But the four men barreling through Daniel's front door weren't wearing uniforms or dark suits. Instead, they were dressed in jeans, T-shirts, and flannel.
And each of them was as gorgeous as Daniel. Well, nearly as gorgeous.
"What are you guys doing here?" Daniel asked as he exchanged friendly backslaps and manly hugs.
Tasha's heart was still jumping in her chest, though it was obvious these were his friends.
"We couldn't let you spend the holiday weekend all alone," said a member of the handsome bunch, this one with hair so dark it was almost black.
That was when another of Daniel's friends spotted her. Pushing up his sunglasses, he smiled. "Looks like you're not alone, after all."
Her fear vanished, replaced by embarrassment. Here she was having breakfast with Daniel, her feet still bare, as if she'd been here all night. Which she had been, but--
What would they think?
But she already knew--they'd assume she was their friend's secret mountain lover. From everything she'd heard, they'd be protective of Daniel, ready to swoop in to save him from a gold digger.
"This is Tasha," Daniel told them. "She lives up the hill, and her roof sprang a few leaks last night in the storm." He winked at her, obviously trying to put her at ease. "More than a few, actually."
She rose and said hello as Daniel made the introductions. Will Franconi was the dark-haired one who'd explained their arrival, and Matt Tremont had first spied her at the sawhorse table. Sebastian Montgomery had devil-dark good looks. Evan Collins, wearing slacks and a polo shirt, was the last to shake her hand.
They were all tall and fit and vibrant, filling the house with so much more than just their size. They each shook her hand firmly, but she was certain they must be wondering what a scraggly woman like her was doing with the magnificent Daniel Spencer, if not trying to con him out of his money?
Lord knew she had plenty of experience with that. Con was her family's middle name, after all.
Spanky barreled across the living room, Froggy hot on his trail, both of them knocking into Matt's legs. He went down on his haunches.
"Who the heck are these guys?" he asked as Spanky launched himself at Matt's shoelaces and began a tug of war.
Over the past few days, Tasha had gathered from the details Daniel revealed that his Maverick friends were also billionaires. Daniel might be a really nice anomaly who didn't mind puppies weeing on his floor and tearing at his shoelaces, but surely other billionaires wouldn't be so easygoing.
She was just about to pick up Spanky when Matt surprised her by laughing as he helped the puppy bite another piece of his shoelace.
"Tasha found them in the woods," Daniel explained. "They'd been abandoned."
She grabbed at the chance to justify her presence in Daniel's house. "They were hiding in an old rabbit warren, and I heard them crying when I was hiking. Daniel helped me get them out. The poor little things were starving." She retrieved Darla, who'd been watching cautiously from her position close to the box, and held the little girl close. Both of them, it seemed, needed reassurance. "We've been feeding them every couple of hours, and they've got a date with the vet this afternoon to make sure everything's okay. Daniel's already been up and down the houses on the road to see if anyone knows anything about them. But no one does."
Too late, she realized she was rambling like a wild woman. Thankfully, Froggy was causing a bit of a commotion as he decided Spanky had the right idea and went for Evan's shoelaces, tugging and growling playfully.
"That's Froggy," Daniel told them. "The big one is Spanky." He pointed at the bundle of fluff in Tasha's hands. "And this is Darla."
Sebastian laughed. "The Little Rascals. Interesting choice in names."
"Daniel wanted to call them Larry, Curly, and Moe," Tasha said, raising an eyebrow in Daniel's direction. "Or Groucho, Harpo, and Chico."
"I'm pretty sure," Daniel reminded her with a grin, "that you suggested the Marx Brothers, not me."
Tasha belatedly realized his friends had fallen silent, watching them banter. Especially Evan, whose eyes narrowed as he gazed at her.
Why couldn't she remember to hold her cards close to her chest?
Froggy began to piddle on the floor and commanded their attention as Daniel scooped the puppy up and got him to the newspapers. "Obviously," Daniel said, "they're still in training."
"Noah will go crazy when he sees them." Matt, still crouching, twirled Spanky around in circles until the puppy started to chase his own tail. "A puppy is every six-year-old's dream."
When Froggy ran back into the melee, Tasha set Darla on the floor. She'd never seen big, powerful, successful men go all gooey like this. Especially when Daniel showed off the trick he'd taught the puppies, even if it was only to sit when their rump was patted.
Her ex, by contrast, had always acted like he was too cool, too important, to moon over babies or puppies or kittens. It was, she realized now, a crucial test of whether a man was worthy or not.
Sebastian got Darla to sit for a piece of kibble. Soon, the puppies were running amok again, snatching at shoelaces, tumbling all over the floor, and skidding into the sawhorses. The men were just as bad--big, jovial kids.
Tasha was utterly charmed.
She wanted to stay, wanted to get down on her knees and play too, wanted to learn all about them--ask them what they did, whether they were married, how many kids they had. But at the same time, seeing them together made her miss her friends so much that her heart ached.
Weakness hit her all over again. Along with the sure knowledge that she didn't belong here, no matter how much she wished she did.
Chapter Ten
"It's been great to meet all of you," Tasha said, "but I need to get back to my place and see if it's still standing after the storm."
Daniel had been aware of her the whole time that she'd stood back, simply watching. Her avid gaze betrayed how badly she wanted to dive in and play, but when it appeared she might lose herself in the fun, she seemed determined to force herself to back off.
He'd had her to himself all last night, and that had to be enough for now. The more he pushed, the more she'd shy away. Then he'd never get the answers he was looking for, the ones he hoped would put his mind at ease when it came to considering a full-fledged relationship with her.
Unfortunately, patience had never been his strong suit. He'd always gotten in there with his hands and tools to fix whatever was broken or to build whatever he needed. But he couldn't simply mold Tasha into what he wanted her to be. She was fiercely independent and more than capable of fixing things for herself.
"Okay, guys," he made himself say. "Let's get the puppies into the box so Tasha can carry them home."
"Harper sent a picnic basket for the drive up," Will said. "I'll clean it out, and we can use that."
But once they'd emptied the basket, the puppies had other ideas for the perfect game. Just when one puppy was settled in, another would jump out. Even Darla found the energy to join in the fun.
They were all hysterical with laughter by the time the puppies were firmly tucked into the basket with a towel and Tasha had it hooked over her elbow, the bag of Puppy Chow under her other arm as she backed toward the door.
"Don't forget the vet appointment," Daniel reminded her at the door. "Three o'clock. I'll bring the crate up when I come to get you."
The guys were on him the minute she closed the door, demanding to know all about her.
Daniel tried to play it down for Tasha's sake. She wouldn't appreciate his friends making something out of her being at his breakfast table. "She's my neighbor. I let her borrow some tools and helped her out with the puppies, and when her roof was leaking last night, it made sense for them to come here." Evan didn't look convinced, but before he could say anything, Daniel asked, "So how did your better halves all agree to let you go on a holiday weekend?"
Will pulled over a beanbag and plopped into it, eyebrows raised. "You suck at changing the subject. Esp
ecially since we're not going to leave you alone until you tell us what we want to know."
Daniel stopped fighting the inevitable. These were his best friends in all the world. They'd been through hell and back together. They'd each gotten out too, just the way they'd sworn they would, every one of them hitting the big time without forgetting their past or how much Susan and Bob had helped them. When the money started rolling in, the first thing the Mavericks had done was buy his mom and dad a new house in a decent neighborhood. Daniel hadn't needed to ask any of them to pitch in and help; that came naturally. And, of course, when they each found the woman of their dreams, he'd cheered for them.
He pulled up one of the folding chairs and sat. "Here's what I know so far: Tasha has been living in that run-down shack for three months, almost completely unplugged from the world. She's not afraid of hard work--you should see what she's done to her cabin so far, even installing the toilet completely by herself, just from watching do-it-yourself videos."
"We should have known you'd fall for a woman who gets breathless over your tool belt," Sebastian said on a laugh.
Daniel laughed too, but didn't say aloud that her tool belt actually made him hot. "She's putty in those puppies' paws and would have done absolutely anything to save them. And..." He looked at his best friends, knowing they'd understand better than anyone, even if it was something he was still trying to wrap his own head around. "She makes me feel something." He knocked his fist into his chest. "Here."
"Finally," Sebastian said. "We've been wondering when you were going to meet someone worthy of you." Matt and Will grinned and nodded their agreement.
Only Evan held out, asking, "But is she really what you need?"
"Hell, yes," Daniel said, immediately defensive on her behalf. Though he still hadn't learned nearly enough about her, he realized that he'd already discovered everything that counted.
She was sweet and strong and caring and determined.
On top of it all, she made his heart race and his palms sweat--and every cell in his body crave.
"I want to believe you," Evan said, "but what do you really know about her?" He looked at the empty puppy box. "Apart from how much she likes dogs and how great she is at installing toilets. Sounds to me like she's hiding out from something."
"Don't listen to anything that guy says." Sebastian jerked a thumb at Evan. "He's still gun-shy after Whitney. Always looking for the catch."
"Paige should have broken you of that habit by now," Will said to Evan. "You've got a good woman, so you can start looking on the bright side."
"I know exactly how good I've got it," Evan agreed. "But I'm still going to keep looking out for my friends."
Of them all, Evan had experienced the very worst where relationships were concerned. With Matt a close second. Thankfully, they'd both finally found incredible women they loved and who loved them back with equal fervor.
Will chimed in with his vote of confidence. "I'll bet Mom will love Tasha." Susan Spencer's approval was everyone's litmus test. "Can you believe it's been a year since our last Memorial Day barbecue?"
A year since Will had brought Harper and her brother, Jeremy, into their group, and six months since they'd married. Memorial Day had been the beginning of the truly big changes in their lives. Daniel suspected it had also been the day Evan started to see his now ex-wife, Whitney, for what she truly was, after she'd gone ballistic when Jeremy spilled a margarita on her. Susan, of course, had been instrumental in the positive changes for her sons.
Daniel was tempted to ask his foster brothers if his mother had said anything to any of them about bumps. But he knew they saw his parents' marriage exactly as he did--as the one truly perfect, honest relationship out there, with total commitment, never doubting each other. And he didn't want to darken that perfection for any of the guys. Especially if his mom hadn't actually meant anything by her strange comment.
"It's been a good year," Daniel finally said. "But where's Jeremy? Why didn't you bring him along?"
"He's going to camp." Will put his hands behind his head and scooched deeper into the beanbag. "He's been dying to go, and it starts tomorrow. Otherwise, he'd have loved to come with us."
Jeremy was eighteen, but he'd had a bicycle accident when he was a kid--hit by a car--and now had the cognitive ability of a seven-year-old. He was a great person, and he adored Will like an older brother. Will felt exactly the same about him.
"Ari's got a ton of fun things planned for Noah while we're gone." Like a man totally besotted, Matt smiled from his spot on one of the beanbags. "Mommy and son time. She couldn't wait to have Noah all to herself." Ari would soon be Noah's stepmom, and the little guy loved her like a mother.
"Bro-cation, here we come," Sebastian said.
Daniel wasn't fooled. "Charlie kicked you out so she could have some peace and quiet to finish her latest masterpiece, didn't she?"
Charlie was a fantastic artist, her medium being metal, and had created the work of art adorning the center lobby of Sebastian's San Francisco headquarters. She'd also helped Sebastian appreciate his own artistic talents.
Sebastian confessed, "She did suggest that a few days with the guys would get me the hell out of her hair."
Their laughter rang through the open rafters.
Daniel was glad his friends had come. Once Tasha saw the kind of men he called brothers--good, solid friends who would do anything for each other--maybe then she would let down her guard and trust him.
Of course, that meant he'd have to devise ways to spend time with her this weekend. Fortunately, their visit to the vet was only hours away.
*
Tasha had always wondered what it would be like to be part of a big family, to have a real home you could run to when things were bad. Now, after traveling to the vet with Daniel and his friends--who scooped up nearly every squeaking, squishing, rattling, and tug-of-war toy in the pet store--she was pretty sure she knew.
Daniel's family was wonderfully fun, crazy, and out of control in all the best ways.
Only Evan stood back a bit. All afternoon, she'd felt his eyes on her, as though he was assessing her. Taking in everything she said, breaking it down, then splicing the pieces back together, as if that might help him figure out what she was hiding.
It was utterly unnerving. Not only because she knew damn well just how much she had to hide. But also because she couldn't seem to stop her headlong fall for Daniel...and wishing that things could be different.
He had been so wonderful at the vet, asking all the right questions: What should they feed the puppies, did they need extra vitamins, when should they have their shots, suggestions on training. The vet gave the puppies clean bills of health, saying they'd been rescued before permanent damage was caused by dehydration or starvation. In the vet's expert opinion, the puppies were a German shepherd mix and about five weeks old, so too young for some of the shots they'd need. They'd have to come back, which meant more time Tasha would get to spend with Daniel.
Unless Evan figured things out first.
"Hey," Daniel said softly, pulling her slightly away from the group in the pet store aisle. "This stuff is on me, okay? My friends are going crazy, so I'm paying for it."
He must have seen the worried look in her eyes and assumed it was because she didn't have the money for dog toys. "I don't--"
He put a finger to her lips, and a sizzling hot flame burst to life inside her. Her whole heart and soul ached to lean into his touch and ask for more. But she couldn't.
"I'm paying," he said again. "For the vet, for the toys, the crate, for everything. No argument."
"But--"
He moved in on her, so close she was hypnotized by his delicious all-male scent. She could close her eyes in a room and pick him out immediately.
"No buts." His eyes were such a deep, alluring coffee color. She wanted to fall into his gaze. Into his arms.
It was a seduction, like the prelude to a kiss. Every nerve in her body shouted to feel his mouth on
hers.
Until, over Daniel's shoulder, Evan's assessing gaze hit her like an avalanche.
"Thank you," she said, trying to act normally, as though she wasn't burning up from the inside out from that one simple touch. Feeling awkward and worried about what Evan--and the rest of the Mavericks--must think of her drooling all over their friend, she said, "I appreciate everything you're doing."
As Daniel frowned at her polite response, she was sure he was going to call her on it.
Fortunately, Will drew everyone's attention as he scooped up Froggy and asked, "What about homes for them? My brother-in-law, Jeremy, would be ecstatic to have this little guy."
"And my son, Noah, would love this dude." Matt stroked Spanky's ruff. "Maybe as a late birthday present."
When Sebastian reached for Darla, her heart wrenched extra hard at the thought of letting her go.
"Tasha definitely needs to keep one." Daniel leaned in close, saying for her alone, "To replace the cat you had to leave behind when you were a kid."
He'd recalled her offhand comment. How could a man be so thoughtful, remembering details, big and little? Then come up with a way to make things better?
"What about you?" she asked. Something flashed in his eyes, a longing that was gone so quickly she thought she'd read it wrong. "Don't you want one of the puppies?"
"I travel too much." He turned to his friends. "Let's think about it, guys. It's a great idea to give them all good homes, but we should keep them together until they've had all their shots."
"Noah will be begging to visit," Matt warned.
"And Jeremy will be driving Harper crazy asking when, when, when." The smile on Will's face shone with love. Jeremy might be his brother by marriage, but Tasha saw vividly that he owned a huge piece of the big man's heart.
Though she hated to let any of the dogs go, she felt the rightness of giving them to families who would love them with all their hearts. She touched Daniel's arm. "I really can't keep three dogs." She lowered her voice. "I'm not sure I should keep even one."