The voice was deep and rumbly, and it made Maxie spin around in surprise.For a moment she thought Zac had snuck up on her, but instead she found another stranger in her house.A tall, dark, handsome,intenseone.She’d forgotten Lexie’s boyfriend was coming.Maxie tugged on the hem of her T-shirt.The way he was watching her was unsettling, as if he were trying to dissect her down to her parts.
“Stop staring at her.You’re making her uncomfortable.”Lexie snuggled up against the man.He looped an arm around her waist, and the couple looked very right together, even though they somehow shouldn’t.There was something powerful about him.Powerful and driven, but protective.
Lexie smiled.“Maxie, this is Cam.”
“Sorry,” he said, holding out his hand.“It’s strange to see Lexie in another form.I’m used to the evil twin over there, but you’re different in yet another way.”
“Morning to you too, Hatchet,” Roxie grumbled.
Maxie accepted the handshake and found it warm and firm.“How do you mean?”she couldn’t help but ask.She wondered how somebody else saw them.
“Cam,” Lexie warned.“This is all still new to her.”
“It’s new to all of you.”
Again, Maxie felt that astute gaze take her in.This guy missed nothing.
“How?”she repeated.
“Well, if you really want to know, Lexie is classically beautiful.Cultured.Roxie is striking and sensual, but you’re—”
“Careful there, hoss.”Another male voice came from the doorway, and it wasgrowly.
Maxie jumped as if she’d brushed against a bug zapper.Zac had snuck up on all of them.He was suddenly there, in the flesh.He’d put his T-shirt on, but he’d propped both hands against the doorframe.The position made him look big and imposing.
Surly.
Cam turned, putting their new arrival in his line of sight.Zac was bigger and more muscled, but there was something edgy about Lexie’s lover.He’d be scrappy.
Maxie’s weight went to the balls of her feet.For someone who didn’t like attention, she felt as if she were standing under a spotlight.This couldn’t go well, no matter how she judged it.Zac didn’t appear to be pretending, but if he was, he was getting a bit too deep in his role.
Cam deliberately looked her up and down again.“I was going to say cute and cuddly.”
Roxie snorted.“Like a teddy bear?”
“Like the girl next door.Like a first love.”
“And a teddy bear.”Lexie must have felt the tension too, because she winked at Zac.“After all, I want to hug her.”
Maxie felt uncomfortable with everyone watching her, but Lexie walked over and wrapped her arms around her.There it was again, that feeling of familiarity.
She pulled away, flustered.“Sit everyone.Grab some coffee.There’s orange juice in the refrigerator.”
“Be careful who you get cuddly with, Hatchet.”Roxie jerked her thumb towards Zac.“That’s the sheriff.He carries a big gun.”
Finally, Zac eased from his pose against the door and stretched out a hand.“Zac Ford.”
“Cameron Rowe.”
The handshake was testosterone-filled, and all the posturing made Maxie uneasy.Zac wasn’t in a good mood at all.Either he wasn’t a morning person, or something else had rubbed him the wrong way.Her stomach tightened.She knew what that irritation had been, only there had been no rubbing.
That was the problem.
“Anyone want pancakes?”she asked weakly.
He turned his attention to the table, ignoring her.“Are you guys going to Park Art today?”
Lexie glanced up from her seat.She’d pulled up a chair next to Roxie and was looking through another scrapbook.“I don’t know.We hadn’t discussed it, but it sounds like fun.”
