usually
better at holding her liquor, especially when she only had the one. And most
especially when snuggled in the arms of a ridiculously hot guy.
Had that whole event even happened or had she hallucinated
the entire moment? Maybe she had been more exhausted than she had realized. One
minute she was feeling groovy and relaxed next to Bale’s heat then wham,
nothing. Complete blackness until she woke up, still fully dressed and tucked
into her borrowed bed.
The idea of Bale carrying her in his arms and laying her
down on the fluffy mattress sent a surge of heat through her veins while her
brain kicked her in the ass. While the fantasy of Bale doing wicked things to
her was nice, she had a future to begin, like, now. Bale was going to have to
reside in the place of might-have-been. At least for now. The future was still
undecided. Maybe in a month or two things would be different
In a month or two, she reminded herself and set about facing
the day.
She splashed cold water on her face and changed into another
borrowed shirt before racing down the stairs where she was greeted by a smiling
Lucian.
“Good morning,” he said with a slight bow.
“Morning.” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and
sneaked a glance at him from beneath her lashes.
Lucian was dressed in black slacks and a white button-down
shirt that made his tan skin appear golden. It stretched dangerously tight
across his melon-sized biceps. He was what she’d call tongue-tying gorgeous, so
handsome he robbed her of the ability to form a sentence.
But that was before she met Bale. Yeah, after spending time
with tall, dark and silent the only thing that made her nervous around Lucian
was that now she had a good idea of just how well he used his cock. A mental
image that was not going to go away any time soon.
She felt the heat of the redhead curse steal across her
cheeks. “I’m sorry to have slept so late. I’m sure y’all have lots going on, so
I’ll be out right quick. If it’s all right though, I’d like to grab some toast
before heading on my way.”
He laughed. “Do not fret. You needed to rest and we are
happy to have fulfilled that need. And I know you require more than toast to
fill your belly. Come with me. Amaryllis has been cooking all morning. She
loves to have people to fuss over.”
“She shouldn’t have, really. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“We know, and you aren’t.” He gestured for her to precede
him into the kitchen, which she did while wishing her embarrassment to die
down.
“Whoa.” She stopped short and gaped at the buffet spread
across the center island where bowls of fruit cut into decorative shapes
bookended platters of eggs made three ways and the entire roll call of pork,
from sausages to ham steaks. “Is she expecting an entire football team?”
Lucian chuckled and reached across her for a slice of bacon.
“No. We men can eat a lot.”
“Men?” As in plural?
“Good morning,” Bale rasped by her side and she nearly
jumped ten feet into the air. Damn, that man took silence to an entirely new
level.
“Morning,” she mumbled and took a sudden interest in the
star-shaped pineapple and melon balls as the heat in her cheeks returned.
What else was there for her to say? Sorry for passing out
on you , or, Were you the one to tuck me into bed? Yeah, that sounded
real classy.
Lucian rescued her from having to break the silence. “Bale,
is all taken care of?”
“Yes sir.” He bowed. “It is with the repairman.”
“Good. Well, take a seat everyone. Amaryllis? Where are you?
We’re starving.”
“Eat then,” she called out as she entered from the pantry
with a green bottle in her hands and a smile stretching her lips. Bacon grease
and strawberry juice dotted her purple apron and tendrils of hair fell from her
ponytail, but there was no mistaking her happiness at providing for her family.
She held up the bottle. “I thought mimosas would be fantastic this morning.”
Ari saw Lucian
better at holding her liquor, especially when she only had the one. And most
especially when snuggled in the arms of a ridiculously hot guy.
Had that whole event even happened or had she hallucinated
the entire moment? Maybe she had been more exhausted than she had realized. One
minute she was feeling groovy and relaxed next to Bale’s heat then wham,
nothing. Complete blackness until she woke up, still fully dressed and tucked
into her borrowed bed.
The idea of Bale carrying her in his arms and laying her
down on the fluffy mattress sent a surge of heat through her veins while her
brain kicked her in the ass. While the fantasy of Bale doing wicked things to
her was nice, she had a future to begin, like, now. Bale was going to have to
reside in the place of might-have-been. At least for now. The future was still
undecided. Maybe in a month or two things would be different
In a month or two, she reminded herself and set about facing
the day.
She splashed cold water on her face and changed into another
borrowed shirt before racing down the stairs where she was greeted by a smiling
Lucian.
“Good morning,” he said with a slight bow.
“Morning.” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and
sneaked a glance at him from beneath her lashes.
Lucian was dressed in black slacks and a white button-down
shirt that made his tan skin appear golden. It stretched dangerously tight
across his melon-sized biceps. He was what she’d call tongue-tying gorgeous, so
handsome he robbed her of the ability to form a sentence.
But that was before she met Bale. Yeah, after spending time
with tall, dark and silent the only thing that made her nervous around Lucian
was that now she had a good idea of just how well he used his cock. A mental
image that was not going to go away any time soon.
She felt the heat of the redhead curse steal across her
cheeks. “I’m sorry to have slept so late. I’m sure y’all have lots going on, so
I’ll be out right quick. If it’s all right though, I’d like to grab some toast
before heading on my way.”
He laughed. “Do not fret. You needed to rest and we are
happy to have fulfilled that need. And I know you require more than toast to
fill your belly. Come with me. Amaryllis has been cooking all morning. She
loves to have people to fuss over.”
“She shouldn’t have, really. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“We know, and you aren’t.” He gestured for her to precede
him into the kitchen, which she did while wishing her embarrassment to die
down.
“Whoa.” She stopped short and gaped at the buffet spread
across the center island where bowls of fruit cut into decorative shapes
bookended platters of eggs made three ways and the entire roll call of pork,
from sausages to ham steaks. “Is she expecting an entire football team?”
Lucian chuckled and reached across her for a slice of bacon.
“No. We men can eat a lot.”
“Men?” As in plural?
“Good morning,” Bale rasped by her side and she nearly
jumped ten feet into the air. Damn, that man took silence to an entirely new
level.
“Morning,” she mumbled and took a sudden interest in the
star-shaped pineapple and melon balls as the heat in her cheeks returned.
What else was there for her to say? Sorry for passing out
on you , or, Were you the one to tuck me into bed? Yeah, that sounded
real classy.
Lucian rescued her from having to break the silence. “Bale,
is all taken care of?”
“Yes sir.” He bowed. “It is with the repairman.”
“Good. Well, take a seat everyone. Amaryllis? Where are you?
We’re starving.”
“Eat then,” she called out as she entered from the pantry
with a green bottle in her hands and a smile stretching her lips. Bacon grease
and strawberry juice dotted her purple apron and tendrils of hair fell from her
ponytail, but there was no mistaking her happiness at providing for her family.
She held up the bottle. “I thought mimosas would be fantastic this morning.”
Ari saw Lucian
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