“I guess none of us had the most ideal childhood,” she said with a small smile. “I really have to go. I’ve got some jobs to do, and then I need to get back to Horse. He’ll be getting lonely.”
Eli didn’t move.
“Eli, let her out,” Shaw said with exasperation.
“You haven’t eaten enough,” Eli told her.
“I’ve eaten heaps,” she countered. “I’m full.”
“Eli,” Shaw warned before turning his gaze to her. “Arabella, I’ll give you my number in case you need anything.”
He held out his phone so they could share numbers. Eli called the server over to get their bill. Drat. She’d wanted to pay that on her way out and cover everyone’s breakfast. She got her wallet out.
“I’ll pay for breakfast for everyone.”
They all went still and she glanced up.
Eli scowled down at her. “Put that wallet away. And you best not offer to pay again. When you’re with us. We pay. No exceptions.”
“But I owe Kellan?—”
“You don’t owe me for anything,” Kellan interrupted. “Keep saying things like that and I’ll take offense. You won’t like it if I get offended.”
These guys.
What was wrong with them? This wasn’t normal, right?
Most people weren’t like this.
But didn’t you move here because it was so different? Because you didn’t want everything to be the same?
“Really? What do you do if you’re offended?”
Kellan leaned forward, his gaze intense. She sucked in a breath.
What would it be like if he did something else with all of that intensity?
What if he used it on her when they were in bed together?
Get it together, Arabella.
“Would you like a demonstration?” he asked.
Arabella swallowed heavily. She really wanted to say yes. Which was insane. Because she also didn’t want to know what he’d do.
“Wow,” Shaw said, interrupting their stand-off. “Do we need to leave you two alone?”
A blush filled her face and she turned to Eli. “Move.”
“Arabella,” he started to say.
“Move or I will make you move and you won’t like how I do it.”
Was it a bit lame to use Kellan’s words on his brother?
Maybe.
But she’d use whatever she needed to in order to get him to move.
