Possession by Jennifer Lyon Page B

him. Eyeing Kellen—his stance as he stood up to him—Sloane said, “You and Diego are still staying here, right? For how long?” Kat had assured him that the two men insisted on staying at the condo after David pulled the stunt at her bakery.
    “Three more weeks until our house is ready.” Kellen dropped down on a barstool at the granite island. “Kat’s refusing to get another roommate. I’m worried about her living alone.”
    Hell, now Sloane was worried too. The best thing he could do for her was to walk out of her life.
    Not happening. He wanted her, needed her.
    Fucking craved her.
    Glancing over at her keypad for her alarm, he thought about the options. “I’ll get her security system upgraded to top of the line.” What else? Damn it, Kat’s leg made her too damn vulnerable. She couldn’t run fast and far enough. “Would she consider a gun?”
    “Not a chance.”
    “Dog?”
    “She says she’s gone too much. She can’t take a dog to the bakery due to health codes.”
    Frustration clawed at him. “I’ll get her a dog sitter.”
    “She can’t afford that kind of thing, Sloane. Don’t even suggest it. She’ll be paying the mortgage without my rental income as it is.”
    “She wouldn’t have to pay for it.” That was ridiculous. If Kat had any idea how much money he spent seeing to his bitch of a mother’s protection, she’d realize he didn’t care about the expense of something like a dog sitter. But of course, then he’d have to tell her why his mother needed protection and then their deal would end.
    “Suggest it and you’ll be glad she doesn’t have a gun. But more to the point, you two are only temporary. She’d have to assume the costs once you move on.”
    Move on. Sloane didn’t like hearing it. Didn’t want to lose her. He’d known Kat was trouble when he’d laid eyes on her in that ballroom. “I—”
    The bedroom door opened, and Sloane forgot Kellen.
    Forgot everything but the woman coming down the hallway. A champagne-colored dress slashed across her body in a way that had to be illegal. It rode over her left shoulder, leaving her creamy right side exposed. The dress greedily hugged her curves and had an uneven hem, with the right side longer, covering her to mid calf. Clever way to hide the scars that bothered her. She’d paired the dress with some kind of satiny ballet slippers that had ties that wrapped around her slim ankles.
    He had to touch her. Unable to stand it, he lifted a lock of her silky hair off her bared shoulder. She’d done her eyes up so they looked more blue and sexy as hell. All he wanted was to get her alone and peel that dress from her by inches. “Kitten, you look sensational.”
    “Thanks.”
    Her breathless voice clued him in to her nerves. He stroked his thumb over the fluttering pulse at her throat. She had done this for him. For years she hadn’t worn a dress, and tonight she’d put one on for him. Her bravery humbled him.
    “Kat,” Kellen broke in. “That dress is incredible. You look hot and elegant. It totally works on you.”
    She smiled at her friend. “Thanks, Kel. But I’m still not showing you the cake design.”
    Her mouth tempted Sloane too damn much, her full lips glistening with some kind of gloss. Forcing his gaze up, he asked, “What design?”
    Kellen grunted. “Kat’s doing a cake for our housewarming party. But she won’t show us what she’s planning. That’s just wrong. It’s our party.”
    Sloane had the feeling this was an ongoing argument between the two of them. Especially since Kat’s eyes twinkled.
    “Kellen is an incurable snoop. He tried to figure out how to open the box to see my dress when it was delivered.”
    “Did not,” Kellen announced primly. “Because Diego was here when it came and he’d totally rat me out to score Kat’s cookies.”
    Kat laughed, a full-bodied sound that trembled in Sloane’s stomach. Kellen was purposely teasing her so she’d relax.
    Fingering the slice of pink