Free Sympathy for the Devil (International Bad Boys Book 4) by Kelly Hunter Page B

office? Of course, it’s also Eli’s apartment, well, our apartment now. The good news is that there’s coffee up there. And costumes galore that I can show you. And a deck.”
    “Sounds good.” She could start with Zoey and maybe catch Cutter alone on the way out.
    As for Caleb . . . suddenly she felt very, very self-conscious about being here in his space.
    Uninvited.
    Because . . . how serious was he about her anyway? Afternoon drinks at the marina were just an excuse to bring a bunch of people together to celebrate the end of a working week. It probably wasn’t even a date.
    Definitely wasn’t even a date.
    She had this all wrong.
    “I’m just here to chat with Zoey about photography,” she offered awkwardly.
    “And me after that,” said Cutter.
    “About what?” Caleb had turned around, his very fine rear end now resting on the counter, both hands resting on the edge of it. He looked about as relaxed as a crouching panther and twice as intent.
    “Old times. And new.”
    His eyes narrowed. “You want to grab dinner with me later this evening? After drinks here?”
    “I, uh, yes?”
    “Was that a question or an answer?”
    “It was an answer. Answer’s yes.” And that . . . that was a date.
    “Good.” Caleb strode towards her, his eyes never leaving her face, and then he wrapped one big hand around her neck and his lips came down on hers, cool and firm.
    She should have pulled back.
    Instead, she put a hand to his chest to steady herself and felt a tremor rip straight through him. His nipple pebbled beneath his shirt, beneath her palm and just like that they were back in the exact same place they’d been all those years ago.
    Lost.
    He opened for her with a groan, demanding more and getting it as she lost herself in the taste of him and the fierce intensity of a famished man.
    He pulled it together before she did.
    He gentled the kiss and stepped back and waited for her to remember where they were.
    Both his brothers and sister-in-law were watching them, all of them stunned. Okay, maybe Eli didn’t look so much stunned as resigned.
    Zoey recovered first. “Okay, so, Bree, you’re going to come upstairs and repair your . . . composure,” she murmured, and took Bree’s computer from her nerveless fingers and then wove warm fingers through Bree’s hand. “It’s this way.”
    Bree eyed the stairs nervously. She was all for strategic retreat, but she knew where those stairs led. “Is that still the only way up and down?”
    “There’s a deck. And we have fabric up there. We can make a knot ladder if you need another way out.”
    “Pretty sure I’m going to need another way out.”
    “I’ve always wanted to make one,” said Zoey.
    “Should I look back?”
    Zoey looked back for her. “No. I wholly recommend that you move on. And up. Do you like chocolate? I have chocolate. I also have questions but I guess they can wait.”
    “I’m not answering any questions. Caleb can answer questions. It’s his circus.”
    Zoey’s smile put Bree in mind of a woodland imp who delighted in mischief. “I love this family. Never a dull moment. It’s a gift. C’mon. Let’s leave them to it.”
    *     *     *
    Caleb watched Zoey drag Bree upstairs with equal parts apprehension and relief before turning to face his brothers. He spared a glance for Eli, who’d abandoned his seat in front of the computer in favor of standing midway between him and Cutter.
    Like that was ever going to work.
    “So are there o-rings in that box?” Eli asked, and Cutter laughed grimly.
    “Stow it, Eli. Maybe I’m beginning to understand why you didn’t want a bar of Bree Tucker. How long have you known?”
    “That Caleb likes kissing pretty girls? Since I was five and he was seven. Nina Cooper behind the surf club shed.”
    Cutter’s gaze grew even bleaker. “Don’t bullshit me, Eli. How long have you known that Caleb was the one she was with all those years ago?”
    Too long probably wasn’t