Page 32 of The Betrothal

CHAPTER NINE

ISABELLE

My stomach growled. Again. The food I’d travelled with had all disappeared over the course of yesterday afternoon and this morning, while I avoided rejoining the men downstairs. The dynamic overwhelming between Ben’s visible discomfort and Alex’s evident displeasure.

Sipping at more water I waited. The sounds of movement through the house had been endless, the opening and closing of the bathroom door. Soft voices carried upstairs from the open-plan living area, chatting, and every now and then the echo of laughter. They were all much more relaxed in my absence, and why wouldn’t they be, I was an absolute stranger.

As the reverberation of male voices slowed, I sat up, with entirely nothing to do here I was planning on seeking out some books, some food, but only when they were all out, or away. Whenever. Just when it was quiet.

Legs crossed I listened, a door had definitely slammed to downstairs, silence falling through the property.

“Wake up, wake up!” A jovial voice called through my door, rapping lightly.

Bugger.

“Come on, Killer. You can’t seriously still be asleep?” He was almost singing through the door.

“I’m not asleep!” I called out before I could stop myself. That man had a way of coaxing communication from me and it had me frowning.

There was no warning before the door swung inwards, Seb wandering inside. He looked the epitome of relaxation. Faded black jeans sitting loosely on his hips and a thoroughly well-worn band tee which sat unfairly tight around the muscles of his upper body, the cotton looking soft. He was well and truly at home here.

“It’s impolite to enter a woman’s bedroom without permission.” I could feel the scowl that was etched into my features. Fair given that he’d scuppered my plan to slip around the house without interaction today, and maybe forever.

“But you’re presentable?” He propped himself against the door frame.

“I may not have been.”

“More’s the pity, huh?”

My eyes widened as his dimples popped with a rakish grin.

“Do you speak to everyone this way, or just women?” I turned to allow my legs to hang over the side of the bed, the frame so tall and mattress so deep they didn’t reach the floor. I felt small.

“I’ve developed a fantastic bedside manner through my career to date, I know.” He strolled inside, collapsing on the end of the bed, knee cocked, facing my side profile so I mirrored him.

“Come and save me.”

I arched a brow at him, fighting a smile at his pout.

“From the brief time I’ve known you, I doubt you’ve needed saving in your life.”

“Incorrect.” He leaned towards me. “Alex is in one of his moods, and Benji is in the barn.”

“And you need saving why?”

“Because I’m feeling horribly neglected, and I was going to make us all lunch, and…” He chewed his lip, puzzling. “I’m bored.”

My hand rose to toy with my forehead, half in mock-exhaustion at his over-familiarity and faux complaints, but the other half to hide the damned smile he was coaxing.

“I’m not sure.”

He waited.

“I won’t exactly improve Alex’s mood. And Ben, well he’s…” I tried to pick my words carefully; Seb and Ben were clearly extremely close. “Uncomfortable around me.”

Seb looked surprised but schooled his features slowly.

“Alex is in his office, so that’s one down, and Ben isn’t uncomfortable around you, he’s just…” Another pause followed. “Figuring it out.”