Page 38 of Idaho

"And the rest of you are free to marry who you want?" Jo asked.

Frowning, I shook my head. "Not really. My sisters had a little more say than Charlie will, but they still had to marry well. And so will I."

"So, Idaho is off limits," Brittney teased.

My cheeks burned at the thought of being with Idaho. He was so handsome and seemed like he would be an attentive lover. But he was also arrogant and bossy. Something I promised myself I'd never accept in a man. I had enough of that from my father. I didn't need it from my husband, too. "I don't know where you're getting the idea that Idaho or I would be interested in one another."

"Uh, because we have eyes?" Jo answered, with a snort of laughter.

"The way he charged after that guy who was carrying you off-" Brittney sighed.

I could all but see the hearts floating around over her head like in some kind of cartoon. "I'm sure he would have done that for either of you, too."

"Probably," Jo admitted, "but he doesn't look at us the way he watches you." Her tone was teasing and her smile was growing wider as she spoke. "I swear every time he looks at you the fire alarms nearly go off."

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. "I highly doubt that." I nibbled on my lip and debated telling them everything. My sisters were usually the only people I shared things with, but they weren't here. Making a decision, I added, "But he did kiss me."

"What?" they both shouted at the same time.

My cheeks burned hotter as I nodded. "He kissed me this morning."

"How was it?" Brittney asked, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees.

Jo had her hands pressed over her mouth, eyes wide as she waited for my answer.

"It was..." I sighed, unable to find the right words. "Amazing," I admitted.

"Oh my God," Jo squealed, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me in her excitement.

"But it can't happen again."

They both stared at me in stunned silence. "I'm confused," Brittney said, speaking slowly as if I wouldn't understand her. "A drop-dead gorgeous man kisses you and you don't want it to happen again?"

Huffing out a breath, I explained, "He's only helping me because of my father. Which means he's probably only attracted to me because of whatever it is he wants in exchange."

Jo was watching me with a mix of disbelief and confusion. She glanced over at the photograph once again. "Your father doesn't look like the sort of guy who would be happy with some man kissing his daughter."

I cringed. "No. He would... What's the American saying for get really, really angry, and be completely unreasonable?"

"Freak out," Brittney offered.

"Shit a brick," Jo corrected.

I laughed out loud at Jo's phrase. "Oh my. That sounds very uncomfortable." I tilted my head as I considered it. "But apt. Yes. If Father found out some random man was kissing me, he would shit a brick."

They both laughed. "Sorry," Jo said, "it just sounds really funny with your accent." She waved her hand, dismissing that subject and getting back to the main topic. "So, if your father would get pissed knowing that Idaho kissed you, don't you think that his attraction would be detrimental to him 'getting what he wants' from your father?"

"Maybe," I hedged, "but I'm not sure Idaho would care. I don't know much about him, but the similarities I've seen so far between him and my father are numerous."

"Is that a bad thing?" Brittney asked.

"Yeah, don't they say women look for men like their father to marry?"

"Not me," I vowed, lips thinning out into a firm line. "My father can be very kind and caring. I love him very much, but I don't like always being ordered around and told what I can and cannot do."

"Pretty sure that's just parents," Jo said. "My mom does the same thing to me and Seek." She laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "She even does it to Hush now."

My brows rose at that. I remembered Hush. He was very quiet, but huge and intimidating, though not as big as Thomas. There was only one man at Idaho's clubhouse who was as big as my long-time bodyguard, and that was the man they called Hellfire. "She does?"