“It’s not a bad thing. It’s just—”
“Webber,” a guy calls out from several paces ahead of us on the path. “Who’s your new friend?” He laughs and waves at Kirin, but takes his sweet time sauntering over here. Sauntering is the only word for it, too—gray henley pushed up to his elbows, hands in the pockets of his faded black jeans, shoulders slightly hunched, his lean but well-muscled frame moving through space-time as if he hasn’t a care in the world.
Kirin closes his eyes and says, “Baz. It’s Baz.”
“What’sBaz?” I ask. “The reason you’re being weird about my house, or the guy heading our way?”
“Both.”
There’s a playful spark in Kirin’s eyes, but I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. I’m about to ask, but then the guy in question is standing right before us, looming like a dark shadow.
Oh, damn.
Nineteen
STEVIE
We lock eyes immediately, his slow-burn smile sexy and wolfish behind a few days’ worth of stubble. Messy, chocolate-brown hair falls lazily into his eyes, which are a deep auburn-brown that looks almost reddish in the light.
Devil’s eyes, I decide. More red than brown, and too intoxicating for his own good.
Bastard knows it, too. When I reach out for his energy, I find a smug aloofness. A cockiness trying hard to hide something else festering beneath.
He still hasn’t removed his hands from his pockets, and I can’t help but stare at his sculpted arms, flexing in the fading sun.
The forearm porn is strong with this one…
“You must be the little jailbird Trello’s got her panties in a bunch over,” he says by way of introduction, and Kirin rolls his eyes, letting out a groan.
I lift my gaze to Baz’s face, my eyebrows shooting skyward. Forearm porn or not, that was a jackass thing to say.
“Andyoumust be guy who cops attitude to compensate for a small dick,” I retort. “You don’t have to do that, you know. I’m sure there are plenty of fine women out there who like a guy just for his personality. I mean, I don’t know any personally, but if you believe it hard enough, dreams really do come true!” Then I flash him the double thumbs-up and a wide, cheesy grin. “Think good thoughts!”
His eyes flare with fire.
Kirin puts a hand on my shoulder and clears his throat, glaring at Baz in what feels like a show of dominance. It’s a protective gesture that I appreciate, but then, out of nowhere, Baz just laughs.
“Oh, I like this one.” He leans in close, throwing his arm around me in a congenial side-hug. “Can we keep her?”
“Keep yourself, jerk.” I slide out from under his arm, but I’m basically full of shit. At leasthalffull, anyway. Because this guy, as epically assholian as he may be, is a specimen of male perfection, and there’s something intriguing about him I can’t quite put my finger on. His sense of humor may be a little rough around the edges, but it’s there, a genuine good nature he’s trying hard to hide.
“If you change your mind, Kirin has my number.” He’s still standing way too close, his scent invading my space—like woodsmoke and black pepper and freshly turned earth—and the longer he looks at me, those devil eyes flashing with mischief, promising all sorts of naughty trouble, the closer I am to taking him up on that offer…
Get a hold of yourself, you horny slut!
I force myself to take a step back and breathe in some normal air, recapture a few brain cells I’ve clearly lost along the way.
Goddess, what is my deal today? Kirin is one thing—I’ve been crushing on him for months. I could even give myself a pass on my brief attraction to Dr. Devane, considering the extreme circumstances under which we met, and how he saved my life and fed me tacos, a combo that’s nearly impossible to resist.
But this dickhead? He’s a… well, a dickhead. Obviously.
Clearly it’s these damn jeans Lala gave me. They’re creeping up close, rubbing me in all the wrong ways, activating areas of my anatomy that have no business coming out of hibernation.
Go back to sleep, my pretties! Your services will not be needed at this time, thank you!
“I assume you have a name?” Baz asks me.
“Don’t tell him, Stevie,” Kirin says, laughing. “It’s like the ancient tales—he’ll only use it against you later.”
