I used to sleep like a dead dog buried under six feet of winter snow. Not a sound could rouse my sorry ass out of bed. And now the slightest twitch sends me flying to my feet. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. A soft rasping sound comes from the front as my lids struggle to unglue themselves this morning. The sun is out—first time in a week. It’s rained on and off as a big cloud cover squatted over all of North Carolina, but today that spotlight shines down from the sky and my eyes can’t quite adjust.

The knock at the door becomes more animated, and I head over before they wake up Ben. I peer into his bassinet a moment. He’s sound asleep with his perfect tiny lips smacking away just the way his dad used to do. His hair is coming in thick and black, he’s unmistakably a Daniels. I know it for a fact because the paternity test came in. That was me removing any shadow of a doubt. Now that the air is clear, I can breathe easy and focus on raising my son. Olivia hasn’t come around once, and there’s a sickening ache in the pit of my stomach wondering if this is her big debut in the role of mommy.

I look through the peep hole. Nope, better. It’s Annie—the only woman I ever want Ben to view as his mother.

“Here’s the morning sun,” I say swinging the door wide open. Baya and Roxy stand behind her. “An estrogen ambush before eight a.m.? Get in here, girls.”

Annie plants a kiss on my lips and gives my ass a discrete tweak before filing in. I do a double take as she strides on by. Hot damn. This girl is smoking with her black leather jacket—tight as all hell jeans.

“What’s going on ladies?” Annie doesn’t need to dress to impress. I’m already hers in every single way. But leather before breakfast has my suspicions aroused.

“Where’s my boy?” Roxy gravels it out, as she heads straight to the bedroom. It’s an odd friendship we’ve developed—Cole, too, although I can relate to him a little better.

Annie wraps her arms around my neck. “I have a surprise for you.” Her bright red lips press together as she holds back a smile. Annie doesn’t normally wear lipstick, so already I’m intrigued.

“Can we pause for a minute so I can tell you how drop dead gorgeous you look today? What’s the surprise? You in a beauty pageant this afternoon?”

“Ha, ha.” Annie’s voice has smoothed out, even and seamless. You would never know that she’s only been using it on a regular basis for the last few weeks. “I am doing something beautiful this afternoon—with you.”

“That’s right!” Baya sings. Baya is always a little overloaded with energy. Roxy balances her out nicely. “Now go on and get.” She motions for us to shuffle out the door. “I’ve got a baby to snuggle with.”

Roxy comes out of the bedroom with a freshly changed, and bright-eyed Benji. “Look who’s awake!” Baya and Annie flock to him like he’s a lead singer on a full house night. Annie is determined to teach him how to sign, and I’m all for it. It’s about time I became proficient in it as well. Annie says it’s ingrained in who she is. She still does it with her mother and brothers.

“I remember when all the girls in the room used to flock to me.”

Annie rolls her eyes. “I’d better get this guy out of here before his ego blows off the ceiling. Bye sweetie.” She pecks a kiss to Ben’s cheek, and my heart melts. Annie guts me each time she loves all over Ben. I can get used to this. For the first time since losing my brother, I’m starting to feel whole again—hell, I do.

“By the way”—Roxy hands him off to Baya as she makes her way to the kitchen and plucks a bottle out of the fridge—“I’ll be watching him tonight while you play at the Black Bear.”

“Sounds good, but I don’t play at the Black Bear anymore.” Haven’t in months.

Annie slings her arm around my waist. “Yes, you do.”

“Says who?” I’m hoping she’ll say her brothers because I wouldn’t want them hitting me over the head with my guitar when I show up.

“Says me.” Her brows hike. “And Bryson and Holt may have agreed to it. They also may have groveled a bit. It turns out nothing sold more beer and bourbon than your singing.” She wrinkles her nose. “What do you say? You think the band has it in them to do another run?”

“I know they do.” I trap her bottom lip between mine and pull back. “Thank you. That’s a great surprise.”

“You’re welcome, but that wasn’t the surprise. Now get ready before I change my mind.”

---

I shower and dress before Annie and I jump in my truck and hit the road.

“You know I was just thinking, I could teach you to drive sometime.”

“Really?” Her face lights up. “I would love that. I think I’m ready.” She bounces in her seat. I love to see her excited, happy, squealing with pleasure, usually when she’s naked and wrapped around my body like a vine.

Annie gives me vague instructions, eventually navigating us to the doorstep of Joe’s Automotive.

“Am I pulling a Saturday shift?” God knows if the old man sees me, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities.

“Let’s find out.” Annie lures me out of the truck with a curl of her finger. She’s wearing boots that cover her knees, and, holy hell, she just gets hotter by the minute.

Annie takes me by the hand and walks me to the back of the garage until we’re both staring at a steel horse I swore I’d never get on again. Same make and model that Benji was on when he died. Shit. I back away like it’s a snake.

“I can’t do this.”

“Yes”—she pulls me back by the fingers—“you can, and you should.” Annie presses a warm kiss against my neck. “You’re my hero, Blake.” Those doe eyes of hers blink up at me, and the pressure is on. I know what I need to do. But can I? “I don’t want you to fear anything. I don’t think your brother would either.”

That’s all I need to hear. Joe comes over and hands me the keys.

“You have quite the persuasive girlfriend here.” He winks at Annie. “She’s a looker, too.”

“Keep your eyes to yourself,” I say as I dig out a pair of helmets for the both of us. Annie squeezes hers over the top of her head, and my boner starts ticking to life. “She is a looker.”

Annie and I get on the bike. She shows me a pair of earplugs before lifting her helmet and putting them in. I love that she needs them. Nothing pleases me more.

I start her up, and the beast roars to life beneath us. My eyes close a moment. This, right here, is what Benji did last.

“Where we headed?” Annie shouts.

“I know just the place.” I rev the engine, and we take off.

We tear up concrete all the way there.

---

The lookout is magnificent this crisp winter morning. The snow is still piled high in the shade, but it’s the sun and its radiance that steals the show.

“So beautiful,” I say holding Annie. “And I mean you.” I press a kiss to her lips.

“How was it?” She nods toward the bike.

“Freedom. It was freedom.” I brush my lips over hers. “Thank you for giving me that.” I close my eyes a moment too long and see an image of Benji cussing me out as he left our apartment that last day. I haven’t talked to anyone about that moment—what really transpired, what I said that sent him flying out the door in a rage. “The afternoon my brother died—the last thing that happened between the two of us was a knock down, drag out fight.” I grimace. “He got a couple good punches in, but it was the words that hurt the most.”

“I’m so sorry.” Her face grows pale. “Can I ask what happened?”

I swallow hard. “It was about Olivia. She was getting ready to leave my brother. She couldn’t care less that she was carrying his child—any child for that matter. I caught her with another guy the night before at a bar. Her mouth was all over his, and it killed me to know she was doing that stuff to Ben while carrying his kid.” I take a breath and let the words fly around me like prisoners that finally had the balls to escape.

“That’s terrible. You did the right thing in letting him know.”

“I should have waited. He thought maybe I was gunning to get her back—believe me, that was the furthest from the truth.”

“Do you remember the last thing you said to one another?” She winces.

“He told me to stay the fuck out of his life, and I told him no problem. He took off, leaving his helmet behind. The rest is—the end of our story.”

“That’s not true. You’re raising Ben. The story between you and your brother continues through that little boy. You’re making everything right. You already have.”

Her words settle over my heart like a warm song. Annie is crushing the granite that my heart turned into and, slowly, ever so slowly I’m starting to accept the fact that maybe she’s right. That perhaps I did the right thing—it just so happens that life took a shitty turn. That helmet of his jumps through my mind like a bouncing ball.

“He didn’t wear his helmet half the time, and I was usually the one who insisted. I didn’t bother insisting that day he left.”

“Blake.” She closes her eyes, and a thin seam of tears glistens in the sun. “You didn’t do this to him—don’t do this to yourself. Benji would never want you blaming yourself for the rest of your life. You don’t ever have to forget him, and the best way to honor him is by remembering the good times that you shared together. Find joy in baby Ben’s smile. Make Ben your biggest priority. That, right there, would make your brother proud and happy, and I’m sure his heart would be filled with forgiveness as well.”

A violent wind knocks us off balance before it stills to a whisper.

“That was him.” I give a wry smile. “Whenever we’d make up, he’d end it with a nice firm shove.” My chest rumbles with a laugh. “I know this sounds crazy, but I think my brother just agreed with you.”

“It doesn’t sound crazy at all. Because I know when I’m right.”

Annie slips her hands into the back of my jeans, bypassing my boxers all together.

“Whoa,” I pull back. “You’re about to start a war, little girl.”

“I’m not anybody’s little girl.” She grazes her teeth over her blood red lips as if proving a point.

I’m still feeling pretty lucky for bumping into her that day. If Benji hadn’t passed, I wouldn’t have been dropping my classes, and that’s one fucked up way of thinking, so I shelve it.

“I’m up for finishing what I started.” Her belly rubs over the blooming hard-on in my jeans. Her fingers quickly undo my button, before I know it my fly is down, and she has my cock in her hand.

“You’re exposing me to the elements. It’s pretty chilly out here.” I dig my fingers through the back of her hair. I do a quick sweep of the vicinity, and there’s not a soul around.

“Maybe I’d better keep it warm.” Annie drops to her knees and wraps her lips over me before I can protest the idea, not sure I would. A hard groan comes from me as I dig my fingers through her hair. Her tongue laps around me as her hand cups my balls, and it doesn’t take long for me to feel like I’m going lose it faster than ever. Before Annie, I went through girls as fast as I could get through a box of condoms, and now I can’t see any other girl—all I see is Annie.

Annie is changing things for the better. And I’m grateful that she’s changed me.

---

The Black Bear. I shake my head at the crowd as the band and I wrap up the set. It was Annie’s first night hearing me sing at the bar, and she hasn’t stopped thrashing her hands in the air and dancing. She’s right below me, swaying and reaching her arms up to touch me as if she were just another piece of rock candy—but she’s not. She’s my rock candy, and I never was good at sharing. The song is about to end, so I pull Annie up on stage and wrap my arm around her waist as I sing the last few lyrics straight into her eyes.

“I found my first and last love, and she looks a lot like you—” I stretch out that last note a little longer than usual because I feel it. Annie is my first and last love. My lips find hers, and we share a kiss right here on center stage. I don’t hear any objections from the crowd, just a hell of a lot of people cheering us on.

Annie pulls back with her lips still pink from meeting up with mine. “You were amazing.”

“Was that too loud?” I ask.

Annie has been in a few situations that made her head pound, and I know for certain it’s loud as shit in here.

“With your voice? Not loud enough.”

We bounce off stage, and she leads me to where her brothers sit with their better halves. Wyatt is seated right behind them, lifting his beer in my honor.

“You killed it.” He stands and slaps me five. “Thanks for the invite. You know I love to hear you do your thing.”

“You heading out?”

Wyatt looks over his shoulder. He’s wearing his suit—the dude doesn’t leave home without a tie and cufflinks. As much as the band brings the girls front and center, his power suit has them magnetizing that much more.

“Maybe.” He does a quick sweep of the doorway. “There’s a familiar blonde back there who just threw out an invitation.”

“You don’t know her name?” Annie glances to the door at the blonde in question, and her eyes round out. “Never mind, I know her name. That’s my roommate, Marley.”

“Marley.” He tests it out on his lips without taking his eyes off his new midnight snack. “Sounds good to me.” He taps me in the gut. “See you two at the ranch.”

We watch as he heads toward the door. Marley has already been swallowed up by the crowd.

“Do you think something will come of that?” Annie cocks her head in disbelief.

“I don’t know. My brother has a particular taste. He’s more of a chains and leashes kind of guy versus—”

“Versus songs and careful kisses?” She takes a soft bite out of my ear.

“Yeah, that.” I groan in approval.

“I think Marley can take him. She’s always ‘taking one for the team’ when it comes to…intimate research. All for the sake of her article, of course.” Annie gives a playful wink. “She’s got a pair of velvet cuffs she’s been using as paperweights. Maybe she’ll finally get a chance to dust them off.”

“Velvet, huh?” I shake my head at my brother as he threads into the crowd. He always was a lucky son of a bitch. But then again so am I. My lips find Annie’s as she draws a hearty groan from me.

Bryson and Holt head over, and my groan takes on a whole new meaning.

“What’s up?” Bryson slaps me on the shoulder.

“Just hanging out with my girl.” Nice. Make yourself sound like a caveman, and see how far that gets you with the brother brigade.

“I’m glad.” Holt folds his arms over his chest and widens his stance like he’s not. “Just know we’re still keeping our eyes on you.”

I raise my hands like a criminal. “Feel free, but know you’ll be seeing a lot of this.” I brazenly peck a kiss off Annie’s cheek, and she laughs. There it is, that beautiful melodic laugh I can write a song about all on its own.

Bryson nods. “Never mind that. We want to see more of your ugly mug here, at the Black Bear. How about we start booking the band once a week? Friday or Saturday night—your pick.”

I look over at the guys on stage still packing away the equipment. “Done.” I know they want this as much as I do. “This is perfect for us. Thank you.” The 12 Deadly Sins live to sing another day. I’m loving it.

Bryson gives my arm a light sock. “You’re a good guy.”

“He is a good guy.” Baya pops up from behind and gives me a quick hug. “I’m glad you and Annie found each other.”

Izzy comes over and wraps herself around Holt. “So? Are we all one big happy family now?”

“We are.” I pull Annie in and press a kiss on top of her head. “The best family.”

A slow song seeps out of the speakers like an aphrodisiac, and half the bar hits the dance floor. I pull Annie out with me and bury us deep in the crowd. My arms find a home around her waist as our hips move in time.

This is it, every school boy fantasy, every adult dream of what I thought I wanted in a woman is right here in my arms.

I lean in and whisper right into her ear, “I love you.”

Annie looks up with pressing joy in her eyes. “I love you, too.” She bites her lips as if she were about to say something then changed her mind.

“What is it?” I give her a little nudge.

“Nothing.” She knits her brows, unable to withhold her laughter.

“It’s something—give or I’ll tickle you in front of all of these people,” I tease. And knowing how much she can’t stand that, I wouldn’t dare.

“Okay.” She looks up at me through a forest of lashes, and my boxers twitch to life. I can hardly wait to get her home, in my bed—in our bed. God knows it feels empty without her.

Annie’s hair falls over one eye giving her that vixen appeal that drew me to her that day at Whitney Briggs. She was calling me even then, and she didn’t know it.

“Don’t laugh”—she holds up a finger—“but, for some reason, I thought when you whispered into my ear you were going to say something dirty.” Her face reddens a neon shade of pink.

“Knew it.” I tip my head back. “You’ve got a naughty streak a mile wide.”

“Do not!” She swats me.

“Let’s see about that.” I lean in and whisper the dirtiest sweet nothings into her ear for the next two songs. Annie groans and grinds her hips into mine like a promise. It’s pretty evident she approves. It looks like I was right about the naughty streak.

Nope, Annie is nobody’s little girl.

She’s all woman—and, lucky for me, she’s mine.