She could only stare. How many years had she longed to hear him say that? “Really?” she whispered.
Her mother smiled…and her father’s firm, make-it-so nod said he meant every word.
“Oh, Dad.” Her eyes blurred with tears as she threw herself into his arms.
His hug hadn’t changed…and she realized Ben’s embrace conveyed the very same sense of safety and strength.
When Anne stepped back, her mother patted his arm in approval. “Well done, dear. And?”
“Ah.” He cleared his throat and his lips curved slightly. “Your mother and I are sorry about…when you were little.”
She gave him a puzzled look. Where did this come from? “When I was little?”
“I should have been more understanding, made things easier for you. The relocations weren’t good for you. So…” At a loss, he slid the box across the table toward her.
Still confused, she set her hand on it. “Oh, Dad. Mom.” They were sorry she hadn’t dealt well with moving? “You couldn’t have changed any—”
The box…bounced. Tilted. “What in the world?”
When she pulled the tape off and raised the lid, a tiny furball emerged.
Ears pricked, the tiger-striped kitten looked up at Anne and gave a pitiful mew.
“Oh, honey.” Pink nose, golden eyes, so adorable. Anne lifted it against her chest and a little fuzzy head rubbed her neck. When the purrs began, her heart was lost.
Now she glanced at the exhausted kitten asleep in Travis’s lap. Quite an apology gift—and from the way her mother had winked at Ben, she knew exactly who’d had a hand in the choice. Sneaky guard dog.
After that, the gathering had been a decided success.
Unfortunately, the peace was going to be short-lived. Anne sighed. She couldn’t stall the announcement much longer.
Feet dragging, she walked over to her man.
Travis tucked an arm around her hips as she stood between him and Ben. “Thanks for having the barbecue, sis, to give us a chance to get back together.”
“Can’t have the family fighting,” she said lightly.
“Some families can. I’m glad you’ve got a healthy chunk of sweetness under all that tough.” He squeezed her, and his voice roughened. “I missed you, sis. Missed listening to your sax in the evenings.”
She frowned. “You told me you could hardly hear me.”
“Get real. I’m next door.” He grinned. “If I’d told you I was listening, you’d stop.”
Her smack on the back of his head cut short his laugh.
“You deal with her, Ben,” he said, rubbing his head. “She’s too mean for me.”
“I’ll do that.” Ben pulled her down onto his lap.
When she narrowed her eyes at his presumption, he gave her the same look back. Ah, right. She’d asked him to remind her when she relapsed into Mistress habits—and warned him that if he failed, she’d punish him with an oversized anal plug.
“Sorry, my tiger.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and relaxed, knowing his strength wouldn’t fail her.
A corner of his mouth tipped up.
She lifted his hand, kissed the scarred knuckles, and whispered, “I love you.”
“Anne.” His almost inaudible voice held enough warmth to rival the sun. With one finger, he pushed her hair back and murmured into her ear, “You just gave me a hard-on that’s fucking uncomfortable. Thanks.”
She broke out laughing.
When she turned around, she realized everyone had gone silent.
Travis and her mother and Harrison’s wife were smiling in approval, Harrison was giving Ben a considering stare, and her father was frowning darkly.
Well, that frown would turn even blacker with her news.
“I haven’t heard you laugh like that in a while.” Travis lifted his fork with a big bite of the cake. “Must say that I appreciate how there are always desserts around since Ben’s been here.”
Anne gave him an assessing look. “Is that why you’ve stopped by so often in the past month?”
“Hell, yeah.” Travis grinned at Ben. “Thanks, man.”
“Anne.” Her father inclined his head toward several men rounding the corner of her deck. “You have company.”
Those weren’t just men; they were Masters. Anne shot Ben a glance.
He gave her a rueful shrug. Undoubtedly, the guard dog had reported in to Z—as had everyone else. And the Masters never postponed dealing with problems.
Anne rose and smacked his head in exactly the same way she had her brother—and received an identical laugh.