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"Argh!" She scowled and glared some more.
Rye, usually not prone to coddle anyone, sat on the edge of the mattress and drew her into his arms, which was a bit of a challenge since she was determined to hold her body stiff.
"Okay, kitten. What seems to be the problem?"
She drew in a shuddering breath, and tears glimmered in her eyes.
Damn.
Not tears. I could not handle tears. And I doubted if Rye would be any better.
However, we could not let her pout or disobey us.
"I-I told you. You embarrassed me. In front of everyone. H-how am I supposed to be able to show my face around here after that?" Worry filled her expression, and it pained me to see her distressed.
"Darlin’"—I knelt and placed my hand on her leg—"did anyone make hurtful comments to you?"
She paused. Sniffled. Thought. "N-no, I suppose not."
"Or act in a way that made you feel unwelcome?"
She shook her head. "No, I actually felt surprisingly welcome," she said, her mood lifting somewhat, and the tears remained at bay. Thank fuck.
"Did anyone laugh at you?" Rye asked, his voice more gentle than I’d ever heard it.
"They all laughed."
Rye tipped her chin up. "There is a difference between laughing because everyone was having a good time and they were happy for us and laughing at your expense. I can assure you, Lily, if anyone had laughed at your expense, they’d have gotten my fist to their jaw."
"And if it had been any of the women, their men would have turned them over their knees right then and there."
She blinked. "Really?"
"Of course, really. You’re ours, and if anyone hurts you, physically or emotionally, they will answer to us," I said, standing and holding my fists up. "I’m a trained fighter, you know."
She looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on my stiff manhood. "Cockfighting?" she asked with a smirk.
My jaw hung open.
"Did our sweet, innocent, blushing Lily just make a cock joke?" I asked.
"It would appear so," Rye replied, shaking his head from side to side. "Will wonders never cease." He gazed down at her affectionately. "You are certainly full of surprises, naughty Lily."
LILY
* * *
I made a joke and then wished the floor would open and swallow me. Where had that come from?
"I’ve never been around people who behaved like that. It’s a lot to get used to." I squirmed, remembering the scene around the table with everyone kissing. The sights and sounds of it echoed in my head.
Rye tightened his arms around me and kissed my temple, a gesture I found particularly comforting, as though I was precious to him. "Life here at Bridgewater is different from life outside. That’s the way we want it, what each person on the ranch is committed to. I guess I have gotten accustomed to it myself, which is saying a lot for someone raised from birth to take his place in British society, and even I forgot it might be overwhelming and strange for you."
Keane knelt down again, taking my hand in his. "We were so proud and happy to have you meet our friends, our Bridgewater family, I guess we didn’t consider how it might be for you. I’m sorry."
"Thank you," I said, stunned. I was not accustomed to people taking my feelings into account and definitely not used to anyone offering me an apology, particularly not men. These Bridgewater men, my Bridgewater men, were unlike anyone else on the planet, and a sense of my good fortune at being with them warmed me. "I am sorry I jumped to conclusions."
"It seems we all made some assumptions," Rye replied, ever the voice of reason. "However," he continued, "that does not excuse your pouting and petulance. When you have a problem, when something is on your mind, you need to tell us. Have we given you any reason to think we wouldn’t give your words and feelings our utmost care? That your needs wouldn’t come before ours?"
