Each cell in my body was suddenly, acutely aware of how close he was, how easy it would be to close the distance, how good his mouth might feel against mine. I could see the individual flecks of gold in his hazel eyes, if I wanted, I could lean forward and press my lips to that infuriating smile.
I wanted to.God, I wanted to.
My breath caught.
His touch lingered for a moment, eyes dropping to my lips and stayed there for a beat too long. His thumb shifted, brushing the corner of my mouth, and the sound that almost escaped me was embarrassing. Then he pulled back, and the easy grin slid back into place.
I exhaled shakily. My heart was pounding as if I’d just sprinted a mile, and I was fairly certain my underwear was ruined.
This was fine. Everything was fine.
I was just incredibly attracted to my temporary housemate’s tattooed body and ridiculous smile. Besides, heisattractive so it would be crazy not tobeattracted. No big deal.
“But that’s a heavy conversation for seven in the morning. More pancakes?”
Footsteps in the hallway made us both turn.
Lucian appeared first, dressed in dark jeans and a henley stretched across his chest. Even at seven in the morning, even scowling, he looked like something from a magazine. Storm gray eyes swept the room and landed on me.
Oh, great. Another one.
Solomon materialized behind him, all six and a half feet filling the doorway. His pale silver eyes found mine immediately, and I remembered the hunger I’d seen at dawn. My core clenched involuntarily.
I’d just spent twenty minutes getting inappropriately wet over Percy’s tattoos, and now my body was reacting to the other two, couldn’t decide which one it wanted more.
All of them, apparently. My body wanted all of them.
That wasn’t normal. Maybe I inhaled too much smoke.
“We need to head in.” Lucian’s voice was clipped. Commanding, that I wonder how he’d sound giving commands in a different context. “People ask questions when we don’t show up to work.”
Percy’s jaw tightened. “I’m staying. Tell them I’m sick.”
“Percy-”
“I left last time.” His voice had lost all its warmth. “And it was when the bastard got through.” He didn’t look at me, but I felt the guilt radiating off him. “I’m not leaving her alone again.”
The two of them exchanged a look I couldn’t read.
“Fine.” Lucian moved toward me, and my pulse kicked up without permission. He paused beside my stool, close enough that I caught his scent. His hand came up and gripped my shoulder. His thumb brushed bare skin where Percy’s shirt had slipped.
Electricity crackled through my entire body.
“We’ll be back by noon.” His voice dropped lower, meant only for me. “Stay inside.”
Then he was past me, grabbing keys from the counter, and I was left with my shoulder burning where he’d touched me.
Solomon caught my eye from the doorway. “Lock up behind us.”
His voice was rough, intimate. The sound traveled straight down my spine.
Then they were gone.
Percy exhaled beside me. “Sorry about that. They’re not great at... people skills.”
“And you are?”
His grin returned, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m the charming one. It’s my whole thing.”
