Page 104 of Rising Heat

“What about it?”

“You didn’t have to invite me.”

The words come out softer than I’d meant them to.

“The parade, the bar. All of it.”

Tyler shrugs like the answer should be obvious.

“Why wouldn’t we?”

“I don’t know.” I laugh once under my breath. “I’m still pretty new here.”

“You’re not anymore,” Mack says.

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“I just…” I shake my head. “Thanks.”

“You don’t have to thank us,” Tyler says.

“You were exactly where we wanted you to be,” Mack adds.

“Yeah.” Tyler glances at Mack before meeting my eyes. “You’re one of ours now.”

The words knock the wind out of me.

I look from one of them to the other, both of their green eyes almost black now.

“Is that what I am?” I breathe.

Tyler shrugs playfully.

“Could be.”

Mack takes a step closer to me, and I swear my erratic pulse is audible at this point.

“Would you like that, Darcy?”

The heat between my legs makes me want to squeeze my thighs together for half a second of relief. My body betrays me. How the fuck am I supposed to hold strong when they say things like that and are currently looking at me like their next meal.

“I…” I let out a shaky breath. “I don’t want things to get weird. I just ended an engagement. This is my home.”

“And it’ll stay that way,” Mack assures me immediately.

“No expectations,” Tyler adds, “no pressure.”

“If tonight ends with us saying goodnight exactly the way we have every other night, that’s ok.”

“If you decide tomorrow you never want to see us again, we’ll make that happen, too.”

I chew on my lower lip.

“No…weirdness after?”

“Zero weirdness,” Tyler says teasingly. “Just…some casual, neighborly fun. Doesn’t have to mean anything.”

“Your call,” Mack says. “Always.”