I didn’t realize I should’ve.” She also didn’t have enough money to feed other people.
As if hearing her thoughts, Devon said, “I haven’t gone shopping yet. She whipped this up from what she brought over last night. Get something frozen or order pizza.” His voice dropped an octave. “And give her a little room to eat.”
“She’s got room.” Andy barely leaned away. “I’m sick of pizza and frozen food. It’s all I ever eat anymore.”
“Not my problem.” Devon scraped his plate and then licked the prongs of his fork.
Definitely not the refinement of Samantha or her friends. It was refreshing.
Another knock. At Devon’s call, in walked the guy named Rod, a giant with hulking shoulders and surprisingly graceful footsteps. His dark eyes flashed around the room, touching each person before settling on Charity’s plate. “What’s that?”
“Dude. She cooks. Looks good, too.” Andy’s gaze followed the fork up to Charity’s mouth.
“Did you make any for me?” Rod asked, bending to get a better look.
“This is getting awkward,” Charity mumbled.
Dillon and Macy filed in next, fingers entwined. Macy beamed at Charity. “Hi! You decided to join us, huh? I could use another girl.”
Andy leaned toward Charity again. It didn’t seem like he could help himself. “Bite?” He opened his mouth like a little baby bird.
“Back off, Andy,” Devon growled.
“You’d think I had drugs or something.” She handed her loaded fork to Andy, who bit it so eagerly that he almost dented the metal.
“Oh my God,” Andy said, falling back against the back of the couch. “Charity!”
“Why? What?” Rod took a step closer. “Is it good? Is it that good?”
“It’s ah-mazing. A-may-zing!” Andy’s eyes rolled back in his head, and Charity let her smile blossom at his antics. She supplied Rod with a bite.
“Good God, woman.” Rod shook his head at her. “You’re a rock star. I mean, my dad is a pretty good cook, but he ain’t got nothing on you.”
“All your dad knows how to do is grill,” Andy said. “She’d whoop his ass.”
“I just said she was better, didn’t I?” Rod replied angrily.
“You said she was better—you didn’t say she’d stomp on him, slap his ass, and call him Susan.”
“All right, all right, let her finish her food,” Devon said, and a burst of power rolled through the air.
Like leaves stirring on the forest floor, Charity felt her magic respond to his. Heat pulsed in her middle, and she quickly finished off the rest of her plate so she could escape into the kitchen.
Macy grabbed Devon’s plate. “I’ll help.”
“Since when do you clean up?” Rod asked skeptically.
“Since I want to get away from your ugly mug.”
He snorted. “I feel sorry for Dillon, having to deal with you.”
“You shouldn’t. At least he gets laid.”
Rod nodded and shrugged at the same time. Point to Macy.
“How goes it?” Macy asked Charity a moment later. The plate clinked against the countertop next to the sink. “Did it go okay with Roger? He was acting kinda strange…”
“Oh, good. So he normally isn’t that intense?” Charity rinsed her plate and tucked it into the empty dishwasher.
“No, he isn’t normally that calm. I heard he smiled.”
Charity rinsed the other plate. “If that was nice Roger, I do not want to see mean Roger.”
“Like I told Andy, it’s best to steer clear. Let Devon be the middleman on that one. He’s able. I am not.”
Charity smirked. She filled a glass with water and drank it as the doorbell rang.
“That must be the new wolf,” Macy said, waiting for Charity to finish. “Jimmy got reassigned. I heard what he did to you. That must’ve freaked you out.”
Charity sniffed. “It sure wasn’t what I was expecting, I’ll say that much.”
Macy took a few steps with her back to the front room. “Well, don’t worry about it. He got reassigned. This is a new girl. Thank God! Seriously. Being the only girl with a bunch of stinky, rude guys is the—”
The words died on her lips as she turned around.
In the living room, it was like someone had pushed the pause button. All the guys stood motionless, staring at the newcomer like a pirate would a treasure map. Macy’s mouth dropped open slowly, fear washing over her features.
The newcomer had arrived. And holy crap, she was freaking gorgeous.
Charity had seen pretty girls in her day. Hell, she went to school with a bunch of them. But few of them had achieved this caliber of perfection. Long blonde hair streamed down the girl’s back, curling at the ends. Light brown, shapely eyebrows