Dutch winked at me. “It’s part of my appeal.”
“Hey, now,” Troop said as he came bumbling down the stairs, “sounds like there’s a party happening down here without me. That’s rude.”
I smiled so hard my eyes closed. “Have you guys eaten breakfast yet?”
Dutch and Troop both shook their heads.
“Well, don’t just stand there,” Ranger said as he stood to his feet, “get some food. We can take breakfast out to the back porch.”
“Hell, yeah!” Troop exclaimed as he slapped Dutch’s shoulder. “Come on, I think Range left us some eggs on the stove.”
Dutch rolled his eyes. “You know damn good and well Range didn’t leave us shit.”
“You coming?” Range asked as he held his hand out to me.
And when I slid my hand into it, a burst of happiness filtered throughout my body that I’m not sure I had ever experienced in my life.
“Yeah,” I said as he helped me to my feet, “I’d love to come.”
“Don’t we know it,” Dutch said.
The guys fell apart in laughter as I balked. “Hey, now! It’s not my fault you guys keep coming onto me like that.”
Troop stuck his head back down into the doorway. “Not our fault you’re too sexy to pass up.”
Range tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “If you want to get out a bit later on today, we could all head up to the bar for a drink. There’s supposed to be a thunderstorm rolling in later, and if you sit at one of the booths you can see the ocean while the storm’s coming in.”
“It’s a great perch spot,” Dutch said.
I paused. “Shouldn’t we stay clear of that place for a while because of what happened?”
Troop smiled. “Not when we own the place. We’ll be fine.”
For the second time that morning, I found myself scraping my jaw up off the floor in shock.
“Well, you guys are just full of surprises, huh?”
And as Range dipped down into my ear, my entire body shivered with the heat of his breath.
“You haven’t seen anything yet.”
22
TROOPER
“Seriously, this makeup you guys got me isnotdoing the job,” Naomi said.
Dutch ushered her into the bar. “Don’t worry, we’re going to be sitting at a back corner, anyway.”
Range held the door open for us. “People won’t stare, anyway. You’re with us. They know better.”
I brought up the rear as lightening flashed off in the distance. “Besides, it’s your fault you trusted a couple of guys to go get makeup for you.”
Naomi whipped around as she balked. “I told you I’d go with you if you wanted me to.”
“Face it,” Range said as he started back toward the booth, “Troop’s shoulder massage had you attached to that chair.”
I grinned as I let the bar door close. “Among other things.”
