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The Aussie contingent had received two million each, but Dillon got the house, which was worth at least ten million, plus five more in cash. As far as Seth knew, none of them had ever questioned Aurora’s decision.
Adam’s expression lost a hint of hardness. “When I met Aurora, I had two changes of clothes, a torn copy of my birth certificate, and a knife to my name. By the time she passed, she’d given me a family. Everything else after that was a bonus.”
Family. Something priceless.
Trust Adam to give everyone a clear perspective.
And talking about what really mattered, Seth needed to check on Harper. He glanced over his shoulder, but she hadn’t emerged back into the kitchen. Probably sitting in the living area, wondering what the hell she’d stumbled into. After the last twenty-four hours with Seth, his coffee girl likely thought her family dynamic was now ideal.
“I’m glad we’ve cleared the air.” He and his brothers had a way to go, but in ten minutes, they’d talked more about their true feelings than in over the last seven years. For a bunch of men, that was probably enough to last another seven.
Seth stood. “Before Adam demands we all hug and sing “Kumbayah” with joined hands, I’m grabbing my girl and taking her home.”
He had no warning before Adam grabbed him in a headlock. “I should slit your throat for suggesting I’d insist on a display of such emotion and sensitivity.” Adam made a mockery of his words by releasing Seth only to crush him in a quick bear hug. “Now get lost,” he added as he pushed Seth away.
Zach grinned and gave Seth a one-armed man hug. “The hug I’ll allow. The singing is a step too far. Since we probably scared the crap out of Harper earlier, I’ll hang back and give you privacy before I check on Milly.”
Heath and Dillon both slapped Seth on the back. Heath waited until the others had stepped back, before speaking. “About Lincoln, Seth.”
“Don’t,” Seth interjected, his body tensing. “We’re cool, Heath. Don’t fuck that up.”
“Shut up and listen for a second.” Heath proved he was as stubborn as he was smart and ignored Seth’s warning. “Zach was right. I want the chance you’ve got for another conversation, another hour with someone you thought lost to you. But in fairness, you need to know Lincoln isn’t the one behind our problems. If and when he’s beyond suspicion think hard before denying yourself the possibility of getting to know him better.”
That’s why he wanted time, not just to ensure Lincoln’s name was cleared, but to make certain both he and his brother had clear expectations of what they wanted from each other. He’d already lost Lincoln once. The pain was raw enough he didn’t need to repeat the experience.
“I hear you. Now you have to let me decide.” Seth ignored the way Heath’s face tightened and walked back into the house. He grabbed Harper’s now empty basket from the kitchen counter and headed into the living room to find her sitting on the chunky brown leather sofa with Milly’s head on her lap, his niece stretched out and fast asleep. “Hey, gorgeous.”
Harper’s smile didn’t hide the concern shown in the small lines between her brows. “Everything okay?” she asked in whisper.
Seth gently lifted Milly’s head so Harper could slide out and placed a thin cushion in Harper’s place. After checking that Milly didn’t stir, he led Harper into the foyer. “Scarily enough, yeah. We all shared a moment and then retreated back behind our manly exteriors.” She stared back at his attempt at levity. He sighed. “We’re guys Harper. There’s only so much talking allowed before our balls start to shrivel, and we revert to using fists as a primitive form of self-protection.”
“Considering I don’t see any bruising or bleeding, I’m guessing you scraped through okay.” Harper glanced down at the basket. “We’re leaving? Should I go say goodbye?”
“They know I’m stealing you away, babe. Zach was worried they’d scared you off.”
She looked back at the sofa. “Hang on a sec.” Harper walked toward the kitchen. Seth followed. She grabbed a piece of blank paper, picked up one of Milly’s crayons, and wrote a note, complete with a smiley face. “I don’t want her to think I just walked out.” With a wave to his brothers, she headed back to the sofa and dropped the note next to Milly. She dropped a soft kiss on the child’s head, and she and Seth headed outside.
“By the way, you can tell your brothers I don’t scare that easily.” She bumped his arm with her shoulder and grinned when he threw his arm around her and pulled her close.
He opened the front passenger car door, and when she moved into the space, he circled her with his arms, boxing her in. She looked up, her mouth slightly open. He made the most of the opportunity, pressing his lips to hers and sliding his tongue inside, tasting her. She moaned, a soft, feminine sound that heated his blood and his arms tightened around her. She pressed her hands against his chest, curling her fingers in his shirt. He wanted to feel them elsewhere; on his back, nails digging into his flesh, dragging over his skin. Leaving marks.
The piercing sound of a blaring car radio jerked him from his carnal haze. Two teenage boys gave him the thumbs up as they drove past. Little smart arses. But he’d been the one acting like a teenager. He risked a glance down at Harper.
Well, damn. Her eyes twinkled as her face lit up with her grin. How could he not smile in return?
“That’s twice in the same day we’ve been caught kissing outside Heath’s,” Seth shared.
“We’re going to get a reputation.” Harper’s smile deepened. He wanted to kiss her again, but didn’t trust himself to stop there. She gently pushed against his chest, and with great reluctance, he released her. “Doing it in front of a cop’s house gives us extra street cred.”
Seth burst out laughing. He couldn’t help it. The curvy minx was so bloody cute—a mixture of tease and sweetness that had him bewitched. The most alluring aspect? He was positive she wasn’t aware of her power; at least not to such a degree that she would use it to intentionally manipulate a man to get what she wanted.
Which only deepened his attraction to Harper more.
Thank God she’d admitted earlier she no longer needed space, because he was all done with waiting. Seth was moving in to stake a claim in a way Harper was left in no doubt. He wanted to know her secrets, her fears, the things she hadn’t shared yet.
How would Harper handle his brand of up close and personal?
Hmm, maybe he could have some fun with that?
