The room was growing lighter, and regardless of all they’d shared, she wasn’t that brave; wasn’t ready to lie here half naked beside him in the daylight. “I should go take a shower.”
“One of us should,” he said, sounding pained. With his fingers in her hair, he pulled her back until he could press a quick kiss to her lips. “Out.” He gave her bottom a pat.
Safe in the bathroom, she stripped and stepped under the spray of the shower. Her breasts had that pins-and-needles feeling, a combination of hot water and hotter memories. Stephen’s hands and mouth, touching her, kissing her. Her legs spread, his mouth…
Lord. She shivered and chills covered her skin, remembering the things he’d done. She could still feel him, driving her over an electrical current until she exploded.
She cut the water and stepped out, wondering if Stephen would still be there, or would he slip out. Instead she heard not one male voice, but two.
Oh, shit.
She stuffed her wet arms into a short robe and flew through her bedroom. It was a small house and she could already make out the angry words.
“Where’s my sister, McKinney?”
Nick’s voice was furious, Stephen’s perfectly pleasant. “I believe Hannah’s in the shower. I can get her if you want.”
That did it. Nick pushed his way in. “Hannah!”
They both caught sight of her at once. Hair dripping, legs bare. And even from across the room, Stephen’s hot gaze made her tingle. He was barefoot, wearing only jeans, unbuttoned at the top. He looked exactly like a man who’d hastily dressed.
Nick had a very different reaction. “What the hell?” He stabbed his fingers through his hair. “Get some fucking clothes on.”
“Excuse me? It’s my house. You’re the one who barged in.”
“Me? You’re in the shower and he’s—” Nick gestured toward her room. “What the fuck, Hannah. What the hell is wrong with you?”
The sting of Nick’s words barely sank in before Stephen was in her brother’s face. “Watch yourself. Brother or no brother, you won’t talk to her like that again.”
“Please don’t tell me you slept with him.”
Stephen grinned at her brother like a wolf, though it did nothing to hide the temper simmering beneath the surface. “Well, there wasn’t a lot of sleeping.”
The air crackled with the testosterone of angry men. Nick shoved him back and that was it. Stephen slammed Nick into the wall behind them hard enough to rattle pictures and held him in place with a forearm to his throat.
Nick twisted, spun, and his fist connected solidly with Stephen’s jaw. It knocked him back a step, but he didn’t go down.
“Let’s go,” Stephen said.
Nick’s face was as dark and dangerous as she’d ever seen it. “Outside and gladly. I’ve wanted to kick your ass since the first time I saw you.”
Another punch had them backed onto the porch. The next took them the last two steps and they landed hard on the ground, where they rolled and grappled.
“Stop it!”
After several more seconds, they rolled apart, both breathing hard, swiping at lips.
Embarrassed, she turned and went inside, a mix of footsteps following. With the robe wrapped tightly around her, she stood at the counter as they came in. Both men were scraped and dirty; Nick had a leaf in his hair. Several pine needles hung on Stephen’s chest. Her distress must have been obvious because they looked repentant, their expressions like little boys in trouble.
Stephen stepped to her first and she touched the corner of his mouth. “You’re bleeding.”
He swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, shrugged. “Guys fight. It’s what we do.”
“Yeah,” Nick agreed from the door, opening and closing his right fist like he was stretching out his fingers. “No harm done. We’re both still standing.”
An uncomfortable silence hung around them.
“I need to talk to my sister.”
Stephen wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulder. “I’ll stay as long as Hannah wants me to stay.”
Her eyes flicked between them and she caught Nick’s wounded expression like she was choosing the opposing team. “It’s okay. Nick’s right. We should talk.” Plus she couldn’t quite look Stephen in the eye yet.
“You sure?” Stephen asked.
She nodded and Stephen went back to her bedroom. Neither she nor Nick spoke in the seconds it took him to return with shoes and shirt on.
Looking completely at ease, Stephen bent and kissed her cheek. “I like the robe.” He straightened and spoke in a louder voice. “I’ll call you.”