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I snorted. “With your unfortunate case of resting bitch face, you probably would have scared Sam away.”
Liam glared at me, though there wasn’t any heat behind it. He knew I was joking. “Shut up. She’s not scared of me. That’s why I like her.”
“Your bar is exceedingly low, my friend,” Charlie said with a sigh.
Adam looked at me. “I’m sorry I went over your head over the whole keeping-it-professional thing. It’s just that Sam’s so…”
“It’s fine. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want this to happen. I actually kissed her the other night in the kitchen.”
Adam gawked. “And you didn’t tell us?”
“Because I knew you’d give me grief.”
“Hell yeah, I’d give you grief. I could have been kissing her this whole damn time.”
“Keep your voice down,” Charlie warned. “She’s trying to sleep.”
I cleared my throat. “Look, if we’re going to do this, I need you all to promise me that you’ll be at the top of your game. I’m as excited as you are, but I won’t tolerate distractions out in the field. Do I make myself clear?”
The guys nodded in unison. We were all on the same page.
“Get some sleep,” I told them. “I couldn’t convince the duchess to reschedule or change her meeting’s location to the hotel, so Sam will be playing decoy again. I don’t want a repeat of what happened earlier today.”
Adam set his jaw. “Right. That shouldn’t have happened. I’m still pissed.”
“We’ll be better prepared tomorrow,” Charlie said. “I’ve phoned in a false lead to the local news outlets that the duchess will be arriving at a location on the other side of the city. It should take some of the heat off of us.”
“Good thinking,” I said. “Be ready to move out at 0900 hours.”
“Copy,” they said together before breaking off.
After returning to my own room at the end of the hall, the first thing I did was take a much-needed shower. Between adjusting to the time zone, the long flight, the stressful incident involving Sam earlier that day, I was exhausted.
Thank God for hot water and excellent water pressure.
As the borderline scalding water poured over my skin, the heat soaking into my sore muscles, I let my mind wander. I wasn’t as shocked at the revelation that Sam wanted to be with us as I would have expected. A gorgeous woman like her… It’d be a privilege and an honor to get to share her with my friends. She was just so sweet and understanding that it made me want her all the more. Despite having been so harshly burned by Jessica, I was willing to give this a try. I was looking forward to getting to know her better, a part of me already fiercely protective.
I toweled off and slipped on a pair of boxer briefs, forgoing my sweatpants and a shirt. I was just about to flick off the bedside lamp when my phone rang. It was Mom.
“Hey,” I answered, my voice a bit hoarse.
“Hey, honey,” my mother replied. “Sorry, is it late where you are? I thought you said you’d text me when you landed.”
“Sorry, we’ve… had a really busy day.”
“You sound tired. Are you feeling alright?”
I stared up at the tall ceiling of my room, phone pressed to my ear. Now that I had a moment to breathe, to decompress, I realized that yes, I was alright. I was more than alright now that Sam was all ours. The weeks of not knowing, and the building tension had taken a bigger toll than I’d realized.
“I’m good,” I said. “How’s that new at-home nurse I hired been treating you?”
“Darla? Oh, she’s a peach. She has the gentlest hands, and she always makes my tea just right.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Oh, dear. You really do sound beat. What time is it in Macau?”
“About one in the morning.”
