Reagan

I gripped my seat belt and stared up at the beautiful home. My body jolted when Carter was suddenly at my side and opening my door.

When had he got out of the car or even turned it off?

“Come on.” He smiled warmly at me.

“I think I’m good here.”

“Reagan,” he scolded. “This is my family. They’re like me, and I like you the way you are, so I know they will as well.”

He liked me the way I was.

That was nice.

If I wasn’t on the verge of freaking out, I would have pondered on those words for a bit longer. Carter reached around me and unclipped my seat belt. I still clung to it like it was my lifeline. He tried to pull it from me, but I didn’t let go.

He snorted. “Reagan, let go.”

“No. I can’t do this to you.”

“Reagan,” he said with a sigh.

I shook my head.

“Right. You leave me no choice. Just remember that.”

“What— Carter no!” I yelled when the belt was yanked from my hand and in the next second, I was out of the car and up and over his shoulder. He slammed my door closed and started for the front of the house. I slapped his back, wiggled around and pushed up to see if he’d let me down. No luck. “Let me down, please. I promise I won’t run. I promise I’ll be good, just let me down.”

“No.”

“Carter, I’m not having your mom meet my butt first.”

He laughed. “Why not, it’s a fine one.”

My struggles stopped.

“What did you say?”

“Oh, look there are Dad and my brothers in the front window.” One hand dropped from my thigh. He must have waved.

“Carter, I swear to God, if you don’t put me down—” He placed me on my feet on the front steps just as the front door started to open. Before it came all the way open, I smacked my palm into his rock-hard stomach hard. He grunted.

“Patty,” I cried. “It’s good to see you again.”

His lips twitched. “You too, Reagan. It seemed you were having trouble walking up here.”

“Oh no.” I laughed humorlessly while hitting Carter in the gut again. “My feet were just sore from being on them all day… ah, teaching at the study group I run and… um… running, and Carter was concerned. I told him not to worry, but your son doesn’t listen.” I laughed again and went to hit Carter once more, but he took my hand in his and led me into the house once Patty stepped aside.

“Hey, Reagan,” Casper greeted.

“How are you, Reagan?” Calvin grinned, and it was just like Casper’s.

“Hi, guys. I’m fine. Great.” I nodded and glanced around the foyer. Already it felt homey. There were stairs just inside the door that led to the second story. To the left was a living room, where Carter’s brothers were standing. To the right was a study, where there was a desk up against the front window with papers and such scattered over it.

I didn’t get to see much more because Carter, still with his hand in mine, dragged me into the living room. When I noticed his brothers looking down at our hands, I tried to pull mine free. Carter refused to let go. He even shot me a glare.

I harrumphed and scowled right back. I thought I heard some chuckles, but when I glanced at the other three men, they had straight faces. Well, except for the twitching lips.

“Where’s Mom and Court?”

“In the kitchen with the monsters,” Patty said. I must have reacted to it because Patty added, “Court has two kids. Crispin’s six and Caitlyn’s four.”

“They sound cute.” They all gave me a look.

Carter snorted. “You’ll see.”

“Is Courtney the eldest?”

“Nope, Carter is, then Calvin, then Court and finally me, I’m the sweetest baby brother there is,” Casper explained.

“Is that my boy?” was called from down a hall.

“Unka Cart is here. Unka Cart,” was screamed just before the one who must have been Caitlyn came running down the hall. Carter dropped my hand, braced, and as Caitlyn jumped, Carter swung her up into his arms.

“How’s my favorite niece?”

“She’s your only one, Uncle Carter,” a boy I assumed was Crispin said as he entered the living room. He was so adorable. Both of them were, with freckles on their noses and cheeks. Both had dark brown hair, only Caitlyn’s was curly and long, and she had big caramel-colored eyes.

“And she’ll always be my favorite,” Carter cooed at Caitlyn, and my heart melted.

Crispin rolled his eyes, and then he noticed me. “You Uncle Carter’s girlfriend?”

I waited.

And waited for Carter to deny it.

When he didn’t, I shook my head and said, “No, we’re just friends.”

It was at the same time as Casper muttered, “He wishes.” But I brushed it aside, sure I heard him wrong.

“Cool. Wanna be my girlfriend?” Crispin grinned.

“Crispin,” Patty warned.

“No way, kid,” Carter said with a bite to his tone.

Calvin started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” a woman asked as she entered. It was Carter’s mom. They had the same eyes. Her graying brown-blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun. She was shorter, like me, and also fuller in her figure.

“Crisp’s trying to get Reagan to agree to be his girlfriend,” Casper explained.

Her eyes came to me. “Reagan, so good to meet you. I’m Beth.” She came forward, and I held my hand out. She looked at it and grinned. Taking hold of it, she used my hand to tug me forward into a hug.

Heck, why not? Dad did hug Carter.

I placed my arms around her and patted her back. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Anthony.”

She pulled back. “Bah, I’m just Beth here.”

“And I’m just Reagan,” I said lamely. Everyone chuckled. I shot dagger eyes to Carter. As if to say, “See, I’m already messing up.” I quickly added, “Or my family calls me Ree.”

“Ree, I like it. Carter tells me you both used to go to the same high school.”

“Yes. But we didn’t know each other back then.”

“Mom,” Crispin yelled, causing me to jump.

“I’m coming,” was screamed back. I heard footsteps pounding down the hall, and then Beth’s lookalike entered the living room. “What’s happening?”

Crispin moved over to my side, even pushed at his grandma so she didn’t stand in front of me. “This is Reagan, my girlfriend.”

“Jesus, control your boy, Court,” Carter complained.

“Isn’t he too young to be looking for a girlfriend?” Calvin commented.

A grinning Courtney shrugged. “When he knows, he knows. Besides, he’s his father’s son.” She stepped over and held out her hand. I shook it. “Hey, I’m those three losers’ sister, Courtney.”

“Reagan or Ree. I’ll answer to anything really.” I smiled.

“Nice to meet you.” I watched her glance to Carter and wink for some reason.

Maybe his family was as different as mine. That thought eased some tension in my shoulders.

“Anyway,” Carter called, “I have some news.”

I blanched. He wouldn’t just share he lived with me like that, would he?

“I’m no longer living in a hotel.”

The bastard would.

“Oh, where are you living?” Beth asked.

“You have a beautiful home,” I yelled, blushing.

Beth glanced at me and smiled. “Thank you.” She turned back to Carter. “So where?”

“With Ree.”

“It’s my parents’ fault,” I blurted. Three manly chuckles were heard around me, and one sweet one. Courtney.

Beth’s look of shock snapped to me.

“Really, it is. My dad has a man crush on him, and when we went to dinner at their place—”

“You met them before coming to dinner here?” Beth accused Carter.

Oh no.

“Shit,” he bit out.

“Shit,” Caitlyn copied.

“Caitlyn sweetheart, you shouldn’t copy your uncle with that word,” I said, and then glared at Carter. “And really you shouldn’t swear in front of her.” I threw my hands up in the air, and added, “I mean really, next she’ll be saying the C word or the F word, and it’ll all be your fault. Then how would you feel?”

“You’re living with Reagan?” Beth said.

“Hold up, let’s get back to Carter and his swearing,” I suggested. Anything to divert the attention from Carter living with me.

“Later, honey,” Beth replied gently.

“Besides, wait until you meet the grandkids father. Carter behaves like an angel compared to him,” Patty mentioned.

“Really?” I asked. “Who’s their father?” And he swore in front of them?

“When did you move in? Why didn’t you ask for help?” Beth questioned Carter. The woman didn’t waver. Damn it.

“Just yesterday, and we had a lot of help.”

Beth cocked her hip to the side, her hand landed on it. “Who?”

“Ah… maybe we should get back to it being all my parents’ fault?” At least they could take any blame since they weren’t there. “They put him on the spot and offered Carter to live with them, and I couldn’t do it to him. Friends help each other out, so I had to suggest Carter was already moving into my place to get him out of it, else if he did move in with them, he could wake up to Dad in bed with him, just staring.” I shuddered. “That wouldn’t be fun. So I did my friendly duty and saved him. I’m sorry if Carter moving in with me, and not in here, in this wonderful home— Did I mention it’s wonderful?” There were more chuckles. I moved on. “—is upsetting in some way. I promise I’m not a stalker and I won’t go cooking his bunny on him—”

“Darlin’,” Patty called. I snapped my mouth closed and turned to him. “Beth’s not upset with Carter living with you. She’s annoyed at him for not telling us about it before it happened.”

“Oh, well, okay.” I faced Beth. “Continue being upset with him.”

She giggled. “Thank you.”

“Yo, what’s goin’ on in here?” was boomed from the front door.

“Daddy!” Caitlyn cried. She was out of Carter’s arms and running for the man who stepped around the corner.

“Hey, pumpkin.” He grinned, swinging her up in his arms and planting a kiss on her cheek. “Boy,” he called. Crispin, who had still been standing at my side, sighed and then walked to his father to give him a side hug.

“Hey, Dad.”

All others greeted him, but I was still looking at his attire to really listen. He wore black jeans, black boots, a tight white tee, but over the top of it was a leather vest. The patch I could read on his upper chest said Vice President. I ran my gaze up to find a full beard trimmed nicely around plump lips that were smiling, then up again to a straight nose and then eyes crinkled at the corners, lit with humor.

“Hey, babe.” He nodded.

“Hey,” I breathed, and then blushed for having an instant attraction to Courtney’s husband.

“Fucking hell,” I heard Carter mutter. Next, he was standing in front of me. “Hey, remember me?”

My head tilted in confusion. Why would he have asked if I remembered him? Of course I remembered him and his handsome face, his glorious hair, his wide shoulders, his built body—

“I’m guessing she does now,” Casper said from somewhere, laughing along with others.

But I was still staring at Carter, who was now grinning down at me. He moved aside. “Right, we’re good to go now,” he said, and it seemed like he was saying a lot of things that confused me. “Reagan, this is Dominic, Courtney’s husband, but everyone calls him State. State, this is Reagan.”

“My girlfriend,” Crispin announced.

I bit my bottom lip to keep from giggling.

“Good choice, boy,” State said down at his son, and then he looked back up at me. “Nice’ta meet’ya, Reagan.”

“Yes, um, you too.” I nodded.

Courtney stepped up to my side and placed her hand on my arm. “Don’t worry, Ree, my man has that effect on a lot of people. It’s a burden I must carry, but at least I do it knowing I have his ring on my finger.”

I nodded and kept doing it like I understood how lucky she was.

“Woman, I’m here, and where are you?” State boomed.

Courtney sighed. “The downside of having a biker husband. He’s bossy as hell.”

“Woman,” State growled low, and I kind of swooned over it.

Courtney rolled her eyes, but did it smiling, and then she made her way over to State, got to her tiptoes and kissed him.

Whoa. It wasn’t just a touch of lips. It was a full-blown kiss.

“Gross,” Crispin cried.

“Jesus,” Patty mumbled. “That’s my cue to get drinks. Ree, what would you like?”

Shaking out of my daze, I replied, “Anything, thank you.”

“You driving?”

“No,” I answered.

“Wine it is then.”

“Thanks.” I smiled.

I happened to glance back at State to see Crispin had moved away and was talking with Calvin, so State had his wife curled under his free arm. “So, you Carter’s woman?”

“No,” I replied with a smile. Though I wouldn’t mind being, I couldn’t afford to let my heart and brain take me there. State’s eyes shifted behind me. His lips twitched, so I glanced over my shoulder to see Casper lowering his hands.

I narrowed my eyes. “What were you doing?”

“Nothing.” He grinned sheepishly at me.

“Ree, how about you come into the kitchen with me while I check dinner,” Beth suggested, as she reached out and hit Casper around the back of his head.

“Sure, I’d love to.” Even though I really, really didn’t. I never knew what I was going to say, and it scared me to be alone around Beth. Still, if Carter could take a call from my dad and have them in his life, I could try and do the same without worrying about how they would take me.

“Caitlyn, Crispin, come help Grammy.”

The kids followed without question. At least I would have some type of buffer.