After checking herself in the mirror once more, Blythe grabbed her clutch and headed downstairs. The stilettos were a bitch to walk in, but she couldn’t look good without a little pain, at least that was what she’d heard constantly while dancing.
Deep male voices became more pronounced when she reached the landing. She followed the baritone sounds into the living room and halted. Dietrich and Stellan had their backs to her. They stood on the veranda and stared out at the ocean.
The French doors were open, and the sound of the crashing waves held a hypnotic quality. Their voices were clear, but with the noise from the ocean, she couldn’t quite hear what they said. As if they sensed her presence, both men turned around at the same time. Each held a short, square-cut glass in hand.
Stellan tilted his head for her to come forward, and she did. It was as if her feet had a mind of their own as she kept moving until she, too, was on the veranda and standing in front of them.
Stellan’s voice was deep and alluring as he said, “You look stunning, Blythe.” The way his eyes traveled up and down her body had heat rising up her neck and to her face.
Thank goodness for the cloak of darkness to hide her embarrassment, but the way both men smirked led her to believe they had seen her reaction, nonetheless.
“Thank you.” She dropped her head but lifted just her eyes to look at them again. The suits they wore fit them to perfection, as if they had been tailor-made just for them.
Wide shoulders and broad chests filled out the black and white material like no one’s business. Even though she was several feet away, their bodies and height were intimidating. With her being five-foot-three, Blythe only came up to the center of their chests. Even with her three-inch heels on, she still didn’t reach their chins.
She felt wholly feminine around these two men, like a fragile piece of china against their impossibly hard granite.
“Yes, you look gorgeous, Miss Winters.” Dietrich set his glass on the patio table beside him and crooked his finger at her.
With her heart pounding hard, she moved the last few feet it took to reach them. Standing so close to him had the scent of their combined colognes surrounding her. It was no doubt something ridiculously expensive with a spicy, woodsy scent. Dietrich took her hand and lifted it slightly up.
He then motioned for her to turn in a circle. Mouth gone dry and pulse beating a frantic tempo, Blythe turned in a slow circle. Was this really happening? She glanced up at Stellan and was struck even more nervous when she saw the expression he held. He brought his glass to his mouth and took a long, slow drink.
He watched her over the rim, his eyes hooded and filled with something akin to arousal. She didn’t want to think too deeply on that because it was quite possibly just her need and desire for these men playing tricks on her.
The sound of a car pulling up drew her attention away and back to the matter at hand: keeping things professional. If only they knew the things she thought, they would probably laugh at her naivety.
They could have any woman they wanted—hell, they most likely had. It was definitely her own desires that were allowing her to see something that wasn’t there.
When she made a full circle and faced Dietrich again, she stared into his blue eyes. He continued to hold her hand, and it wasn’t lost on her that he swept his thumb back and forth along her pulse.
His skin was smooth and heated and sent tendrils of electricity flaring to life inside of her.
“I think the car is here.” Her words sounded distorted, but maybe that was because her pulse beat rapidly in her ears? Dietrich’s mouth curved into a small smile.
“Yes, I know.”
She licked her lips and looked between the two men. “Maybe we should go?”
“If that’s what you want.” Stellan took a step closer to her, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to lean in to him. What in the hell was happening here?
If she didn’t know any better, she’d think these men were purposefully keeping her off-balance. She had to be imagining things, but how could this all be in her head when they moved closer still? They surrounded her, not only physically but figuratively, too.
“I—” She licked her lips again and heard one of them make a guttural groan. She felt as if she was under water, as if everything was a haze around her. Hell, she couldn’t even be sure which man made the sound.
Her arousal was like a living entity inside of her. It was an unusual and uncomfortable sensation that made her feel on edge. Pulling away from them and taking a step back went a long way in helping her breathe easier. But they still had their intense eyes locked on her.