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Allister would definitely consider a look in the fellow’s direction an outright act of betrayal. She quickly turned her back before one of her attentive boyfriends translated her friendliness as something else altogether. The heavy footsteps behind her let Ellie know she’d arrived at the decision a little too late.
“I saw that.”
“Bradley,” Ellie drawled, turning to accept a peck on the cheek. “It’s not how it looks.” She grabbed a pen from his shirt pocket. “Promise.”
“Tell me how it looks, babe.” His lopsided grin was sexy as hell and when he swept her in his arms and gave her a ravenous kiss right there in public, she went weak in the knees.
Ellie’s nipples perked right up and her pussy clenched. “Now I have two men to drag off to the lavatory once we’re in the air.”
“Don’t promise one thing to Allister without delivering to all of us,” Bradley said, caressing her hip before tilting his head at the wall of windows. Outside, others from Trouble had just arrived. The men were already at the rear of their vehicle. They quickly tossed their bags to the curb in a rush to make the flight. “Crew is all here. Looks like no one will need to reschedule after all. Let me go help them.”
With Bradley preoccupied with the Trouble crowd, Ellie peered over her shoulder. More out of curiosity than anything else, she checked to see if the handsome fellow was still there. He walked away from the counter, seemingly interested in their arriving party.
“Do ya know that fella by chance?” Markie had approached quietly.
“No. Do you?”
“Sugar, I’m not the one eyeing him like I plan to ask for permission to fuck him.”
“Markie!” She shook her head and laughed. “That’s not even close to what I was thinking.”
“Gawking at another fine piece of male specimen flesh? Uh-huh, darlin’. The rubberneckin’ speaks for itself. Surprised you didn’t get a crick in your neck,” Markie teased. “You were eatin’ him right up in that mind of yours. If I hadn’t been nearby, why you would’ve had him for coffee and dessert.” He fluttered his eyelashes. “Let Allister catch a whiff of those looks and dude on the end of ’em will be begging for death before we change planes in Atlanta.”
“Markie, I do not know him.” She stressed the fact since Markie wasn’t one to sit on information. Often too eager to pass along all new “intelligence,” also known as outright gossip, he typically ran straight to Draegan with distorted facts and loaded opinions. In turn, Draegan shared all data with his brothers.
The good old boys club stuck together in Trouble just like anywhere else. News simply traveled faster in their small circles.
“I believe you.” Markie clucked. “Not.”
Predictable to a fault, Markie trotted off to greet Draegan and Serena as they entered the airport. With his widespread arms, he embraced Serena and then did the same to Draegan. He hugged Draegan a little longer than normal and as soon as he released him, Draegan shot Ellie a cool glare.
As if Markie suspected the tension he’d caused, he let out an ear-piercing whistle as soon as Draegan reached the ticket counter. After making small talk with one Trouble resident and then another, Markie sashayed over to Draegan and helped him tag bags.
“Troublemaker,” she mouthed.
Markie blew her a kiss. Nothing fazed him.
“You have an interesting crowd of friends.”
Startled, Ellie whirled around and faced the stranger. She had to give the fellow props. He had a lot of nerve.
Before she answered him, she caught a glimpse of Bradley and Allister congregating in the corner. Markie hurriedly approached them as if he held the world’s greatest secrets in the palm of his hand.
On second thought, Mr. Man was outright stupid and didn’t value his life at all.
Dragging her gaze away from the guys, she finally said, “Thank you. They’re definitely an interesting bunch.” She didn’t quite know what else to say. Plus, thanks to Markie, Allister and Bradley were heading their way.
“So is this a family reunion?”
The rest of Trouble’s bunch entered the airport rolling luggage and wearing backpacks. “Not exactly.”
“Friends then?”
“Family and friends. We live in Trouble.”
“Trouble?”
“If you haven’t heard of Trouble then you aren’t from around here.”
