Oh God, Ilikedhim looking at me. More than liked, maybe.
I’d never considered myself any sort of exhibitionist before, and even though I knew men found me attractive on the outside, their expectations never really matched what they found on the inside. It was generally just easier to try not to be noticed, to avoid disappointing anyone.
But it was different with Edward.
He didn’t just look appreciative as he looked me over, he also looked… proud? Proprietary? Possessive? Some other shiver-inducing P-word? Whatever it was, it filled something up inside me, a place I hadn’t even known was empty before.
I liked that he liked what he saw on the outside, but mostly, I liked knowing thathewouldn’t be disappointed about how I was on the inside, because he’d already figured me out last night.
“Rene?” Sam’s voice sounded again, the knocking resuming. “Are you really in there? I’m going to go get a master key card if you don’t—”
“I’m here,” I blurted, pulling away from Edward even though I hated doing it. I rushed for the door and pulled it open. “Sorry, Sam, I’m right here. Um, I was just, I had to, I’m fine?”
He looked me over, then grinned and reached up to ruffle my hair. “But you didn’t take a shower yet.”
My face heated up. “Sorry. You got here faster than I thought.”
That wasn’t true. The minute Edward had sat next to me on the bed, I’d forgotten all about Sam. That felt mean to say, though, so I didn’t.
“I knowwwwww,” Sam whined, sounding so overly put out that it was funny. “But Ihatewaiting.” Then he grinned, his eyes sparkling and his cute little turned-up nose twitching as his freckles squinched up into funny shapes on his cheeks. “Besides, the breakfast for Littles is starting soon. If I’d waited any longer, we’d miss it!”
I blinked. We? I didn’t know anything about a breakfast event for Littles. Was I supposed to be there? Did Daryl expect me to be? Had he texted after I’d gotten distracted by Edward, and I’d missed it?
“And I also came quick to make sure you were really okay, of course,” Sam said hastily, patting my arm as if he’dnoticed my rising panic and thought it was about him. “Are you? Okay, I mean?” he went on, his eyes wide and sincere. “Was everything alright here last night? Did Mr. Garrett stay on the cot? Did he makeyoutake the cot, even though he promised not to?” He went up on his tiptoes and peered over my shoulder without giving me a chance to answer any of his rapid-fire questions, then frowned. “Rene,” he hissed, pulling me close so he could whisper directly in my ear. “He’s practically naked. Did he try anything?”
I shook my head, but then blushed, because even though I probably shouldn’t, I sort of wished that he had.
Well, maybe not last night. That had been… something else. Something that felt important. But just now? When he’d dressed me and fussed over me and handled my body like he owned it? I wouldn’t have minded if he’d tried something morethen.
Or… now.
Well, maybe not until after Sam left, actually. Except... right. Sam didn’t plan on leaving.
He had breakfast plans, and for some reason, they included me.
9
Edward
The impulse tokeep Rene all to myself was strong, but not only was it not my place, I also had a meeting with The Plazerra’s management team scheduled later this morning. It was, after all, the entire reason I’d come, and hearing the perky little front-desk clerk making breakfast plans with Rene reminded me that Rene had come to Asheville for reasons of his own, too.
Reasons that didn’t include me.
But when Rene glanced back over his shoulder at me, his silky hair going in twelve different directions and those summer-sky eyes of his looking almost violet against the backdrop of the plush purple bathrobe I’d dressed him in, it suddenly felt like none of those reasons mattered. Not mine, anyway.
Rene’s tentative smile sent something fiercely possessive arcing through me, and instead of turning away to get dressed for the day as I’d intended, my feet moved of their own accord, taking me to him.
“Good morning, Sam,” I said when the little redhead stopped midsentence and turned a suspicious scowl on me, then dropped his eyes to the towel wrapped firmly around my waist.
“You’re naked,” he said instead of responding to my greeting, his tone so disapproving that if I’d been a man with less self-confidence, it would have felt like a blow.
I just grinned. True, I no longer had the cut physique I’d had twenty years ago, when I’d still been hands-on with my crew every day, but I was comfortable with my body, confident in its strength, and not overly concerned with the way it had thickened a bit over the years. More importantly, though, I had no doubt that Sam’s disapproval had less to do with my state of undress than it did with the protectiveness he seemed to have for my—for Rene.
And that, no matter how many scowls he sent my way, would always endear him to me
“Tell me about this breakfast event,” I said, resting my hands on Rene’s shoulders and earning another suspicious look from Sam. “Is it something you want to go to, sweetheart?”
Rene gave a tiny shrug. “I didn’t know about it.”
