Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(43)
“Fellas.” Remy grabbed the vacant chair, turned it around and nimbly straddled it. “What’re we talking about?”
Royce drawled humorously, “I was just telling Rod to enjoy having all the sex he can with Lena, because once the baby gets here—”
“—he’s in for a serious drought,” River cracked.
As the two brothers laughed, Remy grinned at Roderick, remembering how excited he’d been when Rod called a few days ago to tell him that Lena was pregnant. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that hearing the emotion in his twin brother’s voice had gotten him choked up.
Roderick chuckled, shaking his head at Royce and River. “Why do you clowns assume that having a baby will put an end to my sex life? It sure as hell didn’t hurt Mom and Dad’s, unless you think they got six kids by osmosis.”
At the mere thought of their parents having sex, the brothers groaned in laughing disgust, which made Roderick grin with satisfaction.
“Point taken,” Royce conceded.
“Definitely,” Remy agreed.
River grinned, swigging his beer. “We were just teasing you anyway. As hot as Lena is, you’d be crazy to let anything keep you from hitting that every night. I know I wouldn’t.”
Roderick chuckled. “Watch it now. That’s my wife you’re talking about.”
“Only because you met her first.”
“Please,” Roderick snorted. “Lena wouldn’t have given you the time of day.”
But she would have been in the minority. With his dark good looks and cocky swagger, River Brand had women eating out of the palm of his hand. He was the youngest of his siblings, and the one least likely to ever settle down.
Leaning back in his chair, Royce hitched his chin toward River. “I’ve been meaning to ask what’s going on between you and Lena’s sister.”
River frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well, the way you were putting the moves on her in St. Lucia, I just figured you two would be dating by now.”
“Nah,” River said dismissively. “We were just having fun, passing time. Besides, Morgan’s not really my type.” At Royce’s raised brow, he elaborated, “I mean, don’t get me wrong. She has a great personality and a pretty face. But she’s, like, a size zero. And you guys know I prefer my women with more meat on their bones. We all do.”
Royce, Roderick and Remy looked at one another, then broke into wide, knowing grins and chorused, “She turned him down.”
River scowled. “She didn’t turn me down.”
“Uh-huh,” the others laughingly mocked. “Yeah, sure.”
River’s scowl darkened. “Only because she’s already seeing someone. Some dude named Isaac.”
“Isaiah,” Roderick corrected. “His name’s Isaiah. He and Morgan have been dating off and on for the past few months. You would have met him at the wedding, but he had to go out of town on business.”
River shot him a dark look. “It would have been nice if you’d told me that before we went to St. Lucia.”
Royce snorted a laugh. “As if that would have stopped you from hitting on her.”
“It might have.” River gulped down more beer, smacked his lips and shrugged a broad shoulder. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Like I said, she’s not my type.”
Trading amused glances with Royce and Roderick, Remy drawled, “Methinks the boy doth protest too much.”
As they laughed, River smirked and gave them the finger.
When the humorous moment passed, Roderick said casually to Royce, “Yesterday when I spoke to Robyn, she mentioned that Daphne was upset because she wasn’t invited to St. Lucia. Is that true?”
Royce grimaced, a muscle tightening in his jaw. “Unfortunately, it is.”
“Are you serious?” River demanded incredulously. “Why the hell should she have been invited? Ever since the divorce, she’s barely wanted anything to do with our family.”
“Except, apparently, when it comes to taking all-expenses-paid trips to the Caribbean,” Remy said sardonically.
Roderick sipped his beer, then calmly set the glass down on the table. “As Lena and I explained to everyone, the trip to St. Lucia was our way of thanking all of you for your love and support. Now, Royce, I know you were married to Daphne and she’s the mother of your two children, whom I adore. But I don’t consider her a member of this family anymore, and I make no apologies for that.”
“Nor should you have to,” Royce grimly agreed. “Daphne had no right to complain to Robyn, and I’m sorry you had to hear about it. I’ll talk to her.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. You’re not responsible for Daphne’s petty behavior.” Roderick grinned. “Besides, she already got an earful from Robyn.”
The four brothers chuckled at the thought of their big sister reading Daphne the riot act. Robyn had always been fiercely protective of her family. It was well-known that anyone who harmed a member of the Brand clan would invariably incur the wrath of Mama Bear Robyn.
“Speaking of getting an earful,” River drawled, grinning lasciviously at Remy, “when are we gonna talk about all that moaning and groaning I heard coming from Zandra’s hotel room in St. Lucia? Either she hooked up with one of those cabana boys who were checking her out—or you finally got your prayers answered.”