Page 78 of Falling for Brody

The three men didn't have a problem with it. They had different reactions. One chuckled, another grinned, and the last clapped his hands and told them to, "Make sure you invite us to the wedding."

Oh boy. By the time they both got back into the rig, Brody knew that Rhea's cheeks were burning.

She had her hands over her cheeks and still he could see the healthy flush of color around her hands.

"Honey," he reached out and put his hand on her thigh, out of sight from anyone who might be looking at them. "They're old men who spend their days arguing with each other and planning out everyone else's lives."

"But we've been careful."

He heard her protest and nodded. "I know, but sometimes people can see what you're trying to hide. And they're not being mean about it. Nosy? Sure. But they like you, honey. They see you as part of Fallport. You heard them. 'We take care of our own.' They consider you and Chip part of Fallport."

She nodded, lowering her hands from her face, she covered his hand where it lay on her thigh. "I'm beginning to see that."

He tightened his hand on her thigh. "I'm hoping you'll believe it, too."

Brody's phone rang and he picked it up.

"Gabriel?"

He listened to his cousin and saw that Rhea was focused on him, waiting for him to tell her what the call was about. "Okay. Yeah. I hear you."

He ended the call with a, "Thanks, man."

She looked at him as he lowered the phone back down to the holder on the console.

"That was..." He smiled. "You know who it was."

She nodded.

"Gabriel said that dispatch had already received a handful of calls reporting an unfamiliar vehicle driving around. So he's going to track the man down and see what's going on."

Rhea looked at him, tense through her shoulders. "Does he want us to go with him?"

He shook his head, had already been shaking it when he realized what she was going to ask. "He doesn't want you anywhere near this guy until he finds out what he wants to talk to you about."

He saw the way her jaw tensed. He saw the straightening of her spine.

"He's not saying that you can't see him, Rhea. He just wants to make sure he knows what's going on before you see him. We don't know if he's dangerous."

She started to shake her head and deny his words, but she stopped just as soon as she started.

"I guess that's a good idea."

Brody managed to hold back his smile, almost.

"He cares about you, Rhea."

He saw her listen to his words.

Absorbing the feelings it brought to her.

Rhea took it in and let it settle, and he got a chance to look at her.

So damn beautiful and so fierce in her own way.

"Damn it," he mumbled under his breath, "I couldn't love you anymore if I tried."

Her gaze lifted up to his, her eyes wide. Her lips parted.

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