Page 52

Skylar annoyed and intrigued the hell out of me in equal measure, and I felt like a rope being pulled in two directions.
She’d stirred up a neediness inside me that went beyond desiring her physically—I had a deep urge to hear assurance of Ash’s love. Pulling him against me in our bedroom before dinner had been a reaction of the sense of our foundation rocking.
I hated that she made me sense weakness inside—but it was the way Ash stared at her with longing in his eyes that twisted me up tight.
He wanted her in our bed for more reasons than my body did, and I fought the need to say no and the equally strong desire to give him everything he dreamed about.
I shoved against the barrage of thoughts clamoring for attention in my head and focused on eating the surprisingly good meal Skylar had made. Having grown up on a farm, I expected simple meat and potatoes, but she’d somehow honed her skills.
A hint of rosemary flavored the chicken, and I’d never tasted such creamy, decadent mashed potatoes. The broccoli? To fucking die for with the perfect amount of garlic that hadn’t burned while roasting, the black pepper just spicy enough to hit the tongue in all the right places.
Having promised to try at giving the ridiculous woman a chance, I asked Skylar about her background, hoping Ash didn’t think I did so merely to examine with my usual critical mind.
She eventually relaxed enough that her smile returned as the three of us talked like any other threesome date Ash and I had gone on. Their connection was as obvious as the air I filled my lungs with, as potent as the rich wine cleaning my palate.
It went beyond both of them having twin siblings, like their souls had already somehow intertwined through intimacy I knew they hadn’t yet shared. He was already besotted with the woman, that much was clear with how he stared at her and gave her his full attention.
I almost walked out a few times as they got caught up speaking to one another, leaving me on what felt like the outskirts of their own little world. My usual self-control had me biting my tongue on more than one occasion to one-up the whirlwind of a girl who’d shaken my life’s footing. I wanted to snarl at her that Ash belonged to me, but being vocally possessive would reveal my weakness.
I couldn’t have that.
The way her fork slid past her lips, the flick of her tongue over the lower…how her mouth lightly touched her wine glass’s rim drew my focus over and over, dissolving my tightened guts time and again.
It would be easy to allow the lust I experienced for her to overrule my better sense.
She didn’t appear or sound manipulative. Like Ash had stated, Skylar seemed genuine and sweet, uninterested in games like some of the money-hungry women we’d interacted with over the previous couple of years.
She also leaned forward and listened intently to every word Ash spoke, validating whatever emotions he so willingly shared.
But I didn’t smile or allowed myself to admit she was a breath of fresh air.
The first bite of the pie she’d made for me wrecked me—enticed a moan from my lungs and brought silence to the table.
I glanced over to find Skylar staring, pupils swelling and pink flushing her unpainted cheeks.
Well fuck.
Clearing my throat, I shifted to ease the sudden ache in my groin. “Best coconut cream pie I’ve ever tasted.”
Her face beamed like a burst of sunlight through the clouds, and I swallowed back another groan attempting to rise from my chest. It physically hurt to pull my focus off her beauty, but pie made it easier.
I stuffed myself until I didn’t want to move.
The three of us cleaned up together, and I refused to admit how easily Skylar fit in our space, flitting around the kitchen while tidying up and putting everything away exactly where she’d found it without fail.
Ash had warned me she had difficulty focusing, but she seemed to have no issues once she set her mind on a task.
I could appreciate that in a woman…
“It’s still early,” Ash said when we finished up. “Want to have another glass of wine and cool off in the pool?”
While I’d have preferred to pass the fuck out, Skylar’s smile lit the goddamn room. She glanced at me, pink once more flushing her cheeks. “Um…sure? If you’re up for it, Rhett? I can imagine you must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine.” A lie, but what else was new?
“Another bottle of pinot noir?” Ash asked, bending to open the wine fridge.
“Riesling,” Skylar and I both replied as one.