Nathan was convinced that Shea bore it so stoically because she wanted to avoid him losing his shit if she cried out.

 “You done?” Nathan asked.

 Donovan sighed, tore off his gloves and gave Nathan a disgusted look. “Yeah, I’m done.”

 Shea battled a smile.

 “What?” Nathan demanded.

 “You,” she said. “You asked him that at least a dozen times. He’d have been done earlier if he hadn’t had to stop so many times to tell you no.”

 “Sorry,” he mumbled. “You okay? Does it hurt? Van should have something for pain. He’s a walking medical unit. Well, usually anyway. Maybe not so much this time.”

 Shea looked up to where Donovan was putting away his supplies. “Is there anything you don’t do?”

 Donovan donned a thoughtful expression and then shook his head. “Nope.”

 Ethan laughed from his seat several feet away. “You walked into that one, Shea.”

 Shea seemed baffled by the teasing that already included her. It was something that Nathan missed all too much. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed just being a part of the Kelly family. Endless teasing. Joking. Fierce loyalty.

 And now Shea was experiencing it firsthand.

 Exhilaration hurtled through his veins. He couldn’t have imagined the immense satisfaction he’d experience seeing Shea accepted into his family. Although Ethan and Donovan didn’t constitute the entire Kelly clan, he couldn’t imagine the rest doing any differently. They’d love her just as he loved her. How could they not?

 He had no idea how the hell he was going to work this out, but the one thing he knew was that he absolutely could not imagine a life—his life—without Shea. She’d become as essential as breathing to him.

 He didn’t question it. Didn’t argue. Some things just were. And this was one of them. The biggest thing of his entire life.

 “I know that look,” Ethan murmured.

 Nathan swiveled around to see that Ethan had come up behind him while Donovan had taken Shea to the side to finish cleaning the suture area.

 “It’s the way Sam looks at Sophie. The way Garrett looks at Sarah. The way I’m sure I look at Rachel every time she walks into the room. You have the look of a man who is only sure of one thing. That the woman he’s looking at is his, that she’s the most essential part of himself.”

 Nathan eyed Ethan warily. “Since when have you gotten so in touch with your feelings?”

 Hell, it was one thing to think this kind of shit, but who stood around discussing it with his brother? Nathan’s discomfort level had just skyrocketed. Yeah, he was done for when it came to Shea, but he didn’t want to discuss her with anyone else. Not yet. It was still too new. He wanted to keep every part of her to himself. He didn’t want to share her and damn sure not his feelings about her with anyone.

 Ethan smiled faintly. “It’s amazing how losing the one person who matters most in the world will change your perspective in a lot of ways. Getting Rachel back—getting that miracle second chance with her—makes me aware of a lot of things I would have ignored in the past or considered myself too manly to talk about. I’ll give you shit with the best of them, but I also see the way you look at her. I like her, Nathan. She’s tough. But more than that, she gave you back to us. I’ll always love her for that no matter what.”

 “Fuck you for trying to make me cry,” Nathan muttered.

 Ethan chuckled but then his expression turned serious again. “You know what? You’re starting to sound like the old Nathan. I guess I have her to thank for that too. Goddamn it, you’re my brother and I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, and then when I did, I wondered if we’d really ever have you back even though you were here and alive. You were a damn shell and I’m so fucking relieved to see those glimpses of you.”

 Nathan eyed his brother warily. “For God’s sake, don’t hug me.”

 “How about I take you out behind the cabin when we get there and kick the ever-loving shit out of you instead?”

 Nathan grinned, the ache in his chest easing just a bit. “How about you try?”

 Ethan stared at him a long moment. “Welcome home, man. Just…welcome home.”

 Home. Yeah. It did feel more like home now that he’d found peace. Shea. She was his peace. She’d been what was missing and why there had been such a yawning hole in his soul ever since his return.

 Now it was up to him to return the favor and give her that same peace. He didn’t have a hell of a lot else to offer her. He was damaged. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to do with the rest of his life. But no other man would ever love her as much as he did. He knew that much. And no one else would be willing to give his life to protect her. Because he would if that was what it took.

 He’d give her the goddamn moon if she wanted it.

 He wasn’t the best man for her. She could do a hell of a lot better. But he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He’d savor every single moment with her and hope like hell that, when everything was over with, she’d want to stay. With him. Because there wasn’t a thing on this earth he wouldn’t do to make her happy and feel secure.

CHAPTER 27

“WELL, well, looks like the entire welcome wagon is here,” Donovan said as he stepped off the plane, dragging his gear with him.

 Shea squinted against the sunlight as she stared onto the tarmac to see what looked like an entire military outfit. It was an imposing sight. Men…wait, there was a woman in the middle of them. Smaller but she had a look of all business. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she wore a baseball cap so that the brim shielded her eyes.

 On further inspection, the men looked to be sectioned off into groups. Not so much that they’d been partitioned intentionally, but it was like certain individuals gravitated toward each other and the result was three sections of badass-looking men—and woman—and they were all staring at her and Nathan.

 Nathan bumped into her from behind, grabbed her hand and all but hauled her down the few steps. Ethan and Swanny came up behind them, flanking Nathan and Shea. She appreciated that show of support. It was silly, really, but maybe they’d realized how terrified she was of exposure. Regardless, she was extremely grateful that she didn’t have to face these people alone.

 It took her a moment to realize that Nathan was every bit as nervous and agitated as she was. He stared forward, silent and tense. His mind was a chaotic whirl of regret and worry.

 Her heart softened and her anxiety slid away. What did she care what these people thought of her? Nathan was behind her and so were Ethan, Donovan and Swanny. Right now Nathan needed her not to be a whiny twit. He needed her strong.

 She slipped her hand into his and squeezed just as they’d done for each other time and time again. The action seemed to startle him, and then he looked down at her, warmth building in his eyes, replacing the worry.

 You’re not crazy, Nathan. No more than I am. If they think it of you, they aren’t worthy of your respect or your regard. But they don’t. They love you. Look at them. They’re as worried as you are. They’re afraid to approach you. They don’t want to do anything wrong. So they’re waiting for you to make the first move.

 As if reinforcing the very thing that Shea had spoken in Nathan’s mind, Donovan put his hand on Nathan’s shoulder and urged him forward.

 You’re amazing. Thank you. I didn’t realize how…unsure…I was about all of this. Not about you, baby. I need you to know that. Things have been off between me and my family—my brothers—ever since I came back from Afghanistan. This is the first time I’ve really faced them openly. I’d never admit this to anyone else, but I’m terrified.

 The frankness in Nathan’s thoughts staggered Shea. He didn’t try to shield anything from her. He was an open book. That kind of trust was unimaginable.

 Three men broke from the group and approached. The others remained behind, bags at their feet, calmly surveying the scene in front of them.

 At least one of them had to be one of Nathan’s brothers. Maybe all three. But there was one who looked an awful lot like Ethan. Black hair, startling blue eyes. But bigger. Not by much, but he seemed to dwarf the others with his presence. It wasn’t just his build, though he was certainly a big guy. It was his expression. His demeanor. He wasn’t someone you’d ever want to cross. At least not without a gun and at least a hundred yards between you.

 The one standing to the right had lighter hair but the same blue eyes. Definitely another Kelly. There was concern but also relief as he stared at Nathan. No condemnation just a healthy dose of relief.

 When her gaze swept to the left, she felt a jolt all the way to her toes. Her mind was suddenly crowded with a surge of emotions. Anger. Relief. Confusion. Impatience. The man was broadcasting loudly in her mind. He briefly glanced over her. Dismissed her with brief irritation. He was irritated by Nathan’s seeming preoccupation with her. He didn’t understand why Nathan would drop everything to go to her. Why he wouldn’t ask his twin for help.

 He felt threatened by her.

 “Joe,” she whispered. This was Joe, Nathan’s twin brother, and she could slip into his mind just like she could slip into Nathan’s.

 In a twisted way it made sense that she’d be able to connect to Nathan’s twin. But then little about her telepathy made sense. So much of it was random that it actually did surprise her that this could actually be called predictable. It made sense that her psychic link could be forged with the person Nathan was closest to in the world. And nothing about her gift had ever made sense before.

 Joe glanced up at her sharply, his eyes narrowing. He couldn’t have heard her faint whisper but perhaps he’d heard it in his mind. She would have to carefully guard her thoughts around him and focus her connection so it would only extend to Nathan.

 She didn’t want to know what his brother thought nor did she have any desire to communicate with him in such an intimate manner.

 She took in several steadying breaths. She would not allow herself to be afraid or intimidated. Nathan needed her. This was difficult for him, made more so by the fact that he was thrusting her into his world and expecting his family to risk their lives to protect her.

 “I’m Shea,” she said in an even voice before anyone else spoke. “Shea Peterson, though there is some doubt as to whether that is my real last name. I am, however, very real. I’m telepathic. I’m sure you have doubts where I’m concerned. I don’t blame you. Nathan risked a lot to help me. I’m sure you question why he would do it. And why he would expect you to help me as well.”

 To her complete astonishment, the man in the middle, the one she thought looked so similar to Ethan, took a step forward, pulled her into his arms and hugged her so tightly that she worried she’d suffer broken ribs.

 He lifted her off her feet, squeezed a little harder and then kissed her right on the forehead.

 “I’d be pissed if he didn’t expect us to help. I’m Garrett, by the way. Nathan’s older brother. This is Sam on my right and Joe to the left. We’ve heard a lot about you, Shea. But you’ll understand if we’re more interested in hearing about you straight from the source.”

 “Put her down, moron,” Sam said in a dry tone. “We need to be on our way. We can save the pleasantries for later.”

 Garrett put Shea down but then he faced Nathan, staring at his younger brother, his expression giving nothing away. Then, as he’d done with Shea, Garrett pulled Nathan into a tight hug and pounded him on the back.

 “You’ve got a hell of a lot of explaining to do, little man.”

 Nathan punched Garrett in the gut. “Watch who you call little man.”

 Garrett grinned and rubbed his abdomen. “Nice to see you haven’t wussed out on me in the last months. Was afraid you’d turn into a girl or something.”

 Shea frowned, sure that there’d been an insult in there somewhere.

 Joe still hadn’t said anything. He stared at Nathan like he was waiting. Sam glanced back at the twins and then tucked an arm around Shea’s shoulders. “Come on. We should get you into the SUV. Beavis and Butthead there will come along after they’ve had their come-to-Jesus moment.”

 Shea looked back in concern, but Garrett nudged her away. “They’ve got a lot to work out between them. Joe needs to vent his spleen. This has been brewing between them for months now. The sooner they get it out in the open, the sooner things will get back to normal. As normal as things ever get in this family.”