“Certainly.” She was immediately freed. She couldn’t help the dirty look she gave him as he walked to the door. Thankfully, he didn’t see her.
“Kinley, come here.”
She turned to Sloan, eyeing him with caution. He didn’t look mad. But she thought she’d just stay away from him for a bit, just in case.
She shook her head.
“Kinley, come here.”
Crap. She walked slowly over, until she stood in front of him. He took a gentle hold of her chin, tipping her face up. He raised one eyebrow. “Don’t give me that look. We are just trying to protect you.”
“You’re over-the-top.”
“And if we ease back and something happens?” James asked from behind her. “How do you think we’ll feel then? Knowing we could have prevented it.”
She tried to hold on to her anger but she couldn’t.
She sighed. “Fine. I won’t answer the door.”
“Oh, no, there’s more than just that to address.”
What? She gave Sloan a suspicious look.
“When I’m not here, you’re to obey James like you would me.”
Oh, really?
Sloan’s lips twitched. “Better than me.”
She huffed out a breath.
“We just want you safe.”
“Fine,” she stated grumpily.
“Fine, what?” he asked.
Was he really going to make her say the words?
He just stared at her.
“Fine, I’ll obey him better than I would you. But only about safety stuff.”
“Fair enough. That suit you, James?”
“Sounds good to me,” James replied.
Sloan grabbed hold of her shoulders and turned her. Three sharp smacks landed on her ass, over so quick she barely had time to react. She turned to Sloan, her face flaming redder than she knew her ass would be.
“What the hell?”
“Just making certain you remember,” he told her mildly. But there was a dark look in his gaze.
That look told her she’d better just shut up and let it go.
“I’m surrounded by Neanderthals,” she muttered and stepped quickly away, out of striking range. She wasn’t entirely stupid.
“And you love us,” Sloan said easily. He didn’t mean the words the way they sounded. Only problem was, she wondered if she was coming to love James. Just a little.