His brothers. It’d been good to live here beside them rather than just visiting during vacations. Together, they’d fixed the woodshed, cleaned up the winter debris, and repaired snow damage. And they’d all silently grieved for Mako.

Working beside them had repaired the disconnect brought about by long absences.

He frowned. If he returned to Mako’s cabin, would Bull and Caz see his leaving as a kind of betrayal?

At the sizzle of meat hitting the grill, Gabe headed inside to get the fixings for baked potatoes.

Audrey already had everything set out on a tray. She passed it to him.

“Perfect. Thank you. As soon as the salmon is done, we can get the potatoes out of the oven.”

“Okay.” She glanced out the window and rubbed her hands on her jeans. “Are you sure they’re all right with me being here? I mean, at a family meal and everything.”

He set the tray down on the counter and pulled her up against him. “Goldilocks, we’re a bunch of guys. The addition of an intelligent, beautiful woman is always a plus.”

The confused expression on her face made him frown. “Beautiful? I’m not…I mean, I’m okay, but not beautiful. No, that’s not me.”

He pulled her closer, his heart aching. She really did believe that.

It wasn’t the first time he’d noticed this oddity in women. When younger, he’d thought maybe he attracted insecure females, but with more experience, he found most females doubted their attractiveness. During one late-night discussion, Caz had pointed out that society—and women’s fashions—made each woman feel inadequate. Her figure was never the right size; she was either too curvy or too thin. Her hair was never thick enough or glossy enough. Her eyes weren’t big enough. Her skin didn’t glow enough. Her lips weren’t red enough or full enough.

Honestly, if men were hammered with that kind of bullshit, they’d get out the pitchforks and rip apart the fashion industry.

He lifted Audrey’s chin. “You are beautiful,” he said firmly. “You have the biggest, most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re the color of morning fog over the lake.”

When he saw the hint of tears in her eyes, he panicked. And added, “Especially right after you’ve come.”

The corners of her mouth tilted up.

Smiling, he stroked through her hair. “Your hair is silky and long…and perfect for holding you in place during sex.”

She choked back a laugh.

He ran his thumb over the satin of her lower lip. “This soft mouth is simply perfect for sucking my dick.”

When her eyes narrowed, he grinned. “Your breasts are the perfect size,” for my hands, “and every time I see your ass, I get hard.”

Pinning her against the counter, he pressed that very hard dick against her.