Page 74 of Stripping Bare

She pushed at his shoulder and struggled to sit up. “I’m not scared of them, but I didn’t want to be naked the first time I officially metthem.”

“It does make handshaking slightly more complicated, doesn’t it?” He was trying like hell not to laugh, now that he knew she wasn’ttraumatized.

“It puts me at a disadvantage,” she huffed, and her breasts bounced near hisface.

“This isn’t some kind of judgment. They’re my family.” The idiot part of the family, butstill.

“It’s a little easier to make a good impression when my hair is fixed and I’m fullydressed.”

Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he leaned forward and kissed her right nipple. “You make a hell of an impression just likethis.”

When he drew her into his mouth and scraped his teeth across her delicate skin, she gasped and arched her back. With her skin gleaming in the sunlight, she was the most beautiful woman Jonah had ever seen. Like a goddess that women prayed to emulate and men prayed toserve.

He certainly wouldn’t mind settling between her legs and serving her all day long with his mouth. “Tessa, I wantto—”

“Uh-uh.” She pushed him away from her breast, nipple gleaming and pointing. It needed his attention.Immediately.

“Maybe the three stooges will goaway.”

Tessa’s supremely kissable lips twisted wryly. “You really thinkso?”

“Fuck,” he sighed. “Notreally.”

“Then maybe you should go down and fill them in while I put myself together.” Tessa patted her wild hair. “I just need a few minutes to get in the shower and tamethis.”

He picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to it. “Tessa, I want you to remember something. Put together or not, you areperfect.”

With every minute he spent with her, he was beginning to believe she was perfect forhim.

Tessa didn’tdawdle in the bathroom, did a quick splash and dry, then twisted her hair up into something she hoped looked respectable. She pulled on a pair of wool pants, a white shirt, a cashmere blazer, and loafers. But when she and Badger hurried down the staircase to the main level, she knew something was wrong. Four men together were never this quiet.Maybe they were in Jonah’s techcave.

She gave them the benefit of the doubt until she opened the door and found the room soundless except for the hum of the arsenal of computer equipment. Damn him. She’d made it perfectly clear that she wouldn’t play powerless princess to his rescuingprince.

She checked the garage for his Tesla. Still there. Then she looked for a car out front.Nothing.

Which meant Jonah and his brothers weregone.

On the security panel near the front door, he’d left a hastily scrawled Post-It.Brothers demanding answers. Back soon. Sit tight.J-

Sit tight? He was out of his mind. Without debating the wisdom of what she was about to do, she ran back upstairs to grab her phone. As she had last night, she PMedBrynne.

Tessa:Would you happen to know where the Steele menare?

Brynne:Last I heard, they were headed up to Jonah’s. Haven’t you seenthem?

Didsheseethem? Not exactly. But how could she tell Brynne that her husband hadseenher head totoe?

Tessa:They stopped by. I hopped in the shower and when I came out, they weregone.

Brynne:Reid was pissy last night. I had to watch him pace and cuss for half anhour.

Tessa:I’m really sorry aboutthat.

Brynne:LOL. It happens at least once a week. That’s just Reid. But when the guys get mad at one another, they tend to settle it withguns.

Tessa’s throattwisted.

Tessa:What?