Chapter 27
EVE
Bluebell House was quiet when Brodie ushered me through the door after class. “I’ve got to run back to chat with one of my professors, Evie babe,” he said, pressing his lips to mine. “You going to be okay by yourself?”
I blinked, dazed by both his kiss and the fact that this was the first time I’d been left alone all week since the attack in town. It hadn’t been aimed at me, which was further confirmed by President Knightsbridge herself, but it had stirred my guys all the same.
“By myself?” I breathed. “Of course. I’ll just take a long shower and get a headstart on my assignments.”
Brodie’s smile was broad, beautiful, and slightly smug as if he knew something I didn’t.
But all I got was another kiss, a tap on my butt as he ushered me inside, and then I heard him stomp off the porch and presumably return to campus.
Shaking my head at his slightly odd behavior, I headed upstairs, dropping my books into my bedroom before showering.
The house held the sort of quiet I hadn’t experienced in ages, and while I enjoyed a moment to shower my hair and towel myself off without one of the guys standing in the doorway whispering sexy words, I also missed them.
We were codependent, and I honestly didn’t give a shit.
Dr. Graystone would put all sorts of labels on our relationships, but it was working for the six of us, and that was all that mattered to me.
As I moisturized my legs with the fancy French branded product I loved, I noticed that it was new, replacing the one that I’d noticed just yesterday was almost empty.
This was not a one-off; whenever one of my favorite products got low, a new one would somehow appear like magic.
I was fairly sure that was Andrew’s doing, as he had that caretaker kink.
He stocked the food we liked, cooked healthy, nutritious meals, and ensured all of us were living our best lives.
In return, we kept the place clean in the way that suited him and embraced his peculiar tendencies by never having the television volume on an odd number or missing Sunday dinner.
As I said, the dynamics worked, and despite the danger that still existed out there in the real world, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this happy.
When I exited in my towel, I caught the faintest scent of food, and my stomach grumbled. It was after six already and I’d missed lunch, too caught up in classes. There were a lot of assignments due this month and next, so school was taking precedence for once.
In my room, I paused at the sight of a box on the bed, which definitely hadn’t been there when I dropped my books on the desk.
Striding forward, I lifted the lid and gasped at the silky purple sheath that bore a very expensive emblem on the paper surrounding it.
When I grasped the delicate straps, I noticed the matching purple underwear beneath, as expensive and silky as the dress, and I knew that this was from one or more of my boys.
It was either them, or my stalker had dramatically shifted gears from trying to kill me to trying to seduce me.
I really hoped it was the former, and my stomach clenched in anticipation of what the guys might have planned.
I’d already dried my hair off, so it was easy to slip into the perfectly fitting bra and panties, before I slid the dress over my head, the long length draping down my body.
It wasn’t tight, but it hugged my curves in all the right places, and I quickly ducked back into the bathroom to apply some make-up.
There were no shoes left for me, so I wasn’t assuming we were heading out, but I still wanted to polish my face to match this gorgeous dress.
When I was satisfied with my appearance, I took one extra second to enjoy the way the purple of the dress matched the sheen of my hair in the mirror. I’d hazard a guess that was deliberate on the part of whomever set this up.
As I headed toward the stairs, a gasp ripped from me as I saw purple rose petals lining the edges of each tread. There was a path down the middle, as if they’d been afraid I would slip on the delicate blooms and didn’t want to risk my clumsy ass getting hurt.
The scent of rich tomato and herbs grew stronger, and I almost drooled at how good it smelled.
My steps moved faster than was probably safe as anticipation grew.
I couldn’t wait to see who and what awaited me down here.
When I was a few steps from the bottom, a tall shadow appeared in the hall, and then he was there… Haze Michaels.
My heart stopped, and my feet were glued to the step as I took him in. Haze in general liked to wear black workout clothes, leathers if he was riding, or fatigues that would fit right in with the army. He was always ready for a fight, but tonight, that was clearly not his plan.
He wore a white button-down that strained against his broad shoulders and muscles.
There was no tie, and his collar was open a few buttons to showcase the bronze of his skin, darker against the starkness of his shirt.
His dress pants were black, and like me, he wore no shoes.
Though he did have dark socks on. The onyx of his eyes was shiny as he took me in, the pair of us stunned into silence, before he recovered and took a few smooth steps forward to reach the base of the stairs, even in height with me.
“Evie Marie,” he breathed, a hint of reverence in his tone. “You look so beautiful. I honestly…” He shook his head like words were beyond him. Haze wasn’t a big talker, so even the smallest effort meant so much to me.
Reaching out slowly, I pressed my hand to his hard chest, giving him time to react if he was uncomfortable.
But he made no attempt to stop me. My throat grew tight as I realized that he’d set this night up for us.
A date night. Something neither of us had ever really been on.
“Haze,” I breathed, feeling the burn behind my eyes, even as my stomach rolled and turned with nerves.
“You are so handsome. I love you in your normal clothes, but damn, you can rock a dress shirt.”
His chuckle was strangled, and when he reached out and pressed his hand over the top of mine, trapping me against him, I swear my heart sputtered all out of rhythm.
“I hope this is okay,” he breathed, pressing in even closer.
“I kicked the guys out so I could have you to myself. I figured we were due, and I don’t—” He sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t want to share you tonight.”
A single tear escaped me, and he shocked the hell out of me when he leaned in and pressed his lips to it, tongue swiping out to taste that drop. “It’s more than okay,” I said, dragging my free hand through his short hair, holding him against me. “Thank you for the dress. It’s gorgeous.”
Haze’s chest rumbled, but he didn’t pull away from me, his mouth still against my cheek as he kissed slowly down toward my lips. “You are gorgeous. The dress is mere wrapping paper.”
Wrapping paper was designed to be removed, and as a flush rose to my cheeks, Haze chuckled, his mouth finally landing against mine. Our kiss wasn’t the longest we’d shared, but there was so much heat between us, it had me panting when he pulled away.
“Come on, sweetheart,” he said, holding my hand and helping me down the last few steps. “I need to feed you first.”
First? What was second? It was on the tip of my tongue to deny the need for food, when I had Haze fucking Michaels dressed up and all mine, but then we stepped into the kitchen, and the scent of pasta and garlic had my stomach making all sorts of incriminating noises.
Haze chuckled again, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him this relaxed, not a single line of tension or stress on his face.
He didn’t let us linger in the kitchen, leading me through to the dining room, his fingers intertwined with mine.
I almost gasped again at the three huge bunches of purple roses that sat between flickering candles.
The table was set for two, side by side though, so we weren’t apart.
“Sit, baby,” he murmured, and hearing that word from Haze had the butterflies in my chest fluttering like a swarm. He pulled the chair out for me and then helped me shuffle forward. “I’ll be right back.”
There was a glass of red wine already waiting in my spot, and a basket of bread with real churned butter beside it.
Holy fuck. Haze was a romantic. Of all the guys in Bluebell House, who would have guessed that tall, deadly, and wanted for espionage in fifteen countries, would be the one to woo me in such a manner.
I should have guessed it though. Haze was constantly surprising me, and the anticipation of what else he had planned for tonight had me jittery and overheated.
Lucky this dress was light and silky, because I was burning up.
Taking a sip of the wine, I savored the rich, expensive blend of the aged cab sav, while reaching out to butter myself a piece of bread.
The crust was crispy, the inside soft and fluffy, and I was in heaven.
Haze returned with two bowls of tortellini covered by a chunky beef sauce.
I could see the real flakes of meat on top, garnished with herbs, and the scent…
“Oh my fucking God,” I groaned. “Haze, you didn’t tell me you could cook. That smells divine.”
His laughter, coming so easily again, was deep and warm. “I have exactly two dishes in my repertoire, but this is my best. Of course.”
Our eyes locked, and that weird swell in my heart happened again. The best. Like he wouldn’t have thought of offering anything less for me. “I can’t wait to taste it,” I murmured, and it went unsaid that it wasn’t all I wanted to taste. But it was a good start.
Haze set both plates down, mine first, and then he sat beside me.
We were close enough that our arms brushed every time we moved, and I was just one fluttering buzz at this point.
Our gazes locked, and I forgot all about the food as I stared into the most handsome of faces.
Fuck, he was so hot. I was really hungry for only one thing when it came to this man.
“Eat, Evie,” he murmured, nudging a bowl of parmesan cheese my way. “I need to look after you tonight. I won’t be satisfied until you are.”
Yeah, fuck, I was about to slide onto his lap and remind him that I was more than satisfied with everything that he offered. Some of that must have broadcasted on my face, as he shook his head, the smile wide and real. “I feel the same way,” he added. “But first we eat.”
He tore his gaze away, and I swallowed roughly in an attempt to get my racing pulse back under control.
Sprinkling some of the cheese over the dish, I forked the first bite into my mouth and my eyes all but rolled back in my head.
The taste was so rich and flavorsome, each bite a meaty, tomatoey, herby delight.
Nothing was overpowering though, with it all balancing perfectly.
“How is it?” Haze asked, and I heard the hint of nerves in his voice, which had me turning toward him once more.
I rushed to alleviate the hint of worry in his gaze. “So damn good,” I said, licking my lips to chase the excess sauce. “It’s the best pasta I’ve tasted in…well, probably ever. Perfect blend of favors.”
The nerves eased in his face to be replaced by heat. “Keep eating. There’s a long night ahead of you, Evie Marie.”
The pulse between my thighs kicked into a new beat. I wasn’t sure I’d make it through the rest of this dinner without combusting.