Millie

"You're really not going to come in?"

Alex rocked back on his heels and shook his head, his golden hair swishing over his forehead. If ever there was a person who was a golden retriever in human form, it was this man. After he got over his initial shock that Roman accepted the invitation, he'd become a witty, teasing companion on the ride home, and I found myself wishing he really was my brother. Not even Marcus made me feel as comfortable and at home as Alex did. Then Lochlan's text came through, and his good humor vanished.

"Sorry, kiddo. You're on your own. Besides, I have company, and we're going to dinner tonight."

"I call BS."

"I really have dinner plans."

I rolled my eyes. We stood in front of Lochlan's front door. A man named Parker stood in front of the window at the end of the hallway, his eyes locked on me.

"That's not what I'm calling BS on. It's barely four o'clock. You and I both know you're not in a rush. You're just a big, old chicken."

Alex didn't look offended. "You got me."

"Come on. You're best friends. He's not even that much bigger than you." I gestured up and down. It was true—mostly. Alex and Lochlan both broke the six-foot mark by several inches, but Lochlan definitely filled his clothes out in a way Alex didn't.

"See, I work out to look good," he said, as if reading my mind. "Lochlan works out because he actually uses those muscles, and with the way he's been on edge lately, I do not want to tempt him. We've broken more than a few things."

"When you were kids, right?"

Parker snorted and his lip twitched when Alex shot him a dirty look that was ignored. "They broke Mrs. Reed's favorite Chinese vase last month during a wrestling match over suspected cheating during a game of cards."

"Who cheated?" I asked, fascinated.

"No one," Alex answered petulantly. "Lochlan is just a sore loser. How do you even cheat in Phase 10, anyway?"

I burst into laughter, attempting to imagine the three of them playing a children's card game. The image sprang to mind easily. No doubt Anna had requested the family style game night, and the men in her life would do anything for her.

"Anyway," Alex said, stepping back, one hand behind him, searching for the button to the elevator. "I don't particularly want to sport a busted lip for my dinner tonight. Makes after dinner festivities far less pleasant."

When he was gone, I let myself inside with the code Parker provided me, and I peered anxiously into the living area, expecting to see Lochlan waiting in one of the armchairs, a scowl twisting his handsome features. No, I didn't get the version of the man who played card games with his family. I got the controlling, fussy version who seemed to delight in driving me to the edge of sanity.

But he didn't appear to be home yet. We had been on the way back when he sent Alex the text. I made my way down the hall, grateful for the time alone to process everything that had happened in the last couple of days, and it became clear after talking to Alex and meeting Roman, it would be best if I just disappeared from everyone's life.

If I confessed to Lochlan, he would try to fix it, and it would put everyone in danger. Alex and Anna included. Yesterday was proof enough of that. I could see that now that lust wasn't clouding my brain. The only problem was Lochlan's guards were going to make slipping out very difficult, though I wondered if they would actually attempt to stop me if I left on my own terms. Surely, they would understand holding me against my will was the same as kidnapping.

Mind made up, I entered my bedroom and froze when I heard water running in the bathroom. The door was cracked slightly, allowing steam to escape and filling my room with a woodsy, citrus scent that belonged to only one man—Lochlan.

In a panic, I turned to leave but stopped when I heard a groan, followed by my name. My feet moved toward the bathroom as if possessed, and I quietly pushed the door open.

The shower's glass door was fogged over, but I could still make out Lochlan's figure through it. He stood facing the shower head, but he braced his forehead on the arm he had planted against the wall. The fog was thicker in the middle of the door, but there was no question what he was doing with his free hand. I could see the muscles of his shoulders flex as he moved his arm, his mouth parting as he worked himself. Toward the floor of the shower, the glass cleared enough to see soapy water sluicing down his legs and bubbling down the drain.

My hands drifted toward the waistband of my pants, and I recalled my earlier fantasy of lying on his bed, making myself come while he watched, and for one moment, I thought I might be brave enough. Then, he shouted my name and came in ropes of white that hit the wall and slid to the floor, joining the soap swirling around his feet.

Chest heaving, I raced back to the kitchen, forgetting to close either door. Face red and flushed, I opened the fridge and grabbed a Coke, putting the cold can against my face.

"Millie?"

Jumping back, the fridge door slammed closed on its own and I turned to find Lochlan standing in the hallway, water droplets disappearing into the crevices of his abs or stopping at the towel he wore dangerously low on his hips. Wet, his hair was almost black, and it curled on his forehead and over his ears.

"Oh god, you scared me," I said, trying to look anywhere by at his naked body.

"You didn't come to your bedroom? I thought I closed the door, but it was open." His eyes were dark as he watched me, but the left edge of his lip turned upward as if he was fighting a smile. The bastard.

"Nope." The word was a squeak. Then, I asked, "Why were you in my bedroom?"

"Had to use your shower. The Super is supposed to be by later to fix a leak in mine."

"Oh, okay."

"After I get dressed, we should talk."

He left without waiting for me to agree or disagree, and the moment I heard his bedroom door click shut, I fell over the countertop with a groan and squeezed my thighs together. Maybe another shower wasn't so bad? It would give me time away from him to figure out what I was going to say, and I could give the shower head another run. I wouldn't even have to make up a fantasy this time.

"Fucking shower is getting more action than anyone in this house."