I was hard just thinking about Calissa back-talking me the last time I’d seen her. It had been several days since I had been at the bar, putting my mark on her even if she didn’t know it yet.

Her sass was the fire I needed, but for a man who knew what he wanted in life and how to go about getting it, I felt so fucking lost in this moment. I had no clue how to go about telling Calissa she was mine without sounding like some alpha asshole.

I sat behind my desk, staring at the computer screen that showed me work that needed my attention, but my mind was elsewhere. I leaned back in the chair, the leather creaking from my weight. My security business was my top priority, or it should have been. It’s what I’d worked for my entire life. But ever sense I realized I wanted Calissa as mine, it seemed like nothing else mattered.

I couldn’t even focus, and as much as that should probably piss me off, I knew that making sure she was irrevocably mine was exactly what I was supposed to do. That was what I should have done when I first realized what I wanted, how I felt for her.

She was supposed to be my wife, the mother of my children. The very thought of her carrying my baby had every possessive and protective instinct in me rising up.

I pushed the thought of her out of my head, at least for the time being, and pulled up the new customer report. I had to install a security system on a property later today, and if I didn’t get my shit in order, I’d lose my mind. But with each passing day I couldn’t help but want Calissa even more. She consumed my thoughts. I thought about her as soon as I woke up, and she was the last thing on my mind before I went to bed. I wanted her by my side, wanted to know that she was safe. Maybe it was my line of work that made me feel so possessive and territorial of her, but the caveman instinct in me just wanted to demand that she was mine.

I wanted to pull her in close and make sure no one touched her, that no one ever had her but me.

Cursing inwardly, I printed out the new order report, and left my office. I had shit to do, work to take care of. I was done waiting, done with the internal battle I was waging with myself. Time was wasting, and I wasn’t getting any younger. I was going to finally make it known to her—to everyone—that I felt something more than a passing desire. She’d be my wife. She’d be the mother of my children. Calissa would be my everything.

Hell, she already was.

* * *

I held onto the bottle of wine tightly as I made my way up the steps toward Megs’ house. Although the barbecue was low-key, I didn’t know exactly who was all showing up. I knew whom I wanted to show up, though.

Tex … with his burly attitude and sexy-as-sin ways.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him and that night at the bar. It had only been a few days ago, but it was still so fresh in my mind. Whenever I thought about him, it wasn’t just what his hands would feel like on me, or what his big body over mine would be like. It was so much more than that.

I adjusted the wine bottle under my arm and fixed the strap of the insulated bag I held over my shoulder. The side dish I’d brought was something store-bought, probably didn’t taste very good, but I doubted anyone who would be drinking would care either way.

I didn’t bother knocking, not when I was close enough to Megs that I could just open her front door. As soon as I was inside I heard people talking at the back of the house. I made my way toward the sound, glancing in the kitchen on my way out back and seeing the spread of food on the breakfast bar.

Through the sliding glass doors I saw a handful of people all sitting around the fire pit. Although it wasn’t really cold enough for a fire, it created a nice ambience. I walked into the kitchen and set my dish and wine bottle down. I made my way over toward the cabinet and grabbed a glass. Once I had my glass filled, I headed with it outside. Megs grinned when she saw me and pulled me in for a hug.

“I’m so glad you were able to come,” she said, then smiled. “I don’t know if you’ve met some of the people I work with.” She started naming off everyone. “That’s Jordan, Alexis, Brody, Trevor, and over there is Tonya.” Everyone she named off lifted their hand to greet me. One guy, in particular, Brody, grinned especially wide and gave me a wink.

I didn’t bother hiding my distaste.

I took an empty seat in front of the fire, staring at the flames. I listened to everybody talking about random things. Megs started talking to me about something, but my mind was focused on Tex. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but I was afraid. As I looked at Megs, I wondered how bad it would be if I just admitted that I wanted her brother.

Would she think I crossed invisible lines because I was in love with him, because I wanted him in all the ways that counted? Rejection and her disappointment in the whole matter was what had held me back for so long. But I was getting to a point in my life where I just didn’t care about what others thought.

Yes, she was my best friend, well, even more like a sister to me. But should I sacrifice my happiness, or my potential happiness, because she wouldn’t agree with me being with her big brother? Sure, he was older, but we were both consenting adults.

“Hey, are you listening to me?” Megs asked.

I cleared my throat and blinked a few times as I stared at her. “Yeah,” I said, but the look she gave me told me she knew I wasn’t being truthful. I cleared my throat and shifted on the chair. She lifted a brow and I smiled, trying to appear like I hadn’t just been thinking about being in love with her brother.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” I said and shook my head as I looked back at the fire. But Megs knew me well enough to know that I was lying.

“Calissa, what’s going on?” I looked at her once more, the words on the tip of my tongue. Maybe she’d be supportive of it? Maybe she’d want me to be happy, as well as Tex? Maybe I was just worrying over nothing. I didn’t even know if Tex wanted me. It’s not like he ever gave me any kind of indication.

As I opened my mouth, maybe to tell her how I felt, finally confide in her, the sound of the sliding back door opening had me turning and looking in that direction. There stood Tex, a case of beer in his hand, his big body taking up the entire space. His focus was trained right on me, his look intense.

“I’ll be right back,” Megs said and stood, walking toward her brother. She started saying something to him, but he still kept his gaze locked right on mine.

“Hey there.” The male voice came from beside me.

I turned and saw the guy named Brody sitting beside me. His grin was wide, the smile looking fake and forced. “Hey,” I said, making it clear by the tone of my voice that I wasn’t really into whatever he was about to get into. Although this guy might be trying to be nice, I was getting a weird vibe from him, one that told me this was a pick-up attempt for sure.

“How long have you known Megs?” he asked, that grin still in place.

“Years,” I responded and glanced back over to where Megs and Tex stood.

Tex was still looking at me, his brows lowered over his eyes, his expression one that appeared almost angry.

“Yeah? I just met her this year, and started working with her. We kind of hit it off.”

I looked back at Brody. “Hit it off?”

“Not like that,” he said and chuckled. “Although, who knows. I’m open to whatever.” He gave me a wink and I pursed my lips.

It was clear what type of guy he was, and if he wasn’t realizing right now, he soon would be, that I wasn’t that type of girl.

“What about you, though?” He pushed his chair a little bit closer to me and I lifted an eyebrow. That only made him grin wider.

“What about me?” I brought my wineglass to my mouth and took a long, hearty drink. I figured I’d need it tonight, at least to get through this conversation with Brody.

“You seeing anyone?”

I didn’t respond right away.

“Do you want to see anyone?”

Oh. Lord.

He leaned in a little closer. This guy really didn’t know about personal space.

“Um.”

“I mean, I’m not seeing anybody, but I’m always looking for a good time.”

God. He went there.

His breath wafted across my face, thick from the alcohol he was drinking. I could have probably gotten drunk from the fumes alone. He leaned in another inch, his eyes bloodshot, glossy. He was drunk, that was clear. Or maybe he was always a pushy asshole.

Before I could answer, could tell him off, in fact, I watched Brody straighten. He looked at something over my shoulder, and then cleared his throat, glancing away as if he were intimidated, or maybe afraid.

I shifted in my chair so I could see what he was looking at. A big, hard male body stood right behind me. I craned my neck back to look into Tex’s face. He had his focus on Brody, his eyes narrowed, his rage clear in the way he held himself. I could see a muscle working under his cheek, ticking as if he were trying to rein himself in, control himself.

I didn’t know what was going on with Tex, but I knew what I wanted to happen, knew how I wanted his actions to be perceived … that he wanted me as his.