eyebrows. “Why is he growling at us?” Ethan asked in a wary voice.
Kane let out a sigh. “He’s protecting her.”
I can protect myself,
she almost grumbled at the dog.
Shaking his head, Kane turned to Ethan. “Take the mutt and go help Luke unload the gear. I’ll show Abby to her room.”
With a faint good-bye, Ethan slid out the front door, leaving her and Kane alone in the massive hall.
“Cute dog,” she remarked wryly.
Kane looked a tad bewildered. “Uh, not usually.” He shrugged and reached for her. “Come on—let’s go upstairs.”
She moved away before he could take her arm. For some reason, she didn’t want him to touch her. When Ethan helped her inside, his touch had felt brotherly. The younger man wasn’t attracted to her. Neither was D, or even Luke, despite his subtle flirting, which was why she felt reluctantly at ease with them. But Kane… He hadn’t flirted with her, hadn’t sent any suggestive looks in her direction, yet she sensed the sexual awareness simmering beneath the surface. He noticed her as a woman, and that was something that always made her distinctly uncomfortable.
“I can manage,” she said coolly, walking toward the stairs on her left. Her ribs throbbed, but she breathed through the pain and forced her legs to carry her up the steps.
Kane trailed after her, and she could feel his dark green eyes boring into her back. On the second-floor landing, he took the lead, ushering her into a bedroom that was surprisingly cozy. Pale yellow curtains hung at a large window that overlooked the grounds. A tall cedarbookshelf rested against one wall, crammed with novels, from Dostoevsky to Stephen King, and the lovely stone fireplace with the leather armchair next to it offered a quiet niche to lose yourself in. The massive bed with its four posts and filmy canopy reminded her of something out of a Victorian-era painting.
“I see you’re admiring the bed.” Kane’s voice came out slow and silky. “Most women seem to like it.”
She whirled around in time to see a sensual glint fill his green eyes, and she immediately stiffened, confused by the fire that spread through her body. What the hell was that? Desire? She banished the thought. No, she didn’t feel things like desire or sexual awareness. It was probably indignation, over the fact that he was flirting with her.
“I want to see Noelle,” she said firmly.
“I told you, she’s not back yet. So why don’t you take a nap and I’ll wake you when she gets here.” He raked a hand through his blond hair. “It was a long flight. Get some rest.”
She squared her shoulders. “I don’t want to rest.”
“Fine,” he muttered. “Then how about a cup of tea? Lloyd’s really into tea. He has these different kinds that are supposed to treat all types of ailments.” He cocked his head. “Maybe he’s got one with truth serum.”
Her lips tightened. “I’ll have coffee.”
“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “Well, then, we’re going back downstairs apparently.”
He kept his hands to himself as they headed down the staircase. The kitchen was off the main hallway, an enormous room with granite counters and stainless-steel appliances. When they walked in, a giant of a man was pouring steaming coffee into two large mugs, as if he’danticipated the request Kane hadn’t even posed yet. The man had a head of curly red hair, a beard that seemed to devour his entire face, and a bulky frame that made him look like a linebacker.
“You must be Abby,” the giant said with a cheerful smile. “I’m Lloyd.”
“Nice to meet you.” She was slightly taken aback by his gentle voice. It seemed out of place coming from such an intimidating, massive man.
“May I ask what happened to your face?” Lloyd inquired in a polite tone.
She met his eyes. “I walked into a door.”
“Of course,” he said with a nod. He glanced at Kane. “Sit out on the patio. It’s a gorgeous day. Blue sky, yellow sun, singing
Kane let out a sigh. “He’s protecting her.”
I can protect myself,
she almost grumbled at the dog.
Shaking his head, Kane turned to Ethan. “Take the mutt and go help Luke unload the gear. I’ll show Abby to her room.”
With a faint good-bye, Ethan slid out the front door, leaving her and Kane alone in the massive hall.
“Cute dog,” she remarked wryly.
Kane looked a tad bewildered. “Uh, not usually.” He shrugged and reached for her. “Come on—let’s go upstairs.”
She moved away before he could take her arm. For some reason, she didn’t want him to touch her. When Ethan helped her inside, his touch had felt brotherly. The younger man wasn’t attracted to her. Neither was D, or even Luke, despite his subtle flirting, which was why she felt reluctantly at ease with them. But Kane… He hadn’t flirted with her, hadn’t sent any suggestive looks in her direction, yet she sensed the sexual awareness simmering beneath the surface. He noticed her as a woman, and that was something that always made her distinctly uncomfortable.
“I can manage,” she said coolly, walking toward the stairs on her left. Her ribs throbbed, but she breathed through the pain and forced her legs to carry her up the steps.
Kane trailed after her, and she could feel his dark green eyes boring into her back. On the second-floor landing, he took the lead, ushering her into a bedroom that was surprisingly cozy. Pale yellow curtains hung at a large window that overlooked the grounds. A tall cedarbookshelf rested against one wall, crammed with novels, from Dostoevsky to Stephen King, and the lovely stone fireplace with the leather armchair next to it offered a quiet niche to lose yourself in. The massive bed with its four posts and filmy canopy reminded her of something out of a Victorian-era painting.
“I see you’re admiring the bed.” Kane’s voice came out slow and silky. “Most women seem to like it.”
She whirled around in time to see a sensual glint fill his green eyes, and she immediately stiffened, confused by the fire that spread through her body. What the hell was that? Desire? She banished the thought. No, she didn’t feel things like desire or sexual awareness. It was probably indignation, over the fact that he was flirting with her.
“I want to see Noelle,” she said firmly.
“I told you, she’s not back yet. So why don’t you take a nap and I’ll wake you when she gets here.” He raked a hand through his blond hair. “It was a long flight. Get some rest.”
She squared her shoulders. “I don’t want to rest.”
“Fine,” he muttered. “Then how about a cup of tea? Lloyd’s really into tea. He has these different kinds that are supposed to treat all types of ailments.” He cocked his head. “Maybe he’s got one with truth serum.”
Her lips tightened. “I’ll have coffee.”
“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “Well, then, we’re going back downstairs apparently.”
He kept his hands to himself as they headed down the staircase. The kitchen was off the main hallway, an enormous room with granite counters and stainless-steel appliances. When they walked in, a giant of a man was pouring steaming coffee into two large mugs, as if he’danticipated the request Kane hadn’t even posed yet. The man had a head of curly red hair, a beard that seemed to devour his entire face, and a bulky frame that made him look like a linebacker.
“You must be Abby,” the giant said with a cheerful smile. “I’m Lloyd.”
“Nice to meet you.” She was slightly taken aback by his gentle voice. It seemed out of place coming from such an intimidating, massive man.
“May I ask what happened to your face?” Lloyd inquired in a polite tone.
She met his eyes. “I walked into a door.”
“Of course,” he said with a nod. He glanced at Kane. “Sit out on the patio. It’s a gorgeous day. Blue sky, yellow sun, singing
Similar Books
