The Brothers Rule - Carolyn Faulkner Page 0,64

kissed her hungrily.

Lita felt as if she was watching some kind of romantic porno or something and blatantly continued gazing at them as she crammed Cheez-Its into her mouth like popcorn.

Laurie pulled back a bit when he would have continued the kiss—Lita be damned. "Jace, I don't want to get you all salsa covered."

"That's what washing machines are for, darlin'," he murmured, reclaiming her lips.

She submitted to him and they kissed as if Lita wasn't there. Laurie let it go on because she knew that the other woman was sopping every minute of it up.

When he finally let her go, it was with a loud pop to her butt as she headed to the kitchen. She could hear their conversation as she got the other snacks and headed back.

Jace put his hand out. "Lita, I'm sorry. I'm not usually so lacking in manners as not to shake someone's hand when they offer it, but I really wasn't human until I'd had my shower." He turned his heated gaze onto Laurie. "But I miss her something awful while I'm working, and I just couldn't resist."

Lita bit back a question about whether or not he missed her while his brothers were drilling her, because she was a fucking lady.

And besides, the paw that currently engulfed her hand could probably break it without much effort if he wanted it to.

Laurie came in as they were shaking hands.

"It's very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, and my brothers and I want to thank you for ratting out Laurie about how badly she was feeling about work."

He gave her a look that spoke volumes as Laurie squeezed by him, not giving him another opportunity to smack her on the behind as she did so.

"You're welcome. Always glad to tell on a friend."

"Tattletale!" Laurie stuck her tongue out.

Lita, of course, retaliated in kind.

His low, chiding, "Laurie," made her retract it quickly with a blush.

Lita's mouth was, again, hanging open unbecomingly.

But she, too, had reeled her tongue in, even though he hadn't been talking to her.

He perched on the edge of the chair next to Laurie, addressing her, "I assume you have everything you need or want?"

Lita choked a bit on her soda at that and got a glare from Laurie for her efforts.

Jace never took his eyes from her.

"We do, thanks."

"Well, I'll be in my study if there's anything I can get or do for you ladies. I'd say behave, but I think it's probably a waste of breath."

"Damn straight," Lita agreed enthusiastically.

"Yeah, and Adam already said that."

"Ryan's falling down on the job, hmm?"

Laurie swatted his shoulder at that.

"The Chinese food in the fridge is ours, as is the stuff in the bakery box on the counter, but there's leftover meatloaf and chicken noodle soup in there when you're hungry, and there are cookies in the cookie jar."

"Thank you, my love."

Jace stood, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "You guys have fun." He turned to Lita. "It was nice to finally meet you. Please come back often."

Lita's eyes were big at that. "Thank you. I will!"

"Good." With that, he headed to his study, after stopping in the kitchen for a beer and a couple of her head sized toffee and milk chocolate chip cookies.

When Laurie's eyes finally found her friend's, they were narrowed as if she was angry.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I don't ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear you complain about anything in your life, ever again. How the hell did you manage to fall into such a pot of—"

"I don't know what, either," Laurie finished for her friend. "I have no idea how I ended up here. And now that I'm quitting, they want to support me in staying home and starting my baking business if I want to, but they've also been very careful to say that whether or not I get another job or become self-employed, they don't care. They're all fine with me just staying home and taking care of the house."

"And them," her friend added, her eyes narrowing.

Laurie had the grace to blush. "Yes."

"Have I told you how much I hate you lately?"

"I think you told me not long ago, yes."

"It's a damned good thing I love you. If you were any other woman—and I mean any other—I would kill you and take your place in a heartbeat."

Laurie laughed. "You're married."

"D-i-v-o-r-c-e."

"Thank you so much for not singing it at me!" she joked. "Besides. You don't want to divorce Hop."

"For these guys? Hell, for just

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