“Ow,” she drawled with sarcasm, refusing to screech or whimper like a damsel in distress. “It’s fine. I just need an icepack and to elevate it tonight.”
Shaking his head, Greg rose and pinned her with a narrow-eyed glare. “You need something all right. Come on.” Before she could grasp his intention, he swooped her up in his arms, cradling her against that wide, muscled chest.
Pressed against his hard frame with the strength in his arms bunched under her legs and behind her back, those pesky, panty-melting fantasies returned in Techni-color. Too bad they were obliterated as soon as they entered the great room and she encountered Devin’s derisive look of censure.
He took one swift glance at her ankle as he moved by them, tossing out, “That needs to be wrapped,” without pausing on his way to the hall stairs.
Kelsey couldn’t help it. She was hurting, in more ways than one, and he was being a prick. Without thinking, she stuck her tongue out at his back, not taking notice of the mirror until Devin turned slowly and regarded her with a cool gaze and one raised brow. “Careful, baby. My bark is just as bad as my bite.”
Greg sighed and lowered her onto the sofa, his green eyes full of reproof. “Little bit, you need to tread more carefully through the woods and around here.”
“Or what? Will you send me home?” she asked with a hopeful look and tight twist of her heart.
Running one broad palm down her hair, Greg’s face softened as he stepped back. “The McAllisters are worried about you. It’s not right to challenge their motives for sending you away when you know it’s for your safety.”
Guilt trickled through her and she leaned back with a nod. “You’re right, but Devin doesn’t want me here.”
“No, he doesn’t, so don’t push him. Stay put while I get a wrap and ice pack.” Pulling over a stool, he lifted her leg onto an ottoman and pushed up the bottom of her jeans with a low whistle. “Let’s hope you didn’t do more damage by walking on it instead of calling me to come get you.” He pivoted and left the room before she could form any kind of reply to that rebuke.
Greg returned carrying his supplies, a frown creasing his forehead as he looked down at her propped-up foot. “What?” Kelsey asked, her eyes going to his hands. A shiver danced down her spine as she imagined those long fingers touching her again. Coupled with that potent green gaze, she prayed she could keep her thoughts from veering into those lustful fantasies that now included his and Devin’s faces.
He nodded toward her ankle. “If that swells any more, you won’t be able to get your jeans off.” His look turned sardonic as he stated, “You can either let me cut the leg up the middle, thus ruining them, or take them off now. Your choice.”
A chance to get his attention on her semi-clad body? Why not? Kelsey grew warm at the thought, the girls and slutty bitch saying yes, please! Cocking her head, she gave him a small smile as her hands went to her waist. “We’re both adults with a modicum of restraint, right?”
His lips twitched as he looked her over from his towering height. “I am, but I’m not so sure about you. You look like you’re about twelve.”
Kelsey lifted her hips and shoved the jeans down as she wrinkled her nose. “If you knew how tired I am of hearing stuff like that, you wouldn’t tempt my annoyance by repeating it. I’ll have you know I turn thirty in a few weeks, on October second.”
His shoulders stiffened and then a wry grin lit up his eyes. “I turn thirty-eight on the first and Devin on the third. That puts you in between us.” And won’t Devin just love that coincidence? Greg shoved aside thoughts he had no business thinking about Kelsey and stooped before the stool.
Being as gentle as possible, he worked her jeans off and set them aside to wrap her ankle. Even swollen, she had dainty joints and feet. But, damn, the girl sported a pair of killer legs. It took every ounce of his considerable control to keep his eyes on his task and to stifle the urge to glance up those smooth legs to peek under the hem of her blue blouse. Panties or thong? That was a question best left unanswered if he intended to keep her out of his bed, which he did. He couldn’t help but be amused by the taunting curl to her soft lips as she had shimmied the jeans down her legs, or note her lack of embarrassment, proving she wouldn’t let her unhappiness about her circumstances keep her down.
“You okay?” he asked gruffly, noting her wince and twirling thumbs as he pinned the end of the wrap.
“Yeah, thanks. It’s sore, but I’ll manage.”
Laying the icepack on her ankle, he pushed to his feet, wishing there was more he could do. “It’ll be fine in a day or two if you baby it. Devin and I will be gone most of the day tomorrow, starting early, so you’ll have the place to yourself and can get plenty of rest.” Greg tried not to let the flash of hurt on her face get to him. For all her outward bravado, she still possessed a thread of insecurity that tugged at his dominant urges, and that was something he refused to give in to. “I’ll get you a plate at the buffet. Anything you don’t like?”
Kelsey glared at her propped-up foot, as if it was her appendage’s fault she couldn’t join everyone at the social hall. “No, I eat everything. And thanks, again.”
/> “I don’t know where you put it, but I’ll load you up.” When she narrowed her eyes, he pivoted and left the house thinking he might have bitten off more than he’d been willing to take on when he agreed to Jordan’s request for help.
Chapter 4
“The girl is trouble already.” Devin glared at Greg as he entered the social hall and the two of them headed to the buffet. He tried keeping his annoyance from showing since their guests were scattered around the tables and in front of the fireplace enjoying the evening meal, but damn, it was difficult. Not here a full day and Kelsey was already proving to be a nuisance. It sure as hell didn’t help she wasn’t shy about revealing her disgruntlement with his attitude, or that his hand and cock both itched to connect with her soft flesh.
“Cut her some slack,” Greg replied, grabbing a plate at the front of the food line. “She just twisted it. By morning, I suspect the swelling will be almost gone and she’ll only have to baby it for a day.”
“We’ve got the all-day excursion tomorrow, so you better hope she sticks close and keeps off her feet since you won’t be around to watch her.” Devin scooped a large serving of pulled pork onto his plate, smiling at Mary as she came out of the back kitchen carrying a tray of pies. “For me? Mary, you shouldn’t have,” he teased.
“And I didn’t, so don’t get any ideas. One piece until everyone has a chance to get theirs.” Setting the tray at the end of the row of dishes, she shook her salt and pepper, curly-haired head and her finger at him. “I mean it, both of you. The guests come first.”
Greg added a spoonful of mashed potatoes to his plate, winking at their motherly employee. “Of course, Mary. We always put our paying customers first. This plate is for Kelsey though, so I get dibs on getting a second piece for me when I return from delivering her dinner. She hurt her ankle earlier and is sitting up at the house with it propped up.”
“Oh, the poor dear, what a way to start her vacation. Here, I’ll take it and introduce myself. You sit down and eat with Dev.”
Devin shrugged at Greg as Mary plucked the plate from his friend’s hands. “You know it’s easier to let her have her way.” Short and round, they both watched her waddle across the room to the doors, noticing she added the largest cut of cherry pie to the food Greg had piled on her plate. “I doubt that girl can get through half of that, and then Mary will be upset over the waste.”