“Hey, the rubber band car just pulled up,” Wyatt yelled out across Aiden and Evie O’Malley’s backyard. He was in a position to see their driveway from the corner where he was sitting to rest his leg.

Dammit, Gray had known the guys were going to give her shit for her car.

Miranda Porter stalked over to Wyatt from where she had been standing on the patio with the other women. She glowered down at the sandy haired SEAL who put his arms up over his head in mock defense.

“Leeds, if you do anything to make my friend feel bad, I will pluck out your nipple hairs. You get me?” Miranda’s steely words could be heard across the lawn.

All talking stopped as a collective wince went through the crowd. Gray chuckled when he saw two of his teammates cross their arms over their chests.

Griff sauntered over from the grill, with his daughter on his hip. “Honey, Wyatt didn’t mean anything by it. He’s just teasing about Riya’s Prius,” Griff tried to soothe his wife.

“Well, he better cool it.” She plucked little Livvie out of her husband’s arms and went back to join the women.

Evie O’Malley came up next to Gray. “Are you going to introduce me to your Riya? I’ve been dying to meet her.” The petite brunette locked her arm through his and led him through the screen door to the front of the house.

The doorbell rang just as they reached it. Evie opened it and grinned.

“Hello,” she greeted Riya.

Gray saw Riya’s tentative smile. Then she pushed out a huge store-bought tray of brownies.

“I’m in love with you,” Evie clapped her hands. “You brought my kryptonite.”

“You like chocolate, too?” Riya asked hopefully.

“I love chocolate, especially brownies. Did Miranda tell you?” Evie took the tray. “Come in.”

Gray was about to introduce them, but Evie, in her typical style, started talking.

“Oh fuck, I’m Evie. I know you’re Riya. Miranda told me how beautiful you are. I couldn’t miss the long black hair. I always wanted straight hair instead of curls. Come into the kitchen. I’m going to break into these babies right now with a big ole glass of milk. Want me to set you up with the same?”

Riya looked up at him with a look of almost panic as Evie sped ahead.

“It’s okay, she’s always like this with everyone.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He looked her up and down. “You look gorgeous.”

Riya’s panicked look turned into a frown. “I’m wearing a university sweatshirt. Are you going to say I look gorgeous no matter what I wear?”

“More than likely, because you’re a beautiful woman. Piper is going to UCSD so you’re going to have a sure-fire friend.”

“How many people are here? I thought you said it was a small barbeque.”

“Probably thirty people.” He saw her take a deep breath. He slid his hand under her hair and started to knead the tight tendons in her neck. “It’s going to be fine. Just pretend they’re the Pentagon types, you deal with them all the time.”

“Yeah, but that’s when it’s in my field of expertise. These are your friends.”

“You’ll do great. Miranda and I have been bragging about you, so you’re golden.”

“Great,” she muttered.

Gray laughed. He wrapped his arm around her and guided her to the kitchen. He wasn’t surprised to see that Evie had two plates with brownies on them along with two glasses of milk at the kitchen table.

“This looks wonderful,” Riya said with a genuine smile. “I’ve been at the lab since five this morning. I was hoping to have one of these to make up for my lack of breakfast and lunch.”

While Evie’s back was turned, Gray leaned over to whisper in Riya’s ear. “You skipped breakfast and lunch?”

“I got caught up on a side project, and I had to make up time on my actual work.”

Evie turned around in time to catch what Riya was saying.

“I hope you’re not letting him ride roughshod. I have a husband and a brother who think they rule the world. They don’t. Let’s eat these brownies, and then you can join the ladies on the patio. We’ll tell you how to handle these alpha males,” Evie said with her Southern accent.

Gray enjoyed watching Riya carefully consider Evie’s invitation and then see her eyes light up. He knew she only knew Miranda, and without Susan here as a buffer, this was big.

“I’ll definitely join you after the brownies.” She gave Gray a teasing look.

“You are not just having sugar to make up for two missed meals, Dr. Patel,” Gray admonished.

Two sets of black eyes rolled at him. He laughed.

“Chocolate makes the world go round.” Evie said sanctimoniously.

“Aiden would take my side.” Gray shook his head at the two women, then watched as Riya took a large bite of her brownie.

Riya liked Evie a lot, and not just because she was pint-sized like she was.

“Your house is beautiful,” she complimented from her seat at the table.

“It was all Aiden. He had it before he married me. The man has taste.”

“And that’s why he married you.” Marrying Evie was the best thing that ever happened to Aiden,at least that’s what Gray had told Riya. Looking at their lovely house and Evie’s obvious happiness, she confirmed it herself.

Evie moaned as she bit into her brownie. Then she took a deep swig of her milk. She set it down, then put her elbow on the table and stared at Riya. “I’m so impressed you’re a scientist. That is so fucking cool. What made you decide to do that? What kind of science do you study?”

Over Evie’s head, Riya watched as Gray casually opened up the refrigerator and started pulling out cold cuts and salads.

“One of my doctorates is in molecular virology. I want to cure diseases.”

Riya was horrified as Evie’s eyes started to water. She grabbed Riya’s hand. “That is so noble.”

“Wait a minute,” Riya ripped her hand away and held it up. “It’s also because it was the thing I was good at. I’m not noble or special or anything.”

“Sure you are. You’re trying to help people. You’re trying to make the world better. You’re not a taker. You’re not a user. You’re one of the good guys.”

This woman was fierce.

Riya almost jumped out of her skin when she felt Gray’s hand rest on her shoulder. She looked up at him helplessly.

“Evie is one of the good guys, too. She’s a hero.”

Riya watched as the little woman blushed.

Gray set down a plate that held some rolled up turkey slices, cheese squares, coleslaw and a dab of potato salad. It was exactly what she would have chosen. She picked up a cheese square.

“Are you talking about my sister, the heroine?” Riya jumped and dropped the piece of cheese onto her plate at the deep roar that filled the room. She heard a child chortle, which was the only reason she wasn’t looking for a hiding place.

“Hello, Drake,” Gray said to a man who was even bigger than he was. Riya stared at him for a long moment. He looked familiar. Then she realized he had the same genetics as the woman sitting across from her. Oh yeah, he’d said sister. If he hadn’t been carrying a child, he would have truly scared her.

“Give me Andrew.” Evie jumped out of her chair and made a grab for the toddler who was trying to wiggle out of the man’s hold.

“Gray, we’re all waiting to meet Riya,” Drake said.

The big man turned to her and gave her a bright smile. “My name’s Drake Avery. Only believe half of what people tell you about me. Unless it’s my wife. Then you can believe everything. She loves me. She’ll say good things.”

Riya watched as Evie stepped out of the house with the little boy. Drake walked over to the counter and grabbed one of the brownies off the tray. She watched in amazement as he ate it in three big bites. “Heaven,” he sighed.

Gray seemed to know how overwhelming Drake was because he stayed at her side. “Eat,” he whispered. She picked up the piece of cheese and took a tiny bite.

“I hear you took a man out in one fell swoop with your stun-gun. Good going. You could be one of my sisters,” Drake grinned at her. He poured himself a glass of milk. “Gray, you want one?”

“I’m going to grab a beer when dinner’s up.”

Drake came over and sat in the seat Evie had vacated, then he frowned at her plate. “Why do you have a plate of food? Dinner should be up in a half-hour.”

“She didn’t eat breakfast or lunch,” Gray explained.

Drake scowled. “Well, that’s stupid. Aren’t you a doctor? You should know better. Eat.”

Riya’s stomach clenched and she set down the cheese. The man was overwhelming.

“Avery, back off,” Gray commanded. He sounded pissed.

Drake looked over her shoulder at Gray, clearly confused. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Your kind of help, we don’t need.”

“I need to go to the bathroom,” Riya said, pushing away from the table. It was a lie, but she needed to get out of there…now.

“Let me show you where it is,” Drake stood up.

“You’ve done enough. I’ll show her.” Gray touched her elbow and gave her an encouraging smile.

“You can just point, I really don’t need a guide.”

He pointed to a hallway. “First door on the right.”

Riya made a quick escape. She sighed as soon as she made it inside.

Talk about testosterone poisoning. She ran cold water over her wrists, then used the toilet. She took a few more moments to calm herself. When she left the bathroom, it was just Gray waiting at the table. That she could deal with.

He stood up as she got to the table, and pulled out her chair. There were those manners again. He stroked his hand down her back. “I threw Drake out of the house.”

“What?!” He couldn’t be serious.

“I’m kind of teasing, and kind of not. He’s an ox. He means well, but he’s an acquired taste. Let’s get some food in you.”

“I’m really not hungry.”

“Tell you what. Take a bite of everything on your plate, sips of milk in between. I even put the brownie on your plate.”

She felt her lip twitch. Brownie. She really was hungry, who was she kidding? She needed protein. She’d been smelling those damn brownies in her car for over forty-five minutes.

“You’re smiling. The potato salad is killer. Please, for me?”

He stroked the end of her nose. She loved that. It made her heart lurch every time he did it. She grinned and picked up her fork and scooped up some potato salad. “You’re right. This is wonderful.”

She watched as his blue eyes sparkled. “Now the turkey.”

“I heard you the first time, Lieutenant. I’ll eat a little, and then save room for barbeque, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Gray are you hiding Riya?” Miranda called out.

“Stay here and eat. I’m going to keep out the riff-raff.” Gray got up and walked to the screen door to waylay Miranda.

Riya took small bites of her food, secure in the knowledge that she would have privacy.

“She’s as tiny as Evie,” Aiden said as he flipped one of the many steaks on the grill.

Gray looked up and saw Riya joining the ladies where they were seated underneath the umbrellas. Well, they weren’t all ladies, there was also Dalton. He tended to hover around Aurora and their son, James.

“Is she settling in okay, or did my idiot brother-in-law scare the shit out of her?” Aiden turned down the flame on the grill.

“I thought she was going to hide under the kitchen table. But she seems to be settling in with Dalton.”

Riya had taken the empty seat next to Dalton, and she was currently leaning in to listen intently to something he was saying. Aurora, Dalton’s wife, leaned over him to say something to Riya, which had her smiling.

Good. Riya hadn’t met Dalton before, so it was good to see her feeling so relaxed with him.

“Do you have any news on the women?” Aiden asked.

Gray knew immediately who he was talking about. “Chantelle is now home with her sister in Montreal. Chantelle sent a ‘To Whom It May Concern’ letter thanking us for saving her.”

Aiden smiled. “She’s good people.” He flipped four more steaks and put some hamburger patties on the grill.

“Are we going to see the letter?”

“It’s already scanned and in your e-mails. I’m surprised Dex didn’t bring a printed copy to the party.”

Aiden shrugged. “What about Emily, the ambassador’s daughter?”

“No word from any official channels. Wyatt did some digging. She’s refusing therapy, and isn’t talking.”

“That’s not good. Where are they? Did Ambassador Hoag ever come back to the states?”

Gray could hear Aiden’s wheels turning.

“They’re in Temecula. I think we should leave it for a while.”

Aiden didn’t say anything.

“Seriously, we need to take it easy,” Gray counselled. “We don’t own this.”

“Remember what happened with Evie’s sister, Chloe. This isn’t something that you let fester.”

Gray rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll think about it.” He looked over at Riya. Now she was holding Dalton’s son. It did his heart good to see her so comfortable.

“Oh my God, you have it bad,” Aiden gloated.

“Huh?” Gray turned to look at his friend.

Aiden pointed his barbeque tongs at Riya. “You’re looking at her exactly like I looked at Evie.”

“At least I know I’ve got a good thing, and I don’t have my head up my ass.”

Aiden scowled at him. “Jesus, a man makes one mistake, and he never hears the end of it.”

Gray raised an eyebrow, but he was smiling. It had taken a hell of a long time for his friend to actually laugh about this, considering Evie almost lost her life because of that mistake. Aiden saved her, but the cost had been high.

“She’s special,” Gray said.

“Griff filled me in. Asperger’s, right?”

What the fuck?

Gray stiffened, his focus went narrow. “That wasn’t what I meant at all. I meant she means a lot to me. When did Griff say that? Did he say it just to you?”

“Calm down, Gray. He wasn’t being unkind. As a matter of fact, he was highly complimentary about her. He just mentioned that she had Asperger’s as well.”

“What right does Griff have to lay some kind of label on Riya? Who the hell does he think he is? He’s only met her a handful of times.” But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Gray knew the real culprit. It was Miranda, and he was furious. He saw Miranda talking to Piper Avery over near the dessert table.

“Gray, calm down.” Aiden grabbed his arm.

Gray shoved Aiden’s hand off. “Back off.”

“I’m sorry I said anything.” His second-in-command was seriously contrite.

Gray stalked across the yard. “Miranda, I need to talk to you for a minute.”

She and Piper looked up at him in surprise. Then Miranda’s eyes narrowed. “Piper, I’ll be back to help set up the table.”

“Let’s go over to the birdbath behind the scheffleras, shall we?” Gray asked tightly.

“Sure.” Miranda led the way, not saying a word. When she got there she crossed her arms and looked up at Gray expectantly.

“Riya’s supposed to be your friend. I can’t believe you’re talking behind her back.”

“I need a better explanation of what you’re talking about before I can respond.”

It was clear how she could be an effective project manager dealing with high level members of the Pentagon.

“You’re going around telling people Riya has Asperger’s.”

Miranda slowly nodded. “She does. A lot of the scientists I work with score somewhere on the autism spectrum, just like most SEALs score higher on the Extraversion and Conscientiousness scale than most people.”

“I don’t care about the Navy SEAL personality profile, I care about Riya.”

He saw Miranda wave her hand and shake her head. Gray looked over his shoulder. He saw Griff barreling down on them. He nodded for him to join them.

“What’s going on?” Griff demanded.

“You told Aiden that Riya had Asperger’s.”

“Fuck,” Griff grimaced. “I just wanted him to be aware that she needed to be eased into the group. I didn’t want her to be overwhelmed.”

“She doesn’t need some damn label hung around her neck,” Gray bit out.

“Do you have a problem with Riya’s diagnosis?” Miranda asked mildly. Her tone might be soft, but there was no mistaking the steel in her eyes.

“I have a problem with her being harmed by people thinking less of her.”

“And do you?” Miranda’s voice was even softer.

“Fuck no. She’s perfect.”

“Good answer, Big Man.” Miranda’s smile was bright.

“For the record, I don’t require your approval,” Gray said in his officer voice. Griff took a step in front of his wife, and Miranda pushed at her husband.

“Stay out of this Griff, you and your big mouth are in the doghouse. This is between Gray and me.”

“Not likely,” he growled. He turned to Gray. “I’m the one you’re mad at, so talk to me, and quit badgering my wife. Not that she isn’t perfectly capable of cutting off your balls and feeding them to you.”

Even though he was pissed as hell, Gray couldn’t hide a small smile.

“Gray, Riya was the one who told me about her condition,” Miranda said easily. “That was almost two years ago when she first began working with me. She thought I needed to know. When she started to spend time at my house, I told Griffin.” She rolled her eyes at her husband. “Most people on God’s green earth have some kind of personality issue, including high-hand-ism, like you do, or big-mouthed-ism, like my husband. If we want to be frank, I seriously suffer from workaholism, and Griffin and Livvie have saved me from myself.”

“Miranda, that’s all well and good, but we all know that autism is a huge ass label, it’s private.”

“Goddammit, Gray, do you see anybody avoiding Riya?” Griff asked incredulously. “Fuck no. This is us. You need to get a fucking grip.”

“I—”

Griff grabbed his arm and pulled him past the schefflera. “Look. Do you see her?” He pointed to where Riya was now talking to Karen Avery and of all people, Drake Avery. “Does that look like someone who is being shunned? Fuck no.”

Gray did a double take. Was that Drake leaning in with a gentle look on his face, holding his son out to Riya? He’d bet his bottom dollar that Aiden had said something to the man to get him to relax with Riya. It made him feel good to see that warmhearted interaction.

“Where’s the trust, Gray?” Griff looked seriously confused.

Gray sighed. “You’re right.”

“Honey, he’s in love, you need to cut him some slack.”

Gray’s gaze shot over to Miranda and saw her look of smug compassion. She put her hand on his arm. “I love the fact that you’re in her corner, but you need to remember, so are we.”

Gray looked back over at Riya. She and Drake were now laughing. Then a shaft of sunlight hit her, and she actually glowed. He sucked in a deep breath.

Love.

He loved her.

“Are we good?” Miranda asked softly.

“We’re good.”