The Look of Love (The Sullivans #1)(18)

Jeremy wasn’t the only one who was mortified. Willing her composure to come back after that embarrassing introduction, she held out her hand. “Hi, it’s so nice to meet you, Marcus.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Chloe.”

Marcus had a low, slightly rough voice that was undeniably attractive. Only for some reason, it didn’t do anything for her. Well, hardly anything. Heck, she was human, wasn’t she? It wasn’t her fault that she wasn’t completely blind to male beauty. She was more than a little complimented by that quick flash in Marcus’s eyes when he’d first looked at her that told her he thought she was an attractive woman.

“So, you met my brother last night?”

She swallowed, trying not to be defensive. “I did. On the side of a road, just like Jeremy mentioned. My car skidded into a ditch and I was lucky enough that he drove by during the storm.”

“I’m glad he was able to help.”

“And I’m glad to get the chance to meet you because I wanted to thank you for—” She felt terribly awkward as she said, “—for letting me stay the night in your guest house.”

The look on his face told her he had no idea she’d even been there. A beat later, he said, “Any friend of Chase’s is a friend of mine.”

He was very sweet, but she knew what he had to be thinking. It was what any person in his right mind would think upon hearing Chase had picked her up last night and taken her to the guest house. Just the two of them, all alone in the beautiful house, with all those beds…and bathtubs. From Marcus’s standpoint, what reason could there possibly have been for them not to get it on?

“Really, it’s not what you—” But she couldn’t get the rest of the sentence out. Not without flashing back to that moment in the tub when she was coming and saying Chase’s name and he was there.

So yeah, maybe it was exactly what Marcus thought.

She felt a blush cover her cheeks as she realized there was, quite clearly, nothing she could say about the previous evening without sounding like a total freaking idiot.

Planting a smile on her face, she said instead, “Your winery is beautiful. Just stunning.”

Marcus was clearly pleased with her compliment. “Thanks. How about I give you a tour?”

No question about it, their mother had raised her Sullivan boys well. The only problem, as far as Chloe could see, was that it had also turned them into lady killers, one and all.

How could a woman possibly resist those faces? Those bodies? Especially when they came with manners?

“That’s very nice of you, but I’m sure you have far more important things to take care of.”

“I love showing people around the property. That’s part of the joy of this for me—watching other people take it in.”

Just then, Chase stepped up. As the two men did their half-handshake, half-hug, Chloe barely held back a sigh of pure female delight at all that beautifully made testosterone in front of her.

* * *

“I see you’ve already met Chloe,” Chase said.

“Sure did. I was just offering to show her around.”

It only took a millisecond—and one pointed look—for the brothers to have a very important silent conversation.

Chase: I know you think she’s pretty. Don’t even think about it, not for a second. She’s mine.

Marcus: I’ve got a girlfriend, remember? Besides, I wasn’t going to lay claim to her. I can see that she’s yours.

Chase turned to Chloe. “We’re taking a break for lunch and even though the girls don’t always eat, the rest of us do. How about you and I go for a short hike to the top of that hill and have a picnic?” He lifted the basket he’d had Jeremy put together that morning in anticipation of seeing her.

Fortunately, Marcus deftly let her off the hook from his previous offer by saying, “Hopefully I’ll see you tonight for dinner, Chloe.”

Chase watched her expression shift to indecision. She’d agreed to stay the day, but now his brother was basically asking her if she was going to stay the night, too.

“I don’t have anything other than this to wear,” she said, gesturing to her clothes. “So, thanks, but it would probably be best if—”

Marcus smoothly cut her refusal off in a show of brotherly love at its finest. “My suit’s coming off as soon as I’m done with my final meeting.”

With Marcus going out of his way to make Chloe comfortable, she finally agreed. “Okay. Thanks.”

Chase owed his brother one.

* * *

The two of them hiked up the hillside and the view took her breath away.

Chase took a waterproof blanket out of the basket and laid it on grass that was still damp from the previous night’s shower.

“Wow, you really come prepared.”

“I’ve got a good crew.”

She nodded. “They’re all great.” Jeremy had introduced her to Alice, the stylist, Kalen, the makeup artist, and Francis, who was in charge of lighting. The words, “I liked watching you work,” came out before she could hold them inside.

His smile was like a warm caress over her skin. “I liked you being there. I was trying not to show off.”

Amazed by how easily he could make her smile and laugh, she said, “Most guys don’t admit stuff like that.”