This Ben suddenly went stock-still, lashes dropping over those amazing eyes, his nose buried in her hand as he practically nuzzled her palm.
“That’s enough, pup.” Rome growled the last word as if it was a curse.
Ben’s head rose sharply, eyes glued to hers. “I apologize. Your...scent is quite lovely.”
Her scent? The only thing good she smelled was a hint of sandalwood, and it wasn’t coming from her. It was coming from Ben. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I’m late,” a female voice called out from behind Willow, startling her into action. With a slight tug, Willow slipped her hand from Ben’s, somehow knowing the only reason she was free from his touch was because he’d allowed it. Off center, she turned to see a woman about her own age and height, but with brown hair and eyes sparkling with life and happiness. “I didn’t mean to be so long but the baby was fussy and it took a bit longer to get him asleep than I thought.”
Willow pasted on a polite smile as the other woman reached out to take Willow’s hand. “Sorry. Welcome to my home. I’m Kaylie Gentry.”
A growl from Willow’s right had her swinging her head around to see that Dean had once again risen from his chair.
Kaylie let out a huff and Willow looked back in time to see her roll her eyes. “Kinigos. Kaylie Gentry Kinigos. Really, Dean. You’re so possessive.”
“That’s because you’re mine,” the black-haired mayor rumbled.
Kaylie placed a warm hand on Willow’s arm and led her to the sofa. “He’s so feisty, but I love him anyway.” She glared around the room. “Can’t say much for the others, who allowed our guests to stand in the doorway without offering a drink, food, or even a darn seat.”
“Oh, no.” Willow murmured, a mite uneasy, especially when she heard another low growling sound. She looked around for a dog. A big, unhappy one. Then in a flurry of movement, most of the men began a hurried, albeit cordial, mass exodus, and she sagged back into the cushions in confusion. “Well.”
Kaylie, looking almost as bemused as Willow, turned to her husband. “What’d I say?”
It was Zan who answered with a low chuckle. “You need to learn more control over your tone, Kaylie. They think you’re unhappy with them.”
Willow watched Kaylie bite her lip in anxiety, then looked over at the woman’s husband, who seemed to be amused. In addition to Zan, Caleb, Brandon, and Ben remained behind, as did Rome, of course, who moved over to stretch out in a duplicate of Dean’s chair that was placed in front of a roaring fire.
“You’ll learn, baby.” Dean told his wife.
Kaylie let out a sigh and turned to focus on Willow. “Would you like anything to drink or eat?”
Totally confused, Willow shrugged out of her coat and accepted a Dr. Pepper and popped the top. She didn’t understand what was going on and looked over at Rome to see his reaction. He only shrugged when their eyes connected. No help there. Then she turned her gaze across the coffee table and got caught up in Ben’s, who now lounged on the loveseat directly opposite her. The corners of his lips were curled up and he winked at her.
Willow was glad she was sitting down. She could blame the weakness in her knees to the long car ride followed by the cold, standing still so long, need for food, or a million other things. None would be correct. His gaze felt like a physical touch, his bottom lip a temptation for her teeth. Never before had she felt the desire to sink her teeth into human flesh, but Ben’s? Hot and damn came to mind.
“Oh, come on, Dean.” Caleb leaned against the sofa arm next to Kaylie. “You’re going to let your wife think that?”
Kaylie’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t do anything to make them leave?”
Dean let out a soft chuckle. “No. I did.”
Willow frowned, wondering when he told everyone to leave. She didn’t recall hearing it.
“So you were playing with me.” Kaylie’s glare shot from her husband to Zan. “Both of you. Why?”
A gleam of something flashed in Dean’s eyes. “In retaliation for the mud-wrestling story.”
Willow’s brows rose and she shot her eyes to Rome’s seemingly slumbering form and back to Kaylie. What kind of people had Rome brought her to?
“Hello? Playing softball, and it was raining. Mud was an obvious result. And I’m not the one who brought it up.” Kaylie pointed a finger at Zan. “It was your wife who did so.”
Zan chuckled. “Yeah, but my wife’s not lu—” He paused, slanting a glance from Willow to Dean. “Not married to the mayor.”