ran my hands through my short black hair. “Aren’t you tired, Tag? Tired of the same old thing? The same nothingness? Ever since mom and Cha—”
He raised a hand, cutting off my words. “No. You don’t get to use them. Not like this. Not now.” His gray eyes hardened into unyielding steel.
I shook my head. “We’ve been existing. Barely surviving some days. And now you want to take our best shot at really living—hell, thriving—and show it the fucking door?”
He snarled at me, his top lip curling up. “We lost it when they died, Thane. You know only females can carry it.”
“And I know she can do it. Hollyn can do it. I can feel it.” I slapped a hand to my abs.
The water shut off behind the door. “Thane,” Hollyn called, her voice raised.
“Yeah, Stretch?”
Tag glared daggers at me.
“Do you have a fabric or length of cloth for me to dry with?”
Tag’s face…I would have laughed at his expression, but I was too busy arguing with myself not to offer her mine. I mean, she’d invited me to get naked earlier. It wasn’t like she would be unprepared for the male form.
“Sorry. I’ve never seen a man like you.” Her words tripped through my mind. Just as powerful now as they had been the first time she said them. They grabbed me by the throat and stiffened my dick.
Not to mention the look in her eyes when she’d said it. I bit back the groan as I remembered the naked hunger in her lavender irises. She’d been looking at me like I’d probably been looking at her.
Tag punched my arm. “You going to answer her, or just tent your towel some more, you perv?”
I growled at him and went back to my closet. I heard the bathroom door open before I could grab a towel. Shit. Fuck. Damn.
“Oh. Grumpy, it’s you,” she said.
I snorted. Grumpy wasn’t far off.
“Do you know where Thane is?”
“I’m here. I was getting you a towel.” I moved around the doorjamb and forced myself to keep my eyes on her face. But damn did her wet naked body in my peripheral vision give me enough for a jerk session tonight. “Here you go.”
I handed her the towel. She dabbed at her body, catching the drops as they skidded over the surface of her skin. Little goosebumps rose as the air kicked on. She shivered. “It’s very chilly in here.”
Was it? I just felt like my body was going up in flames. My dick was trying to get a peek at her, too.
With a glance at my body, Hollyn’s brow wrinkled. “Is that the way to wear this? What did you call it? Towel.” She nodded at my waist.
I nodded.
She shrugged. Wrapped the bath sheet around her waist and walked towards the door. “It’s much different from back home, but then again, many things are. Thank you for letting me use your shower. It was heavenly.”
Tag barred her progress. “No. You need to lift it up to under your armpits.” He reached out to adjust her covering himself.
I felt the growl start in the back of my throat.
He stopped all movement, turned to look at me. “Now? You’re going to go territorial now? Over her?”
“Don’t touch her,” I said, my voice little more than gravel. Even as I lurched forward to stop him, I wondered at my behavior. Hell, we’ve all shared the same woman before. I wasn’t a douche, let alone a controlling one. Even though I definitely sound like one right now.
But something about his attitude towards her and now he wants to touch her? Nope. Not happening. Not on my watch.
I grabbed the towel from his hands and shoved him out the door. I reached out, swung the door shut.
Hollyn had backed up, her eyes wide. “I didn’t mean to enrage him. I know that I can be annoying. And usually without trying. But he didn’t approve of my nakedness in the other room, so I attempted to cover myself. But it appears I’ve messed that up as well.” Her lavender eyes were soft as she looked up at me. Almost as if she expected me to berate her.
I lifted my hand, the towel dangling from my fingers.
She flinched back, her hands raised. “I’ll leave. You don’t have to hit me.”
I dropped my hands. “I’m not going to hit you, Hollyn. I will never hit you. No one in this house will. Not even Tagan, even if he is a grumpy bear.” I