Part 15 (1/2)

Thump.

”Jaysus,” he snapped, wondering if Doctor f.e.c.king Dolittle's entire menagerie had decided to attack him.

But it wasn't another furry or feathery creature who stood behind Rex. In fact, this one had skin. More than six feet of it, he'd judge.

He also had blond hair the color of Annie's. And stormy blue eyes. Not to mention a very deep frown.

Brilliant. His hand was up Annie's skirt, her hip was reddened from the s.e.xy nip he'd just taken there. His hand was up Annie's skirt, her hip was reddened from the s.e.xy nip he'd just taken there.

And he was staring up at one of her overprotective brothers.

8.

THIS WASN'T STARTING off very well. off very well.

Annie hadn't even heard the approach of her oldest brother, Jed. But she'd heard Sean's surprised grunt, which tore her attention off the pure pleasure she'd been experiencing from his touch. Under the hot sun and the blue sky, with his hand on her thigh and his mouth on her hip, she'd been able to forget for a moment that they were about to go hand-in-hand into the lion's den.

Until one of the stalking beasts had come out of that den and pounced, catching them completely unawares.

”Dad's right on the porch,” her brother snapped.

Annie glanced toward the house, but couldn't see it. Sean had parked the tiny sports car between two of the monster trucks her brothers drove, and it was completely hidden from view of the house.

”Thanks for coming to get us,” she said, making no effort to disguise her sarcasm. for coming to get us,” she said, making no effort to disguise her sarcasm.

”You were taking so long, he was about to come down and see if you needed help with your luggage.”

Right. As if they had a trunk full for an overnight visit. If she knew her father, he'd been counting the seconds on his watch, calculating how long it would take for her and her new guy to reach the porch without any funny stuff going on. That was pretty much how he'd waited for Annie after any date she'd had growing up.

”I was just introducing Rex to Se...” Annie caught herself, but suddenly found it impossible to force the name of someone she loathed onto someone she was beginning to greatly care about. So she quickly amended, ”To my friend.”

”Rex. Is that what you're calling your b.u.t.t now?”

She flipped up her middle finger, as she'd often done as a teenager, when their parents were within earshot but not in direct sight-range. ”I dunno, is that what you were calling Becca's when I caught you two naked under the tree last Christmas Eve?”

He deflected the counterattack. ”She's my fiancee.”

”She wasn't then. then.” Grinning in pure evil, she added, ”And I don't know what you you were calling were calling her, her, but from what I heard, she thinks you're some kind of deity. ' but from what I heard, she thinks you're some kind of deity. 'Oh, G.o.d, yes!'” yes!'”

Jed barked a quick laugh, dropping the ridiculous protective older brother att.i.tude. His innate good humor appeared in his eyes. ”Mom should never have let you watch Beverly Hills 90210 Beverly Hills 90210 when you were a kid.” when you were a kid.”

”Oh, right, that explains it. Now move so I can get out.”

He moved, stepping away from the car door, opening it, and offering her his hand. Being careful not to kick Sean, or knee him in the head as she stepped over him, she hopped down and threw her arms around her brother's neck. ”Missed me?”

”Not that mouth, I haven't,” he said. Squeezing her tightly, he added, ”But, yeah, I guess we miss the rest of you a little bit.”

Then, the typical sibling banter out of the way, he released her and gave his full attention to Sean. And the jaw stiffened. Seeing what he he was seeing, she suspected she knew why. was seeing, she suspected she knew why.

Sean was not only so handsome he made other men uncomfortable, but he certainly looked the part of a rebel compared to most of the guys around here. His long hair was loose and windblown, tangled at his nape. His earring flashed gold under the glint of the sun. His dark sungla.s.ses, which he'd shoved up onto his head when they'd arrived, had a designer name that no normal person could afford. And he was driving the kind of car usually reserved for partying movie-star types.

In short, he was everything her brothers would be suspicious of...and everything Annie already knew she adored.

”You must be Jed,” Sean said, unfolding his long, lean body as he stepped out of the car. He extended his hand. ”She's forgotten to introduce me. The name's Murphy, but everybody calls me Murph.”

Gaping, she caught his eye and mouthed, ”Murph?” ”Murph?” garnering a shrug in response. garnering a shrug in response.

He was so so not a Murph. But Sean was obviously doing whatever he could to avoid any confusion about his fake name this weekend. She could kiss him for that. not a Murph. But Sean was obviously doing whatever he could to avoid any confusion about his fake name this weekend. She could kiss him for that.

Well, for a lot of reasons.

Jed shook Sean's hand, and they did that squeeze-the-hand-tightly-to-prove-who's-manlier thing. So stupid, though she suspected Jed was the one trying to prove something. Sean wasn't the type to bother.

Tiring of the let's-compare-b.a.l.l.s game, Annie pushed right between the two of them, bending over to reach into the back of the car for Wally's crate.

”Let me do that, darlin'.”

”Oh, G.o.d, you brought the beast?” Jed asked, sounding dismayed. Heaven knew why. It's not like the shoes Wally had christened for him had been Italian, and he most certainly stepped in worse here on the farm. So Wally had piddled in his boots once. Or twice....

”What was I supposed to do, leave him home alone to be miserable and starve?”

”He could have pounced on a burglar if he got hungry,” Jed said, eyeing the cat warily.

Instead of just grabbing the crate, as Annie had intended to do, Sean actually opened the top of it, reaching in to scoop Wally out. The animal should have been skittish and aggressive after being cooped up for a couple of hours. In the past, he'd even bitten Annie once or twice after a long road trip.

Instead, Wally curled against Sean's chest and tucked his head beneath his chin, delicately licking his paw and glaring at her older brother.

Jed gawked.

And Annie suppressed a grin. The mere fact that Sean had won over Wally should send a signal about her new ”boyfriend” and just how much a part of Annie's life he was.

Even if he wasn't. Not for long, at least.

Don't think that way, she reminded herself as a sharp stab of something like disappointment thrust into her belly. She had at least another day and a half with the man. And she needed to make the most of it. Because it was she reminded herself as a sharp stab of something like disappointment thrust into her belly. She had at least another day and a half with the man. And she needed to make the most of it. Because it was all all she'd ever have with him. she'd ever have with him.

He'd made that clear. She'd accepted the terms. End of story.

Till tomorrow night only.

Oh, did she wish they didn't have to spend the bulk of that remaining time here.

”Come on, before he sends down reinforcements,” Jed said as he turned toward the house. Her brother was so stunned by Sean's friends.h.i.+p with Wally that he forgot to be a belligerent a.s.shole about seeing Sean's hand stuck up Annie's skirt. Instead, he silently led them up the driveway toward the porch, where the other Davis men stood at attention.

”Good grief,” she muttered. ”Why didn't you all just dig out the shotguns and start picking the chew out of your teeth with hunting knives?”