"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset anyone."
"Nobody is upset,tesoro.We just want you to be able to relax."
She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was unbreakable. "Iamrelaxed."
Laughing, he pulled her close. "Really? This is relaxed?"
"Yes. I'm wearing leggings, for heaven's sake. How much more relaxed could I possibly be?"
The humor in his eyes was joined by something much hotter. "That almost sounds like a challenge,tesoro."
Maybe it was. God knew it had been too long since a man had made her feel this way. Since she'd been touched with any kind of tenderness. Was it so wrong that she wanted to lose herself in his arms, in the gentle way he held her?
Tilting her chin, she let her lips curve upward. "And if it is?"
It was getting easier, already, to control the urge to flinch when he raised his hand to her cheek. "If it is," he murmured, lowering his head so his lips were just a breath from hers, "it's one I'll enjoy meeting."
She let her eyes flutter closed, waiting for the touch of his lips on hers.
"Later," he whispered against her lips.
"What?" Her eyes flew open to find him smiling down at her.
He brushed a thumb across her cheekbone. "Later,tesoro. I want you to have some time to think about it, before we take that step. Once you're ready, I plan to show you how it's meant to be between a man and a woman. But not just yet."
She felt her lower lip push out. "But I want torelaxnow."
Turning back toward the side door, he whistled for Trident. The dog came running, looking as pleased with himself as a dog possibly could. "What do you do for fun?"
"Shopping." Her mood brightened immediately. "Can we go shopping?"
"Not yet,tesoro."
"Why not? It's not like anyone knows where we are."
The hand on hers tightened briefly. "Exactly. And we plan on keeping it that way for now."
"Come on, Jason, please? You can't keep me locked up in this cabin forever."
"No, Evelyn."
Her eyebrows seemed to fly up of their own accord. There was steel in his voice she wasn't used to hearing. From Luca and Octavius, sure. But not sweet, teddy bear Jason. "But—"
"Evelyn Marie." When he stopped and faced her again, that same steel hardened his clear gray eyes. "I said no. Whining and pouting is not going to get me to change my mind. You can accept it, or you can go sit in the corner while the rest of us find something fun to do."
Now her mouth fell open, and it took her several seconds to formulate a reply. "You would do that?"
"I would. I don't want to, but I would. Are you going to be a good girl and listen, or are you going to pout and miss all the fun?"
"I'll be good." Her cheeks burned when he lifted an eyebrow in a perfect imitation of the look Octavius and Luca were always giving her sisters. "Sir?"
The smile he gave her caused butterflies to dance in her tummy. "Good girl. Let's go inside and get some breakfast. I'm starving."
Chapter 5
By the time they made it back inside, Ro and Teagan had joined their men in the kitchen. When Ro spotted Evie, her eyes narrowed. "You know, if I didn't love you, I think I'd hate you."
"Me?" Panicking slightly, Evie stopped and stared at her sister. "Why?"