Page 42 of Resisting His Charm
“Thank you.” Wrapping my arm around my sister’s shoulders, I start leading her down the hall, towards Poppy. “Also, try not to kill anyone else today.”
“I’ll do my best.” Imogen shrugs.
I let go of my sister and take Poppy’s hand in mine. She smiles up at me. “It’s not too late to turn around,” she says.
“Actually it is. I’ve seen you.” A male voice has me turning towards the end of the hall.
“Joel, Jaxson said you have to be nice,” Poppy growls.
So this is the middle Kestral brother?
“Hi. Sammie. Nice to meet you.” Dropping Poppy’s hand, I hold mine out to her cousin.
“Joel.” He clasps my palm, squeezing hard, but I squeeze harder. It’s a pissing contest but then his gaze goes to something over my shoulder and he lets go. Not something, someone. “Hi, I’m Joel, and you are?”
“My sister, Imogen,” I answer for her.
“Hi. I hope it’s okay I tagged along,” Imogen says.
“More the merrier. You want a drink? Poppy, Jaxson and Jaggar are out back.” Joel steps past me towards my sister. And I watch Imogen smile at him. She looks the guy up and down, and before she even opens her mouth, I cringe at what I can only imagine she is going to say.
“I would love a drink. Do you have water? Or juice?” Imogen asks, surprising the fuck out of me. One, she didn’t tell him where to go for eyeing her like she’s a meal. And two, she didn’t ask for whiskey or wine. Even though she’s underage, she doesn’t exactly comply with the laws.
“Sure. Follow me.” Joel turns back around and Imogen tags along behind him.
“You want to go with her?” Poppy whispers from beside me.
“Nah, she’s fine,” I tell her.
“You don’t seem so convinced of that.”
I lean down close to her ear. “I would much rather drag you into an empty room and give you one of those orgasms I’m getting hooked on.”
“Mmm, that would be the quickest way to get yourself shot in this house. Come on. The sooner we get out there, the sooner we can go.” Poppy takes my hand and pulls me out the back of the house. “Jaxson, I brought another mouth to feed so there better be plenty of food!” Poppy shouts as we step onto the back porch.
There’s a firepit and a grill in the yard, where Jaxson and another younger version of the guy are standing around. They both turn at the sound of Poppy’s voice.
“There’s always plenty of food, Popps. Who’d you bring?” Jaxson makes his way over to us as we walk down the four porch steps.
“Imogen, Sammie’s little sister. She came to town with him,” Poppy says.
“Where is she?” Jaxson looks behind us.
“Joel took her into the kitchen to get her a drink,” Poppy tells him.
Jaxson holds out a hand to me. “Glad you could make it, but you probably shouldn’t leave your little sister anywhere near my brothers,” he says. “How little we talking?”
“She’s nineteen and more than capable of handling a cowboy,” I tell him. “Imogen isn’t a damsel by any means.”
“I don’t know, Sammie. You might be underestimating the pull a cowboy can have on a girl.” Poppy smirks. “I know I’ve been under a cowboy’s spell once or twice.”
My head snaps in her direction. “You what now?”
“Who?” Jaxson growls from beside me, his arms folded over his chest. “I’ll kill them.”
“Not if I get them first,” I mutter.
“Popps, grab me a beer,” the other Kestral brother calls out from the grill.
