Holding them out as he made love to her, his mouth torturing her ni**les, c**k deep inside her body, she felt like another person, a sexy person and she realized she was. He made her feel that way and she’d accepted it.

“Since your hands are busy, let me ease you some.” Matt reached down and captured her clit between his fingers and squeezed gently over and over as she sped up on him.

“You’re a sex goddess, Tate. So damned sexy I can barely hold on. I need to come so you have to too.” He bit her nipple gently and then a bit harder and thrust deep, fingers still plumping her clit.

Tipping her head back, her back bowed as she came, the cab of the truck echoing with the sound of her voice and his whispered replies.

Chapter Twelve

Matt walked into a full house two days after Thanksgiving and caught part of a strained conversation between Tate and her baby sister, Jill. After they’d finished the renovation of the dining room, his parents had given them a nice, big table that filled the space.

Several Murphys and Cassie wandered around, gabbing and laughing. He loved that their house was a hub of activity. He caught sight of Liv sitting in the rocker in the living room, baby Lise a pink bundle against her chest, a shock of black hair peeking out from beneath a hat. She waved in his direction and he blew her a kiss and waved at Marc.

Tate stood in the kitchen, she hadn’t noticed him just yet. Usually the moment he entered a room she alerted to his presence, their gazes meeting until they could make physical contact. He’d noticed her stress level had ramped up in the last two months but it didn’t seem to have anything to do with their relationship. Still it made him nervous that something was clearly going on and she wouldn’t share it.

Stress marked her face as she listened to her sister.

“They’re books I need for this stupid final paper. I won’t get the second part of my student loan money until January. I know five hundred dollars is a lot of money but I’ll get it right back to you when I get the check.”

“You’ll have to give me a day or two. I don’t have it right now. I have to move some money around.”

Matt stilled. She hadn’t said a damned thing to him about money trouble. They’d just paid off part of the renovation that they couldn’t do themselves, several thousand dollars’ worth. He’d wanted to pay it all himself but she wouldn’t hear of it. So he’d told her it was much less than it truly was and taken on a far larger share without her knowing it. The last thing he wanted her to deal with was money trouble.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Tate, let me talk to Tim. I didn’t know and I haven’t even asked him yet. I just came to you and that’s silly of me. You shouldn’t be expected to do it all, all the time,” Jill said.

And Matt agreed with that wholeheartedly although he’d never voice that to her. He knew what it meant to take care of family and so he never second-guessed how she dealt with hers.

“Can it not wait a day?” Tate sounded testy and it took him aback. She never spoke to her siblings like that unless they were fighting or nagging her about something.

“Sure. Tate, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you upset.” Jill wrung her hands and Tate saw it, pulling her sister into a hug.

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I snapped at you and I’ve always told you and Jacob to come to me if you needed stuff for school. If you need it today, I’ll give you my credit card number and you can charge the books that way. If it can wait until tomorrow, I’ll get you cash.”

Damn it. There was something wrong and she wasn’t telling him. He turned before she saw him, catching Nathan’s and Tim’s eyes, motioning them outside.

“What’s up?” Tim said as they walked out onto the front porch.

Matt told them what he’d heard.

Nathan ran a hand through his hair. “She takes on too much. I can swing the books no problem. I’ll talk to Jill and Jacob, tell them to speak to Tim, me or William before going straight to Tate.”

“It’s more than that.”

Both men looked to Tim.

“What do you mean?”

“Two weeks ago I saw her walking downtown, my father was headed in the opposite direction. Then I stopped in to get a haircut and I’d forgotten my lunch at home. Tate told me she’d loan me a ten to grab lunch but she had no cash in her purse. She got all weird about it. And with the first installment of the tuition this semester, she had to juggle for an extra few days. She wasn’t late, but she’s usually early and this time it was exactly on the day it was due.”

“What the hell is happening and how is this connected to your…are you telling me he’s working her for money?” Matt’s anger simmered.

“It wouldn’t be the first time. You know she paid him to let us take the kids when we first moved out. And over the years she’s given him money. We all have I suppose but about five years ago he and I got into it and he won’t come around anymore. He threatened Susan. Of course now apparently he’s focused on Tate.”

“And my guess is that Tate is taking this all and keeping it quiet to protect the rest of us.” Nathan began to pace.

“I’ll talk to Tate.”

Nathan and Tim looked at him, pity in their faces.

“What?”

“Matt, you’re hers now as much as we are. She’ll protect you just like she’s doing us. She’s not going to tell you anything.”