“Heavy”
Acouple hours later, Rory stomps into the house, buck naked and covered head to toe in redness and the beginnings of a rash. Within the next twelve hours, it’ll grow into blisters and red streaks. I cover my mouth, unable to control my laughter. His hair and skin are also soaking wet.
Two successful pranks in one day. Well, three, counting Vincent’s.
“What happened to you?” Seth snaps his head up.
“Hosed off outside. Don’t trust that damn shower anymore.” He sharpens his eyes on mine. Two blazing blue blades. “Blessed with a siren’s face and a serpent’s soul,” Rory mutters, fists at his sides as he stares me down where I sit in the family room next to the kitchen. “Walking curse dressed in skirts.”
Proud heat fills me, and I return to playing cards with Seth. By tomorrow, he’ll have learned how I enacted my revenge on him. It was his fault that he left me alone with his beloved axes, so I could “practice” chopping wood while he did some fix-it work on the cabins.
Three down. Two to go.
Then, two weeks of luring them into a false sense of security, making them think I’ve settled in. After I gather enough supplies, I’m out of here.
“Come on.” Jude gets up from his chair and waves to Rory. “I’ll get you some calamine lotion, cool compresses, and an antihistamine.”
“Don’t need your goddamn charity, Doc.” Rory splinters his gaze on me.
Raphael steps toward the socio. “Don’t be a stubborn asshole. You need his medicalproficiencytonight.”
I glance at him from the side. Rory stiffens, their gazes locked on one another, tension in both their bodies, before Rory finally relents.
Jude rolls up the sleeves of his collared shirt and heads out of the family room and down the hall.
“What’s eating him?” Rory mutters, gesturing to Vincent, who’s still sitting in the corner of the room, grumbling to himself while knitting a new scarf. His hoodie is crumpled up next to him.
Seth starts cackling and waving his hands. “Can I tell him?”
“No,” Raphael says before nodding to me, giving me that rightful privilege. I hate how grateful I am for it. And how wickedly sinful he looks in his suit. Red vest this time. Black slacks and a shirt with an open collar. Hair pulled up in a man bun. The devil would look so hot, I guess.
Setting my cards down, I stand up from the couch, smile sweetly at Vincent, and cross the distance to grab the hoodie. His muscles bulge, and a vein throbs in his brow, but he doesn’t stop me from taking the jacket and turning it around, displaying the newly decorated back.
Seth and Rory break out in fits of laughter. “She didn’t!”
“Oh, she did,” Seth answers his partner.
“I just made it prettier,” I remark on the superb stitching of the giant pink heart on the back with the word Vinny above the heart and Jude on the bottom. “Vinny Hearts Jude.” I spin around and lower my head to kiss Vincent on the cheek. He grunts, but a muscle bounces in his jaw. I slip the hoodie on over my sundress.
“Best thing I’ve seen all day,” Rory says before following Jude down the hall.
“It’s bedtime,” Raphael alerts us a few minutes later.
“Aww, man,” Seth protests. “I just got a straight.”
I scurry back to the coffee table and lay my cards down, victorious. “Flush, baby.”
“You’re cheating somehow. Wait, did you just call me ‘baby’, Briella Darling?” Heat fills Seth’s blue eyes, followed by a hungry glint.
I roll my eyes. “Figure of speech.” I shift uncomfortably as he rises, licking his lips. “Seth…” I warn him even though I’m not afraid. No, my face feels flushed, and I try to scramble away, but Timber pounces, hooks an arm around my waist, and rolls me onto the sofa with all those hot muscles surrounding me.
He bobs his brows, and I push against his chest, but he doesn’t move. Heat attacks my center, and my stomach flips a few times, butterflies forming.
“It didn’t mean anythi—ohnoohgodno!” I squeal as he starts tickling me. Light tickles on my side and then my underarms until I’m spurting out uncontrollable laughter, making a complete fool of myself.
I part my lips, but don’t get a word out before his mouth covers mine. Arousal ravages my blood, and I tremble beneath him, beneath all his body heat. His tongue strokes, licks, and caresses the inside of my mouth before tangling with mine. Sparks burst under my skin. Then, he lowers his tongue to my neck and pulls me tight against his hard body. A moan rises frommy throat. He makes my head spin, and flames light up my nerve endings.
“Not fair,” I rasp from him trailing his lips down to the neckline of my sundress. All it takes is one tug to expose my nipple. “Oh, god!” I cry out as he sucks my breast and licks circles around the erect bud.
