“Just that you always think you know what’s best for everyone. You’ve been a control freak since you came out of the womb,” James said plainly.

That stung. “Someone had to be. Between Mom and Dad fighting, and you guys always getting into trouble, I had to step in and keep the peace.”

“Which you did. The rest of us took our time maturing, I’ll admit,” Beth agreed. “But, honey, we’ve been doing just fine for years now. Well, most of us.” She shot James a look.

“Witch,” he muttered. “But she’s right. We’re big kids now. How about we take care of you for a change? This guy. Let’s see how great he is. Invite him to meet us.”

She jumped on the excuse to see Rex again. Yes, she wanted him here, but she had willpower. Control. Focus. Her family, however, would need to be reassured for her. It made sense to ask him to come. For them. Not for her. Not exactly.

“Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind him here,” she said to Beth.

“Are you kidding me? I want to meet this paragon who can tolerate your many idiosyncrasies.”

“Beth.”

“What? You’re a little OCD, honey. I love you, but you are a control freak, as James aptly stated.”

“No shit,” James said.

Aaron nodded. “We all love you, but you’re like Commandant Natalie when it comes to doing things the ‘right way’—the ‘Nat way’.”

“Oh shut up.” Yet she grinned. They could say what they wanted, but being a take-charge girl had gotten her what she deserved in life. At least, it had until the sex scandal. God, I’m involved in a sex scandal.

Both amused and horrified, she concentrated on Rex instead. She pulled out her cell and dialed him. He picked up right away, and her entire being lifted at the sound of his voice. “Rex?”

“Hey, sexy. I miss you.”

She wanted to melt into her chair. “Me too.” Conscious of her siblings’ gazes on her, she spoke quickly. “So I was wondering if you might have some free time. I’m in Charlotte, and I’d love for you to come and meet my brothers and sister.”

“Sure thing, sugar. When and where?”

Just like that, he’d come to her. Not because he was whipped or a pussy, as he’d once called himself. But because he cared. How could she not love the guy?

She gave him directions, and he promised to show up the next afternoon, after tying up some business. She hung up feeling quivery with excitement.

“So this guy, what’s his name and what does he do?” James asked, crossing his arms over his chest like a tough guy. As if. When it came to mean, no one could out-glare Nat.

“His name is Rex Samson. He owns S&F Microbrewery. And you will be nice, or I’ll purple-nurple you until you turn blue.”

Her brothers gaped.

“S&F? Are you kidding me?” Aaron asked. “I love that stuff.”

“Yeah, me too.” James grinned. “Oh man, we have an in with a beer guy. I love you, Nat. Beth was my favorite, but now it’s you.”

“For sure,” Aaron pledged.

Beth rolled her eyes. “For the love of… You morons better behave when he gets here.” She then whispered to Nat, “Can you get me some of that Feather Gold stuff? Julie loves it.”

The following afternoon, Rex pulled into the driveway of a sprawling ranch-style house on the outskirts of Charlotte. A small pocket of rural countryside on a property that appeared to have its own barn behind the house.

He’d been beyond thrilled to get a call to come visit Nat. Her family wanted to meet him, she’d said. Which meant, obviously, that she’d told them about him.

He felt important. He also knew better than to screw up his introduction, so he vowed to be on his best behavior. Nat had said little about her family, just the bare facts about them all being older and her being the responsible one.

Eager to once again be around his woman, he parked the car and got out. Before he took two steps, Nat left the house to meet him, followed by a woman and two men who all looked enough alike to be siblings.

Nat’s eyes sparkled as she drew closer. Then she stopped and gave him a casual wave. “Hi.”

He blinked, nonplused at his reception. To hell with that. So much for making a good impression. He yanked her into his arms and laid a deep kiss on her. When they both came up for air, he heard applause.

“Now that’s how you kiss a woman,” the taller of the two guys said. “Take a note, Aaron.”

“Shut up, jackass. That’s our sister he’s mauling.”

Nat pulled back, her lips slick and full. “Wow. Guess you missed me, huh?”

He held her close, uncomfortably aware of his hardening dick. “Give me a minute,” he said. After a moment, he let her pull away. “Yeah, you could say I missed you. A little.” He winked, then felt her hand entwine with his.

She squeezed, and he squeezed back, his heart full.

“Guys, this is Rex Samson, my boyfriend. Rex, my sister, Beth. The big doofus is James, the other one, Aaron.”

“Why am I just ‘the other one’?” Aaron whined.

Her brothers and sister teased each other while giving him a thorough onceover. It didn’t take them long to mention they knew about S&F. But unlike many people bowled over by his success, they didn’t fawn over him or make a big deal about it. Though he did have to promise some free samples down the road.

Nat hadn’t let go of his hand, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him with a dopey smile. God, he’d been waiting for this, to see her regarding him with more than confusion or lust, but real affection.

Maybe even… Well, he could hope.

“I can’t believe you got one of them,” James was saying to Nat as they sat in the kitchen around the center island, interrogating him.

“One of what?” Nat asked with irritation.

He liked watching their dynamic, seeing her interact with her family. Rex saw the fondness, the smiles and the ribbing. They might not be as close as he was to his parents, but the sibling interaction here was priceless. Nat was no longer the boss, but a little sister. And she didn’t appear to like it much.

He grinned.

“What are you smiling at?” Nat snapped.

“Nothin’, sugar. You’re just so pretty. I missed you.”

“Yeah, one of them. A Southern boy,” James answered. “All that sugar and honey. That’s so they don’t call you by another woman’s name by mistake.”

“You’re pretty smart, aren’t you?” Rex asked him.

James snorted. “You’d think so. But I can’t seem to find one decent woman in all of North Carolina.”

“He and Aaron are visiting from Raleigh,” Beth explained. “I’m here in Charlotte, and Mom and Dad are in York, close by. One big, happy family.”

“Spread out over several states, thank God,” Nat muttered.

Rex laughed. “Well, James, I can tell you I surely nabbed the best of them. She’s mine.”

“I like him,” Beth said. “He’s so cute.”

“Thank you kindly.”

“And that accent is great. Julie has a touch of it, but it’s too light.”

“Julie’s her wife,” Nat reminded him.

“Right. Where is she?” he asked. “I wanted to meet her.”

Beth beamed. “My pride and joy is off on business I’m afraid. She had to fly to New York for a few days, but she’ll be back at end of the week.”

“Too bad. I need to head back soon, probably before then. My work in Charleston is wrapping up, but I need to head home for a few.” Then to the others he said, “But I’ve been wanting to meet Nat’s family. She’s told me a lot about you.”

James huffed. “I can imagine. I’m the playboy who can’t settle. Aaron is a close second in the loser department. And Beth can do no wrong.”

“Close enough.”

“Rex.” Nat flushed. “I didn’t call you two losers,” Nat said to her brothers, who looked affronted. “Not exactly.”

Rex laughed.

“See what you started?” She threw an elbow at his midsection, so he plucked her from her spot next to him and cuddled her close.

“Aw, sugar, don’t be like that. I’m just teasin’.”

“That’s what we’re missing, James. That drawl.” Aaron nodded. “We’ll talk slow and with a deep voice. And women will be dropping panties left and right.”

Nat shook her head. “I thought you had a girlfriend.”

“Well, she’s mostly my girlfriend. I think. We’re not exactly committed.”

“We are,” Rex said before Nat could speak. “And we’re staying that way.”

She turned to look at him, searching for what, he didn’t know. Then she smiled, and the expression turned her eyes a bright green. “Yeah, we are.”

He wanted nothing more than to whisk her away and make love to her, slowly, but he settled for squeezing her tight and spending more time with her family. What made her happy made him happy. Being with her, hugging right now, felt like heaven on earth.

Later, when Nat went into another room with Aaron and James to find some old photo albums, Beth took him aside. “I’m glad you came.”

“Me too. I’m glad she invited me.”

Beth glanced at the hallway where Nat had disappeared, then whispered, “She’s been having a hard time. She won’t admit it, but she’s worried about her job.”

“They’re crazy if they don’t take her back,” he said in a low voice. “She makes the magic happen. A more competent, take-charge gal I don’t know.”

“That’s my sister.” Beth gave him a thorough scrutiny. “It’ll take a special kind of guy to deal with Nat. She’s so strong in so many ways that it’s easy to miss what she really needs.”

He understood her. “Yeah, I know. Nat’s a tough cookie, but she’s pretty gooey inside. Sweet and sticky.” He grinned. “You’ll have to forgive the metaphor, but Nat did say you made the best chocolate chip cookies this side of the Mason Dixon.”