Dare to Tease (Dare Nation 4.5)

“You look great.” His eyes darkened as they met her gaze, and he inched closer again.

She held up a hand, stopping him before they ended up with their hands all over each other. Again. “Go shower,” she said halfheartedly. Because he’d said he loved her, too, and she really wanted to take the time and enjoy the moment.

“Later,” he promised in that deep voice she adored. He jogged out of the kitchen, and a few minutes later, she heard the running of the shower.

Smiling, she stopped in the bathroom and checked her makeup in the mirror. Some gloss and she’d be okay. Then she grabbed her mother’s present and slipped on her shoes, waiting for him when he joined her, ready to go.

A little while later, they were at her mom’s house along with her entire family. Bri gave her mom the gift she’d picked out, her favorite perfume in a special-edition bottle she could set on her dresser, and she and Hudson separated as they caught up with different people.

Macy and Jaxon had brought Emma, Macy’s sister, who, after going through a rough patch, was blossoming living with the newly married couple. To Bri, the teenager already felt like part of her family. While she and Macy spoke, her mom grabbed Emma’s hand and dragged her into the kitchen for homemade brownies, and it was obvious Emma basked in the glow of all the mothering she got from Christine. Nothing made Bri’s mother happier than taking in a stray and making them feel at home.

Bri spent a few minutes talking with Jaxon and Macy and Willow, who was with them, before moving on to Damon and Evie. “So how’s my retired brother?” she asked, nudging him in the ribs.

After a horrible concussion on the field last month, Damon’s doctors had looked at his history of head injuries and told him if he continued to play, he’d risk the rest of life as he knew it mentally. Damon hadn’t had to think twice. He’d chosen to be around for his family, taking a job with Dare Nation, and was now learning the ropes of being an agent.

“How does it look like I’m doing?” He wrapped an arm around Evie and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I’m fine.”

“How are you?” Evie asked.

Bri smiled. “I’m good! Busy with work but that’s nothing new.”

“And Hudson? He’s treating you well?” Damon asked. “Or do I have to kick his ass?”

Bri rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, you sound like Braden. Stop! He’s been amazing.”

“Good,” Evie said, then glanced at her husband. “And you need to mind your own business.”

Bri grinned and shot her sister-in-law an appreciative look. “See? We women stick together. Now I’m going to get a soda. See you later.”

She walked into the large state-of-the-art kitchen her mother adored, with the stainless steel, high-end appliances, and custom white Italian-made cabinets.

Grabbing a can of soda from the Sub-Zero refrigerator and a glass from the cabinet, she added ice and poured her drink before joining Austin and Quinn by the center island. Jenny snuggled against her brother, her big blue eyes on Bri. She held out her arms and, while making bubbles with her mouth, reached for Bri, practically throwing herself forward.

“Come here, my favorite little girl.” She settled the baby on her hip and placed a smacking kiss on her chubby cheek. “She smells so good.”

“It’s the shampoo. Nothing smells better than a freshly washed baby,” Quinn said with a grin.

“It’s getting her clean that’s the challenge. All the water splashing with her hands and feet.” Austin looked at his daughter with so much love in his eyes, it was a beautiful thing to see, and when he turned to Quinn, love exploded between them.

Bri’s heart squeezed, and for the first time since all of her brothers had found love, she could say the same. Suddenly she missed Hudson and needed to feel his arms around her so she could bask in their earlier admission. She loved him, and he loved her back. Holding back her smile so her smart sibling didn’t question why she’d suddenly begun grinning, she handed Jenny back to Quinn and went looking for Hudson.

* * * *

Hudson and Braden huddled in the study while the party went on in other rooms of the house. There was a sofa against one wall where the women left their handbags, and Jenny’s diaper bag sat on the floor beside the couch. The study had French doors that remained open, because nothing about this conversation was that private. Although they worked together, neither man wanted to talk about their clinic plans while at another job, so now was as good a time as any.

Braden leaned against the desk in the room while Hudson paced the hardwood floor covered by an area rug.