enough to know that they’d do nothing to endanger the feline population while they were away from Middlemarch. “I’ll check with Jo and ring you back.”
“Give us half an hour,” Sly said. “We’re going to be busy for at least that long.”
“I won’t ask.” Saber clicked his phone shut and pulled on his jeans. He strode through to the bathroom and entered at the exact moment Jo shut the water off. The door opened and she reached for a towel. Droplets of water beaded on her body, drawing his gaze. Jo blotted up the water with a buttercup yellow towel. “Let me do that.”
A spluttered laugh escaped and she backed away until the bathroom wall got in the way. She held the towel up in front of her breasts, her brown eyes alight with mirth.
“I’ll never get my packing done if I let you help.”
“I can’t tempt you?”
“Always,” she said with an honesty that kicked him in the gut. His mate. Saber closed the gap between them and brushed his fingers across her lips, then tempted by her soft sigh, he kissed her, nibbling gently at her lips. Pulling away, he inhaled her soapy scent and ran his hand through her damp hair. Knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her was a balm to his spirit and made him step away and stop pushing. When they were back at Middlemarch and settled into a routine would be the right time to take their relationship that step further.
“Maggie is with my brothers,” he said, stepping away so she could dry herself and dress. Saber leaned against the wall, fascinated with the process she went through before she dressed. He watched her smooth lotion on her skin, onto her arms and legs, shoulders and breasts. She dabbed a different lotion on her face before padding back through to the bedroom.
“What do you mean Maggie is with your brothers?”
“Together sexually.” Saber didn’t feel right talking about his brothers’ sex lives. Coping with his own sex life was enough.
77
Shelley Munro
“Three of them?” Jo sounded faint.
“Yeah. They sounded perfectly happy. Sly asked if he and Joe could look after the house for you. I presume Maggie would be involved in the house sitting.”
“Three of them together?” Shock colored her words, and her eyes were big and round. As was her mouth.
Saber tapped her sagging jaw with his forefinger. “My younger brothers like a ménage. It appears that your friend is inclined that way, too.”
Jo held up her right hand in a clear stop signal. “Too much information. They…
Maggie…” She shook her head. “Maggie never gave any indication. You don’t—”
“I’m strictly a one-woman man.”
“Well, thank goodness for that.” Jo gave a self-conscious laugh.
“The house?” he prompted, hiding his amusement. “Can Sly and Joe housesit? Or you could charge them rent.”
“I guess,” she said, but she didn’t look that convinced. “Would they agree to a trial basis?”
“Good idea. I’ll start on your fridge while you pack.”
“You’re going to help?” Intense astonishment touched her face. Of course he intended to help. The ex had done a real number on her confidence and given her a poor perception of males in general. He chuckled suddenly. “I do have an ulterior motive. I’d like a date. Dinner out together. Maybe a movie before we drive back to Middlemarch. What do you say?”
“I can’t remember the last time I went to a movie.”
“Better get moving then,” Saber said. In truth, it was a first for him, too. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a date. He hadn’t wanted to get to know a woman or considered how she felt. In the past, it had been about sex. Disappointment and finally acceptance that there was no mate for him had made him this way. Saber glanced at Jo as she opened a drawer and pulled out black lacy underwear. With Jo, it 78
Scarlet Woman
was different. With a sense of wonder he realized he really wanted to know what made her tick. The Scarlet woman had
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