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absurd. He shook himself free of the mental images her being there conjured, and stifling a laugh, he forced himself to look away. He was being ridiculous.
    Dane’s low whistle escaped, drawing her attention to him. “Wow!”
    Rourke heard the one word Dane managed to utter before he turned and snapped at him. “Back off,” Rourke ordered beneath his breath. His insides clenched, and his mind filled with thoughts of possession. Emotions roiled within him.
    “What?” Dane turned to him, his expression surprised. “What happened to our rules?”
    “Fuck the rules!” Rourke snapped his head around and pointed at Dane. “They don’t apply this time.”
    Rourke’s pulse tripped a beat when she turned to look at his brother with a sudden look of interest. Jealousy, anger, lust consumed him. Was she trying to make him crazy? Did she want to get Dane killed? A black haze tunneled his vision, narrowing in on the woman.
    “What about sharing?”
    “Shut the hell up.” Rourke exhaled, grinding his teeth. “Do you have a death wish?”
    Dane backed up a step, and Rourke noticed his expression fill with disappointment and confusion. He consciously forced his own face muscles to relax before he explained. “Not this time,” he said, trying to sound calm and rational. Then he shrugged, still struggling to get himself under control. He took a deep breath and then quietly added, “Not with her. Never.”
    Dane seemed determinedly driven as he took a step toward the veranda. “I saw her first.”
    “No.” A feral warning. The one word said volumes, and despite his best efforts, Rourke let out the low rumble rising in his throat. The sound escaped like a threatening growl, an animal sound, hardly human.
    Dane whirled around to face him. “Did you just growl at me?”
    Rourke ignored his question and kept his eyes riveted on the woman, all the while uttering that cavernous sound from deep in his chest.
    “Hey, okay.” Dane raised both hands in submission and backed away. “Don’t get so bent.”
    One of Dane’s hands clenched a tennis ball he looked like he’d contemplated lobbing at Rourke’s head along with the tennis racket he held up in his other hand. Frowning, he took a few steps back and cast a cautious look in Rourke’s direction. “What’s up with you lately? I thought this place would be good for you.”
    Rourke turned aside. “It is. Stop worrying.” He hated being on the receiving end of that disappointed look from his brother. The wariness in Dane’s eyes hurt Rourke, but he understood why. He’d been acting like an ass lately.
    “Riiight.” Dane dragged out the one word like he didn’t believe him. Who could blame him? Rourke had been restless the last few months, feeling weird and acting weirder. He let out a low, sarcastic chuckle, looked up at the woman, and shook off the last of the odd sensations. He was still hard when he turned to Dane and apologized. “Sorry, it’s the stress. I haven’t been myself lately.”
    “No shit.” His brother looked relieved but still guarded.
    Rourke flicked his attention back at the woman. “All I want is for my groin to stop aching. Maybe the woman standing over there watching us, the one who looks like a forest nymph and projects sex like a succubus, would like to take my cock in hand and relieve me.”
    A tinge of pink flushed her lovely, pale skin as if she’d heard his crude comment. Even if she hadn’t heard, she didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what he was thinking. His damn cock was raising his tennis shorts like a circus tent pole, leaving no question about what effect she had on him.
    Pure stubborn male pride made him refuse to adjust himself. Instead, he winked at her and ran his tongue over his lips. The image of her thighs spread wide for his feasting made his pulse beat stronger. How would she taste? Like honey and spice?
    Her face flamed bright pink.
    He let his imagination run wild, envisioning how she’d feel beneath him