“No, I didn’t,” Ash said. “I mean, yes, that’s why I answered, but it’s true. I heard some guests talking about you in the dining room.”
“You did?” In her surprise, she forgot to sound mad.
“Yes. A woman at table seven said that you gave her suggestions for what to send her grandson for Christmas. And my sous chef said you told her about a couple’s anniversary and how at their wedding, they had carrot cake. They were thrilled when we brought a huge slice out to them.”
“You did?” Zoe looked pleased.
“Yes.” Ash’s voice was clipped, clearly showing the subject was closed.
Zoe turned to us. “Okay, now, you have to tell your secret.”
“And, as agreed, not tell mine,” Ash muttered.
Kai looked at me. “Are you still wearing it?”
It took me a moment to realize what he meant, and I groaned. We’d gotten up to so much trouble over the years that there were any number of things he could’ve told Zoe. But he wanted to go forthat? But I nodded.
Trying to change Kai’s mind was like trying to keep the tide from coming in.
“Wearing what?” Zoe said, leaning forward.
Kai’s eyes gleamed at her interest. “Wearing a piercing. We each have one.”
Zoe’s eyes widened and she nearly tumbled off the edge of the chair. “Where?” she asked breathlessly. She could see it wasn’t on our heads.
“Guess,” Kai said smugly.
Zoe looked us over, and my skin heated under her scrutiny. “I don’t know,” she said slowly, her eyes roaming all over us—from the neck on down. “Is it…” she gulped, her gaze settling on my crotch.
“It’s a nipple-piercing,” Ash said gruffly.
“Spoilsport,” Kai muttered.
“Really?” Zoe asked, her eyes wide. “Can I—can I see?”
Kai grinned. “I knew that would be her first question.” He lifted his shirt to show her but didn’t stop there. No, my classy brother had to peel it completely off. Then he tossed it away, and it almost landed in the fire. I sighed. Kai had never been subtle about anything in his entire life.
Zoe gasped, her mouth dropping open. But from the dazed look on her face, she hadn’t even noticed the little barbell piercing his left nipple. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was more focused on his toned muscles.
Kai, of course, let her look, puffing up his chest.Finally, he tapped the pad of his index finger over his left nipple, and she focused on the piercing. “Did it hurt?”
“For a while, yes. Now, I don’t even notice it. Women always do, though.” His smirk returned.
“I’ve never seen one before.”
“Want to touch it?” He leaned forward. “Or taste it?”
I shoved him back onto the couch. “So now you know our secret.” It was a lame attempt to get things back into more innocent territory. But all it did was make Zoe turn those flashing dark eyes on me.
“You have one too?”
“Yes.”
“Show her,” Ash said. Though clearly Zoe had been dying to say that, he wasn’t doing it as a favor to her. No, it was revenge for us threatening to reveal his secret. Not that I’d been the one to do that, but I was used to getting blamed for things my twin did. Look what had happened the first time I met Zoe.
Reluctantly, I lifted my sweater just enough to show her the silver barbell piercing on my right nipple. Her eyes darted from my chest to Kai’s, since he was still shirtless and likely would be for the rest of the season, now that he’d seen the way her eyes lit up.
“Wait… why is yours on the right and his on the left?” she asked me.
