“I wouldn’t hold my breath on A.J., but I think Nick might have his eye on someone.” Keith put his cup in Mike’s sink.
“Oh?” Emily wiggled on the stool. “Tell me.”
“Jesus, woman. I said might.” Keith sighed. “So, I told the guys to be here by eight.”
Keith knew something about Nick he wasn’t about to share. It was strange Nick hadn’t talked to Mike about it, but then again Mike had been a little distracted.
An hour later his brothers and the guys that weren’t on jobs from Keith’s security firm showed up ready to work. The truck with the supplies for the fence pulled into the driveway around the same time, and everyone went to work unloading it.
A short time later his house filled with the rest of his family. The older kids played in the front of the house, and the younger ones were on the front deck with his brother’s wives. His mother, grandmother, and aunts had taken up residence in the kitchen to prepare way too much food, and his father and uncles were helping with the fence.
Mike stepped back from where he’d just nailed up another panel and scanned the yard. It was impressive to see that they were more than halfway done. As he was about to pick up another board, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He smiled when he read the text from Billie.
We’re almost there. Are you sure it’s okay for all of us to come?
Do you want my grandmother to answer that?
Umm… no. We’re just turning off the highway.
I’ll be out front, Beautiful.
Mike slid his hammer into his tool belt and jogged up to the house. He had almost made it inside when he heard a shout from the far end of his yard.
“Hey, slacker. Bring out some more drinks.” Aaron shook an empty water bottle.
“Billie’s almost here. I’m meeting her out front. Come get it yourself lazy ass.” Mike didn’t wait for Aaron’s answer as he closed the patio door.
“I can’t wait to meet her, Mike.” Cora stopped Mike before he got to the front door.
“You’ve already met her, Cora.” His mother grinned.
“She has?” Mike stopped.
“Yes. It’s Marg Carter’s daughter.” His mother raised an eyebrow at Cora and Mike was confused as to the little exchange.
“Right again,” Cora stated and went back to making sandwiches.
Mike didn’t have time to question his mother and aunt because he just wanted to get out front to see Billie. It hadn’t been twenty-four hours, but he missed her.
He groaned when he got outside, and Stephanie and Sandy had already greeted Billie as she arrived. A crowbar would be needed to pry those two away from his woman.
“Don’t worry; I’m sure they’ll let you kiss her hello.” Mike turned around. James wife Marina sat on a chair bouncing Sandy’s little boy on her knee.
“Watch that kid. He likes to spit up on people.” Mike laughed
“That’s why he’s faced away from me.” Marina winked.
Billie looked up and met his gaze as he jogged toward the car. She smiled and squeezed through Stephanie and Sandy who’d started to chat with Billie’s grandfather. Mike pulled her into him as soon as he was next to her.
“I hope you don’t mind the audience, but I want to kiss you now.” Mike cupped her cheek in one hand.
“I don’t think anyone will care.” Billie smiled and stood up on her toes.
Mike brushed his lips against hers entirely meaning to keep it rated PG, but as soon as his lips touched hers, he pulled her closer and covered her mouth with his. Billie moaned into his mouth as he slid his hand behind her head and tilted it so he could have better access.
“Hey, you two, kids watching,” Sandy shouted.
Billie pulled away first and pressed her head against his chin. Mike looked over her head at his sister-in-law. She laughed and linked her arm into Stephanie.
“We’ll finish that later,” Mike whispered as he turned around and waved at her parents. They both smiled and followed Stephanie toward the house. Sandy pushed Frank’s chair towards the steps. Mike kissed Billie’s cheek just before he ran up to help Philip and Matt carry it up over the steps.
Chloe walked next to Marg and stared back at Mike’s nieces and nephews in the front yard. Mike crouched in front of Chloe.
“Do you want to go play with them?” Mike signed.
Chloe shrugged and looked up at Billie as she moved next to the little girl.
“It’s okay. I’ll introduce you.” Mike wanted her to feel comfortable.
“They can’t talk to me.” Chloe signed back and lowered her head.
Before Mike could answer Lily ran up the steps next to Mike. His niece turned around and glanced back at Sandy.
“Go ahead, honey.” Sandy smiled.
“My name is Lily.” His niece signed slowly but correctly.
“She heard about the little girl and asked if she could learn how to talk to her.” Sandy smoothed back the little girl’s strawberry blonde curls.
“That’s wonderful, Lily.” Billie crouched and took his niece's hand.
“I only started yesterday, but I’m gonna practice every day.” Lily smiled at Chloe as Mike signed what she said.
“You learned sign language so you could talk to me.” Chloe looked completely surprised.
“You’re our family.” Lily signed
“She picked it up fast.” Billie’s eyes went wide with surprise.
“She tends to do that. Lily has an eidetic memory.” Sandy explained.
“That’s incredible,” Matt said from behind Mike.
“Keith has it too.” Mike glanced over his shoulder at Billie’s brother.
“Great, everyone needs a boss who doesn’t forget anything.” Matt groaned.
Chloe hesitantly followed Lily down the steps but relaxed as Lily introduced her to the rest of the kids. His nieces and nephews amazed him. They sat in the grass and Lily helped them spell each of their names for Chloe.
“That child is an angel.” Marg linked into Mike’s arm and smiled. “I think she’s a lot like her uncle, Mike.”
“I don’t know about that.” Mike laughed.
“I do. I remember you being the same way when Lyle came into our class.” Marg gave his arm a little squeeze and turned when his mother called out to her. “You’ve always had a heart of gold young man.” Then she was gone.
Mike didn’t know if what Marg said was true, but he was glad that Chloe was at ease. When he turned around to head back into the house his brother’s wives, his cousins, and Billie stared at him with huge grins.
“What?” Mike eyed them suspiciously. If there was one thing, he knew when all those women were together there was trouble.
“Billie was just saying how sexy she finds a man in a tool belt.” Stephanie raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, it makes you wonder how they use those tools.” Emily plopped her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her fists.
“I’ll show you how I use my tools later, Princess,” Keith growled from behind Mike.
“I love how you use those tools, baby.” Emily winked at her husband.
“Oh, for the love of God. I don’t want to hear this shit.” Jess gagged.
“I mean I love my cousins but Emily T. M. I.” Pam laughed and pushed Emily’s shoulder.
“I don’t know about the toolbelt, but I’ve got a really naughty doctor.” Sandy wiggled her eyebrows.
“Yep, I’m out of here.” Isabelle plugged her ears and disappeared inside the house.
“Yeah, I think we should probably go back to work before we get jumped.” Keith backed slowly down over the steps.
“Are you okay with this bunch?” Mike smiled at Billie.
“Oh, go away, she’ll be fine. We’ll have her corrupted in about an hour.” Sandy laughed.
“Great,” Mike groaned and stalked toward Billie. “Don’t let them scare you too much.” He kissed her lips softly as a chorus of oohs and aahs echoed behind him, and he rolled his eyes.
“I’ll leave you to be corrupted.” He kissed her quickly and followed Keith behind the house.
“I think they've accepted her into the club.” Keith chuckled when Mike caught up to him.
Mike didn’t know there was a club, but he was glad that Billie was comfortable around the women of his family. He started to wonder if he’d completely lost his mind because all he could think about at that moment was Billie becoming part of the family.
Married? Are you really ready for that?
Chapter 18
Mike’s family was fantastic. Especially his brother’s wives. Since the men had finished the fence, the kids and the girls had all moved to the back of the house. Billie had to admit the males in Mike’s family had movie star good looks and bodies to go with it. It was obvious where their looks came from when Billie looked at Mike’s dad, Sean, and Uncle Kurt. For men in their early fifties, they could probably still turn heads.
She sat back and watched as Sean and Kurt walked around the edge of the yard with some tool that found any nails they'd dropped during the building process. The rest of the men were clearing away the unused materials, and Billie made sure she got a good view every time Mike bent over to pick up a bundle.
“Wearing jeans like that should be illegal.” Marina sighed, as she ogled her husband.
“I’m still trying to figure out what they put in the water out here.” Billie laughed. “Are there any men in Hopedale that aren’t hot.”
“I would say my cousins, but from the drool on the deck I’d say none of you women would agree.” Kristy plopped on the bench next to Sandy.
“I bet you haven’t missed chrome dome bending over.” Sandy motioned to the very large, bald, shirtless, wall of muscle currently hoisting a bundle of panels over the fence to someone on the other side.
“Will you stop calling him that?” Kristy groaned.
“Why? It doesn’t bother Bull.” Sandy laughed.
“That’s because Dean doesn’t pay attention to you, but it doesn’t bother me either.” Kristy huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.
“I’m sorry, Bull or Dean. Who are we talking about?” Billie couldn’t keep up with all the names.
“You’ll learn, honey. All the guys that work for Newfoundland Security Services never call each other by their given names. There’s Bull, Crash, Trunk, Smash, Hulk and who am I forgetting?” Emily counted off on her fingers.
“Shadow, Rex, and Cannon. Oh, and how could you forget Rusty.” Sandy poked her.
“I never forget Rusty.” Emily poked Sandy back.
Billie looked at the two women like they were insane. Not all of Keith’s security guys were there, but Marina pointed to the ones that were and told her the nickname and their actual name.
“Let me guess, Rusty is Keith, right?” Billie laughed.
“Yep,” Sandy leaned toward her. “But the only people who get away with calling him that is the guys and me when he pisses me off.”
“Sandy’s the employee that Keith would love to fire but can’t because she’s too good at what she does.” Stephanie rubbed her hand over her swollen belly.
“What exactly do you do?” Billie figured most of the reason Keith wouldn’t fire Sandy was that she was his sister-in-law.
“I’m a computer analyst.” Sandy shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh, come on, she's modest. She’s one of the best in the country.” Stephanie rolled her eyes.
“Maybe but I don’t wanna brag.” Sandy flicked her hair over her shoulder.
Billie’s attention was distracted when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was a text from Mike.
Say you have to use the bathroom and meet me in my room.
Are you crazy? You have a house full of people.
Please!
I can’t!
Pretty please!
She couldn’t resist anymore and made her excuse. She hurried through the house and down the hall to Mike’s room. Constantly checking behind her to make sure nobody followed. Before she could turn the knob, the door opened, and she got yanked into the room. Mike pinned her against the door and covered her mouth with his as he pressed his body against hers.
Billie melted into the kiss and slid her arms around him as his arms snaked around her waist. He smelled freshly showered and hadn’t put on a shirt so she could feel his warm skin against her arms. His tongue plunged into her mouth, and Billie moaned. She could feel his erection pressed against her belly and knew they were about to get too carried away. Reluctantly she pushed him back and dragged her lips from his.
“I’ve wanted to do that all fucking day.” Mike’s hand tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Me too but you still have a full house.” Billie couldn’t control her hands as they caressed his bare chest.
“We’ve got a few minutes. Not enough time to do exactly what I want but I can do this.” Mike crouched and trailed his tongue across the top of her shirt and slid it between her breasts. “And this,” he pulled her shirt down to expose her left breast and sucked her nipple into his hot mouth.
“Mike. Oh. My.” Billie threw her head back against the door.
“You like that?” His tongue swirled around her hardened nipple, and she nodded.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” Billie gasped when he moved to the other breast and exposed it.
“I can’t help it. I want you so bad.” Mike groaned and sucked the other nipple into his mouth.
“Mike, your family is…” Billie inhaled when his teeth scraped over the tip.
“I love the sounds you make.” Mike covered her breasts again and brushed his lips against hers.
“That’s why we can’t do anything right now.” Billie could be very vocal during sex.
“As soon as the last person is out through the door, I’m taking you back here and making you scream,” Mike whispered into her ear.
“Can you kick them out now?” Billie groaned when Mike stepped back and adjusted his very obvious hard-on.
“I’d love to, but they wouldn’t leave.” Mike chuckled and tugged a t-shirt on over his head.
Before they snuck back out of the room, Mike gave her another panty melting kiss, and then they joined everyone in the yard.
Nick was right about the instruments. Aaron and John were strumming on guitars in the middle of the yard while Nick and another police officer named Cory set up drums.
“Won’t people complain about the noise?” Billie tucked herself under Mike’s arm.
“Not really. The only other house close to here is Keith’s, and I’m pretty sure he won’t complain.” Mike kissed the top of her head as they joined the rest.
Billie was impressed with the talent she witnessed. She’d found out the name of the band was Rockin’ The Law which made sense because the members were either police or lawyers. She did notice Keith, James and Ian weren’t part of it and when she asked Marina explained they weren’t interested in being in the limelight but according to Marina they could also sing.
Billie had been pulled up to dance by just about every member of Mike’s family. Even her dad yanked her up for an old-fashioned waltz. He had two left feet, but she loved it. Mike took every chance he could get to hand his guitar over to someone and pull her into his arms. Billie was in heaven.
As the sun began to set the older couples corralled the kids and brought them inside. Chloe stuck to Lily’s side the whole day, and Matt seemed relieved she was comfortable with the other children. He told her as much when he sat next to her.
“You look happy, Billie.” Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“I’m having fun.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“Not what I mean. That pretty boy over there grinning like a fool at you is making you happy.” Matt sounded sad.
“He’s a great guy.” Billie turned so she could look at her brother.
“I know he is. That whole family's incredible.” Matt didn’t look
at her probably because he didn’t want her to see the tears in his eyes.
“I miss her too, Matt,” Billie whispered.
“I was such an idiot to wait so long.” Matt took a deep breath.
“You still have Chloe, and you’ll find love again.” Billie wrapped her arm around Matt’s back, and side hugged him.
“I’m not even thinking about that. My life is Chloe now and finding the bastard that killed her mom.” The last part came out in a low growl, and for the first time in her life, Billie was scared of what her brother would do if he got his hands on Peggy’s killer.
“Matt, come dance with me. Kurt dragged John out on a call.” Stephanie held out her hand and winked at Billie. She must have seen the somber mood on Matt’s face.
“You can’t find any other man around here to dance with?” Matt chuckled.
“Sure, I can, but I have to lure you away so Mike can dance with his girl.” Stephanie laughed when Mike plopped down next to her on the other side.
Matt shook his head and gave Billie a quick kiss on the head. Stephanie grabbed his hand, and she waved over her shoulder as they moved to the middle of the yard to dance to some quick step Aaron was belting out.
“Is he okay?” Mike asked.
“I think he’s just a little overwhelmed by all your family.” Billie laughed.
“Fuck, I get overwhelmed by them.” Mike pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.
“They’re all great.” Billie snuggled into his embrace.
For a few minutes, they swayed together, and she watched everyone dancing around. Even Philip acted like a fool as he spun Isabelle around the yard. It was as if the whole world was at peace. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she glanced up at Mike.
“I’m tossing that phone in the woods.” Mike chuckled when he released her to answer it.
Billie glanced at the screen and smiled. She hadn’t talked to Dana in a while and walked closer to the house so she could hear.
“Hey Dana,” Billie put the phone to her ear.
“Billie, it’s bad.” Dana sobbed, and her voice sounded weird.
“What? What’s bad?” Billie ran up the steps and into the house.
Dangerous Silence Page 14
