“You lying, conniving son of a bitch! Let me go, Brendon Shaw!” Ronnie tried to dodge past him again and he grabbed her around the waist, forcing her up the porch steps while he continued to argue with his sister long distance.

“Look, Rissa, I’ll be home in about a week,” he barked into the phone. “You should be able to manage the hotel until I get back. This isn’t brain surgery.”

“I know that but it’s been a while, Bren. And all I’m saying is a little warning before you went traipsing off with your Huckleberry Hound would have helped considerably.”

“Get over it. I’ve gotta go.” He disconnected and took firm hold of Ronnie so he could haul her over to the door.

He’d hoped she’d be too tired to put up much of a fight. The hotel party lasted until five in the morning. A great night of drinking, food, and Ronnie. He couldn’t think of a better way to bring in the New Year. After the party, Brendon took her back to their apartment and fucked her senseless for several hours, gave her only three hours to sleep, then carted her off to the airport. He got her on the plane and wouldn’t let her get any sleep by bringing up her college plans, which she still hadn’t made up her mind about, but the discussion caused a nice bit of panic that kept her wide awake.

But as soon as they got off his father’s private plane and she realized where they were, he’d been having a hell of a time keeping track of her. She tried to ditch him at the rental car place and then at a gas stop on the way. And he’d already had to chase her into the surrounding woods once. He had no desire to do it again…unless, of course, they were naked.

Before she could squirm away, he knocked on the door and the fight in his female became decidedly worse.

But as soon as the knob turned, she stopped fighting and turned to face the horror on the other side.

If he didn’t have Ronnie already in his arms, he’d have assumed she’d just opened the door…and aged a few years. Wow, he thought in surprise, she’s gonna be hot when we hit fifty.

“Rhonda Lee.” Powerful arms crossed over a Randy Travis T-shirt. “What brings you here—after all this time?”

“After all this time? I was here four weeks ago.”

“But Christmas passes and no word from you. Think that’s fair to your daddy?” With a resigned sigh, Tala Lee Evans motioned to them with a wave of her hand. “Well, y’all might as well come on in since you’re here. Your brothers got here a couple of hours ago.”

“Why are they here?” Ronnie demanded without going inside.

“You’ll have to ask them. I’m assuming they wanted to spend New Year’s Day with their parents. Unlike some other ungrateful children I could mention.”

“That’s it.” Ronnie threw her hands up.“I’m leavin’.”

Brendon caught up with her on the porch steps and had to pry her fingers off the banister.

He carried her into the house, and her mother motioned to the living room, apparently unfazed by her grown daughter having to be physically forced back into her childhood home.

“Go on in,” Tala sighed. He’d never heard a female sound so put upon before. Almost every sentence started after a deep, heartfelt sigh. Yet he didn’t get any real anger or annoyance from her. Just drama.

Tala watched Brendon carry Ronnie into the living room and place her down. Still, he had to take firm hold of her jacket before she could take off.

“So…a cat,” Tala said.

With a nod, “Yes, ma’am.” One hand still held Ronnie’s jacket while he stepped forward and extended his hand. “Brendon Shaw.”

Tala stared at his hand and, with that dramatic sigh, “Want some coffee and sweet rolls, Brendon Shaw?”

“That would be great, ma’am.” He briefly wondered if she’d always call him by his full name.

“Well then, you may as well sit down for a spell.” She glanced at Ronnie. “Your brothers are in the barn. They’ll be back soon.” She raised an eyebrow at her daughter and walked out without another word.

“What was that about?”

Ronnie slapped Brendon’s hand off her jacket. “My momma thinks I’m going to have sex with you in her pristine living room.”

He wouldn’t exactly call Tala Evans’s living room pristine. More like tidy and comfortable. But just this morning he’d begun to notice that Ronnie’s clothes seemed to find permanent spots on the bedroom floor. He had a feeling his female was a messy gal, so she probably did think her mother’s house was pristine.

“Aren’t we going to have sex in her pristine living room?”

“Yes,” she snapped in exasperation. “But she shouldn’t assume we will. My own momma thinks I’m a whore.”

“Only with me.”

When she glared at him, he wandered away to look at the pictures of Ronnie and her brothers from birth until now. They filled the small room, proving just what Brendon had been thinking. They may argue from sunup until sundown, but clearly Tala loved her children. Even Ronnie. He guessed especially Ronnie.

“I can’t believe you tricked me into coming here,” she grouched, her arms crossed over her chest.

“I didn’t trick you,” he drawled, and smiled down at a picture of Ronnie as a howling pup. “Tricking you is putting you in the car, driving you five miles from home, and releasing you in a field. Which would be very wrong.” He barely ducked her fist and laughed as he pulled her into his arms.