Page 39 of Cold Heir

He and Julian had given them back to me.

A thoughtful sigh passed through my lips and I eyed the door. It was late, but that didn’t matter. Especially not around here. The guys rarely slept, and my schedule was nonexistent after having been away, and then on the run. So, I felt a bit … restless.

I suppose I have Levi to thank for that.

I imagined them all seated in Julian’s study, drinking and having a bit of lighthearted conversation. It was hard to ignore that my circumstances offered me a rare opportunity—I, technically, had my pick of them.

Don’t think like that. Just chill, woman.

These were the words I told myself, but adhering to them was a different story. A memory of Levi crept in, how he’d lit my entire body ablaze from the inside out, and I crossed my legs tightly to right my thoughts. Aware that only a short trip down the stairs separated us, and knowing he was always willing, always ready foranything, was beyond tempting.

Then there was Julian. I had yet to indulge with him despite the sweltering tension that hung between us. I embraced him for a long time when he first showed up at Glenn’s to retrieve Levi and I, but that hadn’t been nearly enough. If I’d been bolder, I would have stuck to him like glue the entire night. Sucked to feel like I had to hold back.

Though, without a doubt, those boundaries were all in my head. Theguyscertainly hadn’t established any.

Feeling bold, I stood from the bed and squared my shoulders. It wouldn’t hurt anything to head downstairs and bust up their all-boys party. After what I’d been through, I figured I deserved to cut through some of the testosterone around here anyway. So, that’s what I planned to do.

I repeat …‘planned’to do.

Pulling the door open, I jumped about a foot into the air, meeting the mesmerizing, silver gazes of three men so tall, I had to tilt my chin up to see them fully. Across the threshold, they overwhelmed me with a bombardment of flawless, gleaming smiles set behind perfect lips. They were dressed down now, two of them shirtless and with pants so thin there was no question they weren’t meant to be worn outside the bedroom. And they came bearing gifts—empty glasses and enough wine to sedate a brothel.

“May we join you, Love?” Levi’s expression was wicked as always.

“Uh … sure,” I stammered, painfully aware of how high-pitched and weird my voice sounded. “Make yourselves comfortable.”

They stepped in and I couldn’t decide which of the trio smelled best. Right away, it was as if someone had turned up the heat. With no additional seating here like Levi’s suite had been outfitted with, we would all have to sit on the bed. I returned to the spot I held beforethinkingI was headed down to the study, and the princes scattered to various sections of the mattress.

Levi casually propped himself against the opposite side of the headboard, Silas and Julian with their backs against the footposts, facing me.

“Wine?” It was Silas who offered, and I was already staring at him before the question left his mouth.

Wordlessly, I nodded, and then watched him pour.

“Thank you.” I accepted the glass and downed it with one swallow. He smirked when I held it out again, gesturing for more.

The others accepted a portion as well, but sipped far more sparingly than I did.

“We thought you could use some company,” Julian announced with a smile.

Had his jawline always been this sexy? Or was I just now noticing because I was no longer afraid to really see him?

“Actually, I was just about to make my way down to see you guys when you showed up,” I admitted, sipping again. “So, yeah, I guess we all had the same idea.”

“Great minds thinking alike and whatnot,” Levi mused, watching me in that cheeky way of his.

Tearing my eyes away from his was easy, but it proved impossible to do the same with my thoughts. They were heavily focused on him, onallof them.

Quickly getting a hold of my feelings, I flashed a smile.

“You guys were downstairs a while. What happened? Finally got bored comparing measurements?” I teased.

Tomorrow, we could go back to taking everything seriously again, but things needed to lighten up around here for tonight. I, personally, was on cloud nine because everything that took place this evening felt like a win. And I hadn’t had one of those in far too long.

Silas smirked a bit when the joke seemed to catch him off guard.

“You know me better than that by now,” Levi grinned. “There’s no way you wouldn’t have been invited to stand in as judge.”

My smile widened, heat moving up my neck as his words flustered me.

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