Your Fierce Love (The Bennett Family 7)

“Well, that was just silly,” Summer exclaims, shaking her head mockingly.

Daniel carries one of the heavier boxes, and Summer and I focus on the bags in the back seat.

I soak in everything as we walk the hundred feet or so from the car to the house. The ranch sits on a decent piece of land with dahlias blooming seemingly everywhere in a multitude of shades of pink, like one enormous painting. This is a terrific Saturday. It’s barely ten o’clock, and we have the entire day ahead of us. Noises reach us as we approach the house: the chatter of adults, the laughter of kids. The front door is open and Summer hurries inside, placing the bags on the floor, and then we both head along the corridor, following the noises.

When we reach the living room, which opens to the back patio through a large door, I grin at the mayhem. Everyone’s here: Sebastian with Ava and their two sons, Pippa and her brood, Logan with Nadine and their son. They’re outside on the patio, chatting and chasing toddlers. I also hear Mr. and Mrs. Bennett (who have asked me numerous times to simply call them Richard and Jenna, but I’m still working on that), their voices coming in from outside, but they’re out of sight.

Christopher and Max and their wives, Victoria and Emilia, are inside, sitting comfortably on the large couches. Victoria, who is five months pregnant, is currently batting her eyelashes at Christopher while pointing at her belly, and I can’t help wondering what she’s asking him. It must be surreal for another man to look exactly like your husband. Thank God, Daniel and Blake are not identical twins like Christopher and Max. One Blake is enough.

Speaking of Blake, where is he?

He drove here with his parents, which was how I ended up traveling with Summer instead of him. I haven’t seen him in all of four hours. How can I miss him already? He’s not mine to miss; I really should remember that.

“Summer’s packed ten parties’ worth of supplies in her car. I need help unloading,” Daniel announces.

Max and Christopher immediately follow Daniel out. Still no Blake.

“You’re here,” Pippa exclaims, entering the house. “Come on. Let’s show you to your rooms.”

Is it my imagination, or are Pippa and Summer exchanging dangerous glances? I try not to read too much into it as I follow the girls down another corridor lined with doors on either side.

Summer opens one such door, mutters “mine,” throwing in her small backpack, then resumes her walk. We stop right at the end of the corridor.

“Here’s your room,” Pippa announces.

Stepping inside, I smile. The room is small and quaint, with a double bed taking up most of the space and a small vanity table in one corner. I notice two doors on the wall opposite the bed. One leads to the bathroom, I assume. The other one could be a connecting door.

I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear a familiar voice behind me.

“What d’you know? We’re neighbors again.”

I swirl around to find Blake leaning against the doorframe, smiling broadly. He’s wearing slacks and a simple gray T-shirt, looking as irresistible as always. I try not to focus on the way the sleeves stretch over his muscle-laced arms, or how he seems to fill the entire space. He oozes testosterone, every inch of him masculine through and through.

“You’re in the room next door?” I ask unnecessarily.

“Yep. Had a flat tire on the way. When I arrived, only these two rooms were empty. Aside from the en suite, but that belongs to Mom and Dad.”

Coincidence? I think not. I wonder which of the sisters came up with the idea to put us in adjacent rooms. My money’s on Pippa, because Summer was with me in the car. But when I turn, I catch Summer schooling her expression, trying to tone down her smug grin. Pippa nods at her appreciatively. There’s my answer. My gaze meets Blake’s, and we both burst out laughing. His sisters look at us startled.

“You two are not subtle at all,” I inform them.

“We weren’t trying to be subtle,” Summer comments. “Anyone else feel the sparks in the air? No? No one? Just me?” Pippa elbows her conspiratorially.

“Just so we know,” Blake chimes in, “any other things we should look out for? Maybe Clara’s shower’s not working, and she’ll have to use mine?”

I blush at the mention of the shower. Blake catches my eye, smiling and winking. We didn’t speak about what happened in our separate showers after the outing to the festival, but the tension between us has been off the charts since, and we both know why.

Summer juts her chin out, narrowing her eyes. “No, even though that would have been a great idea. Come on, Pippa. Let’s get started with the decorations for the party.”

With that, the two plotters head toward the door. Blake steps back, allowing them out, but then, instead of leaving too, he lingers in the doorframe.

“Want a tour of the ranch?”

“I’m helping with decorations,” I answer quickly.

“It won’t take long. This place isn’t so big.”

Truth be told, I do want a tour. This is a part of Bennett history I’d love to know more about. Besides, being with Blake in an open space is safe. At least safer than being inside here, in this small room where our hunger for each other seems to fill the entire space.