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Sydney moved to the stove to stir the big pot of bubbling chili that was responsible for the aroma tickling Lillian’s senses as soon as she’d entered the house. Turning her head, she said, “Just you and Master Mitchell, alone for almost three days and then he invites you to stay in his spare room and there’s nothing between you? Are you sure you’re female?”
The others giggled and Lillian had to smile and admit Sydney had her there. Despite the doctor’s dominant personality waving red flags of undesirability, she’d failed to stay indifferent to him. Unlike at the cabin, there were no excuses for caving to his high-handedness in the apartment, or a reason for her uncharacteristic response other than she was female and he was so freaking male.
Because they had been so welcoming and friendly toward her, she felt she owed them the truth, or a small part of it. “Okay, but it’s not what you think. Nan mentioned he’s a member of your club, and I respect that’s a big part of your relationships, but those proclivities have never held an interest for me. Mitchell was nice at the cabin. I was in the first days of grieving for my sister and he helped me through a bad night. It didn’t mean anything beyond that, and neither did his offer to stay in the room above his garage while I’m here, since I’m just passing through.”
“One thing about dominant men, they tend to jump into protective mode and are damn good at helping when we’re going through a rough time. I’m glad Mitchell was there for you. Dealing with your sister’s death and your ex’s abuse must still haunt you, so I hope you won’t get in a hurry to leave,” Nan said, pouring herself a refill and leaning against the counter.
Tamara nodded. “What Nan said. We’re just teasing you, and we’ve all been in denial over the perks from the lifestyle when we first explored it, so don’t dismiss it out of hand just yet.”
Lillian wasn’t sure how to reply to either of them. She appreciated the request for her to stick around, but the suggestion she might reserve judgment on whether she was interested in exploring their sexual preferences had never entered her mind. “I don’t go for the bossy type,” she stated, opting for blunt honesty.
“I didn’t think I did either, until Master Grayson helped me one night, his voice and commands alone sucking me in enough I tracked him down here to enlist his help and see if my response that one time was due to stress, a fluke or the real thing.” Avery rested a hand on her rounded stomach. “And I’ve never regretted taking that chance.”
A tightness spread around Lillian’s chest and coiled in her abdomen as she eyed the contented faces of these women. There was no denying they were happy with their spouses, and that included the alternative sex they indulged in, yet each one appeared to maintain their independence, working in their chosen careers and running their homes without dictation from their ‘Dom’ spouses. Surely it was envy of that special connection with someone that she once cherished with Liana she was experiencing, and not a yearning for a relationship such as theirs.
Before she could come up with anything to say, a deep voice drew the dogs’ attention toward the door.
“Spike, Sadie, go lie down.”
Lillian looked up at the man entering the kitchen, his enigmatic blue eyes zeroing in on Sydney with a possessive glint. Wow, was all she could think as he turned toward her and held out a large, calloused hand in greeting.
“You must be Lillian. I’m Caden. Welcome to our home.”
“Thank you.” His hand engulfed hers in a gentle grip but it was the man leading the others toward the kitchen who snagged her attention.
With the strong pull of a magnet, her gaze was drawn behind her host, toward Mitchell, who regarded her with a bland expression. He appeared relaxed holding a drink, those broad shoulders stretching his casual knit pullover.
Despite his neutral look, her pulse jumped, like always. With several eyes focused on them, she managed to throttle down the now familiar response, refusing to cave to this weird attraction again, especially after he’d dropped her as his patient.
“I’m glad Mitchell was around to help you out when that snowstorm struck. That one even caught us unaware,” Caden said as the men filed into the kitchen.
Shifting out of their way, Lillian sighed with a rueful grin, flicking Mitchell a questioning glance as she wondered how much he had told his friends. “I missed the turnoff for Billings, which is where I’d planned to stop for the night, and am grateful for the doctor’s hospitality.”
“It was no problem,” Mitchell interjected smoothly before turning toward Sydney. “Sydney, are you going to make us smell that much longer without feeding us?”
“Nope. It’s ready. Buffet style, so get in line and load up.”
To Lillian’s surprise, Mitchell moved to stand to the side with her as everyone filed in. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight or I would have offered you a ride.”
She brought her glass of wine to her mouth and sipped as she flicked her eyes up at him. Forcing a cool tone, she let her disgruntlement with him win out over self-preservation to keep her feelings to herself. “I find that hard to believe since you couldn’t bother telling me yourself about the x-rays you insisted I have taken.”
Before he could answer, a tall man sporting a sexy, bristled jaw and eyes as blue as Caden’s stopped in front of them. “Nice to meet you, Lillian. I’m Connor, Caden’s brother and this one’s lord and master.” He yanked Tamara against his side with a teasing grin.
“Ha, you lik
e to think so, don’t you? Don’t listen to a word he says, Lillian.”
Grinning, she shook Connor’s hand, not surprised Tamara had refused to give up on this man. What would it be like to spend years of your childhood with such a protective, close friend looking out for you and then reap the rewards of that special relationship growing into such a deep caring commitment? Sadness tugged at Lillian as she thought of the bond she and Liana had shared since birth, and the void her passing left that would always be with her.
“Everyone ignores Connor’s teasing.” Mitchell clasped her elbow and steered her toward the dwindling food line, confusing her with his continued attention. “You’re getting between me and food, Dunbar.”
“Got it.” Connor winked at Lillian and she forced the encroaching sorrow back before it could ruin the evening.
After getting their food, everyone filed into the dining room where Mitchell surprised her again by taking the seat next to her. She cast him a disapproving look, his nearness making it difficult for her to suppress the unaccustomed ache to be a part of this close-knit group instead of an outsider. It’s just because I miss Liana, not because I have anything in common with any of them. That was the only explanation she could come up with for the growing desire to stick around Willow Springs and get to know these people better.
Mitchell ignored her silent reproach, turning his attention to his food and the conversations going on around the table. Since she couldn’t figure out what was going on with him, she dug into the best chili she’d ever tasted, Sydney’s concoction outdoing the quick, simple pot she had thrown together at the cabin.
“What did you do different, Sydney?” Grayson took another bite, frowning as he tried to place the unique flavor. “This is good.”
