her pray she wouldn’t throw up on one of his relatives.
‘How are you going to introduce me?’
‘I don’t know how rich folks do it in Manhattan high society.’ He reached for the latch on the gate. ‘But here on Staten Island we tend to use names.’
‘I can’t believe you’re doing this to me.’
‘It’s not that big a deal.’
Yes, it was. How could he not know that—did they have to have the relationship definition talk? Maybe she was overthinking it. Maybe he brought dozens of women home.
The thought made her frown.
‘Think of them as potential voters if it helps,’ he said as they got to the top of the porch steps. ‘But I should probably warn you most of them like the look of the other guy.’
She sent him a withering look.
When they stepped into the hall he took her coat, hung it on a rack and called out, ‘We’ve got company.’
Persuaded around the corner with a large palm on the inward curve of her spine, Miranda discovered four pairs of curious eyes studying her. Standing there stark naked couldn’t have made her feel more exposed.
‘This is Miranda,’ Tyler announced.
A woman with long dark hair and soulful brown eyes was the first of them to step forwards and hold out a hand. ‘I’m Jo. It’s nice to meet you, Miranda.’
‘And you.’ She smiled apologetically. ‘If I’d known where we were going I’d have brought something with me—I feel terribly empty-handed.’
‘Soon fix that.’ A tall man who was obviously one of Tyler’s brothers stepped forwards and shook her hand the second Jo let go. His vivid blue eyes narrowed a little. ‘You look familiar.’
‘My husband, Danny,’ Jo explained before nudging him in the ribs. ‘She’s the mayor’s daughter, you idiot.’
‘Nah, that’s not where I know her from...’ A slow smile spread across his mouth. ‘How’s your Southern accent?’
It took a second but when she made the connection Miranda’s eyes widened. He’d been one of the police officers in the hallway; more specifically one of the officers who had caught her making out with Tyler while pinned against a wall. There was just never a giant hole in the ground when a girl needed one, was there?
Danny winked as he let go of her hand. ‘Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. You, on the other hand—’ he pointed at his brother ‘—are gonna have to buy my silence for at least the next decade.’
‘You open your pie hole your lovely wife will end up wearing black,’ Tyler warned.
Jo linked arms with her husband and patted his chest. ‘You can tell me later, babe.’
‘You already know.’
‘How about you remind me?’
As they moved away Miranda dropped her chin and aimed an accusatory glare at Tyler. ‘You didn’t mention your brother was there that night.’
‘Didn’t I?’
‘No.’
‘Uncle Tyler!’
Her eyes widened as a small child launched herself at him and was swung into the air. ‘You have a niece?’
‘Indeed I do.’ He smiled indulgently. ‘Hey, Munchkin, who’s the best-looking guy in the room?’
‘Daddy,’ the girl replied with conviction.
Tyler glanced briefly at Miranda. ‘They can get a bit confused at four.’ He bounced the child higher in his arms as he walked away. ‘Remember we talked about this? Let’s go over it again...’
The image provided such a contrast to the dangerous man she’d seen in an alley Miranda couldn’t quite equate the two as she watched him disappear into what she assumed was the kitchen. But the reminder of how gentle he could be was a powerful aphrodisiac.
Why weren’t they at his place having sex?
‘Amy adores him,’ Jo’s voice said beside her. ‘I think it’s because at times they’re the same mental age.’
Detective-Takes-The-World-Too-Seriously-To-Dance had a Peter Pan side to his personality? Miranda blinked. She really wanted to see that. ‘Is she yours?’
‘No, we’ve only been married a few months. She’s Johnnie’s daughter. He’s the eldest. Then—in descending order—there’s Reid, Tyler and Danny. Liv is the youngest.’ She smiled when Miranda looked at her. ‘I know. It can be a lot to take in on the first visit and I’m afraid they’re not even all here yet. Liv and Blake are running a little late with their big announcement—my money’s on baby news. Reid is undercover so we haven’t seen him in a while—makes it twice as important for everyone to be here if it is baby news, y’know? Momma Brannigan is in the kitchen.’ She leaned closer and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ‘But don’t be scared. She’s lovely.’
While she blinked at the overload of information