Even if it did mean pulling double duty when I could’ve been relaxing.
“I don’t think so, Luc. I hit the wall first and you know it.” Theo stood up, not even breathless from the exertion of swimming so hard and fast. Water lapped at his waist, and as he reached up to brush his hair back, I couldn’t help the way my eyes drifted down his body.
I’d never paid attention before, but now I noticed just how defined every inch of him was. Whipcord lean, he was deceptive. But there was power there, a strength that was hidden under all those sharply chiseled muscles, with a reaction time as quick as a snake’s.
Theo was deadly and sexy as hell.
He looked in my direction, and I didn’t tear my eyes away from him fast enough, because a knowing smirk tipped his lips.
Fuck me.
“Hey, Shep,” he called out, angling his body to face me and showing off an even better view, the instigator. “You were watching. Who hit it first?”
I heard the suggestive tone and prayed to God Lucien hadn’t, or I’d have to drown Theo. I wasn’t up for murder tonight.
But when Theo shot me a wink, I decided that may be in the cards after all.
“No idea,” I said, reaching for my almost-empty glass of whiskey and giving it a swirl before downing the rest.
I had to force myself not to look in Theo’s direction, but out of the corner of my eye I saw his hand drift down his taut abs, and I cursed.
Wewere definitely not happening again. No matter how many winks and suggestive moves he tried or how much my traitorous dick thought it’d be a good idea.
“You just don’t want to get on Luc’s bad side.”
“Luc doesn’t have a bad side. You, on the other hand?—”
“Oui?” Theo cocked his head. “What aboutmoi?”
My eyes shifted to where Kai and Lucien were both staring at me with curious expressions.Fuck.
“Not everything has to be a competition, Theo.”
Theo scoffed. “Says Mr. Overachiever.”
I bit back my retort, not about to give him any more ammunition. The air felt tense as it was. The last thing I needed was anyone else picking up on whatever weird chemistry was going on here.
“You’re not going to join us?” Kai finally said, breaking the silence, and I almost said yes just to give me something to do other than watch Theo run a towel over his ripped body. But I wasn’t about to strip out of my shorts and show everyone what that view was doing to me.
The best thing I could hope for was that he would excuse himself and head inside, or better yet, leave and go back to the palace.
“We’re out of ice.” He shook the empty bucket and looked at me.
“Don’t think I’m going to get you some, Your Serene Highness.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He rolled his eyes, slipped into his flip-flops, and headed toward the main house, muttering,“Tu peux te le mettre là où je pense ton ‘Votre Altesse.’”
I glared at him over my shoulder. When I turned back toward the pool, Lucien was grinning.
“What’d you do to piss him off?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged and got to my feet. “Why?”
“Let’s just say that wasn’t a compliment.”
I didn’t think it was. But I didn’t really care at this point. It was better for the both of us if I was incurring Theo’s wrath rather than his lust. Even if the two had gone hand in hand the last time we’d been alone.
“Shep?”
