“I’m full,” I report and sit back to pat my belly. “Let’s go handle the dishwasher at the office.”

“Good idea,” Eli says with a sigh. “Before I go to jail for murder.”

***

“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.

How can I be mad when he just wants me?

“I want you too, Rhys.”

“I want you, yes, but I fucking need you. Do you have any idea how damn terrifying that is?” He tips his forehead to rest on mine. “Seeing another man come on to you, and you not shoot him down right away was a knife to my chest.”

“I’m sorry. I was about to shoot him down.”

He shakes his head, unable to speak any more as he thrusts in and out of me, harder than he ever has. His fingers are gripping my ass so hard he’s sure to leave marks. Not pink ones: bruises.

I’ve never seen him this intense. This…needy.

And it’s all because of me.

“Mine,” he mutters again, and reaches between us to press his thumb on my clit. “Come. Now.”

My whole body clenches as I come, caught between him and the door, my entire world breaking apart and coming back together again, all centered around this amazing man holding me up.

“Did you just mark me?” I ask breathlessly.

“Literally or figuratively?”

“Both.”

“Yes.”

Chapter Fifteen

~Gabby~

“Gabby, I heard you hired some help,” Mama says as she stirs the red beans and rice on her stovetop. We’re all at her house for a Sunday dinner, as usual.

“About six weeks ago, yes,” I reply and smile as Rhys leans down to kiss me on his way to help set the table. He’s been very affectionate with me in front of my family. My brothers are all a little twitchy because of it, but Van, Charly and Kate just wink and smile.

Mama simply pats my shoulder.

He makes me happy.

“And how is that working out?” Declan asks and picks a carrot out of the salad bowl. “You’re such a control freak.”

“It’s my business,” I reply with a shrug. “I should be a control freak. But it’s working out great. Eva comes in for me in the mornings and takes care of breakfast, and helps check guests out. She leaves by about noon each day.”

“I’m glad you took Rhys’s advice and hired Eva,” Kate says, ignoring Eli’s glare. “You were taking on too much.”

“It was beginning to be a lot to handle,” I admit softly. “But I love it. It’s not work for me, you know?”

“But it is work,” Rhys says and plants his lips on my head. “You work your ass off, sugar.”

“She comes by that honestly,” Mama says with a smile. “Every one of my children are hard workers.”