| |
Rhodi hopped out of his Jeep and strode across the parking lot toward the front door to the new facility that housed the headquarters of D.A.R.K., Cover Inc. Warm Montana sun streamed down on him from the cloudless sky. The two-story building fit their needs perfectly.
Individual offices for him and each of his brothers. All four had joined and created this. Adam, Derek, Kristopher, and himself—Rhodi.
Opening the door, he waved at the woman behind the counter.
“Good morning, Mr. Wilder.”
“Emma Jane,” he said with a smile, nearing the counter. “I look for my father when you call me that.” He leaned over the barrier and kissed her cheek. “Rhodi is fine. Hell, we grew up together.” He winked. “Did a lot of things together.”
She smacked him on the arm. “Stop trying to make me blush. You’re as bad as your brother.”
Had her smooth skin not been so dark, she would have showcasing how much she was blushing.
“Which one?”
“Exactly.”
He laughed and rubbed his hand along her swollen belly. “How are my boys doing?”
“From the way you all carry on, you each claim a set of twins, then there’s my husband, so am I carrying ten?”
He skirted the counter and wrapped his arms around her before kissing her neck. “They are mine. I need you to tell me you are leaving Earle and are ready to be mine.”
She leaned against him and patted his arm. “If only I thought you meant it, Rhodi.”
One of the twins kicked and he grinned. Teasing her was a highlight of his day. If the world had angels, she was one of them. Never a bad word to say about anyone and always willing to help.
“Are you telling us if we are having boys and girls?”
“We don’t know.”
“Earle’s okay with that?” He retreated and fetched her a cup of tea as she waddled to her chair and sat.
She shrugged and rubbed her belly. “For whatever reason we want to be surprised.”
Handing over the herbal drink, he crossed his arms. “As much as I love seeing you, why are you here? And please tell me you didn’t drive yourself.”
She hemmed and hawed for a moment before giving him that same grin that melted his heart when they were growing up. “I have to do the orientation for my replacement. Been doing clean up and prep for me not being here soon all morning and only have one appointment left for the day.”
He watched her unsuccessfully hide a grimace of discomfort. Concern flooded him. She was family, both her and her husband.
“Emma?”
“I’m fine.” She waved him away as she sipped on the tea he’d given her.
Rhodi headed for the stairs when the door behind him opened once more. He skimmed his gaze along the tall, leggy blonde who walked in—a sensible blue pantsuit fitting her rather nicely, he could say.
The multi-shaded hair tumbled from a clip of sorts. As she moved over the tile floor, he admired her sure stride, the natural feminine sway of her hips. He found himself rooted to the spot, not wanting to move. There was something about her, calling to him.
“I’m Emma. I take it you’re Karen Womber?”
“Yes, I am. Thank you so much for meeting with me.”
Her words, low and seductive, poured over and around him. The hairs on his body rose. Electrical pulses pushed through him. Forcing his mind from this woman, he continued up the stairs. He’d just reached his office when Emma’s cry filled the air, filling his blood with ice.
“Rhodi!”
Emma’s pain-laden cry had him pivoting and dashing back down to the first floor. He discovered Emma hunched over, hands gripping the counter. Her dark face unnaturally pale.
“Baby, what?”
The blonde glanced between him and Emma. He didn’t pay her any mind.
“It hurts. Oh God, it hurts.”
He vaulted the counter, not bothering to take the time to go around the front desk. Rhodi settled a hand on the small of her back, eyes darting down when his left foot slid. The thought her water had broken vanished the moment he realized he stared at blood. A growing amount.
Shoving his hand into his pocket, he tossed the blonde the keys while he slipped his left arm around Emma. The second the keys were airborne he scooped Emma off the ground and into his arms.
“Let’s go,” he barked.
Karen paced him to the door and held it open for him. An action she repeated at the Jeep. Emma’s cries ripped through him and he wanted to do whatever necessary to ease her pain. A suit coat was shoved into his face.
“For her head.”
A light, soft vanilla scent filled his nose as he clutched the material and balled it up before gently putting it under Emma’s head.
“Where’s Earle right now? Can we reach him?”
“Yes,” Emma gasped. “He’s on the road. Phone will be with him.”
“Get my phone and call Earle James.” Emma squeezed the color from his hands. Her expression conveyed her fear and fed his. Battle, he could handle. Woman in labor, not so much in his wheelhouse.
A feather light touch against his back as Karen leaned against him and dug his phone free. He finished climbing in the back with Emma.
“Which hospital?” Karen’s husky voice peppered the increasing moans from Emma.
“County.” Emma gasped, tears welling up and spilling over.
He realized, as they moved, Karen was extremely capable of handling his stick. Rhodi glanced at her, seeing as she shifted gears, and in between she scrolled in his phone for who she needed to call.
Her words as she spoke to Earle gave him comfort to pass it along to Emma.
“We reached him, Emma.”
“It hurts, Rhodi.”
“I know, baby. Slow, deep breaths. I need you to relax. We’re almost there.”
“Where’s Earle?”
He met a bright blue gaze in the rear view. She gave a nod.
“He’s on his way. You’ve been in labor all day long, haven’t you, Emma?”
“Most of it,” she admitted, sweat dotting her brow.
“Why would you do that and not say anything?”
“Needed to be here in order to get the new woman settled in, we can’t count on your mom or aunt because they deserve their own lives. And we know, you lot can’t survive without me.”
“Sweetheart, your health is far more important to us.”
“Don’t argue with the pregnant woman, Rhodi.”
The knot in his chest eased at her teasing. Only a bit.
“They’re waiting.” Karen’s announcement as she whipped them into the hospital lot was a welcome one. So was the way she handled his Jeep.
The moment they stopped he was out, lifting Emma to the waiting gurney.
“Move!” he commanded.
He vanished into the hospital, Emma’s hand tight in his.
Hours later, he waited with his family—all except his mother, who was on a much-needed vacation—outside the door leading to surgery. Hoping for any news and that it was good news. His aunt, however, was there, helping out at D.A.R.K. during the time his mother was gone. In a sense, she was as protective, if not more, than their mother.
“I’m going for coffee,” he announced. “Bring some for anyone?”
His three brothers accepted but his aunt declined. He took the elevator down to the cafeteria and fixed up four hot coffees. Riding back up, he frowned when they stopped on the second floor. At least until the door opened.
The blonde who stepped in reminded him of a few things. One, she still took his breath away. Two, her sleeveless shirt had red stains on the white silk. Three, he’d forgotten how her eyes were fucking stunning.
“Karen, right?”
“That’s me. How is she?”
“Still in surgery.” The door slid shut and they moved once more. The silence held hints of something else in it. He remained locked on her and she stared right back. Both of them challenging the other to make the first move. For what, he wasn’t sure, but he wanted to test it out.
Once more the doors opened, allowing him to see the waiting room and his family waiting. Together they headed to the hovering group. He handed out the coffee and took a long drag of his before Wild jerked his head in the direction of where Karen stood off to the side.
“Who’s that?”
Swallowing the hot drink, he waved her forward even as he removed his jacket and draped it over her slender shoulders. “This is Karen Womber. She was integral in getting Emma here with me today. Thank you for that, by the way.”
Wild stepped forward and offered his hand. “Thank you. I’m Wild.”
Derek and Adam followed suit, as did his aunt. She was gracious and didn’t look at all put out. As conversation around them resumed, he focused back on her.
“Why are you still here?”
“I drove your Jeep and I’m assuming, if everyone in the family of a family-run business is here, it stands to reason the building will be locked up. I know my purse and car keys are still there.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Mind your tongue, Rhodi,” his aunt said from where she sat on a microfiber couch.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Karen handed him back his phone. “Plus, I had that.”
Fingertips grazing along hers as he retrieved his cellular device from her hand, his breath hitched once more. “Thank you.” He’d not even realized it hadn’t been with him. “I can take you back if you’d like.”
“I don’t want to take you from your family. I know this is important to all of you. I’ll be fine waiting over here.” She gave him a small smile and walked to a corner alone and sat on the couch, reaching for a magazine and flipping it open.
Rhodi turned to watch her walk away and found four pairs of eyes on him when he again faced his family. Each one of them a questioning look on their faces.
“What?” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Karen sighed again and flipped through the magazine once more. She’d already read it five times. Nothing new for her to learn, that much was certain. Tension was high amongst the five who sat near the door, each one tensing whenever someone came through the double doors.
She was exhausted. Wanted nothing more than to hit her hotel and crash for a bit, but she would wait. She neared the twenty-four mark of being without sleep.
One of the men looked over at her and got up before moving in her direction. Derek was how he’d introduced himself. She pegged him as one of the troublemakers. Adam was the serious one. Wild, a flirt. It was Rhodi she hadn’t been able to figure out yet. And he was the one who intrigued her the most.
All but Wild had that dark black hair with blue eyes, while he had blondish hair with Mediterranean blue eyes. Didn’t matter, all of them were handsome. She guessed that Wild took after his mother and her assumption was the others took after the non-present father.
Derek swaggered near and plopped himself on the couch beside her.
“Thank you,” he said.
She closed the magazine and put her attention on him. Not exactly a hard feat.
“Anyone would have helped.”
“But not anyone would have hung around for hours after the fact, not running off with the man’s keys and phone.”
“Perhaps I don’t like Apple products and just didn’t want it.”
Derek smiled, making him even sexier. She gulped. His deep laugh skated over her and she found herself smiling in return.
“You and I are going to get along just fine, Karen.”
She continued to smile, not wanting to say anything that wouldn’t come out right. And, given her level of exhaustion, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
“Have you eaten anything?” he asked, holding her gaze.
“Not for a few hours.”
“Come on, I’m going to buy you something to eat. The least we can do is feed you while you wait for us to be able to take you back and get your things. Are you sure we’re not keeping you from anything?”
Only a bed. “Positive. And I don’t need you to feed me.”
“How are you going to eat? You don’t have your purse.”
Her stomach took that moment to embarrass her with a loud growl. Derek smiled. “Come on, can’t argue now.” He pushed seamlessly to his feet and held out a hand. Against her better judgment, she took it and he pulled her up. “I’m taking Karen for some food. We’ll be back.”
She wished she could remove the clip in her hair but that had to wait as well. Rhodi’s gaze snapped to her and she couldn’t make out the emotion in his stare. Derek gestured to the elevator and she was back inside as the doors slid closed behind her.
Ordering a cheeseburger and fries, she fixed it how she liked them and carried the tray to a table that had a clear view of the door. Derek joined her with his own tray of food. He didn’t speak much, just ate.
She was grateful for that and did the same, enjoying her belly being filled. Once they’d each demolished their respective burgers, he tossed her a chocolate pudding and she dug in with relish once more. As she pulled the spoon from her mouth from the last bite, Derek was once again watching her.
“Do I have food on my face?” She kept her tone light.
“Nope. I’m just wondering why my dumbass brother hasn’t shown up yet.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not following.” She tried to scrape out any little bit more from the cup to no avail.
“Rhodi, he couldn’t keep his eyes off you. He was blowing steam when we came down. I figured he’d be here soon enough. But given our aunt is up there, he’s trying to pretend he’s better behaved than he truly is.”
“I don’t think I’m his type.” She cleared her throat. “Not that I’m looking.”
“You’re his type all right. Beautiful. Can drive a stick. Loyal.”
“How do you know I’m loyal?”
“You’re still here.”
“So, you keep telling me.”
His lips twitched. “A bit later than expected but here nonetheless.”
She didn’t have to turn around to know who was behind her. He was a man she could feel, all without being touched by him. Wish I could touch him once more. The thrill that had skipped through her when she had shoved her hand into his pocket to grab his phone hadn’t left her all day.
“Derek.”
Rhodi’s voice did something to her. She didn’t have a way of explaining it yet, but damn if it didn’t make her woman parts stand up for attention. With more calm than she felt, she placed her spoon and cup back on the tray.
Derek’s lips twitched as if he picked up on that and knew the true reason she did. Because her hands were shaking, and she didn’t want Rhodi to think she was an idiot.
“Brother,” Derek responded. “Change your mind about some food?”
“Something like that.”
Derek stood and picked up both of their trays. “That’s my cue to leave. Thanks for sharing a meal with me, Karen, we’ll have to do it again, real soon.”
She swore a low growl emerged from Rhodi’s throat as he took his brother’s place at the table across from her. His long, strong fingers curved around a coffee cup he’d been holding since she ran into him in the elevator.
“I can take a taxi and wait there if you feel that’s better?”
“No. I’ll take you back. I gave you my word and I will.”
“I don’t want to make you miss anything with your, with Ms. Emma.”
He arched a dark eyebrow. “My what?”
She hated the heat that rushed her cheeks. “I don’t know if she’s your wife or not.”
“Emma isn’t my wife. I’m single.” A definite perusal of her upper body. “For now.”
“Okay.”
“Would it bother you if she was?”
“Only because you should have been allowed more information than what’s been given.”
“Have a lot of experience with that, do you?”
“Not childbirth, but hospitals? Yes.” Painful memories dug into her heart, but she held them at bay. What she didn’t need to do was recall how it was walking in there and learning not one but both her parents had died in that collision from when the truck jumped the barrier.
“Interesting.”
She didn’t think so. Not at all.
“What did you and my brother discuss over your meal?”
“Nothing. We ate.”
“He didn’t say anything?”
“Not much. We both ate.”
His phone buzzed and he pulled it out, gazing at the screen. The way his mouth segued into a grin hurt her heart. The love there was amazing and blatant.
“She’s fine and they have twin girls.” He jumped up. “Come on.”
Caught up in his exuberance, she placed her hand in his and together they dashed for the elevator. It didn’t dawn on her until they were meeting the rest of the family that he still held onto her hand. Right was how it was to have their palms together. That was only one word she had for it.
Only when the aunt looked at her did she find a way to get him to release her. Again, she moved to the back, allowing the family to have their celebration. But no matter how she tried to blend into the background, Rhodi continued to bring her back in the fold. Holding her hand, putting his hand on the small of her back, all the kinds of things couples did.
Rhodi got to go back and see Emma when the husband, Earle, came out with the twins. There was much gushing and she couldn’t disagree, they were adorable.
“Congratulations,” she said to Earle as he hugged her.
“Thank you for helping get my girls here safely. She told me what you did. We named one of the girls after you.” He kissed her cheek. “Karen Mae and Karlie Rhoda.”
Tears burned her eyes and she wished she could blame it on her exhaustion. That would have been a lie. The gesture touched her.
“Thank you, that’s such an honor.”
He gave her another hug then vanished back with his newborns. Rhodi slipped his arm around her waist. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She struggled against the desire to rest her head against his shoulder.
“I’m taking her back to get her things. Then I’ll come back.”
More hugs and she was back in his Jeep.
“You cleaned it up.” He held the door for her.
“I had some time on my hands.”
He closed the door and went to the driver’s side. “Thank you. I just have to stop one other place on my way back to D.A.R.K. to pick something up so I don’t have to backtrack to return here.”
“Fine.”
In the back of her mind, she figured she may be wise to have some suspicion about traveling with him, but if this man was going to be her employer, she needed to trust him not to hurt her. If only there was a right time to ask about the job.
His music was low as he drove, and she fought to stay awake. She woke fully when he pulled up to a large house.
“I’m just going to be a minute but feel free to come in.”
She hopped out and followed into his home. The inside was open and took her breath away.
“Be right back,” he said, jogging off.
She took in the Air Force images along one wall as she made her way to the couch and sat. That’s all she remembered.
