Page 73 of His Own Heaven

Toby’s lips twitched into a devilish smile and he wrapped his arms around her again, pinned her against his chest and trapped her arms between them. “You’re not jealous, are you, baby?”

“Of course not,” she said, diverting her gaze from his before he detected her lie.

Okay, so maybe she was a little bit jealous. But who the hell was this woman that he and his brother were avoiding? Someone else they’d shared? Someone who maybe had a little trouble letting go, who’d expected more than a one night stand and wasn’t thrilled by the fact the twins had moved on and left this woman—whoever she was—behind?

“Good,” Toby said, as though the matter were closed. “Because she is absolutely no one you need to be jealous of.” Then he fisted his hand in her hair and bent his head to kiss her, his lips firm and hot and unyielding as they met hers, demanding her surrender. And it was only when she capitulated and melted against him that he finally broke the kiss.

Toby’s passion made Lucy feel a little better, but her past experiences still niggled at the edges of her rational mind and her unease refused to settle. Fiddling with the buttons on Toby’s shirt, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Just… don’t play games with me, okay?”

“No games. I promise.”

Continuing to stare at his shirtfront, Lucy cocked one brow, and said, “So Isobel is…?”

Toby chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re not going to let it go, are you?”

She shook her head and lifted her gaze to meet his, direct and unwavering. “Nope.”

“Fine. Isobel,” he said, grimacing, “is my mother. And the reason Charlie and I are avoiding her is because our mother makes your mother look like the Tooth Fairy. But I don’t have time to discuss it right now. I have to go.”

It was on the tip of Lucy’s tongue to demand he make time “right now” but knew he had more important places to be. More important people to be with. “Right,” she agreed, pasting on a smile. “Family first.”

“Don’t do that, baby.” Toby’s voice was dark, his eyes narrowed.

“Don’t do what?”

“Don’t think you’re less important than my family.” Toby settled his hand around her throat and gently squeezed. “You listen to me and listen good. You’re mine, Lucy Barton.Mine. You are special to me. Do you understand?”

With her eyes wide and her breaths coming short, fast and excited, Lucy nodded.

“Say it,” Toby demanded, his icy gaze darkening in a look she was intimately familiar with. He was getting worked up, excited. And so was she.

Heat bloomed low in her belly and her earlier troubles were all but forgotten. Pressing herself closer, Lucy felt her lover’s erection straining against his jeans, but she knew better than to reach for it without permission.

Holding her hands by her sides, she clenched them tightly to ward off the urge to live dangerously. “Yes, Sir. I understand.”

Toby relaxed his grip around her neck, stroked his thumb over her pulse. “Good girl.” Then he looked at his watch and smirked. “Charlie can wait a few more minutes,” he said, reaching for his belt buckle. “Bend over the bed. I’m going to give you something to think about while I’m gone. Make sure you really do understand.”

As Lucy turned away and braced her hands on the mattress, she realised she understood perfectly. Sheunderstood she was in far more trouble than she’d ever imagined.

Charlie was waiting at the front gate of their property when Toby arrived to pick him up. “Where the fuck have you been? It doesn’t take that long to get here from Lucy’s,” he complained as he buckled his seat belt.

Toby picked up one of the take-away coffees he’d stopped for on the way and jiggled it in front of his brother’s face. “You’re welcome.”

“Mmm… liquid magic,” Charlie said, accepting the coffee and taking a sip. “Also, you smell like sex.”

Toby grinned unrepentantly as he put the car in gear and headed north. He wasn’t going to apologise for enjoying himself, for being happy and in love. Christ knew he’d spent most of his adult life avoiding those exact emotions, preferring instead to focus his efforts on building his business and taking care of his family, things he could control.

But from the moment he’d met Lucy Barton, Toby had known he was no longer in control. And for a control freak like him, the sensation was not one he enjoyed.

In truth, he was terrified.

“How is the lovely Lucy, anyway?”

Toby’s grin softened and he fought to stop his mind from drifting away on an erotic daydream. “She’s perfect.”

“Oh, God.” Charlie chuckled and shook his head. “There’s no such thing as a perfect woman, Tobes.”

“Maybe not,” Toby conceded with a chuckle, “but she’s perfect for me.”

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