Shade(128)

“At least she did the first few times,” Viper corrected her, cutting into the conversation.

Winter threw Viper a dirty look.

“Bring it on, pretty girl,” Viper warned.

Winter’s face went an even darker shade of red.

Evie got up. “Anyone want another beer?”

“I’ll take one,” Viper spoke up.#p#分页标题#e#

Lily started fiddling with the rubber band around her wrist.

“Sorry, Lily. The men might refrain from acting inappropriate around you, but there’s no way to keep them from their alcohol,” Winter said.

Lily burst out laughing. “I guess beer outranks sex.”

They all laughed in return, and the tension in the room lessened. Shade breathed his own sigh of relief when she unconsciously leaned back against him.

Evie sank back down in her chair, taking a long swallow of her own beer. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

Lily’s face went pale at Evie’s suggestion of her taking a drink.

“I was only joking,” Evie said in apology.

Shade’s hand went to Lily’s face. “Stop it, Lily. No one expects you to drink, okay? Evie was only joking like she would with anyone else.”

Lily nodded, blushing. “I think living here for a while might be good for me. I need to get used to being around different people. This will make me quit being sensitive about people drinking around me. I wonder if cowboys drink a lot.” Lily looked at Evie that time, being the one to make a joke.

“Like a fish,” she answered.





Chapter 50



Shade smiled as Lily stifled her yawn while she looked at her cards. They had been playing several games of poker with Winter and Viper.

“It’s time for bed if you’re going to start back at the factory tomorrow,” Shade told Lily when Winter reached forward to claim her winnings, which were mainly IOUs for punishments.

Lily had been told they usually played for money, but Winter preferred to play for IOUs. That way, when she got in trouble and had to pull a punishment, she could cash in on one of the debts.

“I haven’t had to do a punishment in six months,” she bragged.

Viper ruffled his wife’s hair. “Unless it was the ones you wanted.”

Winter slapped his hands away.

Lily got to her feet, smiling down at the couple. “I’ll probably have to find another way to pay you back for my IOUs. I probably won’t be around long enough to pay all those back.”

Winter looked doubtfully up at Lily, but replied, “I’m sure we’ll work out an arrangement.”

Shade thought about warning Lily that Winter was a card shark, but decided to let her find out on her own like everyone else in the club had. He wasn’t worried that Lily would get in over her head, because he could bail her out of trouble if he needed to. He would always be the bigger shark in their pool.

“Goodnight,” Lily told everyone sitting at the table before following him to the basement door.

Shade flicked on the light switch, and then they went down the steps together.

She went into his room, going to get her pajamas which were already sitting on the chair for her, and stiffened when he closed the bedroom door.

Shade went to one side of the bed, pulling off his T-shirt as he crossed the floor.

“What are you doing?” Lily asked, shocked.

“Going to bed.”

“Oh, where am I sleeping?”

He had known she thought she would be sleeping in his room alone. However, she was about to find out exactly how things were going to change between them.

“In the bed next to me.”

“No, I’m not.” Lily shook her head.

“Yes, you are.” He made his voice firm, not harsh.

“No, Shade, I’m not.”

“I don’t sleep on couches.”

“Then I will,” Lily said firmly.#p#分页标题#e#

“What are you going to do if one of the brothers stumbles downstairs drunk?”

Lily looked at the door fearfully as Shade continued mercilessly, using her greatest fear against her. “This room is off-limits, but the other rooms, not so much. We have an open-bedroom policy.”

“Even Winter and Viper?”

“You think you’re going to put Viper out of his bed?” Shade asked with a raised brow.

No one was going to make Viper do anything he didn’t want to do, and Lily had been around him long enough to form that conclusion without any help from Shade.

“No, but maybe Evie?”

“Evie doesn’t sleep alone; none of the women do.” Which was the truth. “Go get changed, Lily. I’m tired. It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve shared a room,” he reminded her.