Page 88 of The Trouble with Tigers
“The”—Caden cleared his throat—“misused, downtrodden,miserables, I believe were some of the adjectives you used.”
Kitty flashed her imp’s grin.
She would take up the cause of the underdog.
A warm sensation filled his chest—along with an odd possessiveness he didn’t care for at all. Damn it, he didn’t know if he was coming or going these days.
He did know he was ready to have that talk with her. He took a step forward.
Caden cleared his throat. “Now, then. We need to settle the small matter of the forfeit owed me.”
“Very well. What’s your demand?” Kitty asked.
Zeke froze, sensing the scoundrel’s reply before he uttered another word.
“A kiss from the lady, of course.”
Like hell. Zeke stalked toward the group.
His eyes skimmed accusingly over Randall, the accomplice as far as he was concerned, before landing squarely on Caden.
Randall looked sufficiently cowed, but Caden, by God, had the gall to lounge back, link his hands behind his neck and grin.
“Hello, brother, finished with your meeting so soon?”
Zeke flexed his fists and imagined wiping that banal smile off his brother’s pretty face. “Caden, Randall.” He slanted Kitty a glance. “Lady Kitty.”
She inclined her head, but kept her gaze averted. “My lord.”
“We missed you at breakfast. I thought perhaps you'd taken ill,” he said.
“Not at all,” she replied. Then her eyes went wide as saucers. “I mean, I had a headache. Earlier. This morning.”
Zeke opened his mouth to inquire further, but Caden forestalled him. “I was about to claim my forfeit from your fiancé.”
“What game were you playing? Perhaps I can atone for her loss. Unless the lady objects?” He looked at her, all innocence. He hoped.
She flushed, hesitated slightly, then said, “By all means, if Caden agrees.”
He bit back a smug grin. Kitty’s natural inclination would be to deny his offer of assistance, but doing so would give the appearance she was vying for Caden’s kiss. She would hardly wish to convey that sentiment.
“See here, what’s in this for me? I was quite happy with the outcome of our game,” Caden groused.
Zeke pasted a bland smile on his face, though he wanted nothing so much as to beat his chest and snarl at his brother. Kiss Kitty indeed.
“Let’s say, if you win, I’ll grant you”—He broke off, searching his mind for an enticing prize. He reclined his hip on the arm of Kitty’s chair in a deliberately possessive posture—“The tiger’s eye diamond I acquired from our mine in Africa.”
Caden’s face went slack.
Zeke flicked a glance at Randall, then Kitty in turn.
Everyone looked stunned.
Well, what did he expect? His words shocked him, and he’d said them. The tiger’s eye diamond? What inspired him to lay such a valuable object on the table?
He’d had to come up with something fast. That was all. Besides, he had no intention of losing. “Well?”
“I’ll allow the challenge,” Caden relented.
