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"Need I remind you, our purpose here is to be gentlemen. We are to provide whatever support Kathryn needs, nothing more," Wyatt grits out, practically trembling with tightly leashed fury.
Gentlemen? Don't make me laugh. As if either of these overgrown boy scouts could ever really understand what a woman like Kat truly wants, what she needs. That unrestrained kiss we shared proved what her body craves, even if her mind resists. And I'm just the man to stoke that fire until she submits.
It will be so fun.
I offer them a cocky grin, recklessness and irritation overriding any sense of self-preservation. “Yeah? Well to hell with your gentlemanly bullshit. If you two pansies want to tuck tail and step aside, be my guest.”
At my crass words, Emrys bristles, straightening to his full impressive height, tattoos rippling menacingly. Meanwhile, Wyatt looks about ready to throttle me, barely leashed rage burning in his slate gray eyes. The testosterone and challenge hanging thick and heavy in the air is thicker than molasses on a cold December morning. You could cut through it as clean as a hot knife through butter.
Wyatt takes a measured step towards me, his voice lethally calm. "Allow me to make this unambiguously clear. I have absolutely no intention of stepping aside as you so crudely put it. This is a job. Nothing more."
Liar.
“If you say so, old man.” I lean against the wall behind me without a care in the world. “But me? I’m always down for a little fun. And Kat is just so…tempting. Isn’t she?”
They both turn away as if done with my shit and I grin.
They can act like they’re not at all a part of this game, but that will just make it all the more entertaining when they lose.
Poor chumps.
Chapter 15
Ugh. Who turned on the sun?
I groan and flop an arm over my eyes in an attempt to block out the offensive brightness assaulting me through the curtains. Maybe if I pretend hard enough I can trick my body into believing it's not morning yet.
No such luck. As the memories from last night flood back in, sleep evades me. The moonlit romp on the beach, Wilder's blistering kiss, the heated moment in the rainforest glade. My pulse picks up, thrumming with residual embarrassment and excitement in equal measure.
What's happening to me? I'm Kathryn Sharpe, level-headed entrepreneur extraordinaire. Yet here I am, acting like a hormonal teenager. I need to get a grip!
With a sigh, I drag myself out of bed. Time to face the firestorm. I choose a breezy yellow sundress and take a fortifying breath before stepping out into the living area. Wyatt, Wilder, and Emrys are already up, sipping coffee around the dining table looking irritatingly awake. Three pairs of eyes instantly hone in on me.
"Mornin' sunshine," Wilder drawls with a playful grin that makes my pulse flutter traitorously. Down girl!
"Coffee?" Wyatt asks politely, already pouring me a cup before handing it to me without waiting for a reply. I smile gratefully and take a long sip, grinning as I take in the chicken suit professionally cleaned and pressed to perfection gracing his body. He merely rolls his eyes as he catches me looking.
My phone chimes with Annabelle's breakfast summons before anyone can speak. I scroll through the details out loud. "Family breakfast in twenty minutes." I meet their eyes questioningly.
Wilder shrugs. "I'm game if you are, darlin'."
Emrys nods, eyes unreadable as always. Wyatt straightens the neck of the chicken suit. "We're here to accompany you as you need, Kathryn."
"Well alright then," I sigh. "Let's go charm the masses, shall we?"
We take the elevator down together, the air thick with unspoken words. Stepping out into the air conditioned reception area does little to dispel the heat simmering beneath my skin.
Jeez Louise. What’s wrong with me? It’s like I’ve become a besotten FMC from a romance novel.
Annabelle waves enthusiastically when she spots all four of us approaching together, clearly enjoying this far too much. We take our seats at the crowded table as the food is passed around family-style.
Between mouthfuls of bacon and sips of coffee, I feel three sets of eyes flick my way periodically, making me hyper-aware of their nearness. Their thighs accidentally brush mine beneath the table, sending sparks up my spine.
Knock it off, hormones!
Trying to turn my attention back to eating, it’s not long before I notice Emrys engaging in a staring contest with one of my toddler cousins at the table next to us, making the little girl erupt into giggles. The sound makes something warm swell unexpectedly in my chest.
"So, what trouble are we getting up to today?" Dad asks jovially when the meal winds down, pulling me from my thoughts. “You know, besides the rest of the chicken shit’s torture”
