Tempted & Taken (Men of Haven #4)(61)
“With me for what?”
The voices drifted closer, Katy clearly leading the way while she chattered about something Darya’s mind was too numb to track.
Knox kissed her nose and whispered. “It’s Wednesday afternoon. That can only mean one thing.”
Before he could actually share what that was, Katy strode through the door with two gorgeous older women on her heels and the other three ladies Darya had met weeks ago behind them. “Hey, Knox. You’ve got company.”
“Och, we dinna come for him, lass.” The sassier looking of the two women she’d yet to meet intervened and sashayed toward Knox. While her shoulder-length auburn hair wasn’t a color anyone would ever classify as natural, the spunk behind it matched her thick Scottish accent and the playfulness in her vivid green eyes. “We came ta meet our boy’s new lovely.”
Katy snickered, shook her head and quietly made her way out of the room.
As if he’d long grown accustomed to the routine, Knox faced Sylvie and opened his arms in welcome. “Hey, Momma.”
She patted one side of Knox’s face and kissed the other. “Ye’ve been keeping secrets.”
“No, he’s been hoarding,” said the other woman as she moved in for her own welcome. Where the redheaded woman was all fire and boldness, this one moved with refined elegance. Her hair was a platinum gray every woman prayed they’d develop with age, but rarely obtained without help from a rock star hair dresser. But even more impressive was the shrewd awareness that burned in her blue gaze as it moved across Darya and landed on Knox.
The elegant woman lovingly batted her friend out of the way and kissed Knox’s cheek. “You know how the boys get when a woman fires up their possessive streak.” She glanced back at Vivienne and winked. “The only reason we knew Viv existed those first few weeks is because Jace kept her under lock and key at Haven.”
“Well, in fairness,” Vivienne said, “I had a bullet hole in me, or that wouldn’t have been the case.”
Darya snapped her attention to Knox, her spine hopping from mere first-impression discomfort to full-alert and ready to bolt. “A bullet hole?”
“Long story,” Knox muttered close to her ear then wrapped his arm around her waist. To the beautiful gray-haired woman he said, “You think maybe it might be smart to let her get comfortable with the lot of you before you air our dirty laundry?”
The woman grinned and her eyes sparked with pure mirth. “Don’t you worry about us. We’ll get her very comfortable and make sure we spill all your dirty laundry before we dive into anyone else’s.” She cocked one eyebrow. “Assuming you ever get around to introducing us.”
Knox ducked his head and ran his fingers through his already tousled hair, but from Darya’s angle beside him there was no missing the chagrined expression on his face. “Yeah. Right.” He lifted his head and pulled her partially in front of him. He motioned to the one closest to him. “Darya, this is Jace’s mom, Ninette. Behind her is Axel’s mom, Sylvie.”
Darya extended her hand to Ninette, hoping her palms weren’t as shaky or clammy as they felt. “I’m Darya Volkova. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Darya to family,” Knox interjected with a quick glance at the hallway. “For everyone else it’s JJ Simpson, so watch yourself.”
“Oh!” Sylvie brightened and tapped Ninette’s arm, shooing her out of her way. “Will ya listen to the lass’s voice?” She opened her arms, pulled Darya in for a huge hug and whispered conspiratorially. “Take my advice. Wield that accent every chance you get. When they’re in a snit, it’ll unwind their tantrums every time.” She pulled away and winked.
“You get I’m right here and heard every word,” Knox said, a smile in his voice.
Sylvie shrugged like she couldn’t care less. “And as sure as I’m standin’ here, it’ll work every time.”
Still standing by the doorway with Vivienne and Gabe, Trevor’s wife, Natalie, cleared her throat. “Um, not to cut short the one-upmanship brewing between the two of you, but if we’re going to make our appointments we need to load Darya up and get a move on.”
“What appointments?” Darya said.
Gabe smiled with a mix of shared orneriness and sympathy. “Wednesdays are mani/pedi days. Otherwise known as mandatory Haven-gal gossip days.”
“We do more than gossip,” Sylvie fired back.
Ninette chuckled. “Right, but I’m not sure there’s a way to categorize picking through the latest plot details from Game of Thrones and Vikings.” Her gaze shifted to Darya. “We try to pay attention. Really, we do. But between all the accents, hot men and blatant sex it’s hard not to get sidetracked.”
“She’s right,” Sylvie added. “Sons of Anarchy was much easier ta keep up with.”
Darya was lost. Unequivocally and helplessly lost. She twisted and peered up to Knox, rooted firmly behind her.
His hands rested easy on her hips and his low, soft laugher surrounded her on a comforting embrace. His voice rumbled at her ear. “Just go with it. You’ll catch up. Eventually.”
“But what about work?” She turned enough to meet his eyes head on. “You gave me all those new defects to research.”