Taste for Trouble (31 page)
“And
I wasn’t drinking myself blind.” Trying, though. Solid effort. “Unfortunately, I
can still see just fine.”
“Ah.”
She pounced on that stupid
unfortunately
and his stomach cramped tighter
yet.
Shit
, he thought.
Said too much
. Bel was bright, and—worse—detail
oriented. He should’ve remembered that. “And you’re seeing something you don’t
like, aren’t you?”
He
surprised himself with a laugh, but it broke like glass so he let it go. “I
sure am.” And he was. He just hadn’t meant to say so out loud.
“What
is it?”
He
snorted out another laugh. Like he was going to detail his pathetic woes for
James’ perfect girlfriend.
“Will.”
She moved forward until her dress brushed his knees. He wanted to move away but
his back was already—literally—to the wall. She was inexorable. “Tell me.”
“Yeah,
I don’t think so.” He stared straight ahead at the hands she’d folded into a concerned
knot at her waist. Her voice was all firm command but her eyes would be full of
dislike or—worse—pity, and he couldn’t make himself lift his gaze to hers.
She
sighed and dropped gracefully into a crouch that brought her eyes level with
his. Her skirts gave a perfumed billow, and longing hit him like a hammer. God,
he wanted. Wanted what, though? Her? Sure. He was a guy and she smelled nice. Plus
that corset was doing amazing things for her figure. But this want was a pale,
measly thing compared to the gut-punch of lust Audrey unleashed inside him
every time she so much as sneered his way.
Because
Audrey? She saw him for exactly what he was—a parasite living on his brother’s
charity. Hating that charity, and hating himself for being too weak to reject
it, but sucking it up like mother’s milk just the same. But there was no pity
in Audrey’s eyes. Just contempt. And he wanted her anyway.
That
plus Bel’s pity equaled Will’s very last straw.
A
jagged jumble of impulses swam up his throat—run, hide, howl—but he didn’t act
on any of them. No, he just let them back up into his chest then take over his
head where they pounded until he thought his skull would split open and spill its
poison all over the kitchen floor.
Bel gazed
patiently up from her crouch at his knee. She tapped his boot with one elegant
finger and dipped her chin until he was forced to meet her eyes.
Don’t
push me, Bel. Have pity. For once, just give up.
“What
are you seeing here, Will?”
He
managed an insouciant shrug, but Jesus, it cost him. “Straight down your dress,
for starters.”
“For
God’s sake.” She sat back on her heels with scowl that made him wish once again
that he’d seen her before James had. He nearly laughed out loud at that one. Like
it would’ve mattered who saw her first. The point was that
she
hadn’t
seen
him
. Nobody ever did. Not when James was in the room.
“Not
that I don’t appreciate the view.”
“Nice
try.” But she tugged the neckline of her dress marginally higher. “You’re not
getting out of this conversation, William.”
He
sighed. “I’m not?”
“No.”
She folded her arms, which plumped up those pretty breasts until they all but
spilled out of her corset. He willed himself to want her—want her for real—but
it was no use. There was only one woman he wanted on her knees in front of him,
and it wasn’t Bel. Bitterness all but closed his throat. “But before we leave
the subject? You’re an ass.”
“Sweet
talker.” But she was right. He
was
an ass, and he hated it. Hated
himself. Hated what being here—in this house, in this family, in this
life
—was
doing to him. Things were breaking inside him; he could feel them snapping and
splintering every day. The bones of his soul were softening, and it was only a
matter of time before the damage became permanent. If it wasn’t already.
He
needed out, but there was no way his brothers would ever let him go. He knew
that like he knew his own face. Not unless... He eyed the woman kneeling in
front of him. Not unless he did something utterly unforgiveable. Something that
would once and for all destroy the bonds of loyalty that held him so
mercilessly in James’ orbit.
Some
long-buried thread of gallantry reared its head inside him and insisted on fair
warning.
“Go away,
Bel.” Was that his voice? So rough and agonized? “Please?”
“No.”
She glared at him with magnificent disdain. Lucky, lucky James. “We can’t go on
like this. None of us. It’s constant damage control with you, and one of these
days we’re not going to be able to fix whatever it is you broke. So you’re
going to tell me what
the hell
is bothering you. Right now.”
Resignation
flooded him along with an odd, nervy energy. So be it.
“You
want to know what’s bothering me, Bel?” He grabbed the bench under his thighs with
hard hands, gripped it until his fingers ached. “You. You’re what’s bothering
me. You and James and your perfect, perfect love.”
Her
mouth dropped open, a soft
oh
of shock and guilt. “Our perfect—” She
swallowed, and he watched her pale throat work while color rolled up her pretty
cleavage. “For God’s sake, Will, we’re not—”
“In
love? Oh, spare me.” He wanted to wave that aside but didn’t know where his
hand would land if he let go of the bench. “You are so.”
She
blinked and came slowly to her feet. He watched as the shock cleared out of
those sharp dark eyes far too soon. As that tidy brain of hers shifted into
high gear and started clicking. Longing crashed over him again. He could’ve
loved this woman. He
should
love this woman. Damn James. And damn Audrey
double. “And that’s a problem for you?”
“Yeah,
Bel. It’s a problem for me.”
“Why?”
She frowned down at him with honest perplexity. “Why don’t you want James to be
happy? Not—” She threw up a stop-sign hand. “—that I’m claiming to be his one
true love and the key to all future happiness.”
His
lips twisted appreciatively in spite of himself. “Understood.”
“But
for argument’s sake, let’s go with it.” Her hands went to those neat hips. “Why
would that be a problem for you?”
He
came slowly to his feet as well, and the whiskey finally kicked in. His head swam
pleasantly, and thank God for that. He doubted he could’ve done this sober.
“Because,
Bel.” He lifted both hands and cupped them with careful precision over the
delicate balls of her bare shoulders. “You should have been mine.”
She
went stiff under his hands. “I’m sorry?”
“You
weren’t for James.” He smiled at her, almost gently. “You were for me.”
“
What
?”
“I
mean, come on. You, with those eyes and that mouth and that brain of yours?” He
shook his head slowly and the room did one of those fun dip-and-tilt things. “You
should love
me
, not my idiot brother.”
And
I should love you back, and leave the too-pretty, barely-legal waitresses with
sin-to-the-nth-degree bodies to James. More his style
.
“James
is not an idiot!” Like that was the point.
“Oh,
all right.” He took advantage of her outrage and eased her a little closer. “But
you have to admit, he’s not what you’d call a deep thinker.”
“He
can’t be.” Her alarmed eyes dropped to his mouth. “His job depends on snap
decisions, and good ones. He stops to consider his options and—”
“—and
there goes the goal, I get it.” He gave her a disarming smile. “I didn’t say he
wasn’t a great athlete. He is, no question.” He eased her closer yet. “But he’s
a rotten brother.”
“A
rotten—” Genuine horror. Will’s disgust for himself grew and grew. “You selfish
ass
. He’s given you everything!”
“Leftovers.”
He reeled her in another inch. Two. “Hand me downs.”
“Including
the women, is that right?” Her eyes went hot and narrow. “Trust me when I say
you are
not
getting a doggy bag on this one.”
“Oh,
I do. I trust you completely.” He slid a hand into the silky warmth of her hair
and hated himself with a depth and passion that shocked even him. “But I’ll
have my taste just the same.”
And
he kissed her.
Will
was kissing her—
kissing her
!—when the kitchen door swung open.
“Bel,”
James said. “I need to—”
Bel
snapped out of her paralyzed shock and gave Will a solid shove. He didn’t
resist, just stepped back with a smirk and a shrug. She stared at him, lungs
cramped, ears ringing. She shot a numb finger at him. “You,” she said, “are
going to explain that.”
She
turned to James who was staring at her, his face set and grim. Her stomach
floated into her throat but she shot a finger at him, too. “You. Hang around.” Her
hands were shaking but her voice was a miracle of calm. Small blessings. “Your
asshole brother is about to explain why the
hell
he decided to drink
himself stupid then paw me.”
She
shifted her glare back to Will and folded her arms. “Well?”
He sighed.
“I love it when you fold your arms.”
“For
God’s sake, Will!” Bel yanked uselessly at the neckline of her gown. “You
kissed
me!”
“Sure
did.” Will turned to James and dropped his head in a mockery of remorse. “Just call
me Judas. I’ve betrayed you, brother.”
James
flicked a glance at his brother. “Yeah, I doubt that.” He turned to her. “Bel,
listen. We have kind of a situation.”
“No
kidding.” She stared at him. “Your brother just
kissed
me.”
“Yeah,
I saw. Now, listen. Bel.” He took her elbow with careful fingers. “Honey. I
need you for a minute.”
She
blinked.
Honey
?
“So
you’re okay with this?” Will’s head came up, and while the smile was just as
oily and impenetrable as always, his eyes burned with a fierce desperation. Bel
took an involuntary step back. “I didn’t realize you were done with her
already.”
“With
Bel?” James didn’t bother to look at him, but kept his eyes on Bel’s. “I’m
not.”
Warmth
glowed stupidly inside Bel’s chest—
he’s not done with me
!—and she gave a
little sigh.
Then
Will slid a hand into Bel’s free elbow and began to draw her into his arms. “Huh.
I didn’t know that
share and share alike
thing applied to women you were
still fucking but, hey, I’m in favor. I’ve been waiting forever for a taste of
Bel’s sweet little—”
She flinched.
Will used words like weapons but this was extreme even for him. James slapped a
flat hand to Will’s chest.
“Jesus,
Will.” James slid him an exasperated look. “You want me to punch your face in. I
get
it, okay? But I’m not going to do it right this minute so will you
please knock it off?”
Audrey
burst through the swinging door, Drew on her heels. “What the hell is going on in
here?” Her wide violet eyes were very close to panicked. “The dessert buffet is
laid and the auction is rolling but we still have to—” She stopped short. Drew barreled
into her back.
“Geez,
Audrey.” He grabbed the girl’s shoulders and kept her on her feet. “Give a guy
some warning before you—”
She
jammed an elbow into his stomach and he gave an affronted
woof
. She took
in the scene before her more slowly, paying attention this time. “Oh crap. What’s
the matter?”
Drew
gave her reproachful eyes. “Well, you put your elbow right in my bread basket
for starters.”
“Not
you.” Audrey jerked her chin toward the breakfast nook. “Them.” Suspicion
replaced the panic in her eyes. “Bel? What’s going on?”
“I—”
Bel closed her mouth. Shook her head. “I’m honestly not sure.”
“James?”
“Unclear.
All I saw was Will kissing Bel.” Audrey’s eyes went to slits and James held out
placating hands. “Trying to, anyway, and not very hard from what I could see. She
was fixing to slap his face when I walked in. Didn’t get to it, though, and now
he’s angling for a good punching from me.” He shrugged. “Normally I’d be happy
to oblige but right now—”
Drew
brightened. “You want me to take care of it?”
“No.
No punching.” James sighed. “Right now all I really want is a quick chat with
Bel.” He gave her a significant look. “It’s important.”
Drew
raised his hand like a kid in class. “Okay, but just to clarify: We’re allowed to
kiss Bel now? All of us?” Drew sent her a warm, slow smile and she thought
Like
this guy needs leftovers
. “Because if that’s the case—”
James
actually bared his teeth. “It’s not.”
Drew
tipped his head doubtfully. “But we’re not punching Will.”
“Not
at this time, no.” James sent Will a grim look. “Rain check.”
