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There was a hard tap on his shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”
Jet fuel went through Wyatt at the mere sound of that voice. Kelsey halted her dance step. Wyatt looked over at Andrew Carmichael who, of course, was smiling broadly, way too pleased with himself. He narrowed his eyes and flicked his shoulder-length brown hair out of the way like he was some male runway model. “Well, look who it fucking is—Quiet Wyatt.”
Wyatt’s teeth gritted together at the old nickname, and Carmichael slapped him on the back with pointed force. “Carmichael,” Wyatt replied with lethal calmness.
“I saw your name on the guest list but I had to see for myself. Didn’t think you ever came out and mingled with the mortals. Couldn’t resist the lure of my beautiful island, huh?”
“I’m here because my father couldn’t make it.”
Andrew’s winning smile stayed in place, but there were daggers in his gaze. “Well, I’m glad you could make it. I’ve been wanting to discuss some things with your father. Now I can do it with you. I’ve talked to a few of his other clients, and I think A&A might be just the kind of firm I’m looking to work with.”
Wyatt opened his mouth to tell the guy to take his money and fuck off, but Kelsey stepped forward, sticking out her hand and cutting him off. “Hi, Mr. Carmichael, I’m Kelsey. I wanted to thank you for inviting us. The resort and the island are breathtaking. Really. Prettiest place I’ve ever visited.”
Andrew turned the full power of his charm toward Kelsey, taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth to kiss the top of it. It took everything Wyatt had not to yank the asshole backward by his Fabio hair. How dare that fucker touch his woman. “I’m so glad you like it. And really, the pleasure is all mine.”
Kelsey smiled demurely at Andrew’s laying-it-on-thick tone and was that . . . eyelash fluttering? Fuck. She was doing as she promised. Working him. But Wyatt didn’t want that. Hadn’t she heard a word he said about the change of plans?
“Would you care to dance, Kelsey?” Carmichael asked.
“We were just—” Wyatt began.
But Kelsey sent him a fierce look that said I got this before replacing it with her Southern belle act. “That would be lovely, Mr. Carmichael.”
“Please. Call me Andrew.”
Andrew turned and winked at Wyatt, then led Kelsey away. Fucker. The guy had simultaneously hijacked Kelsey and put Wyatt in a position where he couldn’t do something without looking like a possessive asshole. The music switched to a slower beat, and Andrew pulled Kelsey way too close. That almost sent Wyatt charging like a maniacal bull, but Kelsey met his gaze over Andrew’s shoulder, warning him off.
Wyatt forced himself to take a few steps back off the makeshift dance area, but kept his focus glued on Andrew and Kelsey. One errant hand going somewhere it shouldn’t and Wyatt was going to break off Andrew’s fingers and feed them to the sharks.
“She can take care of herself, you know,” Kade said, sidling up next to him again and offering him a glass of what looked to be scotch.
Wyatt accepted the drink and downed it. Fuck keeping his edge tonight. “The guy’s a creep.”
He nodded toward the couple on the dance floor. “And Kelsey’s tough and loyal. Whatever she’s doing out there is for your benefit.”
Wyatt released a weary breath, a deep tiredness settling over him. “How do you really know her, Vandergriff?”
Kade was quiet for a long moment, the ice cubes in his drink clinking against the glass as he rolled it in his hands. “I can’t really—”
“Are you one of her clients?”
Kade snorted.
“Well, are you?”
“Uh, no. Kelsey’s a doll. But we play for the same team.”
Fuck. So Kade was a dom. Perfect. Now that shitty romantic comedy Wyatt had been weaving in his head about Kelsey falling for Kade had an NC-17 element added to it.
“Don’t we all.” Wyatt glanced over at him, his tone wry.
Kade lifted his eyebrows as he sipped his drink. “So what are you doing with her then?”Author: Roni Loren
Wyatt tilted his head back, looking to the stars above and sighing. “Losing my goddamned mind.”
Kade chuckled. “Yeah, I could see that. That girl is one who can leave a mark.”
Wyatt rolled his shoulders as the song came to an end and set his empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray. “She already has.”
