Lumberjack Weekend(Divine Creek Ranch 21)(43)

She frowned and then grinned. “Protective of me?”

“Yes, not that we need them to be. We can take care of you just fine. But they wondered if they can join us for tonight.”

“What does Josh say?”

“Well, let’s say he isn’t happy about their interest.” And neither am I.

“Fine,” she said, with a sudden broad smile that made him wonder what she was up to.

“But—”

“Are you worried they might hurt me?”

He hadn’t expected her to go for it. “No, but—”

“Nope. No buts. If I have to wear this ridiculous get-up, then I should get to have some fun, too.”

“Baby…”

She raised a brow and put a hand on her hip. “It’s okay to make me parade nekkid, but it’s asking too much for the two of you to allow men who have already proved they can be trusted to join us?”

Before he could debate the point further, someone knocked at the door. She pulled the robe firmly around her and he opened the door, revealing a tall, and too damned good-looking young man holding what looked like a tackle box.

“Hi. I’m Ari,” he said with a nod before looking past Lucas to Violet. Lucas wanted to knock off the wide smile spreading across his face. “I’m here to do Miss Tyler’s body painting. It is Miss, right?”

Body painting? What the fuck? I thought Joseph said face painting. When Joseph had mentioned he could send Ari to complete her costume, both he and Lucas had assumed Ari was a woman and that the art would be limited to her face.

Ari brushed past Lucas and reached out to her to take her hand.

Violet giggled as he spun her. “Yes, that’s me.”

Ari looked her up and down and murmured, “We’re going to have lots of fun painting you, my lush, beautiful little bunny.”

“She’s already—” Spoken for, and don’t be thinking she’s your anything.

“Did you say body painting?” Violet asked as she glanced at Lucas, her enthusiasm tempering a little. “I’ve never had body painting done before.”

“That’s what was requested. Don’t worry. It’s safe and washes off with soap and water. If you don’t mind, I need to get started, as I have several others yet to do.”

Biting her lip, Violet glanced at him and then said, “What do you need me to do?”

“Remove your robe, and I’ll do the rest.” Ari turned back to him and must’ve seen the instinct to kill in his expression. He put up his hands with amusement obvious in his eyes. “I promise she’ll be fine, sir. I’m an artist, and that’s all I’m here to do.”

Another knock came at the door, and when he opened it, he found one of the wait staff standing in the hall. “Mr. Abbott? You’re needed in the lounge as soon as reasonably possible. Mr. Hazelle and your brother are waiting.”

“Did they say what they wanted?”

“No, sir. Just that you should come at the earliest possible opportunity. Mr. Hazelle mentioned the matter was urgent.”

He was tempted to make Joseph and Josh wait. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her alone with a guy she barely knew, after having told her he wouldn’t do that.

Violet met his eyes, and then she turned to Ari. “How long will this take?”

“Not long. Maybe twenty minutes.”

She nodded and smiled encouragingly at Lucas. “It’s fine. I’ll be down there in a bit.” She went to him and put her arms around his waist and whispered, “It’s fine. He’s employed by Joseph, so he wouldn’t try anything. Would he?”

He let out a breath, knowing she was being the reasonable one.

“Probably not if he wants to keep working for him.” If he wants to keep his fingers unbroken. “Okay, I’ll go see what they need that’s so urgent. See you in a few.”

The kiss he gave her was perhaps deeper and a little longer than necessary, but the caveman in him wanted to make his claim clear. It was obvious she genuinely wanted to try body paint, and he couldn’t fault her for the desire, but he wondered if she was also considering how up close and personal Ari was about to get.

Joseph wouldn’t hire someone he hadn’t thoroughly checked out. That thought was what got him moving back downstairs, even though he’d worry until he saw her again.

He met Josh and Joseph in the lounge, which was currently deserted and being readied by the staff for the evening’s activities.

“What’s the matter?” he asked when he saw the frown on Josh’s face and the concern in Joseph’s eyes.

“Is Violet upstairs?”

“Yes, and by the way, if I’d known Ari was a—