Page 100 of Beautiful Exile

Apparently, I was on my own. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stood and crossed to my duffel in the corner. I found a pairof sweats and pulled them on, heading for the source of the knocking, Brutus hot on my heels.

“Coming!” I yelled. “Keep your pants on.”

Unlocking the door, I pulled it open to find Cope’s annoyed face. That annoyance morphed into something more like anger as his gaze swept over me. “Why are you answering my sister’s door shirtless?”

Well, shit.

Little Luca peeked around Cope, a look of confusion on his face. “Are you going swimming?”

Brutus let out a happy bark and went to the boy as I fought not to laugh. “Yeah, little dude. I’m going swimming.”

“I’ll go with you,” Luca offered as he hugged the dog. “I love swimming.”

Sutton, who was standing a step back, choked on a laugh. “Can never go wrong with a little swimming.”

Cope whirled on his fiancée. “This isn’t funny.”

Sutton’s turquoise eyes twinkled. “I don’t know. It’s a little funny.”

“I’m missing something…” Luca mumbled.

“Why don’t you guys come inside?” I offered, gesturing them in.

Cope stalked past me. “I don’t needyouto invite me into my sister’s house.”

“Geez,” Luca muttered. “He’s grumpy. Never knew he didn’t like swimming that much.”

I patted the boy on the shoulder. “Me either.”

Sutton just giggled.

“Warrior,” Cope growled.

“You don’t get to dictate what I laugh at, Hotshot,” she called.

Cope grumbled something under his breath just as a door slammed. Footsteps pounded down the hall, and a very rumpled-looking Arden appeared. “What the he—ck is going on?”

Cope looked from his sister to me and back again, taking in her wrinkled tee and sleep shorts. That thunderous look took over again. “I feel like I should be asking you that question.”

Arden crossed her arms and arched a brow. “Should you, now?”

Oh, hell.Cope needed to abort mission now. It didn’t matter that he was still healing from a gunshot wound; Arden would kick his ass.

Cope’s shoulders straightened, and I didn’t miss how much easier he was moving. “I fly down to check on my sister because”—he glanced at Luca, clearly not wanting to share what was going on—“I missed her, and I find my best friend and boss in her house, half-dressed.”

Luca stared up at Cope. “He’s going swimming. Whatya got against swimming? I thought you liked it.”

Surprise lit Arden’s features as Sutton stifled another giggle. Sutton wrapped an arm around Luca’s shoulders. “Why don’t we go make some scones for everyone?”

“Maybe a snack’ll make Cope less grumpy,” Luca mumbled, motioning for Brutus to come with him.

They moved toward the kitchen as Cope crossed into Arden’s space. “What the hell is going on?”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Arden shot back. “You do not get to come in here and act all overprotective-big-brother because you don’t like who I have in my bed.”

Cope made a gagging noise. “Dear God, stop. I do not need those mental images.”

“You’re the one who asked, so that’s just karma.”

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