“She’s hinted around the edges. It sounds awful. She says she lost someone. I gather it was someone close. I want her to tell me, but I have to admit I’m dying to look it up. Do you know?” He kept his eyes on the back door to be sure she wasn’t coming toward them.

“I told you, I’m a huge fan. I have all Mud Bay’s CDs, the tour DVD and now Adrian’s stuff too. Yes. I know.” Ben hesitated, and both men smiled as they caught sight of the pink hair through the kitchen window. “In person she’s less fierce than her onstage persona was. I hope you don’t mind my saying she’s really f**king hot too. Intelligent I already knew through her lyrics. She’s an amazing songwriter. Listen to a song called ‘Absence’. I’ve got the CD in my car, you can borrow it. She lost a child, Todd.”

Ben would have said more, but she ducked her head out and saw them. Todd shoved the disorientation away, his sadness at what she must have experienced, but also a gulf beneath his feet that she’d made a baby with someone else.

“This is my hungry face,” she said simply. “If you two are finished swapping stories about me, you need to make good on that promise of Thai food.”

Ben laughed. “I’ll go get it. You two hang out and I’ll be back in a few.”

Before Todd could tell him he wasn’t invited, Ben jogged off to his car and drove away.

“He’s pushy. You two must have known each other a long time.”

He kissed her first, just because he craved her taste. “Mmm, you have such delicious lips,” he murmured. “And yes, we’ve been friends since the second grade. His dad and mine are cops, his younger brother was too. Cop families.” Todd shrugged. “They’re close-knit. Anyway, he’s like a brother to me. My best friend and a big pain in my ass. Cope is his little brother and the closest friend I have after Ben. I’m closer to them than to my own brothers. Maybe it’s because we’re all the rebels who quit cop work.” He shrugged. “As for Cope, I’ll give him about half an hour more before he shows up. He’s got an uncanny ability to know when food is available.”

She laughed. “I like that. Family is important. Are you okay with your friends knowing me?”

He grasped her face, cradling her cheeks in his hands. “I need you to understand something. You’re important to me. Ten years ago I was stupid. I didn’t know what you were to me. I didn’t understand what I was myself. I want them to know you. They’re important to me and so are you.”

Her gaze held his for long, silent moments until it slid away. She held herself back, and while he understood he’d hurt her back then, he wanted her to give herself to him now. He’d have to earn her trust again. He wanted her to tell him the story. But losing a child wasn’t something you talked about when you were about to be invaded by your boyfriend’s buddies. And he was her boyfriend. Period.

“Let me set the table then. I see you’ve got it set so you can eat and still see the ginormous television. Not enough furniture but a big TV. I suppose the essentials are taken care of.” She smirked as she spun from him, but he caught her again, pulling her back, her ass fitting in the cradle of his hips.

He leaned to her ear, nipping it. “I didn’t say you could leave my arms.”

Her breath caught and he couldn’t help but notice her ni**les pressing against the cotton of her T-shirt.

She didn’t spit back a flip remark and he wanted to bend her over and f**k her then and there, but as luck would have it, Cope’s truck pulled into the driveway and the engine cut.

“Yes, you like that, don’t you? God knows I do.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “Cope is here and I have a hard-on the size of that television. The dishes are in the cabinet next to the fridge.” He let go and she leaned back against him for one more moment before flitting off into the kitchen.

Holy shit. Erin pressed the back of her hand to her mouth as she tried to get herself under control. He’d just pushed a monster button. In a good way. A button she hadn’t even known she had apparently. But all that big, hard, strong maleness against her, holding her tight, telling her he hadn’t given her permission to leave his arms? Christ on a cracker, that was hot. Hot enough that her panties were wet and her ni**les throbbed. She was sure she still bore the flush of arousal when the other one of the guys stomped into the house and all that male noise rose to a pitch as backs were thumped and insults were traded.

She smiled as she got herself together enough to reach for plates. Todd and his friends were a lot like Brody and Adrian. That kinship showed, and Erin felt that if Todd trusted these men enough to love them like brothers, they were indeed worthy men.

If Ben Copeland had been overwhelmingly large and very handsome, his little brother was downright sinfully gorgeous. He was Todd’s size, with black hair and striking blue eyes. She also knew him.

“So Cope is actually Andy Copeland, huh?” She put the plates on the table and moved toward them.

“Oh my god! You’re the café hottie! Your brother has done my inkwork.” Cope turned to Todd, whose eyebrows had slashed down, his face darkening into a scowl. Cope laughed. “I sneak into your girlfriend’s café at least once a month to drink coffee and to check out what color her hair might be next. Back with Mud Bay you had dreads, and then your hair was very short and black. Hot.” He waggled his brows. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you. I should have recognized your voice though. You should have sung more often. That smoky sex voice thing you do on ‘Lashed’ is hot stuff.”