“Ah.” I nodded, finally catching what he was throwing at me. “Answer something for me, Deck. Are you being a raging prick right now because you’re protective of your friend, or are you just an asshole all the time?”
“All the time,” Killian answered, earning a laugh from Mace.
Declan paid no attention to anyone but me. With a shrug, he answered, “Can you blame me for looking out for my boy’s best interest?”
“Nope, and that’s why I’ll let it slide… this one time.” His head jerked back in surprise, and the air in the kitchen went electric. But I wasn’t done. These guys might have intimidated me, but I’d be damned if I let it show. “I get being protective of the ones you love. But next time you want to swing your dick around to prove you’re a man, remember something. I haven’t taken a dime fromyour boyor exploited him in any way. As a matter of fact, I’ve gone to great lengths to hide our connection. I’m not the one you need to protect your friend from. In my opinion, your little assistant is the only venomous bitch to step foot in this house that anyone needs protection from.”
“Ah, the lovely Kimber,” Mace chuckled before chugging the last of his beer.
“Swear to God, if that woman didn’t have a mouth like a goddamn Hoover there’d be no point in keeping her around,” Killian chimed in.
I looked in his direction and curled my lip in disgust. “Gross,” I sneered, then turned back to Declan. “We done with the interrogation, because it’s late and I’m tired.”
“You know, you’re not so bad, baby mama.”
I rolled my eyes at the nickname these guys liked to use for me and replied flatly, “So glad to have your approval. Now I can die happy.”
“What’s going on here?”
I let out a startled yelp and spun around to find Garrett watching us with a suspicious look on his face. “Nothing,” I answered quickly.
“We were just saying good night to the lovely Gwen,” Declan responded.
Garrett didn’t look convinced. “Well now you’ve said it, so you can go. And get Mace the fuck outta here before he drinks all my beer.”
Killian smacked Mace on his shoulder. “Let’s go. Mom and Dad need their rest.”
“But the night’s still young,” he practically whined as the three of them started for the back door. I rolled my eyes at Mace, seeing as it was already after midnight.
“We’ll hit up a bar,” Killian continued. “Get drunk and laid.”
“You’re a genius,” Mace declared. “The smartest of us all.”
Declan threw a wave at us over his shoulder and I shook my head as the door closed behind them. “Your friends are… colorful,” I said to Garrett.
“What’d Deck say to you?”
My forehead wrinkled in confusion at his abrupt, demanding tone. “Uh… nothing.”
“Really?” He came closer, lifting his hand to brush my hair behind my shoulder. “’Cause you looked tense when I came upstairs.”
My brain fizzled and popped at his touch, short-circuiting for several seconds. “I….” I cleared my throat and took a step back, unable to think straight when he touched me. “It was nothing, seriously. He was just looking out for you.”
His face hardened at my response. “That’s not his fuckin’ place,” he said sharply.
“Hey, it’s all right,” I murmured soothingly, placing a hand on his chest before I could think better of it. “He was just being a good friend.”
I moved to pull away, but his hand shot up and his fingers curled around my wrist, holding my palm in place. His eyes darkened and his expression morphed into one I’d seen when I thought he was going to kiss me. My heart stuttered when he began to lean in. I put pressure on his chest, stopping him before his lips could touch mine, and whispered, “Garrett,” but it was too late. The instant his lips hit mine I was gone. My mouth opened and his tongue invaded, tangling with mine in a delicious dance that made me moan as I fisted his shirt.
At my sound of desire, he growled and moved so fast I barely had time to process. One second my feet were on the ground, and the next my ass was planted on the kitchen counter. His hands hit my knees, pushing my legs apart to make room for his trim hips. He feasted on my mouth with such hunger that I had no choice but to follow his lead. It was heady and intoxicating; the best kiss I’d ever had, bar none. I never wanted it to end. I whimpered when his mouth disengaged from mine and began trailing nibbling kisses along my neck.
“Christ,” he groaned, causing a full body shiver. “You’re so goddamn beautiful, sweetness.”
The impact of that last word was like being hit with a bucket of ice-cold water. I gave his chest a hard shove, gaining two feet of space, enough room for me to jump down and move away. “I’ve told you not call me that,” I snapped. Agitation snuffed out the blooming desire within me, and I raked my hands through my hair in frustration.
“For fuck’s sake, Gwen. What’s your deal, huh? One secondyou’re burning hot for me, and the next you go frigid. Shit, you’re doing my head in. I can’t keep up.”
My spine stiffened at his accusation. “I donotburn hot for you!” I denied, the lie rolling off my tongue.
