Page 28 of Rock Me

I laugh.“Good point.”

The car pulls up to a modest house with white siding, a well-manicured green lawn, and SUVs parked along the street and in the driveway.

My stomach tumbles as we come to a stop, and not long after, Ben leads me to the front door, his strong hand firm and reassuring on my lower back.

He doesn’t bother ringing the bell, just pushes open the door and urges me to step in alongside him.

I glance around, taking in the family photos lining the wall in the entryway, giving the place a homey feel.The sound of voices and laughter coming from inside the house draws me in.

“Come this way.”Ben tips his head toward the center of the house, and I follow him to an obviously renovated, open-concept kitchen and family room crowded with people.Mostly large men, like Ben, strong and muscular guys, and one woman, who has to be Ava, laughing among them.

“Hey, the birthday boy is here!”A broad-shouldered man with a buzz cut and a collared short-sleeved shirt heads our way.“Happy birthday!”He hooks an elbow around Ben’s neck and pulls him in for a fatherly-type hug.

“Thanks.Dan, this is Summer Michelle.Summer, my boss, Dan Wilson.”

Dan meets my gaze with an assessing one of his own as he extends his hand.“A pleasure to meet you.I trust my boy is doing his job and keeping out of your way at the same time?”

I bite the inside of my cheek.“He’s only under foot when he needs to be,” I say, being discreet as I promised.“And it’s good to meet you, too.”I shake his hand.

“This is my son, Jared,” Dan says of the dark-haired man who joins us.

“Hi, Jared.”I smile.

“Man, Ben gets all the good assignments,” Jared says, not so discreetly looking me over.

Ben clears his throat.“Watch the eyes, Wilson.”

Jared blinks in surprise.“Well, damn.Okay, then.”

Ava chimes in.“Jared, go away and leave Ben’s woman alone,” she says, sounding pissed off.

“But… we’re not… I mean, I’m not Ben’s anything.”I promised to keep whatever is between us private, and we agreed we aren’t anything serious.

Ava grins, shaking her head at me.“Besides, he gave himself away.He bit Jared’s head off for just looking, and his hand hasn’t left your lower back since you walked into the room.Possessive much?”she asks, smirking at Ben.

A glance tells me that Ben’s cheeks are a bright red from Ava’s summary of what is going on between us.

“Happy birthday!”she says, cutting off any reply.She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek.“And nice to meet you, Summer.I’m Ava Talbott,” the pretty, bubbly woman says.

“Hi.Nice to meet you, too.”

The introductions continue with a man named Tate Shaw, who I later discover is originally from Texas and occasionally does work there for McKay Taggart Security, and Austin Rhodes, another of the big bodyguards.

I find myself pulled into their warmth, amused by the familial bickering, and over the course of the afternoon, I manage to relax and enjoy myself.

Although the guys gravitate toward each other and hang out together, Ben tries to make sure I am comfortable and doesn’t leave my side—until Ava shoos him away.

“Let us girls talk.Go hang out with the boys.”

She meets my gaze and rolls her eyes.“Too much testosterone most of the time, and I’m surrounded by it.”

“Really?I think you’d enjoy it.”

She shakes her head and laughs.“Why?Because they’re all muscular and hot?They’re all like my brothers.”She glances at where the guys congregate.

“It’s a tough job to have,” I say.

“You try dealing with these hardheaded men on a daily basis.”