“Shut. The. Front. Door. You do not.” She whipped her head toward me. “He does not. Not the grumpiest, snarkiest asshole in Anchor Bay.”
“I’m not grumpy,” Langston pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I mean, she’s not wrong. You are—” The unamused expression Langston shot at me said I would pay if I finished that sentence. “And he’s a cat daddy.” I slapped a hand over my mouth, shocked the truth had slipped out. “I’m sorry,” I cackled.
“Oh, you’re going to get it now.” He lunged toward me, anger and heat burning in his darkening gaze.
In a desperate escape attempt, I jumped over the coffee table, barely missing Langston’s outstretched fingers, and ducked behind Juno. It might make me a coward, but I grabbed her around the waist to use as a human shield.
“You can’t hurt the already injured,” I shouted from behind her back. “It goes against the bro code.”
“So does calling me out on owning GG, you fucker,” he snapped.
“I think I’m dreaming.” Reaching down, Juno pinched my arm, hard.
“Ow!” I yelped. “You’re supposed to pinch yourself, not someone else.”
“Yeah, but that hurts, so….” She shrugged.
Turning to face Langston, she reached out to pinch his chest, but he snagged her hand out of midair. In a move I’d been on the receiving end of before, he carefully twisted her around, pinning her back to his chest.
Juno’s lashes fluttered, her brain attempting to catch up to recent events. A deep chuckle vibrated in my chest at her confusion. Closing the distance, I stopped in front of her, sandwiching her between us.
“What just happened?” Her whispered breath brushed against my throat, making goose bumps spread in its wake. “And why am I not freaking out?”
“Because you know you’re safe with us.” I stroked a single finger along her jaw. “And it’s hot as fuck.”
Her plump lips parted in a sharp inhale. Flicking my gaze to Langston, I found his green eyes already on me, hooded and blazing with heat. Not dropping my own heated stare, he leaned down, brushing his lips against the shell of Juno’s ear.
“No more distractions, shortcake. Tell me who they are and why you’re hell-bent on avoiding them.”
Juno chewed on the corner of her lip. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about Hallmark movies—” With an almost growl, Langston dipped lower and nipped at her neck. “Hey,” she exclaimed. “That hurt.”
“Not as bad as my palm against your bare ass if you don’t answer me right now, Juno.”
“Fucking hell,” I groaned, sealing my lids shut. “Can we not say shit like that when my dick is already so hard it fucking hurts.” At her soft giggle, I peeked one eye open. “It’s not funny.”
Juno cleared her throat. “Right. Sorry, it’s just….” She looked over her shoulder at Langston. “What the actual hell is going on right now? Why are you being nice to me?” She looked back at me. “And why are you suddenly very comfortable talking about your dick and touching me and talking dirty and?—”
“Because I’m done pretending that I don’t want you,” I whispered. “After last night, there’s no going back for me, sweet cheeks.”
“And your bossy friend back there?” She arched a questioning brow, but I could see the confusion mixed with interest in her eyes.
I eyed Langston. “He’s done seeing you as a threat to his family and can finally admit what you really are and have been since you arrived in Anchor Bay.”
“What’s that?” Juno rasped.
“Ours,” Langston growled.
She swallowed nervously. “I’m not so sure about that. I told you earlier, West, I’m broken. I’m really not someone either of you should want. And on top of that, I don’t think I can.”
“Why?” Langston asked.
“I’m scared, mostly.”
“We’d never hurt you. You have to know that.”
I nodded, agreeing with Langston’s statement.
