***

“I don’t have space for an industrial sized dishwasher,” I say and roll my eyes at my controlling brother. “And I don’t need it. I like the one I picked out.”

“Fine,” Eli replies and shoves his hands in his pockets, the way he always does when he’s agitated. Dad used to do the same thing.

Eli reminds me a lot of Dad.

“Do not send me that huge dishwasher that I don’t want.” I point my finger at my brother, looking up more than a foot. His lips twitch, and then he pulls me in for a big hug.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Love you,” I whisper to him.

“Love you more,” he says. Rhys is with Kate in her office, so I leave Eli and go in search of him.

“Well, hello, gorgeous.”

I glance up at the deep, sexy voice, and smile widely when I see Rich, an old friend from high school.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as he scoops me up into his arms and hugs me, turning a circle before he puts me back down on my feet. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“I’m Kate’s assistant,” he replies, gesturing to Kate’s office, which is only a few feet away. Her door is wide open. “And you look amazing.”

“Thanks. You’re looking good yourself. You haven’t changed a bit.”

And it’s not an empty compliment. Rich looks the same that he did in high school, aside from filling out a bit into his manhood. He always had a killer smile.

“So when are you going to take me up on my offer to take you out to dinner?” he asks with that charming smile of his firmly in place.

“I don’t remember you asking me,” I reply.

“I’m asking now.”

Movement in Kate’s doorway catches my eye. Rhys is leaning against the doorjamb, his arms crossed, listening unapologetically, his eyes hard.

There’s no humor in his face now.

“What do you say?” Rich asks, unaware that Rhys is behind him.

“You do look great, Rich, but I’m going to have to pass.”

“Married?” His face falls, which actually makes me laugh.

“No.”

“Oh.” His face brightens again, and he looks like he’s about to try again when Rhys steps forward.

“She’s not available,” he informs Rich as he slings his arm around my shoulders and pulls me against him.

“I see.” Rich offers us a fake smile. “It was good to see you again, Gabby.”

“You too, Rich.”

He leaves and I frown up at Rhys. “Was that necessary?”

“Yes. Are you ready?”

I nod and he leads me out of the building and to his car, all in silence. What in the hell is his issue? I didn’t say yes to Rich. I mean, I didn’t really have time to say no either, but I would have if Rhys hadn’t interrupted.

The ride home is full of thick, irritated silence. I don’t know who’s more irritated, me or him.

I think it could be me.

I’ve had men slinging testosterone around me my whole life. And this particular man seems to have more than most.

And it’s usually pretty hot.

He pulls into the driveway of the inn, throws the car in park and walks around to my side to help me out, then takes my hand and leads me inside, through the house, to my room.

I kick the door shut behind us and cross my arms over my chest.

“What in the hell was that all about?”

“Do you think that I don’t know what the other day with Cindy was all about?” he asks rather than answer me, and I’m instantly confused. “When she was coming on to me like a dog in heat, I knew you were just outside the room and could hear us. I was sure to tell her, in no uncertain terms, that I wasn’t interested, out of respect for you, and because that’s how I honestly felt.”

He’s advancing on me, moving slowly, but toward me, until my back is against the door and he’s caging me in. His eyes are on fire. His jaw tight.

In fact, every muscle in his body is pulled tight.

“I would have expected the same from you today.” His voice is hard.

“You didn’t give me the chance to. You interrupted before I could say anything.” His fingers are inching my shirt up over my head, then he throws it on the ground and nimbly unfastens my shorts, letting them fall around my ankles.

“You said he looked good—”

“And he did.” Now my panties are gone.

“When what you should have said was no thank you.”

“I was getting there.”

“Not fucking fast enough.” He unzips his pants and rolls a condom over his cock, lifts me effortlessly, wraps my legs around his waist and props me against the door. We’re at eye-level now, and it kills me to see that in addition to the fire in his eyes, there is hurt too.

“Rhys, I don’t want Rich.”

“When you’re naked with me, I don’t want you to even remember another man’s name.” He slides inside me with one fast thrust, making me gasp. How am I already so wet when he’s doing nothing but pissing me off?

“You’re being unreasonable.”

His eyes narrow. “No, Gabby, I’m not.” He begins to move, making me moan. “This right here? This is mine. You are mine.”

What?

“Rhys.”

“That’s right, me. Just me. Do you understand, Gabby? What we have is ours, and I’ll be fucking goddamned if I’ll share you with anyone else.”

Jesus, the things this man does to my body are insane. But even more than that, what he does to my heart is out of control.