"No, I prefer the notorious-exhibitionist type."
He tugged me against his side. "I'm glad to hear that."
The Kittens spotted us in our intimate pose and started cooing "ooooh." Several of them shouted various things at us—well, at me.
"Evie's got a boyfriend!"
"No, she's just licking that lollipop!"
"When's the wedding?"
"Look at those muscles! Woo-hoo, Evie!"
Ollie, still surrounded by women fighting for his attention, flashed me an impish grin. "Leave her alone, girls. If Eve wants to shack up with the new guy, it's her business."
"Shack up?" Heidi said, sidling up to Ollie. "Do tell."
"Val's staying in Eve's house."
I wagged a finger at Ollie. "Don't be a gossip. You know it's only because of the burst pipe in the guest house."
"Right, the pipe. How are those repairs coming?"
He knew damn well the repairs weren't finished. Since firing Quentin yesterday, I'd forgotten to call around and find a contractor to finish the work. If anyone would come out here. Maybe I didn't want Val to move into the guest house yet. Or ever.
Or maybe scorching sex was making me forgetful. Yeah, that was it.
Everyone stared at me and Val, their expressions running the gamut from amused to surprised.
Which might've had something to do with the fact Val had his arm around me and was hugging me to his naked body. I fought the impulse to shout, "He's not my boyfriend!" That would lead to more questions about why we were so chummy and what exactly we were doing together. In my house. Alone. Most of the day and all of the night.
I broke up the crowd by suggesting the Kittens get their tents set up. Ollie offered to help out with that, and several of the older men offered too, as did Val.
While the girls retrieved their equipment from the RV, Ollie approached me. Val and the other men had gone around the guest house to the camping area, so Ollie had me alone.
He put his arm around my shoulders. "Is Val treating you right? You're like a sister to me, and I don't want some Casanova athlete breaking your heart."
"That's very sweet, Ollie, but I'm fine. No danger of heartbreak."
"You sure?" He gave me a squeeze. "Because you two have that look."
"What look?"
"The one that usually means two people are falling in love."
"Oh please," I said. "Now you're an expert on human behavior?"
"Hardly, but I've known you for four years." He took hold of my shoulders and angled me to face him. His expression was serious. "I have never seen you act the way you do with Val. This isn't a fling, Evie. You really like him, and he really likes you."
"We met four days ago."
"You never heard of love at first sight?"
"Heard of it? Yes. Believe in it? No."
Val and I were enjoying multiple orgasms per day, not falling in love. Neither of us wanted a relationship. I wouldn't tell Ollie any of that because it was private and none of his damn business. Still, his concern for my well-being might have been the nicest thing anyone had done for me in a long time.
"Okay," he said. "If you're good, I'm good."