The MacKades Collection: The Return of Rafe MacKade / The Pride of Jared MacKade / The Heart of Devin MacKade / The Fall of Shane MacKade

“I only want to make sure we expect the same things.” She concentrated hard on covering the grounds with water, on being sure not to pour too much water, or too little. “We haven’t taken time to really get to know each other. Now we’re lovers. I don’t want you to think I’m looking for any more than that.”

“And if I’m looking for more?”

Her fingers whitened on the handle of the kettle. “Are you?”

He looked away from her, toward the window and the softly falling snow. “No.”

She closed her eyes, telling herself it was relief she felt at his answer. Only relief. “Well, then there’s no problem.”

“No, everything’s dandy.” His voice was as cool and detached as hers. “You don’t want romance, saves me the trouble. You don’t want promises, I don’t have to lie. We want each other in bed.” He reached for two mugs. “That keeps it simple.”

“I want you in bed.” Pleased with her casual tone, she took the mugs from him. “But if I didn’t like who you are, we wouldn’t have gotten there. I’ve wanted other men.”

In a deceptively calm gesture, he flicked her hair behind her ear. “Now you’re trying to make me mad.”

The fact that he couldn’t see how difficult it was for her to be so open, to keep things simple, made it easier. Oddly enough, this kind of openness seemed completely natural with him. “I’m trying to give you a compliment. I wouldn’t have come here last night, hoping you’d be here, if I hadn’t cared about you.”

“You came to drop off candlesticks.”

“You’re an idiot.” Amused at both of them, she poured coffee. She hadn’t realized sexual frankness could be fun. “You didn’t really buy that, did you?”

Intrigued, he took the mug she offered. “Yeah, I did.”

She sipped, smiled. “Sucker.”

“Maybe I don’t like sneaky, aggressive women.”

“Yes, you do. In fact, you’re hoping I’ll seduce you right now.”

“Think so?”

“I know so. But I want my coffee first.”

He watched her take another delicate sip. “Maybe I want my shirt back. You didn’t ask if you could borrow it.”

“Fine.” With one hand, she undid the buttons. “Take it.”

He nipped the coffee from her hand, set both mugs aside. Her smug smile had him scooping her off her feet. She was laughing and assaulting his ear as he carried her back down the hall. The front door swung open, letting in cold and blowing snow and a figure crusted with white.

Shane dragged off his cap and shook himself like a dog. “Hey.” Casually he kicked the door closed. “Your car’s buried to the wheel wells, Regan.”

“Oh.” With a fumbling hand, she clutched the shirt together and tried to mirror his easy tone. “We got a lot of snow.”

“Over two feet.” Unabashed, he grinned at his brother. “Figured you’d need someone to plow you out.”

“Does it look like I want you to rescue me?” Disgusted, Rafe strode into the parlor and dumped Regan on the settee. “Stay right there.”

“Rafe!” Futilely she tried to tug the hem of the shirt down over her legs. “For heaven’s sake!”

“Right there,” he repeated, and headed back into the hall.

“That coffee I smell?” Shane asked conversationally. “I could use some.”

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t break your neck.”

Shane took off his gloves, blew on his chilled fingers. “’Cause I rode over here in a blizzard to save yours.” He leaned forward, but couldn’t quite see into the parlor. “She’s sure got legs.”

“Where do you want to die?”

“Just an observation.” His grin only widened, the MacKade dimple flashing. “Hey, who knew? I figured you were stuck here, without transportation. Alone. Then, when I saw her car, I thought maybe she needed a lift into town.” Again he inched forward, hopeful. “Maybe I should ask her.”

“One more step and they won’t find your body till spring.”

“If I win, can I keep her?” When Rafe snarled, Shane erupted with laughter. “Don’t hit me, I’m frozen. I’ll break.”

Muttering threats, Rafe grabbed Shane by the collar and dragged him down the hall. “Eyes front, MacKade.” In the kitchen, he found a thermos, filled it with coffee. “Now beat it.”

“I’m going.” But Shane drank straight from the thermos. “The wind’s a bitch.” Grateful for the heat, he drank again. “Look, I didn’t mean to horn in on your little love nest,” he began, then stopped, lowered the thermos when he read quick fury in Rafe’s eyes. “Hey, are you serious about her?”

“Mind your own damn business.”

Shane whistled out a breath, screwed the top on the thermos. “You’ve always been my business. Regan’s a real lady. I mean that.”

“So?”

“So nothing.” Embarrassed now, Shane shifted position. “I like her, always have. I thought about…” Realizing he’d taken a wrong turn, he pulled out his gloves again and whistled a cheerful tune.

“Thought about what?”

Cautious, Shane ran his tongue around his teeth. He really wanted to keep all of them. “Just what you think I thought. Hell, look at her. A man’s bound to think.” Agile, he evaded Rafe’s lunging arm. “Think is all I did. I’m not going to fight you over thinking.” In a gesture of peace, he threw up his hands. “What I’m saying is, it’s great. You hit the jackpot.”

Temper vanished. Rafe reached for the pot again. “We’re sleeping together. That’s all.”

“You gotta start somewhere.”

“She’s different, Shane.” He hadn’t been able to admit it to himself, but it came easily brother to brother. “I haven’t sorted it out, but she’s different. She matters a lot.”

“Everybody’s got to take the big fall sometime.” Shane slapped a hand on Rafe’s bare shoulder. “Even you.”

“I didn’t say anything about falling,” Rafe muttered. He knew the implications of that. Falling in love. Being in love.

“You didn’t have to. Look, I’ll plow the lane, just in case. You got any food around here?”

“Yeah, there’s enough.”

“I’ll take off, then. It’s supposed to let up by mid-morning. I have animals to tend to, so if you need something, try Devin first. I might be out.”

“Thanks. Shane?” He turned, eyeing his brother. “If you so much as glance in that parlor on your way out, I’ll have to kill you.”