Compromising Kessen (Vandenbrook #1)(53)

It was, he thought, purely a figure of his imagination.

That is, until a hand slapped him on the back of the head.

“Hands off!” Nick yelled.

Duncan was next to him with a camera, laughing. “I’m shocked. I had you working much faster than that, Christian. You are off your game, aren’t you, old boy?”

Kessen, who had been clueless as to their approach, looked up and blushed, then hid her head in Christian’s chest. He had half a mind to drown both Duncan and Nick for interrupting them.

“How did you get up here so fast?” Christian asked. “Wait, how did you get up here? We didn’t have enough supplies.”

Duncan suddenly took great interest in the sky, the dull, overcast sky.

“Duncan,” Christian ground out through clenched teeth.

Nick laughed and slapped Duncan on the back.

“Duncan!” Christian yelled louder this time.

His friend held his ground. “In my defense, I thought it would be good for the two of you to bond without us watching. Both of you are so stubborn, we had to trick you to even go off on your own, considering you’re so terrified of one another.”

Christian’s hands froze on Kessen’s shoulders.

“Terrified?” she said curiously.

“Oh yes, I’ve actually never seen Christian like this. Normally, he’s very smooth. I mean, he could seduce a happily married woman into signing over her will and house to him if he wanted to. But you’ve knocked him off his game; his confidence is wavering.”

Christian groaned.

“In fact, I was almost worried he didn’t know how to seduce a woman anymore. I did teach him everything he knows.”

“Really?” Kessen asked, suddenly intrigued. “What did you teach him, Duncan?”

Duncan, all smiles, answered, “You know that trick where he kisses down your neck and moves his hands just so—oh wait, here, I have it on camera.”

Christian swore.

“Let me rewind it.”

Nick was laughing in the background, obviously pleased with this sudden turn of events.

“Got it. Okay, so look where his hands are.” Duncan pointed to the recording. “Now as he slips them down the side of your arm, he uses that time to distract you by biting your bottom lip. Do you see that? Now as he bites you, and you respond—because what woman wouldn’t?—he wraps his other hand behind you and begins … well, you know…”

Kessen turned her head to the side. “No, I don’t, Duncan. Why don’t you tell me.”

Duncan smiled triumphantly, then whispered into her ear, “He tries to take off whatever you’re wearing, of course.”

Christian had heard enough. It happened faster than he would have expected, what with the reaction time of Kessen and Duncan put together. His fist went sailing into the air, punching Duncan square in the jaw. Unfortunately, Kessen also went flying out of his lap and into the water. She was now fully drenched and most likely freezing.

“What was that for?” Duncan shouted.

Nick shook his head. “What do you think? You’ve totally ruined his only move.”

“That is not my only move!” Christian yelled.

“So you admit it’s a move then?” Nick stated.

Christian paled, Kessen yelled, and Duncan was still yelping.

“I think I’ve had enough of nature for today.” Christian pulled Kessen up from her watery fall. “How about we go back home and play that trivia game you guys were talking about?”

Nick and Duncan smiled triumphantly at one another. “It was a fantastic plan, Duncan,” Nick said.

“I thought so too! It worked out quite well. It was kind of us to let them kiss for a while.”

Nick’s smile froze on his face. “She’s like a sister to me. There will be no more prolonged kissing. Did you see the look in his eyes, Duncan? He had half a mind to ravish her right underneath the waterfall!”

“He does lack a certain class,” Duncan agreed.

Christian exhaled roughly, running his hands through his damp hair “I’m still here, and so is Kessen.”

Kessen had her arms crossed over her chest; she looked like a drowned rat and kept mumbling inappropriate things towards all three of them under her breath.

Duncan put the camera away and motioned for Nick. “Do you think we should tell them about the other trail?”

Nick shrugged. “Not telling them does have its appeal.”

As they were lost in thought, Kessen emerged from the water shivering and approached Nick with a death glare.

“If you don’t show me the quickest way out of this Godforsaken place, I’m going to kill you.”

“I think she means it,” Christian said, joining her.

Duncan put his arm on Nick and whispered, “Remember, she’s hardly had any coffee. Tread carefully, my friend. Carefully.”

Nick put his hands on Kessen’s shoulders. “If this is about the bee—”

“It’s not about the bee,” she snapped.

“Then it’s about us tricking you into scaling the rock wall? Or maybe for betting on the fact that Christian wouldn’t remember his great-grandfather had this little rock haven built. Such an avid outdoorsmen he was.” Duncan sighed.