Page 34 of The Puck Stops Here

‘So, we’re agreed then?’

‘Agreed?’

‘To play nice with the reporter.’

‘Define “nice”?’

‘Give her what she needs and – no, Blake, not that.’

‘What? I didn’t say a word.’

‘You didn’t have to.’

‘Are you telling me she’s off limits, because you know how that’s going to go down?’

His brother’s eyes were laughing even as he ground his jaw. ‘I mean it, Blake.’

‘So do I.’ Because telling him ‘No’ only poured gasoline on the fire already simmering for her. ‘Scared of a little competition, bro?’

‘There’s no competition.’

‘If you say so…’ But Blake didn’t believe it. His brother was no saint when it came to the opposite sex and someone like Astrid, ashotas Astrid, asreal…wascatnip.

‘Is this a private stare down or can anyone join in?’ A nervous laugh accompanied her sudden presence at the table and slowly Blake released his brother’s gaze to meet hers.

He rubbed his jaw, more for something to do that didn’t involve hauling her into his lap, caveman style, and staking his claim up front. ‘Hey Twinkle Toes, good of you to join us.’

Her eyes shot to Aiden’s, wide, horrified. ‘You told him!’

Aiden kicked him beneath the table, the move fierce and invisible from above. ‘Why would you tell her that?’

‘If she’s hanging out with us for the foreseeable, she might as well know we share everything.’

Her eyes shot back to his, her cheeks flushing crimson as her mouth opened but no words came.

‘You’re such a jerk,’ Aiden threw at him and Blake grinned, their face-off resuming as readily as his next breath.

‘Takes one to know one.’

‘Oh my God, you’re like children!’

Their heads snapped to her, voices dropping low as they said as one, ‘We can assure you we’re not.’

5

Fuckity fuckity fuck…

Two pairs of identical blue eyes blazed up at her.

Well, you did question their manliness.

And there was no mistaking the man in them now.

She’d wanted to chop off her own tongue as soon as she’d said it. Watching the brothers in a standoff and somehow knowing she’d been the cause sent a fire up her like none other.

AndthenBlake had purposefully contradicted his earlier taunt –we don’t like to share– but clearly that only applied to women. And seriously, right now, she’d share.

And that said more about her than them.

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