Damn, it was good to see them, he thought, even though their timing sucked.
“We’re not here to look at horses—we’re here to fish and drink beer,” Jesse told them both, tossing a tackle box into the back of Jericho’s truck. “Bella and Maggie are having a girls' night in at the ranch—said they’re planning a big family get-together, all of the cousins, God help us—for Christmas and Justice’s housekeeper, Mrs. Carey, is in hog heaven with both of the kids to look after. Justice and I barely escaped with our lives.”
Jericho just shook his head at his youngest brother. A former professional surfer, Jesse now owned and operated King Beach, a sportswear and sports equipment company. He was also crazy in love with his wife and Joshua, their son. “Sounds dangerous.”
“That’s no joke,” Justice said. “Yeah, Jesse’s a little dramatic as always, but I can tell you, Maggie and Bella together…” He shuddered. “No man can stand against ’em. By the time we got out of there, the two of them were buried in discussions over menus and decorations and there was talk of having us stick around so we could help ’em decide things like…redecorating.” He shook his head again at their narrow escape. “For some damn reason, Maggie figures we need to repaint the whole inside of the ranch for this shindig they’re planning and Bella’s right there with her.”
“Too true,” Jesse said. “She was showing me paint samples on the ride to the ranch and couldn’t understand why I didn’t give a damn about pomegranate or hydrangea for the breakfast room.”
“It’s white now. What’s wrong with white, I ask you?” Justice demanded of no one. “Those women are on a roll and nothing’s going to stop ’em. We’re just lucky that Maura and Jefferson are safely in Ireland.”
“Can’t believe my brothers are such wimps. Letting their wives run the show.”
“So says the single man,” Jesse pointed out and reached down for the cooler. “Wait until it’s your turn and then we’ll talk.”
“It’s never going to be my turn, Jesse,” Jericho told him firmly. “Not a chance in hell I’ll tangle myself up in marriage with anyone. Saw too much misery in the Corps. Even good marriages can end in pain, and I’m not interested in that, thanks.”
“Just what I said,” Jesse told him. “That changed when I met Bella.”
“It was Maggie for me,” Justice said, then added, “Your time will come, Jericho.”
“Don’t count on it,” he answered. “I like my life just the way it is. I’m not looking for anything permanent and I’m not husband and father material.”
“Didn’t think I was either,” Jesse said. “But now I’m married, with a son who makes me happy and Bella’s pregnant again.”
“And you’re just now telling us?” Justice accused. “Congratulations, man. That’s great news.”
“Yeah.” Jesse shook his head and gave them a bemused smile. “Who would have guessed a few years ago that I’d be so damn happy changing diapers?”
Even Jericho had to admit silently that he never would have pegged his surfing brother as the family type. But clearly, he was.
“Know just what you mean,” Justice said with a grin. “Now that Maggie’s pregnant again, looks like the Kings are having another population explosion.”
“All right!” Jesse slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Now all we need is for Maura and Jefferson to make another one and for Jericho to get with the program.”
Jericho shook his head. “For me, not a chance. For Jefferson and Maura, you might want to cut them some slack. Hell, Jensen’s not even a year old, is he?”
“Neither’s Joshua,” Jesse pointed out. Then he asked, “So, how about it, Jericho? You really want to be the only King not working on the next dynasty?”
“One of us has got to stay sane, don’t you think?”
“You always were a tough son of a bitch,” Jesse said with a wide grin. “Not to mention too stubborn to know what’s good for you.” He hefted the cooler. “Damn, this thing weighs a ton. What’s in it?”
“The bare essentials,” Daisy announced from the back door. “There’s beer, beer and, oh, just in case you get thirsty, some beer.”
“My kind of picnic,” Jesse said on a laugh.
She grinned back at him and for a second, Jericho felt like an outsider. He envied his brothers’ easy way with Daisy. There were no undercurrents between them.
No lingering sexual tension that ratcheted up every conversation they had. His guts were twisting and his mouth was dry just watching her.
She wore a dark green sweater with the collar of a white shirt poking out at the neck. Her jeans were worn, but clung to her legs like a lover’s hands and she was wearing those boots she’d tried to wear on their survival trip. She looked damn good and had Jericho’s heartbeat pounding so loud it was a wonder no one else could hear it.
He wondered, too, if she’d been there in time to hear him say he’d never marry anyone. Had she listened in to his brothers’ talk about family and babies, and had she heard Jericho’s refusal to be drawn into it all? He hadn’t heard her open the door, so it was possible.
And though a part of him hoped she’d missed it, another part acknowledged that it might be easier all the way around, for both of them if she knew exactly where he stood on this.
“The other cooler has sandwiches.” Daisy was talking to all of them, but her gaze remained on Jericho as she added, “Along with potato salad, macaroni salad, fried chicken and chocolate-chip cookies.”
“Ma’am,” Justice said and swept his Stetson off as he bowed, “you are a gift from above and we thank you.”
“No pasties?” Jericho asked, voice soft enough he half didn’t expect her to hear him.
He should have known better. Her whiskey-colored gaze landed on him, but her smile was less than brilliant. Had she heard him talking to his brothers? Or was this simply a sign that she was going to miss him while he was gone?
“Pasties, too,” she said, “since I know how much you like them.”
There was one long, simmering second that flashed between them and it was as if his brothers weren’t there. As if he and Daisy were alone on the mountain. And the depth of emotion rocking through him almost choked him. He hadn’t counted on this, Jericho realized grimly. Hadn’t counted on caring for her. The need for her had been so overpowering, he hadn’t noticed when it became leavened with affection. With… Deliberately, he shut down that train of thought before it could leave the station.
He couldn’t acknowledge, even to himself, that what he was feeling for her was anything more than a softening of a heart he hadn’t realized was still there. What they shared wouldn’t last. Couldn’t.
Not only because, as he’d told his brothers, he wasn’t looking for forever. But because there was still something she didn’t know. He hadn’t told her about Brant’s last mission. Not yet. But, he told himself, that was exactly what he was going to have to do. As soon as he got back from this trip with his brothers, he’d be up-front with her. Tell her everything. Then she’d leave and things would get back to normal around here.
If he missed her the rest of his life, that was just something he’d have to deal with.
She laughed