warn him, "or I'll begin to think that you are being nice to me."
"And what? Is it Christmas?" He smirks.
I stare, "You made a joke? Wow!" I clutch my chest, "It’s a Christmas miracle."
"Don't get your hopes up." He firms his lips, "My family isn't the easiest to get along with."
"What family is?" I pull my hair over my shoulder.
"Now who's being nice?" He chuckles.
"Not me." I tip up my chin.
"Liar." His gaze grows intense.
I swallow, glance away. Shit, this is...getting... Uh, more emotional than I’d expected. "Your family," I prompt. "What did they say when they found out about your, uh, escapades?" No, I don't want to talk about his sex tape, but damn if I don't want to know more about him.
He frowns, then rolls his shoulders, "They were...disappointed."
"No!" I blink. "You Mr. Billionaire, money bags, surgeon of all he surveys."
"Yeah," he blows out a breath. "Impressing the world is so much easier than impressing your own blood."
"Tell me about it." I glance around for an ashtray to drop the cigar in, then spot it on the side table.
I lean toward it, when he reaches for the stub, "Don’t."
"Don’t what?"
"Don’t snub it out." He takes the stub from my fingers, lays it to rest on the ashtray. "If you do, the cigar oils flow out and burn, and it causes an unpleasant smell."
"So cigars are another of your passions huh?"
"It’s a thing that unites us Seven."
"All of you smoke? I mean,” I make air quotes, “puff?"
"I like to occasionally indulge."
"Is it bad for you?"
"You mean because I am a surgeon?"
I nod.
"Most things that you have a weakness for are bad for you." He looks me up and down.
"And you?" I meet his gaze, "What about you?"
"I am the worst, of course."
I take a step forward. He widens his stance, and I step in the 'V' between his legs. What am I doing? Why can’t I stay away from him? As long as I don’t sleep with him, it’s fine, right? The arrangement still stands.
"The papers?" I lower my chin. "From your lawyers, I mean. When will they arrive?"
"I’ll have them for you by tomorrow."
His phone vibrates from the side table, "In fact, that must be it."
He makes no move no reach for it.
"So…" I swallow.
"So?" He runs a finger up the side of my arm. Goosebumps flare in the wake of his touch. A slow burn begins to hum, creeping, swirling up toward my heart. It would be so easy to lose myself in his presence, to forget the outside world exists. Just him and me, locked away in this cabin and—the lights blink off just then. "Oh." I glance up toward the bulbs set in the rustic settings in the ceiling.
"The wind must have gotten to the power supply."
Right. I glance down to find him watching me from under hooded eyes. If he’d been handsome before, lit by the firelight and nothing else, he’s devastating now. My throat dries, my belly twists, and moisture laces the secret area between my legs.
"Weston." I whisper, "I—"
Barking sounds from outside.
16
Weston
"Did you hear that?" I stiffen.
She freezes and her gaze widens. "Was that—?"
"Max." I’m already moving. I grab her by the waist, lift her and set her aside.
She squeaks. I jump to my feet, race toward the back door. I grab the handle and the door swings open. "I swear I shut it."
Footsteps sound behind me. I turn. "Stay inside," I stab my finger at her.
"Like hell, I am." She pauses, chest heaving. Her beautiful tits rise and fall. I glance at them and my belly hardens. Shit, not the time to get distracted.
"Get back in," I growl.
"No way." She folds her arms over her chest.
More barking, this time farther away. "Fuck." I pivot, race down the steps. She follows. "Stay behind me," I growl at her over my shoulder.
Amelie juts out her chin, then nods. Thank Fuck. If she’d tried to disobey me, I’d have bodily hauled her inside and tied her up. I shake my head, dislodging the image. Hell, if she doesn’t bring out the caveman in me. I turn, then bolt across the back garden. The light from the patio streams out. I race toward the shed, the direction from which I’d heard the barking. It’s silent now. Fuck, fuck, fuck. My heart begins to race and my pulse rate ratchets up. I slow down as I near the shed. I hear movement behind me, then she pulls abreast. "Is there someone in the shed?" she whispers.
I