"Honey, we're home!" Matt chuckled at his joke and dodged his brother's swat. Andy and Harper met them near the kitchen.
"Oh my goodness! What is that smell?" Garrett's eyes closed and he pulled in a long breath through his nose. His face softened, looking dreamy. Matt looked about the dining room.
"I made dinner. I hope you are hungry. This little one says she is." Andy said gesturing to a watchful Harper before she slipped into the kitchen for the bottle.
"It smells amazing and I'm starving. Let me just go and wash up." Garrett said as he took himself off to his bedroom further down the hallway. His master suite took up a good portion of the downstairs. Matt nodded, sticking his head into the kitchen.
"Do I have time to shower? I'm a bit sweaty from earlier." His voice tripped over earlier as his brow lifted in blatant meaning. Andy felt the heat infuse her cheeks and she nodded, looking back to Harper to hide some of her shyness.
Twenty minutes later, they were all seated around the dining room table with plates heaped with lasagna, French bread, and a salad. She had cheated and bought a chocolate cake, but she figured the boys didn't need to know that. The way they were eating dinner, she was sure they wouldn't even know! It was fun to cook for someone again. Matt had always ate whatever she made, but with them all at the dinner table, they felt like a family.
"Andy, this is wonderful. Thank you for making it." Garrett said in between mouthfuls of lasagna and bread. She smiled at him, but made no remark. She really wasn't sure what to say.
"You'll have to try her cheesy enchiladas too, Garrett. Wow!" Matt grinned as he reached for another piece of bread out of the basket. Andy met his gaze across the table. Harper cooed from the floor. Her daughter waved a rattle in the air. Andy took a deep breath and chased her food around her plate. It was difficult for her to ignore the herd of elephants in the room. Way more than just one! The brothers shared a speaking look and Garrett cleared his throat, laying down his fork.
"Andy, I want you to know that you are welcome here for as long as you need. Matt has explained the situation and I am in complete agreement." He looked a bit uncomfortable and Andy was confused.
"The situation?" She wasn't sure which one he was talking about. Matt's eyes questioned her and then flared with understanding.
"He means the situation with Monica. I told him what's been going on and we both think you are safer here with us." Matt quickly put in. Andy's mouth formed a small o and she looked down at her plate absently. Safety was important, but she still didn't feel like intruding was the answer.
"Monica has always been a bit off. The police and our lawyer will get it all sorted out. Until then, one of us will be in town if you need us. I will leave my cell phone number for you." Garrett said as he offered her a smile. Total support definitely wasn't what she expected. She scanned his eyes for anything other than that lurking behind, but there wasn't. Garrett was a good guy.
"Thank you. I hope you won't regret it." Andy mumbled the last, picking up her plate and taking it into the kitchen. She felt two sets of eyes follow her out. What is your problem? They want you here. It was going to be an adjustment. Things were changing so swiftly. It was difficult to know which direction was up.
***
Garrett glanced at Matt as Andy left the dining room. It wasn't quite the reception they had hoped. She looked unconvinced of their sincerity. Matt shrugged. He knew pushing Andy would not be a good idea and that she had to accustom herself to the changes. Honestly, he hoped it was sooner rather than later.
"Is there more than one situation?" Garrett whispered, leaning closer to his brother in hopes she would not hear them. Matt sighed. Busted.
"There is a few, actually. I don't know most of it myself. She's all alone. Her family doesn't want her or the baby. She's been completely tipped upside down by Monica." Matt growled towards the end. Monica was going to stop this! Garrett nodded, taking it all in.
"What about the baby's father?" Garrett widened his eyes. Wondering that myself.
"I don't know. We haven't talked about it. There's been too much going on." Matt lowered his voice as he heard Andy coming back. Garrett pokered up as he pushed his plate forward. Andy came in with a smile and a chocolate cake.
"Anyone up for dessert?" She asked, her eyes meeting Matt's. He couldn't tell if she knew they had been talking about her. She probably guessed though. He looked down at the tabletop. He felt bad about all that had happened, but he didn't want to deny that he loved her being within reaching distance. It was going to take some persuasion and understanding to make her comfortable in their house. Better now than never!
"I would love a piece." Matt grinned at her, turning on the charm. She blushed, just as she caught his meaning. Garrett rolled his eyes, accepting a slice from Andy.
"Don't mind my brother, Andy. He rarely thinks about what he says before he says it." Garrett slid his fork into the soft chocolate cake and lifted the piece to his mouth. He groaned appreciatively.
"That's not fair, Garrett. If I filtered everything I said, no one would ever know if I was being honest or not. This way, you know I mean what I say." Matt took a triumphant bite of his own dessert and Garrett chuckled. Andy didn't say anything. She bent down to pick up Harper. The baby was starting to fuss. Matt finished his cake in a couple of bites and got up from the table.
"Let me take Harper up for a bath." Matt circled the table and plucked Harper from Andy's arms. He tried not to read too much into her deer-in-the-headlights look. He kissed the baby's cheek and left his brother and Andy together.
***
Andy felt as if someone had stripped away her shield. She was pretty sure her mouth was still open as she watched Matt leave the dining room with Harper in tow. Well. There wasn't much to say. She knew when she had walked back into the room that Matt and Garrett had been talking about her. Matt hadn't given away much and Garrett had pokered up. She looked at him now with some uncertainty as to how to approach him. Should she? Maybe she should just leave it alone.
She began to pile up the plates and utensils not casting a glance in Garrett's direction. After a few seconds, he got up and started to help her clear the table. He was eerily similar to Matt, but the scar he wore added a definition. He was also six foot and heavier than his younger brother. All in all you knew they were brothers without a doubt!
"Has Matt told you much about our family?" Garrett asked conversationally as they carried dishes into the kitchen. She found the plastic wrap and covered the casserole dish before finding a space for it in the fridge.
"Something about your sister and her son. I hear she is getting married soon." Andy said, applauding the steadiness in her voice. She certainly didn't feel steady.
"Yeah, poor Randy! Nora has led him on a wild goose chase for years now. I honestly never thought she would marry him." Garrett grinned as he scraped the plates clear of leftovers in the trash. She smiled at hearing the love for his sister in his voice. Matt thought a great deal of his older sister too.
"Some people are just meant to be together, I guess." Andy added as she covered the salad and it followed the lasagna into the fridge as well. Garrett straightened and nodded.
"Yes, I think so. My parents were definitely meant to be together. I don't think anyone else could have put up with them, but each other!" He laughed. It was rich and deep. It was contagious.
"Lucky them." Andy blushed and continued putting the food away. Garrett looked at her thoughtfully. She could feel his blue eyes resting on her. Measuring her in his own way.
"Matt is a great deal like my father, Andy. Once he sets his heart on something, he stays his course until he has it. For my little brother, he has set his heart on you." Andy's gaze slid to his. She felt uncomfortably stripped of all her normal places to hide. Garrett could see her; very much like his brother could. He continued on. "I can see it in his eyes, Andy. There is no changing his mind." Garrett's voice conveyed a wealth of meanings. She just wasn't sure if she was catching them all. She wa
s still stuck on Matt's heart being set on her. Her mouth felt dry and she swallowed hard.
"Why are you telling me this, Garrett?" Her pulse throbbed in her head. Was he warning her away? He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter. He tilted his head.
"You need to know that whatever you are scared to tell him that it will not turn him away from you. If you care for him, you do need to be honest with him." He uncrossed his arms and shrugged. "I do know that is better said than done sometimes."
Andy felt shaken, but in a good way. Garrett's words had pierced the many shields she had erected over the last year. Even Matt had found it difficult to peel back the armor plating. She nodded, still holding Garrett's gaze.
"Thank you." It was all she could say. Andy tried to strengthen her defenses once more. A part of her wanted to run upstairs as fast as she could to tell Matt everything. Everything! Another part cautioned her on doing so when she felt so raw. If she shared all her secrets at this moment, they would be a mad mess on the floor with no coherent pieces. It would all have to be discussed again and again. I will tell Matt, but not tonight.
"Ah, Andy," Garrett said as he was leaving the kitchen, turning around to meet her startled look. "If Matt ever gets out of line let me know. I will be more than happy to set him straight." He grinned, continuing out of the room. Andy couldn't help but giggle at his big brother act. An act, that's all it was. Garrett fiercely loved his brother and she admired that greatly about him. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad living here and getting to know both brothers better. Maybe this is the family you have been waiting for.
Andy loaded the dishwasher, making sure all the dishes were in before she closed the door and switched it on to run. Taking a dish rag from the sink, she wiped down the counters and the stove. Those quiet moments relaxed her and allowed her mind to rummage through all of the advice she had been offered. Secrets needed to be shared and she was more than certain of it now. She wasn't as sure as Garrett that they wouldn't tarnish Matt's view of her. It caused her more than a little worry, but it was something she owed him. Andy sighed, looking around the clean kitchen. Flipping the light off, she made her way upstairs to Matt and Harper.
Chapter Fourteen
Andy's heart did a painful backflip when she peeked around the upstairs bathroom door to find Matt just as wet as her daughter, Harper. She should have wanted to laugh. It was cute. Matt's dark hair was spiked from his wet fingers, his shirt front damp in places, and the goofiest look on his handsome face. Harper's eyes were magnetized to his face, a half smile frozen on her pink lips. The whole picture presented something enchanting, but it was the shock of the scene that was a fist to her gut.
She eased back around the door into the hallway and leaned heavily against the wall. She tipped her head to look up at the ceiling, drawing deep breaths before she fell completely apart. The image from only moments ago was forever burned in her mind, quite possibly on her heart too. In her ideal world, Andy wanted Harper to have a father. Andy wanted a partner who could help take on the duties of being a parent and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime moments as they came. Andy had been blessed by Harper's first smile, first recognitions of the world, first laugh or giggle, and there would be many more to come throughout her little life.
Her heart banged against her ribs, loud and strong. Tears gathered in her eyes and she willed the lump in her throat to ease. Matt had been a Godsend, whether he knew that or not. He had walked in at the exact moment she felt everything slipping. Granted things had continued to fall apart, but with him there, she wasn't scared by it. In some respects it was liberating. There was a freedom that came from chaos and Lord knew, she had enough chaos for a lifetime. Andy slid to the floor resting on the plush carpet. She closed her eyes and wondered if she would always be plagued by what should be instead of what was.
"I wondered if you were still out here." Matt's voice was low and soft. Andy lifted her chin to see him leaning around the door, her daughter freshly washed, diapered and put in jammies. "Let me lay Harper down with her mobile. Be right back." The promise in his voice melted through her and she welcomed the warmth. It was amazing how just his voice did that to her. His touch was decidedly something else entirely! Andy heard the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" mobile start to sing. The light in Harper's room dimmed considerably and she saw Matt step out into the hallway again.
"She really likes her room, I think. She isn't fussing like she normally does before bedtime." Andy half whispered from her place still on the floor. Matt grinned and he walked towards her.
"She was always a princess. She just wanted to be treated like one." He chuckled, staring down at her. Andy took in his bare feet, Wrangler jeans encasing strong, muscular legs, and up to his narrow waist. Her cheeks flushed as she shook herself for staring too long. The dancing heat in his eyes told her he had noticed and was now thinking the same thing. Oh dear. Andy raised her hand for him to pull her to her feet. In an effortless stroke, Matt lifted her from the floor to rest against his body.
"Do you want to have a sleepover tonight?" Matt's childish question made her cheeks flame and he chuckled close to her ear. "I might even be able to find some snacks and drinks. Anything else you want?" His lips brushed her neck, drifting over the thin skin and sending shivers down her spine. Instantly she felt her body lift into his and beg for his touch. It was impossible not to want him with every fiber of her being.
"I want so much, Matt." She let out the breath she had been holding. "I'm afraid to ask for more." The rapidly blooming desire between them slowly withered into a wavering flame. She swallowed hard and rested her forehead against his chest. His t-shirt was still damp from the bath water. The insecurity squeezed her heart again. There was no waiting. Matt wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. His large, work roughened hands rubbed circles across her back. Why can't being a single parent be just a dream? Why can't Matt be my "real life"? The words churned in her head.
"There is only one thing you could ask of me that would be too much." Matt whispered in her ear. Her brow furrowed as she raised her eyes to his.
"What's that?" Andy hardly recognized the voice that asked her question. It was too low and scratchy. Matt kissed the tip of her nose and then pressed a soft kiss on her lips.
"If you asked me to leave. It's the one thing I cannot do for you, Andy. I would give you all that I have and all that I am, but do not ask me to walk away." Matt held her tighter, pressing her body against his. Andy felt every breath he took. It matched every one breath that she breathed.
"I don't deserve you, Matt, but I want to try." The catch in her voice halted her ramblings. If she kept talking, she would likely say something that couldn't be taken back. She didn't know when the right time would be to tell him about Harper's father and the rest of that great mess, but she didn't feel secure enough to tell him now. He was so close to his family. A brother so wonderfully protective. Parents who loved their kids no matter what. How could Matt not think she was keeping Harper in the dark by not sharing?
"Andy." He growled in her ear, her name rumbling in his chest. "Someday you will know just how valuable you are to me." Lifting her into his arms, Matt retreated across the hallway and into his bedroom.
***
The bedside lamp had been left on, spreading a soft glow about the otherwise dark room. His huge King four poster bed loomed like an island adrift on a gray sea. Making his way to the bed, he looked down into deep green eyes. They pooled, reflecting his image. His heart shifted, hammered, and leaped with a multitude of emotions. There was also a hauntingly familiar scene playing out tonight. Andy laying on his comforter, arms out stretched and her face flush with desire. His Wranglers seemed suddenly too tight for his peace of mind. The soft, warm pliancy of her skin mixed with the intoxicating scent of woman nearly cindered all, but primal thoughts from his mind.
"Deja vu." Andy whispered huskily into the quiet of the bedroom. The depth of her voice made the short hairs on the nape of his ne
ck rise and a shiver zipped down his spine. He slid his palm up from her thigh to her waist, slipping his hand under her shirt hem, and continuing his climb up her ribs to the full curve of her breast. His fingers traced the outline of her bra. He couldn't help the wicked grin that spread across his face when she inhaled, pushing her breast into his hand. He molded his palm to her breast and lightly squeezed, testing the soft pliancy and teasing her nipple through the cotton cloth with the flick of his thumb.
Andy's eyes fluttered, her chin tipping up as she pushed further into his hand. Matt felt desire rip hot and fluid through him. The fire was more than cindering his control. It was also trafficking electricity along every nerve in his body. There was an intense need to lose their clothes, strip away every barrier and fuse them together until there was no telling where she started and he ended. Swiping his tongue over his lower lip, Matt leaned over her body, lifting her t-shirt away, and touching his lips to the delicate skin just below her breasts. Sleek velvet skin stretched over her ribs and stomach.
Her warm, womanly scent flowed through his nostrils, fueling his already disconnected thoughts with siren distractions. Slipping his hand beneath her back, Matt hooked one finger through her bra and fiddled with the clasp until it finally gave way. An appreciative growl resonated from his throat as he continued to kiss her warm skin. Tugging the meddling fabric from across her chest, Matt kissed every inch of her breasts, leaving her straining peaks until he knew she could stand no more. Her breathing was ragged, unhappy groans as he would stray closer to her expectation, but not give her exactly what she wanted. He felt fingers spear through his hair at the back of his skull and he grinned. Andy tried hinting, guiding and then tugging his head to her desires.
Matt chuckled wickedly, finally flicking her nipple with his tongue. The tease only stoked the mindless fire higher and Andy was determined that he should cave to her wishes. It became a battle of wills. One Matt was glad for, because it cleared his head from the clouding haze. He needed to resume some control before he failed them both. Tonight failure was not an option!
Black Hills Angel (Black Hills Series) Page 13
