They’d grown more at ease with each other. He’d spent several nights eating dinner with them both. And then he’d leave, going back to his cold and lonely apartment.
It was getting harder and harder to keep himself apart. To remind himself they weren’t his. That he didn’t have the right to insist that he pay off Kinley’s debts. Or that Sloan install a state-of-the-art security system in his house. Or to pull Kinley onto his lap the way Sloan did each night after dinner so he could hear about her day. He’d learned to leave before he did that, it was too intimate. Something James craved more than was healthy.
So, to save his sanity he’d stepped out for a few minutes, which had turned into twenty.
Damn it, he ought to be fucking shot.
“Kinley!”
Surely, she wouldn’t have just taken off. She knew better. He slammed open the door to their bedroom, and his heart nearly stopped as he saw her sitting on the bed, her computer on her lap, and a pair of large headphones over her ears.
She looked up and screeched as she saw him standing there. He probably looked deranged, his breath coming fast, his pulse racing.
She pulled off the head phones and put her laptop down. “Jesus, James. You scared me half to death. I didn’t even hear you.”
“I’ve been running through the house, screaming your name for the last three minutes,” he told her in a grim voice. Now that the panic was over, his fear was quickly morphing into anger.
“Damn it, Kinley, what did you think you were doing?”
He strode forward, and she jumped off the bed, watching him warily. “I was listening to some music. What? Am I not allowed to do that either?”
He knew they were all feeling a bit on edge, their tempers shorter than normal. Surprisingly, Sloan actually seemed to be coping the best. But James and Kinley usually ended up firing off each other.
He grabbed hold of her shoulders. “Of course you can, but not with damn noise cancelling headphones on. What if someone had snuck up on you?”
“Isn’t that why you’re here? To jump in front of a bullet for me? Except there are no fucking bullets because there’s no fucking threat, and I don’t want you to step in front of one for me any fucking way!”
“Watch your tone,” he growled.
“Or what?” she challenged, although he noted her eyes darted away from his nervously. “What you going to do?” Now, wasn’t that an interesting question?
“He’ll tell me, and I’ll take care of it,” a deep voice interrupted them.
James let go of her and turned quickly. Sloan stared at them both from where he leaned his shoulder against the doorway, his arms over his chest.
“One of you want to enlighten me about what’s going on here? And why you’re both in here?”
James felt a stab of guilt even though nothing had happened. Not that Sloan looked angry, it was hard to figure out what he was thinking though. He’d gotten better at hiding his thoughts over the years.
Kinley stepped up beside him. He waited for her to tell Sloan there was nothing going on.
“We thought we’d come in here for a bit of hanky-panky,” she said instead. “Get hot and heavy together.”
Then suddenly she just deflated, sat on the bed, her head in her hands.
“Kinley?” Alarmed, James dropped to his knees beside her.
“What is it, baby? Is it your head?” Sloan knelt on her other side.
“What’s wrong with me?” She straightened, looking at them both. “I’m so snappy. I feel angry and upset all the time. James is giving up his time to stay here with me, and all I can do is snip at him. And you . . .” she turned to Sloan, and James heard her sob, “I can’t believe I just said what I did. That I would even pretend to be having an affair isn’t funny. I know what it’s like to have someone cheat on me, and I would never . . .” her words disappeared into heartfelt sobs, and James felt his heart wrench.
That this woman had slipped so easily under his defences and wriggled her way into his heart still caught him by surprise. He found himself wanting to promise her anything if she’d stop crying. He would do whatever was needed to protect her.
He glanced up, surprised to find Sloan staring at him rather than Kinley. The other man didn’t look angry, instead he seemed thoughtful. He sat on the bed and pulled Kinley onto his lap, drawing her close. S
he snuggled into his chest, her sobs quieting. Sloan rubbed her back, still staring at James.
“Sh, baby, it’s okay,” Sloan murmured to her. “You’re just stressed and exhausted. Everything’s all right. Go to sleep now. That’s it.”