She clicked her tongue on her teeth. “Can’t believe Theodore ever went there with that chick. She’s like slime. It fits in anywhere it’s placed, but it doesn’t have a shape of its own. There’s nothing there. Just gelatinous goo.”
Marco crouched down in front of me. “They touch you again, you tell me.”
Lachlan’s chest made that rockslide sound it sometimes did, but this time, it was more like boulders crashing. “I’ve got her.”
Marco’s head jerked up to the man behind me. His brow furrowed as they stared at each other, but something in Lachlan’s expression must’ve put him at ease. The creases in his face relaxed, and he turned a grin back to me.
“I guess he’s got you,” Marco cooed. “That’s cool with me, as long as someone does.”
“I’ve got her,” Lachlan repeated.
Helen laughed, patting his shoulder. “We get it, big guy. No one’s going to take your pretty away from you.”
Lachlan patted the top of my head. “I got it all.”
I gasped, swiveling around. “You did? Really?”
He nodded, his eyes so warm as they swept over me, my chest went tingly.
So many twinges.
I climbed to my feet and flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his thick neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You saved my life, Lachlan Kelly.”
He pulled me firmly into his lap, locking his arms around me. “You don’t have to thank me.Don’tthank me.”
“I am, and I will.”
He took my face in his hands, giving me a hard, invasive stare. A stare that melted my bones and burrowed deep, deep, deep. He took a breath, his chest rising. I held mine, anticipating.
“You stink.”
A delighted laugh burst out of me. “Fuck you.”
He leaned forward and touched his lips to mine. In front of everyone. “You’re welcome.”
Helen pulled a chuckling Marco with her into the house, sliding the door shut, but not before I heard him say, “Yeah, he’s definitely got her.”
I couldn’t even deny it.
Even if he didn’t want me, Lachlan had me.