Rough Love (Tannen Boys 1)

I fly, freely soaring through space even as he holds me down. The waves shoot through me in a blissful shock of current as I shake and quiver against him.

It’s perfect. It’s everything.

As we float back to Earth, I feel wonderfully fulfilled. Not just physically, but emotionally. He moves us to lie down behind me, the big spoon cradling me as the little spoon, with his arms wrapped around my chest to hold me tight. The cocoon of him makes me feel so safe and secure, not that I need him to protect me, but rather that I can be me and he’ll support that every step of the way, no matter which direction I want to go.

But all I want is him.

“I love you, Bruce,” I say quietly, biting my lip to stop from grinning like a loon even though he can’t see my face from behind. He’d know somehow. I know he would.

“I love you too, Allyson,” he murmurs happily against my neck, sealing the words with a sucking open-mouthed kiss to the delicate skin.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be, in his arms.

Chapter 31

Bruce

“Yeah, it’s fine. We’re good,” I tell Brody. Through my phone, he grunts, and I take from that the approval he meant for me to hear.

“I believe you, but the Bennetts are like vultures, man. They’re picking at me . . . pick, pick, pick with questions, and Mama Louise is listening to every word. She’s like a damn spy, popping up where you least expect her with that knowing look. Reminds me of Mom when we’d fucked up but hadn’t been caught . . . yet. And the worst of it is our own damn sister. Shayanne won’t quit asking me shit.”

He sounds every bit the beleaguered older brother that he is. He’s been a good one, taking care of all of us for a long time, even when Dad was still alive. I’m glad he’s got less on his shoulders now. Maybe he won’t be such an ass, I think with a slight grin, imagining a nicer version of my older brother.

Nope, can’t do it. He is what he is, a grunty bastard who’s almost as bad as me. Or as bad as I was.

He’s still talking while I’ve zoned out, listing questions that apparently everyone is asking. I tune back in as he growls in a voice pretty similar to my own, “Questions that are your fucking job to answer, not mine.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll be home later and have a damn family meeting or whatever the Bennetts do to handle stuff like this. Because you know they’ve got a tradition or something. They always do. We’ll probably have to sit under the tree and sing Kumbaya or some shit.”

I’m not as grumpy about the situation as I sound. Really, the family stuff the Bennetts do reminds me of the bonds they have. We used to do family stuff when Mom was alive, but those traditions are all but gone save a few, like birthday pancake breakfast with whipped cream and sprinkles. I look down at the plate in front of me, imagining covering it with ooey-gooey sweetness and serving it up to Allyson with an off-key song. The idea has merit, and I bet Cooper would get a kick out of it.

Brody chuckles darkly. “Negative, brother. You, your girl, and the kid are expected at dinner tonight. If you’re a smart man, you won’t show up without them. Shayanne has Mama Louise, Katelyn, and Sophie whipped up into a frenzy. Luke did you a solid and shut Shayanne up for a bit . . . we won’t discuss how . . . but the man’s got limits.” He throws his voice high, mimicking our drawling sister, “How did I never even know about Allyson if she was this important to Bruce?” In his own deep timbre, he says, “I tried telling her she was a kid, even told her I didn’t know much about the details from back then, but she’s not having it. I’m afraid she’s about to be all up in your business, with the rest of the crew as backup, so you’d best get ready.”

I’m man enough to admit that I flinch a bit. Shayanne is intense and bull-headed, downright ornery when she wants to be. Mama Louise is that sweet but silent type you simply can’t disappoint. The rest of them, the Bennett boys and their women and my brothers, I can handle just fine.

“We’ll be there.” I hang up with my brother, chuckling to myself.

“What?” Allyson asks suspiciously, one brow raised in curiosity. She didn’t get much from my side of the conversation since the usually succinct Brody was feeling all Chatty Cathy for a change.