“Lukan...”
I hadn’t meant to moan, but it escapes with the drag of my head back using my hair. I’m captured in the hard glint of his eyes. In the mouth inches from my parted lips. The scent of him whispers through me with the aggressive punch of whiskey on an empty stomach.
Had he always smelled so ... good?
I can’t seem to remember anything when he’s holding me with such purpose. Such control.
“Come with us,” he urges, momentarily distracting me with the graze of his lips on my chin. “Can’t be without you again.”
My heart is thundering wildly in my chest. The erratic patter I know he can hear when there is no space between us. When he’s holding me like I’m the most fragile thing he’s ever beentrusted with. Eyes the warm red of tea peer into mine with urgency and a plea that steals what’s left of my oxygen.
“Where?” I barely manage.
Because he can’t be serious. Clearly, he’s joking and he’ll break my heart by laughing and telling me I’m so silly for falling for it.
But his face drops into the line of my neck, into the vein beating beneath my skin.
“Home, Rina. Come home with us.”
It’s the broken whisper that catches in my throat. The desperation as he nuzzles my skin and makes me too aware of my damp crotch still slick with my release.
“To Vancouver?” I guess, trying not to squirm when he inhales deeply.
He hums quietly before setting me down on my feet.
“We can go anywhere you want.”
Now, I know he’s messing with me. While cute and funny, there’s no way he’s serious given all the circumstances.
“Stop teasing.” I force a chuckle and detach myself from him. “You know that’s not possible.” I move away from him. Them. I need space to think and that’s hard to do when everything about them is overwhelming. “Come on. You can keep me company while I finish my list.”
Leaving them to shrug out of their coats and kick off their boots, I hurry in the direction of the kitchen. I figure it’s the best place to calm us all down.
Mainly me.
I need to distract myself from all those muscles and those faces. I know they were always beautiful to look at, but the reality of them in the flesh is a different kind of torture, especially given that at least one of them is married.
Plus, they’re brothers. How would that even work?
I give my head a shake, relatively irked by their teasing.
“You don’t want to stay here, baby.” Roan slips into the room.
Lukan follows with Kellen right behind him.
The kitchen was a mistake.
They are much too big, too imposing for the cramped space. Even with a whole island between us, I’m too aware of their presence. Their eyes. The way they never leave me.
I take a deep breath. “I mean, of course not. This place gives me the creeps.” I motion to the entire cabinet stocked with jars containing items I can’t even pronounce. “You should see the book of skins.”
Maybe they’re as confused as I am because glances are exchanged. Kellen has a deep crease between his brows that make my fingers itch to smooth out. Roan is anxiously rubbing the back of his neck and casting sideways peeks at Lukan who hasn’t taken his attention off me. All the humor is gone from the chiseled lines of his features. His mouth is drawn into a downward frown that mirrors the contemplation in his eyes.
“Why are you here?” he asks, which has me puzzled and raising my own questions.
“Why are you?” I quirk an eyebrow. “We both know Aunt Laura wasn’t your favorite person. You didn’t even come to her funeral. So, why are you all here? Why now?” I plant my fists on my hips. “How did you know I would be here?”
The discomfort amongst them is only mildly amusing when I have to bottle down my irritation.
