I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered the possibility, but I didn’t know Selene had taken it upon herself to try and connect those dots. Apparently, she’s done a hell of a job because everything she said seemed to strike a chord with Aubrey.
“Because I wasn’t even sure they were still seeing each other.”
“So, you didn’t know if there was a motive.”
“I still don’t,” she says to Beck, sliding off my lap to curl up between us with her back to his chest. “I wasn’t certain he had anything to do with it until I saw the way he reacted. There’s no way he would have come at me that way if there wasn’t some truth to what I was saying.”
I pull her feet into my lap, noticing that she’s still wearing heels. “Did you come here from work?”
A small whimper leaves her when I slip her shoes off and start massaging her feet. We probably don’t have time for this. She’s here without security and operating outside of her normal schedule which means it won’t be long before red flags are raised and alarms are sounded. Regardless, I’m not going to miss out on an opportunity to touch her, to care for her in some small way.
“Who’s on you tonight?” Beck asks, nuzzling into her hair. It’s bone straight today, the silk black strands shining under the glow of the light from the kitchen.
“Morgan and Shaw,” Selene moans when I hit a pressure point. “They’re in the car waiting for me.”
Instinctively, I look toward the door as if the two women will magically appear. “They brought you here?”
“Yes, they didn’t want to wait to find out if you had the information we needed.”
I can’t help but smile at how well I know her. “I knew you were after more than a foot massage. What kind of information do you need, pet?”
Her teeth sink into her lower lip as her breathing grows ragged. “Don’t make it sound like I’m using you.”
“Oh, but you are, gorgeous, and it’s okay, as long as we get to use you too.”
Beck’s grin is silky and dark. It disappears into the curve of Selene’s neck as his lips ghost over her skin, sending shivers through her body. Her eyes start to disappear into the back of her head as the air grows thick with a desire that dissipates as quickly as it came when heavy footfalls sound out above us. Selene jumps up, attempting to right herself even though nothing is really out of place. She’s still fidgeting with her clothes when Hunter reaches the bottom step.
I turn to witness the rare sight of my brother at a loss for words. He’s staring at Selene, clearly aware of who she is but unable to greet her. Needing to end the awkward silence, I stand gesturing between the two of them.
“Selene, this is my baby brother, Hunter. Hunter, this is Selene Taylor.”
The ease with which Selene goes from being sensual and soft to professional and polite never ceases to amaze me. She rolls her shoulders back, stepping around me to meet Hunter in the middle of the floor and taking his outstretched hand.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Hunter.”
He looks to me and Beck, eyes wide. “Riley is going to be so pissed.”
Now Selene’s staring at us, notes of accusation in her voice when she says, “Riley’s here?”
Hunter’s brows shoot up. “You know Riley?”
“I’ve heard about her from her loving uncles,” Selene explains, offering him a genuine smile. “She sounds like an amazing kid.”
Pride causes Hunter’s already inflated chest to swell. “She is. She was really hoping to get a chance to meet you while we were here, but….”
“Next time,” Selene jumps in, sparing Hunter from the awkwardness of speaking on a topic he doesn’t know muchabout. “Just have Cal and Beck let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll clear my schedule for her.”
“That’s….wow…she’d really love that.”
“We’ll set it up,” I say, bouncing on the tips of my toes, ready for Hunter to get the fuck on because I don’t know how long it’ll be before Shaw and Morgan come beating down my door, and I want to make the most of the little time we have together.
Thankfully, Hunter takes the hint, making his excuses and heading back up the stairs without getting whatever it was he came down here for in the first place. When we’re alone again, Beck reaches for Selene, trying to get her back on the couch, but she dodges him and then me when I try to pull her into my arms.
She wags a finger at both of us, turning the space behind an armchair into a sanctuary. “I can’t let you distract me again.”
“But distraction is so fun,” I argue, sitting down on the edge of the coffee table closest to Beck. He hums his agreement, and Selene rolls her eyes.
“You two are the worst.”
