesick fool or she was definitely going to get hurt.

  All that aside, she was damn well going to enjoy the run while it lasted.

  Last night, he’d joined her in his bed, and Maecie discovered the emotionally unavailable Philip was a cuddler. She liked to think it was because she was sharing his bed, not because he subconsciously snuggled with whatever warm body was in the vicinity. All she knew was that as soon as they lay on the soft bedding, he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms and legs around her, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and almost instantly fell asleep.

  And then this morning, she’d woken to something rigid pressing against her backside. Philip was still asleep, but his body hadn’t been. And, once she realized what it was, her body hadn’t been able to shut back off either.

  So she’d rolled over and tossed her leg over his hip and wrapped her hand around his erection. He’d come awake with a smile on his face and had threaded his fingers behind his head, apparently happy to let her take the lead.

  But she’d only given him a couple of strokes before he reached down and grabbed her hands, lifting them over her head and pressing them against the pillow. He situated himself between her legs and lavished attention on her breasts until she squirmed and panted and begged him to ease the ache between her thighs. He’d happily complied, using his last condom.

  “You’re blushing,” Philip commented, nodding at the mirror. “What are you thinking about?”

  She bit her lip and dropped her gaze. “I’m hoping there’s a drugstore or convenience store nearby open on Thanksgiving Day so we can get more condoms.”

  Laughter burst from his mouth as she slipped past him into the loft to get dressed.

  Sobering, he asked, “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

  “If I weren’t, what would you say?”

  “That we won’t go.”

  Shaking her head, she pulled on her leggings. “No way. You absolutely have to go to your family Thanksgiving. If you don’t want me to go, that’s fine. I can stay here.”

  His brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t go without you.”

  Sometimes this man said the sweetest things. Did he even realize it?

  “We’re going,” she said firmly.

  He glanced at his watch. “We’d better get moving then. I’d rather not be the last to arrive. You having to meet my entire family at once would be way too much to handle.”

  “Okay, let me just put on my cardigan and I’m ready.” She hadn’t packed with the anticipation of having dinner with his family, of course, but Philip had thoughtfully washed the clothes she’d arrived in and declared them perfect for the day. Actually, he’d told her that she could have shown up in her sleepshirt and sweats and his family would love her, but he was obviously smart enough to make other arrangements as well.

  He’d be a great guy to have around on a permanent basis.

  Which was one of those thoughts Maecie was most definitely not supposed to be having.

  She cinched the narrow, black belt and declared herself ready. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

  “You look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.

  Her knees wobbled. “So do you,” she said after much throat-clearing.

  He really did, although in truth, she preferred him in his pajama pants and nothing else. But for a family dinner, the half-zip sweater over a white T-shirt and gray slacks was certainly appropriate. And, man, he wore it well.

  “Okay, let’s get downstairs and out the door before I can’t take that look you’re giving me anymore and we go back to bed so I can demonstrate all the creative ways I can give you an orgasm without actual penetration.”

  She turned in his arms and pretended to push him toward the bed. “That sounds like a marvelous idea.”

  He chuckled and led her down the stairs.

  They drove past the marina where they’d watched the sunrise yesterday, and a few moments later turned at a cluster of mailboxes and headed down a long, winding, private road. She caught glimpses of the lake between the occasional dwelling and rows and rows of trees.

  They parked in front of a gray house with white trim and a stone porch. There were two other vehicles in the driveway.

  “My parents came over yesterday so Mom could help with dinner. Thi
s is the first year we aren’t doing it at their house. That truck is my brother Kyle’s.”

  “Kyle is the next youngest, after you.”

  He smiled. “They’re going to love you.”

  Wouldn’t that be nice?

  They walked up to the porch together, Philip carrying two bottles of wine and a small cooler of beer that he said was for Maecie, even though he was confident his brother would also have plenty of decent beer to drink. A plate glass window next to the door showed a glimpse into a cozy living room with dark, leather furniture and a roughly hewn coffee table with multicolored tile highlights.

  Through an arched doorway, Maecie could see part of a dining room, one end of a rectangular table, and a sideboard laden with enough beverages they could call it a bar and open for business. Beyond that, a wall of windows not unlike Philip’s house provided a breathtaking view of a beach and the lake beyond.

  “Wow.”

  Before she could say anything more, a flurry of barking erupted.

  Through the plate glass window, she watched a man who strongly resembled Philip stride toward them, yelling, “Freddy, shut the hell up. This isn’t your house so you don’t need to wake the dead with your barking. And you sure as hell don’t need to teach Roger how to do it.”

  He opened the door, and a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and a gangly Labrador puppy tumbled out onto the porch, sniffing at their feet and wagging their tails so excitedly their entire bodies were shaking.

  “We didn’t scare you off,” the guy announced, pulling Philip into a one-armed hug and then thrusting his arm at Maecie. “I’m Tommy. This old man’s brother.”

  “Maecie McIntosh,” she said, shaking his hand.

  Philip snorted. “I’ll never be as old as you. Speaking of which, didn’t you recently have a birthday?”

  “Yep.” He pointed at the Lab, who was following the other dog around, tail wagging happily. “That’s my birthday present. Camila thought the racetrack needed a mascot.” He rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips.

  “Camila’s his fiancée,” Philip explained.

  “I remember,” Maecie said, smiling. “You mentioned her yesterday, when you explained what to expect from your mother.”

  “Oh yeah,” Philip said.

  Tommy laughed as he held the door open. “Come on in. Are you ready to be overwhelmed?”

  “She can handle it,” Philip said, handing the drinks off to his brother and taking Maecie’s coat to hang it next to his in the closet.

  Tommy laughed. “I can’t wait to get to know the woman who conquered this guy.” He smacked Philip on the chest and then turned and strode toward the dining room.

  “They’re all going to give me shit for bringing you, but he’s going to be the worst of all, I suspect. Now that he’s all crazy in love, he thinks everyone deserves to be in the same boat.”

  Maecie studied Philip’s face, but he gave no indication what he thought of that idea.

  “Mom,” she heard Tommy call out, “they’re here. And it’s exactly what you’re hoping for.”

  What in the world did he mean by that?

  An elegant woman with dark hair and smiling eyes stepped around the corner, her face lighting up as her gaze swept over first Philip and then Maecie. “Oh my goodness,” she said, reaching for Maecie’s hands. “She’s lovely.”

  “Mom…” Ignoring the warning in his voice, Mrs. Bryant pulled Maecie into her arms, squeezed for a moment, and then released her so she could hug her son.

  “I’m Deanna,” she introduced herself, and Maecie did the same. “Maecie, your hair is spectacular. I may need the name of your hairstylist.”

  Maecie grinned. “That would be me.”

  Deanna’s eyes widened. “You cut your own hair?”

  “Well, no, one of the other girls in the salon does, but I’m a stylist.”

  “Well, now I have an even more selfish reason for hoping you and Philip work out. And I definitely need your business card.”

  “Mom, don’t scare her away, please.”

  Deanna gave her son a very fake innocent look. “What are you talking about? Asking to use her services is not going to scare this young woman away. Come on, let me introduce you to my husband. My son, Kyle, is here as well, and so is Camila’s sister, Maddy. Oh, you haven’t met Camila yet either, have you?” She slid her arm through the crook of Maecie’s elbow and guided her deeper into the house, leaving Philip to trail along behind them.

  It was amazing to Maecie how strongly Philip and his brothers resembled both parents. Deanna was undeniably their mother. And Joe, who embraced Philip and then turned to shake hands with Maecie, was an older version of his sons.

  Philip was definitely going to age well.

  “Come on into the kitchen,” Tommy said from behind her. “Camila’s making gravy and apparently can’t stop stirring, and she’s dying to meet you.”

  Philip led the way through another arched doorway to the left, which opened into a gorgeous kitchen and another wall of windows overlooking the lake.

  “Your house is amazing,” Maecie said.

  “Thanks,” the woman standing over the stove said. “It’s pretty handy that Tommy and I both had the same vision for our dream home. I’m Camila, by the way.” She waved and smiled without pausing the spoon that was swirling in a pot on the stove.

  Maecie smiled back and said, “Nice to meet you,” while admiring the perfectly executed blond highlights in her hair. Maecie wouldn’t mind getting ahold of those tresses to see if she could do it any better. Or maybe add some auburn undertones. They would really make the natural color pop.

  “What are you drinking?” Tommy asked.

  “I brought some Oktoberfest,” Philip said.

  “On it,” Tommy replied, and a moment later, both Maecie and Philip were holding ice-cold beers. So far, this whole traditional Thanksgiving thing was going well.

  Yet another man who was obviously a Bryant stepped into the room. “Hey, Madison and I are going to take the dogs for a run on the beach before everyone else gets here,” he said. A dark- haired woman who was probably four or five years younger than Maecie hovered behind him. Her eyes were red-rimmed, like she’d been crying.

  Damn it, Maecie had cursed them with her thoughts of a perfect Thanksgiving.

  “Good idea,” Camila said, and the couple left the room. A moment later, there was a sharp whistle and both dogs scrambled away, and then there was a sound like a door slamming and the house fell momentarily quiet save for the sounds of gravy simmering and music being piped through hidden speakers at such a low volume it was only noticeable in moments like these.

  “Maddy and my youngest brother, Elliot, recently broke up,” Tommy explained. “This is going to be the first time they’ve been around each other since it happened, and Maddy’s clearly not handling it well.”

  “So that was Maddy?” Maecie asked.

  Tommy nodded. “And the guy with her is our other brother, Kyle. He’ll introduce himself when they get back. He’s just distracted, trying to take care of Maddy.”

  “My sons are all such caring young men,” Deanna said.

  Not that Maecie needed any convincing. She was already pretty damn smitten with Philip. And his family.

  “Maecie is a hairstylist,” Deanna said to Camila.

  “Oh yeah? I don’t suppose you live around here, do you? Whenever I need my highlights done, I’ve been going back to my old hairstylist in Detroit. I haven’t been able to find someone around here I’m willing to commit to.”

  “Unfortunately, my salon is in the Detroit area too. But I can be persuaded to travel,” Maecie said, grinning.

  “Excellent,” Camila said.

  “So how did you two meet?” Deanna asked.

  Maecie glanced at Philip. They should have discussed this, figured out a plausible story to tell his family.

  “I was working, doing security at her salon,” Philip said smoothly.

  “Your salon needs securit
y?” Deanna asked.

  Philip shook his head. “I was working for one of her clients.”

  “Ah,” Deanna said, and that appeared to be the end of it. Which was interesting to Maecie, because if she were in the other woman’s shoes, she would have asked a million more questions. But maybe they’d learned not to ask since Philip didn’t seem inclined to provide much detail.

  The sound of a door opening drew everyone’s attention, and then a male voice shouted, “Hey, everybody, Grandma Bryant is in the house!”

  Tommy, Philip, Joe, and Deanna all rushed toward the front room, leaving Maecie and Camila momentarily alone.

  “That’s Elliot,” Camila said. “He brought Grandma Bryant with him. Their grandpa died, oh, five years ago or so, and the kids all feel like they have to continually buoy her spirits.”

  Maecie’s heart pitter-pattered. “That’s so sweet.”

  “It really is. They are a good group of guys.” She glanced at Maecie over her shoulder. “Although Philip is definitely the most closed off of all of them. We’ve all been dying to meet you because of that.”

  “Dying to meet me? We’ve only known each other for…” Telling this woman she’d only known Philip for two days probably seemed strange, considering she was part of the family’s Thanksgiving celebration.

  Camila chuckled. “We just found out you were coming yesterday. And if it helps, Tommy and I only knew each other for a week when we figured out we wanted to be together forever.” She frowned. “Or maybe it was two.”

  “I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with you when I opened the door at my parents’ house and you were on the other side.” Tommy strode into the room, walked up to Camila, and bent down to kiss her shoulder, bared by the wide neck of her sweater and the fact that her hair had been twisted into a braid that draped down her back.

  “What he really means is, he knew he wanted to sleep with me,” Camila quipped.

  “That too,” Tommy admitted.

  An elderly woman walked into the room, her arm threaded through Philip’s on one side and another young man Maecie guessed was Elliot on the other.

  “Grandma Bryant, this is Maecie McIntosh,” Philip said.