Page 28 of Book Boyfriends
With a nod, he removes his boot and extends his hand to help Jackson up.
“And you should apologize for attacking Jackson.” One eyebrow lifted, I take in Lars’s now sheepish face.
“Sorry. As alpha, I get a little overprotective. Not to mention, in my pack, we tussle a bit.” He pats Jackson’s back.
“Alpha? Pack?” Jackson looks between the three men, then jerks his gaze back to me. “Who are these guys?”
“Uh…” I worry my lower lip.
The lies form so easily inside me, but none breach my lips. How to explain who these men are. Telling falsehoods, even for the sake of keeping the peace, isn’t my strong suit. Not to mention, Jackson always sees through them.
“I’m Lars. We’ve met.” His mouth quirks.
Relinquishing his hold on me, Lord James strides to my brother. “And I’m Lord James Everly, First Duke of Chamberlin. Your sister is my future intended.”
“She’s what?” Jackson’s eyebrows shoot into his hairline.
“Excuse me!” Marching up to Lord James, I jab a finger into his way-too-sculpted chest. “I am nothing of the sort.”
“My lady, it’s only a matter of time. After all, this is why we’re here.”
“That may be true, but we only just met.” I toss my arms into the air, my voice hitting an almost shrill octave.
“Whythey’rehere?” Jackson’s head tilts.
“What makes you think it will be you?” Lars says, incredulous.
“You’re after my sister, too?”
Ignoring them, Lord James moves closer, raising his hand and cradling my cheek. “My lady, you must feel what is between us. Not only have I been utterly enraptured by you since you appeared in that vision, but there is a pull between us. I know you feel it too.”
The flutter in my chest doesn’t disagree. Like a gravitational pull, something unseen attracts me to Lord James. My body reacts to each of these men, but it comes alive withhisattention.
“From the moment I caught you when you fainted, I knew you were meant to always be in my arms.” He leans in, his lips scant inches from mine, his breath a ghost of a kiss.
“You caught me? You put me to bed?” I breathe.
“I’ll always catch you, my lady,” he murmurs, swiping the smooth pads of his fingers against my skin.
A drunken buzz bubbles in my bloodstream with his pretty promises. How easy it would be to allow him to sweep me off my feet, replacing Lady Cecily in his story. But that’s not my story. It’s hers.
“Alright, Lord No Boundaries—” Lars grabs Lord James by the arm and tugs him away “—rules, remember. No seduction until she asks for it.”
“It is only a matter of time before she asks for it. From me.” He yanks himself from Lars’s grip, wickedness blazes in his green eyes.
“Careful; that’s my sister.” Jackson shoots a warning glare. “Rules? What’s happening?”
“Your sister somehow summoned us from her books to help find her happy ending.” Owen emerges from the bedroom with copies of each of my books in hand.
In the chaos of the last few moments, I didn’t realize he’d slipped away into the bedroom. To where one of the three bookshelves throughout my small apartment sits. The one with each of the proof copies of my novels.
“We have a lot to discuss.” He tosses all three books onto the coffee table.
All our gazes are drawn to the three discreet cartoon covers popular with romance novels. The kind that hides the sexy nature of what you’re reading from fellow passengers at airport terminals. Nobody would suspect behind those covers lies a small town baker that drizzles icing all over his lady love before licking her clean, a werewolf that bends his vampire rival over the hood of his pickup as he fucks her, or a Duke that uses his cravat to muzzle his lady’s moans as he falls to his knees and feasts on her in her father’s study.
My brother’s wide eyes illustrate his understanding. There’s an uncanny–almost identical–resemblance of each man that stands in my living room to their cartoon versions on the book covers.
“Georgia.” My name is almost an accusation from my brother.
