Page 27 of Rebel's Fairytale

Ignoring him, Rebel bent forward and kissed her cheek. Into her ear, he whispered, “Nice leather, Sweetie.”

Feeling her cheeks heat, Bri cleared her throat and replied, “Thanks.”

“Can I take that for you? Get you a drink? We got wine, some whiskey, and beer. Or pop and water if you’re not feeling the other stuff.”

“‘Hi. I’m a rambling, nervous wreck because a pretty girl looked at me twice.’”

When Rebel turned and glared at Ross, he looked down at the asparagus and became really focused on prepping itjust right.

Giggling, Bri slipped her leather jacket off and handed it to Rebel. “I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks, please.”

“On it,” Ryker said and turned. He approached the cupboard next to the refrigerator and grabbed a short glass before he opened the freezer to get the whiskey and ice.

Rebel walked away long enough to hang her jacket on a hook to the right of the front door. While he did that, she got a good look at his backside and determined that, yes, his jeansdidhug his ass perfectly. The snort laugh that came out of her had Rebel turning around to look at her with an arched brow.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she choked out and shook her head.

When the twins busted out with laughter, she knew they had spotted where her eyes had been focused and were well aware of what she had been thinking.

Chapter nine

Rebel

Hedidn’tknowwhatthe three of them were laughing about, but Rebel liked that she seemed to be bonding with the twins. They were important to him, and Ruby was well on her way to be important to him, too. If making fun of him was the catalyst for that bond, he was all about it.

It was the way of cousins to pick on each other and crack jokes. He didn’t take any offense to it, really, but he also didn’t want Ruby to think he was a fuck up. He worried she might misunderstand his jokes and think he would really hurt his cousins. It wouldn’t be a stretch since she witnessed him killing his uncle.

His wolf began whimpering at the thought.

“Whatever thought is putting that scowl on your face, stop thinking it,” Ruby ordered as he stopped at her side.

Shoving his negative thoughts aside, he looked down at her and sighed. “Sorry. I just… Never mind. It’s not important.” He glanced down at Ruby’s outfit and had to bite back a groan. So much about the outfit had his jeans fitting a little tighter, but it was the boots that sealed the deal. He couldn’t help but picture them biting into his ass as he… His eyes flashed a greenish-gold light for just a split second, before Rebel was able to shut down his thoughts and get himself back under control.

Ruby gasped at the sight of the light, but he couldn’t address that until he was back in control of himself. Not to mention, he didn’t really want to talk about it with the twins around.

What the hell is wrong with me? It’s like I’m thirteen again and turned on by everything.

“For fuck’s sake, we’re getting ready to make dinner.” Ross threw a towel at him, and it hit him square in the face. “Don’t make me lose my appetite.”

His eyes shot open, and he glared at Ross. “I swear to all the fucking gods that I will make you clean every toilet in the apartment building, every single day, when you become a prospect, if you don’t knock it the fuck off,” Rebel growled at his cousin.

“Anyway!” Ryker set Ruby’s drink in front of her from across the island and asked, “How was work?”

Rebel shot Ryker a grateful look as he took the stool next to Ruby. When he glanced over at Ruby, he saw the questions in her eyes. He mouthed the wordlaterat her as he put his hand to her back and ran it up and down. He wanted to do much more, but just like answering the questions in her eyes, it would have to wait until they were alone.

“It was work.” Ruby shrugged. “It wasn’t bad or good, just… was.”

“Do you like being a librarian?”

Ruby nodded, and Rebel noticed that she had shifted closer to him. He was able to slide his hand around her opposite hip, and he did with the full intention of bringing her closer.

Her phone vibrated as she answered the question. “I do. Not only is it filled with my favorite thing, books, but I also like that I get to help others, serve my community, inspire young people to keep their minds open, and all the other things.” She turned it over on the island and glanced at it. Not wanting to be nosy, he avoided looking to see who it was. She quickly sent a text and turned the phone back over. Then, she was smiling at his cousins.

The smile on her face had him smiling with her. It lit up her eyes and drew him in, like a moth to a flame. She very well could be his undoing, if she wanted to be. Lucky for him, his Ruby wouldn’t do such a thing… not in a negative way, at least.

“That’s so cool,” Ryker replied. “Did you know that Rebel was a straight-A student and also had a short story published when he was in high school?”

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