Her Alpha Saviors [The Hot Millionaires #2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“I’ll be in the bar if you need me,” he said to Skye.

“I think you owe the lady an apology before you go.”

“What lady?” Peter smirked. “I don’t see any ladies here.”

He flashed another sneering glance at Jay and backed away.

“That bastard is living on borrowed time,” Jay seethed. “What was it all about anyway?”

Skye shrugged. “Search me. He was waiting for me when I came out of the loft.”

“Did you manage to get any sleep?”

“Several hours.” She grinned at him. “I slept like a baby as it happens. Doesn’t feel right sleeping in the middle of the day but what the hell.”

“When did you last have a day off?”

“Too long ago to remember.”

“Well, there you are then.” His eyes roved appreciatively over her body. With her high shoes she was almost as tall as he was, and that gave her confidence. “Just for the record,” he said in a lazy drawl that made her shiver, “I think you look smoking hot tonight.” He lifted one brow. “Going anywhere special?”

“I believe I’ve been invited to have dinner in my own restaurant by two irritating Yanks who, apparently, know it all.”

“Must be your lucky day.”

Her thoughts exactly.

“One thing we have now established,” he said, clenching his jaw, “is that your ex still thinks you belong to him.”

“Yes, so it seems.” Skye sighed. “You were right about that. I just didn’t see it.”

“Reckon we know who threw that rock through the window now.”

“He can’t have done. He left with Annie.”

“Do they live together?”

“No.”

“Well then, he could have taken her home, come back past here, seen the lights on in our rooms, and easily done the deed, just on impulse.”

Skye was about to spring to Peter’s defence but then closed her mouth again. Jay was right. She no longer knew him like she thought she did. “Seems a bit extreme.”

“Jealous men have done worse.”

“What makes you think he’s jealous?” She glanced up at him. “Did you listen to our conversation?”

“I happened to be in the kitchen. You were both talking pretty loud.” He grinned. “Couldn’t help overhearing.”

“Even so.”

“I didn’t intend to intrude. I figured you could fight your own battles.”

“Too right!”

“Then he made that crack about you selling yourself to us, and I couldn’t stay out of it any longer.” He scowled. “I should have shoved his teeth right down his arrogant throat.”

“Well, thank you for not doing that. I think.”

“My pleasure.”

She stepped through the kitchen door he opened for her and stopped dead when she saw all the activity. Jay stepped straight into her, crashing against her rear.

“Later,” he whispered. “You didn’t think I’d forgotten what I intend to do to your cute ass, did you?”

Skye gulped, valiantly ignoring the promise that made her shudder with desire. “Good lord, what’s going on?”

“Have to prepare for the big day and prep for dinner this evening,” Steve said, dashing past her to stir a pot of something on the hob.

“Where did all these extra people come from?” But Skye knew the answer to her own question. It was standing right beside her, looking drop-dead gorgeous and complacently amused. “Oh, okay, I get it. Looks like everything’s well under control.”

“Full house in the restaurant tonight,” Steve shouted cheerfully.

“Tonight, midweek?” Skye frowned. “That can’t be right.”

“I think this is an example of ‘village life’ working in your favour,” Jay remarked, placing a hand on her elbow and steering her out of the bustling kitchen. “We’re in the way here.”

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, pausing in the doorway to the bar, which was also reassuringly full. “About village life, I mean.”

Jay chuckled, back to the confident, sexy individual who’d massaged more than just her knotted shoulders the night before. “People want to know what Luke and I are doing here. They’ll have heard about the reception and will want to be the first to get the lowdown on the reasons for it so they can spread the gossip.” He bent his head, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke softly into it. “Be prepared for a grilling when you go in there,” he warned. “Not that you’re needed. Everything’s running quite smoothly without you, but I know you won’t relax until you’ve checked for yourself.”

“As a control freak extraordinaire, I’d have thought you’d relate to that,” she said, throwing in a cheeky smile for good measure.

Her threw back his head and laughed, drawing the attention of some of the drinkers in the bar. “Do what you have to and meet Luke and me in the restaurant in half an hour.” He lowered his voice again. “We’ll feed you, and then we’re gonna fuck you senseless. You up for that?”

Skye swallowed against the lump that sprang to her throat. “Yes, sir,” she said meekly.

“Ah, here she comes.”

Jay and Luke both stood up, and Skye walked into the restaurant, pausing to acknowledge people she knew along the way. Every head appeared to follow her progress, and most of the men had a hard time hiding their approval. Jay didn’t blame them. There was just something about her that set her apart. She had an elegant way of moving that emphasised her sensuality and a gloriously diverse attitude that was uniquely her.

“Don’t like the way that old guy is looking at her,” he grumbled to Luke. “If he touches her, so help me, I’ll—”

“Relax, she can handle it.”

Jay continued to scowl. “Just so long as he doesn’t try handling her.”

“Sorry if I’m late.”

She arrived at their table and seated herself on the chair Jay pulled out for her.

“Don’t tell me,” Luke said, grinning. “There were just one or two things you needed to sort out.”

“No, actually I hate to admit it, but everything seems to be under control.”

Luke’s grin broadened. “Things wouldn’t dare to be anything else with Jay in town.”

“Thanks.” Skye picked up the glass of wine that Luke poured for her and returned his smile. “So it seems.”

“I am here, you know.”

“Are you?” Skye swivelled her head toward him and blinked. “Sorry, I was having such a good time with Luke that I didn’t see you there.”

“For someone who doesn’t have a lot of time for sex,” Jay said in a throaty drawl, “you’re sure as hell getting the hang of this foreplay business pretty quick.”

“Oh, that would be because Luke gave me some instruction this afternoon, I expect.”

Jay sent Luke a questioning glance. His partner merely shrugged and drank a sip of wine. “We had a free and frank exchange of views,” he said, smirking.

A growl rumbled in Jay’s throat. “I’ll just bet you did.”

“Come on, let’s order,” Skye said. “I’m starving.”

“Order something with plenty of carbs,” Jay advised. “You’re gonna need the energy.”

“Really,” she said after they’d reeled off their choices to the waitress who came to take their order. “Why would that be?”

“You really want me to spell it out, right here in the middle of this crowded restaurant?” He tossed her a challenging smirk. “Because if you do—”

Skye glanced over her shoulder. She must have noticed that half the diners were giving them as much attention as they gave their food. “Perhaps not,” she said, pouting. “Tell me instead why you sent Peter an invite to the reception.”

“Because I want him where I can see him.” Jay ground his teeth. “He’s my number one suspect as far as the sabotage goes. Even more so since this afternoon’s fiasco.”

“But if he still wants me, and I have to admit it looks that way, why would he try to put me out of business?”

Jay shrugged. “Hell if I know.”

“Perhaps he wants to be the one in control,” Luke suggested.

“That would be my guess,” Jay agreed. “But anyway, I think whoever’s causing the problems here at The Fox
will strike again during the reception. He can’t afford not to because if it’s the success we hope it will be then you’ll start getting bookings and will be in a position to negotiate with the bank. He can’t afford to take that risk.”

“If you think it’s Peter, why make it easy to make trouble by inviting him along?”

“I shall be watching him,” Jay said grimly. “Well, not me exactly, but several of the people I’ve employed for that precise purpose. He won’t be able to sneeze without my knowing about it.”

“Makes sense,” Luke said. “But I assume your guys have been told to look out for anyone acting suspiciously. It might not be Brown. Or he might not be acting alone.”

“Yeah, they know what to do.”

Their appetisers were placed in front of them, and Jay was amused to see that Skye set to with gusto. If she was nervous about later it certainly wasn’t affecting her appetite.

They chatted about inconsequential things, sexual anticipation lurking just beneath the surface of everything they said and did. They were interrupted several times by people who Skye introduced them to, all of whom appeared openly interested in Skye’s plans for the future of The Fox, keen for her to succeed
.

“Praise where it’s due,” Skye said as they dawdled over coffee, having just despatched yet another happy punter back to his table without answering any of his intrusive questions. “You’ve put The Fox
back on the map already, Jay.” She smiled at him, a gentle, impulsive gesture that lit up her features and went straight to his cock. She reached across and briefly touched his hand, causing said cock to stiffen even more. “Thank you.”

“I’d really like to take you to your loft and get on with the important business of the day,” he said with a heavy sigh. “That would include punishment for tormenting me with that damned smile of yours, but I guess we need to wait for this lot to go home first.”

“Of course. I seem to recall someone telling me recently that patience is a virtue. Besides, I always close up myself. It would look odd if I didn’t.”

“How did we know you’d say that?” grumbled Luke. “I’m done with waiting.”

“Go on into the bar and do your thing,” Jay said. “We’ll hang about in there until closing time and join you as soon as we can.”

“Thank you for a lovely meal,” she said primly, standing up.

Both men roared with laughter. “You make it sound like you’ve just dined with complete strangers,” Luke said softly. “Not two guys who are about to fuck your brains out.” He shook his head. “You’re shameless!”

“You know, I’m rather beginning to think that I could be.”

She sauntered off, waving to them over her shoulder.

“What the hell have we set in motion?” Luke asked as he watched her go.

“Could be fun finding out.” Jay put his napkin aside. “Did you remember to go shopping?”

“Duh, like I’d forget something that important.”

Jay chuckled. “Just checking. Come on, let’s go and get a pint of whatever’s speckled this evening.”

“You make Skye’s beer sound like an infectious disease.”

“Yeah.” Jay grimaced. “On second thought, perhaps I’ll have a brandy.”

* * * *

Luke sat beside Jay at the bar where they were again besieged by curious locals, pumping them for information. Sandy was there, coming on to them even more openly, much good it would do her. He watched Skye behind the bar in her ridiculously impractical shoes, smiling, pulling pints, sharing a joke with a couple of ancient locals. Since meeting her less than forty-eight hours ago, other women had lost the ability to interest him. Just like that he’d discovered the joys of monogamy, and he hadn’t even taken her to bed yet.

“I’ll be damned,” he said softly.

“Probably,” Jay agreed. “But why such a profound statement?”

“No reason.”

“She’s a natural at this.” Jay nodded toward Skye as she took drinks to an old couple sitting at a table by the fire and effortlessly put them at their ease.

“And at other things, too, I would imagine, with a bit of training.” Luke frowned. “I see your friend Brown at the end of the bar, giving you the death glare.”

“See the two guys at the table immediately behind him?” Luke nodded. “They’re mine. He won’t cause any disruption to our plans tonight.”

“Glad to know you’ve got your priorities right.”

When Skye called time, Peter Brown was one of the last to leave. He walked directly behind Luke and Jay, still seated at the bar, looking as though he was about to say something. In the end he made do with a glower and stomped out of the pub. They both ignored him and didn’t move until Skye locked the door behind the last customer.

“Good night, gentlemen,” she said, biting down on a grin as she disappeared through the kitchen door. “Sleep well.”

“Let’s go and put our lights on,” Jay said, growling at her retreating figure. “Just in case anyone’s watching. We’ll leave them on for a bit and then go and punish that little tease for provoking us.”

An interminable ten minutes later the two men made their way through the silent kitchen and took the stairs to Skye’s loft two at a time. Jay tapped at the door and walked right on in.