is definitely more of a builder, not that he shirks work. I thought you could interview him, see what you thought, and if you liked him, find a job for him with a construction crew. If not, no worries.”
She started to unfold her legs and stand but he didn’t move his hand, holding her in place. She went still, frowning, looking up at him over her shoulder with her large eyes. “Sevastyan?”
“I don’t think that really explains your in-depth conversation. It wasn’t about plants or building, Flambé. They were extremely concerned about something. All four of you were. Anyone could see that. I thought we agreed not to keep things from each other.”
Flambé frowned at him. “Sevastyan, sometimes you can be extremely irritating. Extremely. Right now, you’re annoying me beyond even your comprehension. I’m tired and hot and thirsty and I want to stand up, so move back and let me.”
Sevastyan felt the pool of red inside him expand, roar through his veins, hot and explosive, but he flashed her a smile and extended his hand to her. “I see she really is close, making my woman moody. You don’t have a temper, in or out of the bedroom.”
Her hand felt small in his palm when he closed his fingers around it. He pulled her to her feet easily and then against him. She was small but solid, soft. He felt her muscles running through her body beneath her astonishing curves. Very gently, he ran his hand up and down her back as if soothing her when he knew that kind of soft touch did anything but. He kept her close against him, not allowing her to step away from his body when he knew she wanted to. She had been very standoffish since they’d returned from Mitya’s the night before. In fact, she had withdrawn from him so much that he wanted to shake her.
“Only one of us can have a temper, baby, and I’m afraid it’s already been established that it’s me. Shturm is a real bastard. That makes me one.” His hand continued to stroke down her back but now traveled farther to the curve of her spine. His fingers bit deep. Possessively.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you, Sevastyan. I really am hot and thirsty. It’s been a long day and Flamme chose the worst possible moment to make her first appearance in forever. I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t even know what was happening at first. I was all itchy and uncomfortable.”
She pressed her forehead to his chest, her first genuine gesture toward him in weeks.
“It was awful. Truly awful. I wish there was a book on this. Maybe I should have asked Ania what to expect. I didn’t even recognize it was Flamme making me uncomfortable. At first it felt like I’d been out in the sun too long.”
There was a curious reaction in the vicinity of Sevastyan’s heart at the lost note in Flambé’s voice. She was a woman of confidence and yet this small rising of Flamme had clearly thrown her. She really didn’t know what it felt like to have a female make an appearance.
“Let’s get you into the house, baby. You can soak in the tub and tell me all about the conversation with your foreman and the other two workers.” There had been affection in her voice for the three men. He would have to go out of his way to get to know them. Make certain they were good men and would always have her best interests at heart.
Thankfully it was a short distance to the front door. The three employees had been working on the plants closest to the front of the house. He could see at a glance the flowers and shrubs were all low to the ground just as they’d discussed. Even without the embellishments of stone or growth and blooms, it was easy to see improvements to the yard already. Flambé had paid attention to everything he’d said about security and there was nothing that would hinder his ability to see danger coming at them. Even so, she had created what would become an amazing landscaping piece for their front yard.
Sevastyan kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the front porch. His gaze had been riveted on his woman and the three men deep in conversation from the moment he had rounded the corner of the house and seen them together. The men were too close to her. Flambé’s potent scent,