“Wow!” Tristan makes a breathless sound of admiration as the arrow finds its target. When I glance over, his camera lens is pointed my way again. “Bullseye!”
It better be, given the only moderately challenging distance, but I shoot him a small smile. “I’m happy to teach you if you want to learn.”
He lowers his camera and looks flustered for a second. “I’m pretty sure you’re just making it seem easy.”
“Same principles as photography. A good eye, a steady hand, and strong mental focus.”
“Along with perfect form and rigorous practice,” Otley interjects, and I almost drop my bowstringer at the compliment. He hasn’t put his sunglasses back on yet, and the heat in his eyes makes my stomach flip.Does he really like what he sees, even though I’m a sweaty, worn-out mess?
Memories from yesterday flood my mind and I have to clear my parched throat. “Yeah,” I admit. “They’re important, too, but this is just for fun, right?”
Otley continues to stare at me, and I’m not sure if I’m glad or disappointed that we’re having this moment while I’m armed and half the town has descended on my doorstep.
“Well, I’m always up for learning fun new things,” Tristan says lightly, right as his phone starts to ring. He wiggles his brows at me as he digs it out, but as he checks the screen, his face lights up with excitement. “Perfect timing! Ellis just arrived.”
“Ellis?” I’m already in the process of releasing the next arrow and I’m not at all surprised it flies wide, literally missing the side of the barn.
CHAPTER NINE – LILY
I can’t tell if my feet are dragging or flying as we round the barn and watch the spectacle unfolding in the parking lot. Three black SUVs have pulled up next to Paige’s little sportscar, and a flurry of dark-suited strangers are buzzing around a tall, handsome figure. Even from across the expanse of flower beds and gawking locals, there’s no mistaking the man who has sold more magazines than the Kardashians and has a trio of gold statues on a mantelpiece somewhere.
If the other guys had my neighbors in a tizz, finding Ellis Castle in their midst is enough to make them forget their manners entirely. Paige practically tramples the McCauleys to reach him, but luckily the wall of well-dressed suits ushers the crowd back until Ellis catches my eye. He’s too far away to hear me, so I jerk my head in the direction of Rosie’s house, and he gives a quick nod.
“Come on,” I tell the other guys. “We’ll meet him inside.”
They murmur their agreement, and we hurry towards the farmhouse. It’s only as I reach for my phone that I realize I stillhave my bow, but Otley neatly plucks it out of my hand, resting it carefully in the crook of his arm. I give him a nod of thanks as I dial Marion, who’s busy in the greenhouse. “We might need to get Charlie and Dan on crowd control,” I tell her as we mount the porch. “There’s a VIP here and the locals are getting unruly.”
Tristan gives a snort of amusement, but as we reach my front door, Otley leans down to murmur in my ear, “Ellis’ security will take care of him, but you might want to think about closing the farm for the rest of the day. I know it’s inconvenient, but I’d hate to see your flowerbeds trampled in the fuss.”
I bite back a groan, trying not to calculate the lost earnings in my head. Not that anyone seems interested in berry picking when they have a bona fide celebrity to distract them. “Okay. Marion, could you get the guys to move everyone out? We’re going to have to close early today.”
Marion assures me the field hands will take care of it, and as we enter the farmhouse, I take my bow off Otley and place it on the table. I look around dazedly, relieved that the place is mostly tidy and that there are none of the typical Leo messes to clean up.
Leo.While I’m glad he’s at a safe distance right now, my heart pinches at what I know is about to come, and how it could turn my baby boy’s world on its head. I try to take a calming breath, but I still feel jittery and off-balance, because Ellis Castle ishere. He’s literally climbing the porch stairs, his famous voice edged with frustration as he tells his security guys torelaxandlet him through. Someone says they need to check the house first, but Otley opens the door, and a wall of suited muscle is suddenly marching into my living room.
A second glance tells me there’s actually only three guys, although they’re the size of six, and enter on a swirl of steely alpha scents. Their hard gazes sweep the living area, and whentwo of them peel away to start checking the other rooms, I have to fold my arms to stop the objection rising in my throat.
“Hi, Ot,” Ellis says, huffing out a breath as he drags the other alpha into a tight embrace. They breathe each other in for a moment, then open their arms towards Tristan, who’s hovering beside me. He goes with a soft exhale, and as they cling to each other, their scents mingling in a happy swirl, I wonder how long it’s been since they last saw each other.
More than a week but less than a decade, a little voice taunts, and I shuffle my feet uncomfortably.
The movement catches Ellis’ attention, and he lifts his head, snaring me with his too familiar green eyes. I’ve braced myself for this moment ever since I delivered those roses to Otley’s door, but I still feel this first contact like a hand squeezing my heart.
It’s not just the shock of who he is and what he means to Leo; it’s the sheer look ofjoyon his face.
“Lily.” He breathes my name like it’s a prayer, like it’s something precious and prized. A part of me wants to sink into the sound, but I’m retreating before I realize I’m moving, the kitchen table suddenly between me and the three mates. I clutch the back of the nearest chair, but my defensive posture doesn’t stop Ellis from striding towards me.
Holy...Hollywood hotness.
As he stalks in my direction, he’s all long limbs and vibrant energy, his green gaze so intense, I feel little eruptions of awareness on my skin. Once again - just for a few frantic beats of my heart - I'm eighteen, and the most charismatic man I’ve ever seen is crossing a room to claim me.
Ellis Castle’s scent match.
Now that he’s right in front of me, it seems even more crazy than it did a decade ago.
“You’re gorgeous, Lily.” Gleaming green eyes sweep me from head to toe, his lips curving into an appreciative grin. “You’re everything I remembered and so much more.”
Before I can unglue my tongue from the top of my mouth he’s swooping towards me and pulling me into a caramel-scented hug. “I’m really sorry I didn’t call ahead, but it was a last-minute flight, and then I had my agent and the studio guys blowing up my phone.” He pulls back far enough to grimace, but the smile that reasserts itself is enough to make me dizzy. When he clasps my tense hands in his big, warm ones, I grip him back, simply because my knees have turned to water. “Anyway, I came straight from the airport, so I need a shower, but I didn’t want to wait a second longer to see you…” He finally seems to realize I haven’t said a word, and he squeezes my hands tightly, his gaze searching my face. “Sorry. Am I being too much?”
