Page 85 of Pistols & Peonies

“So, when can I expect some little nieces and nephews?” my brother presses, clearly enjoying himself.

“Whit,” I say flatly.

He laughs again. “Relax. I’ll be there at eight.”

My jaw tightens. “Didn’t you hear me? I said she’s here.”

“So what?” he replies easily. “I’ve been wanting to meet her. We’re family now, Dare. You don’t get to keep her hidden forever.”

Out on the dock, Violet kicks her feet a few times, the tips of her toes brushing the water’s surface. Then she pushes to her feet, glancing once over her shoulder toward the house– toward me– and something about that look feels deliberate.

She reaches down, hooking her thumbs in the waistband of the borrowed boxers.

My breathing slows.

She shifts her hips, shimmying the cotton down inch by inch. The fabric slides over the curve of her ass, down her thighs, pooling at her feet before she steps out of them.

My grip on the phone tightens until the plastic creaks faintly in protest.

“Derek?” Whit says, suspicion creeping in.

Violet crosses her arms, catching the hem of my t-shirt. She pulls it up slowly, exposing the flat plane of her stomach, the slope of her ribs, the swell of her breasts as the fabric glides higher and higher…

The shirt clears her head, and then she’s fully nude. Sunlight spills across her skin, and my wolf surges forward at the sight of her, claws raking at the inside of my chest.

Mine.

“Shit,” I mutter, already moving toward the back door. “I gotta go.”

“See you tonight, then?” Whit asks.

“Whatever. Bye.”

I hang up without waiting for a reply, shoving my phone into my pocket as I stride across the lawn, eyes locked on Violet’s bare body.

She takes a running start just as I reach the edge of the grass, launching herself off the dock. She hits the water with a splash that shatters the stillness of the lake, sending birds scattering from the trees.

I don’t break stride.

By the time I step onto the dock, she’s already resurfacing, dragging a hand through her wet hair to push it back from her face. My boots thud against the wood as I walk to the very end.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I demand.

She blinks up at me, water lapping at her shoulders. “Swimming, obviously.”

I fold my arms over my chest and glare down at her. “You’re naked.”

She laughs, completely unbothered. “So?”

“So, someone could see you.”

Her brows lift. “Who?” She sweeps a hand toward the treeline, sending ripples across the surface of the lake. “There’s nobody around. That’s the whole point of this place, isn’t it?”

I glance around reflexively.

She’s right.

That’s why I love this place. It’s secluded and heavily wooded, with no neighbors in sight. Just water, trees, and silence thick enough to swallow the rest of the world.