GiGi suspected she knew good and well why her brother had locked them in their house together. This was in retaliation for GiGi and the rest of the family locking Alastair in with Aurora a few weeks back. Apparently, her brother felt it would be a brilliant way to reunite GiGi with Ryker. “You’ll only pulverize him if I don’t beat you to it,” she muttered. “Can you stand?”
“Of course I can stand,” he snapped. “What the f—”
Surprised into silence, she could only stare as his shoes vanished. They both gaped at his sock-clad feet in wonder.
“What the hell happened to your shoes?” she wondered aloud.
“If I knew that, I…” He growled as his socks went by way of his shoes. Barefoot and livid, he clamped his jaw shut.
She was positive he intended to make a cutting remark. It seemed the disappearance of his footwear and socks was an additional joke her brother had thought up to amuse himself.
Glancing around, she tried to detect the faint tell-tale trace of another witch. Alastair’s emotions put off a light pulse of magic, and if a seasoned witch knew what to look for, they could usually detect his presence.
Nothing.
He wasn’t in their house. Either he’d utilized a scrying technique, or he’d found a way to tap into their home security system.
“You’re unusually silent,” Ryker said, careful to keep his voice neutral.
She took exception to the term “unusually,” as if she rarely kept quiet at all. “What the hell is that supposed to—oh!” Her footwear vanished.
Ryker shook his head and grinned. “That wily bastard.”
“I’m not sure I completely understand what’s going on.”
Barefoot, they both padded to his study. After guiding GiGi to a leather club chair, Ryker poured them both a stiff drink. With a critical eye, she noted his tumbler was a little fuller than hers. More and more, when she saw him of late, he was drinking heavily. It pained her to see it—his hurt at her decision—but she was unable or unwilling to ease his plight. She had to keep reminding herself the deterioration of their relationship had been his fault.
She accepted the glass he offered and took a small sip. Unlike Ryker and Alastair, she didn’t care for the brandy unless it was in tea. Yet times like these, when it appeared her brother was attempting to teach them some type of lesson only he had a clue about, harder alcohol was necessary.
“Your brother is forcing us to settle our issues,” Ryker finally told her. “If I had to guess, I’d say the old buzzard is trying to play matchmaker—again.”
GiGi wanted to swear a blue streak. “Why can’t he leave well enough alone?”
“Tell me how you really feel, sweetheart,” Ryker said dryly.
She snorted a laugh and almost choked on her second sip. Ryker had always had the ability to tickle her funny bone with his witty comments. Shoving aside her desire to joke with him, she carefully set down her tumbler.
“I don’t suppose he is going to risk a tongue lashing, so he won’t answer his phone.” She focused on the purple polish on her toes. How was she ever going to get out of this situation? Spending any amount of time with Ryker was likely to weaken her resolve. Her overbearing, deceitful brother suspected as much, or he wouldn’t have locked them in together.
Finally, she met Ryker’s thoughtful, dark gaze. “What do we do?”
The mischievous twinkle brightening his eyes told her exactly what he’d like to do. Yes, she recognized that expression easily enough.
“Other than that,” she added.
“When did you forget how to have fun?”
Her anger was like a punch to the diaphragm—swift and painful, sucking the air from her lungs. “Oh, I don’t know. Let me think. Perhaps when you—dammit!” Her sweater went by way of her shoes.
Would Alastair’s stupid-ass spell leave them naked and exposed if they continued to fight? GiGi jumped to her feet and ran for the stairs. Ryker was hot on her heels.
“What’s going on?”
She didn’t answer him. Instead, she whipped open her closet doors. Sure enough, all her clothing was missing. Closing her eyes, she lifted her arms and visualized a stunning white ballgown. Nothing. The realization she would be nude if she continued to fight with her husband clicked into place. How could Alastair do this to her? Knowing how much she needed to be free of this toxic relationship, how hurt she was over Ryker always putting her last, how—oh, what did it matter now?
“It looks like the clothes we are wearing are what we are stuck with,” she said. “I’m curious as to how long Alastair intends to play this infantile game.”
“Is it so bad being locked in with me, GiGi?”
She wanted to scream “yes,” but doing so would cost her another article of clothing, and she didn’t relish running around without pants or a top.
“I’m going to sleep now, Ryker. Could you please shut the door on your way out?”
He moved closer. Close enough for her to feel his powerful energy at her back, but not close enough to touch her.
“Please understand, I had nothing to do with this, sweetheart. I wouldn’t force my attentions on you. I get that you wish to be free of me.”
She gave a short nod, not bothering to face him or open her eyes. “Good night, Ryker.”
As he strode toward the door, she asked, “If you had to guess, how long do you suppose he intends to lock us in for?”
“I couldn’t begin to speculate. The only person who may have even a slight inclination of the way your brother thinks would be you. While I’m never surprised by what he comes up with, I am always impressed.”
Finally, she faced him. It was a struggle to keep the irritation from her voice, but she managed it. “What about this impresses you? This is manipulation and torture. Simple cruelty, really.”
Disappointment flashed in his eyes, and sadness took up residence on his features. “Yes, you would see it that way, wouldn’t you?”
The resignation in his voice tugged at her heart. GiGi forced that defective organ to shut down all sentiment and lifted her chin to glare. No clothing was lost to her pique. Thank the Goddess.
“Sleep well. Tomorrow, I’ll try to figure out a solution to break your brother’s spell.”
Ryker left the room, feet leaden and heart heavier still. As he closed the door to the master suite, he wanted to sit on the hallway floor and bawl like a thwarted toddler. Alastair had meant well, but he’d never change GiGi’s mind. The woman was as stubborn as a century was long.
With a shake of his head, he turned the knob of the guest room across the hall. The door wouldn’t budge. Again, he tried. Again, the door remained closed. Ryker had a sick feeling he knew where this was going. If he didn’t sleep in his wife’s bed, he wasn’t getting any sleep. The damned sofa in the parlor was a cream-colored, nineteenth-century, fancy French piece with no real back or sides to speak of. It creaked every time he sat down and wasn’t meant to be comfortable, much less provide support for a good night’s rest. It also wasn’t long enough for his brawny, six-feet-two frame.
“Alastair, you can be a true bastard some days,” he muttered.
The bedroom door swung open.
“Who are you talking to?” GiGi demanded.
“I’m cursing your asshole brother to Hades.”
Ryker’s pale blue, button-down shirt went by way of his socks and shoes, leaving him bare-chested and fuming.
“Oh!” she gasped.
A quick glance at his wife’s face showed her eyes had widened and zeroed in on his muscled pecs. Okay, so maybe Alastair did know what he was doing.
Inhaling deeply as if to sigh, Ryker noted the look of hungry desire flare to life on GiGi’s face. As quickly as she could, she banked her emotions and cleared her throat. He struggled to keep the smile at bay.
“What did he do, other than the obvious?” she asked.
“It appears the other bedrooms in the house are locked.”
“What? No!”
GiGi jiggled the closest door handle. She moved to the next room down the hall and repeated the action, adding a shoulder shove against the wood panel.
He could see the fury bubble up and held up a hand. “Don’t cuss him out. You’ll lose another article of clothing. Exhibit A.” He swept his arm down his torso. Again, her eyes locked on his chest. Her tongue made an appearance as she wet her lips, and Ryker nearly groaned.
He called himself seven kinds of fool for his gentlemanly behavior. What was more glorious than his wife without her top? His wife without a stitch of clothing on.
“Can you conjure a cot?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “It’s doubtful.” But, to appease her, he tried.
And promptly failed.
With a dark frown and compressed lips, she charged into the bedroom and came out a moment later with a pillow and a chenille throw. Wordlessly, she handed them to him.
“Let me guess, I’m supposed to sleep on the floor?”
“Or the sofa. Your choice.”
The sofa. Right. All the horrible words he wanted to spew to malign the oldest set of Thorne siblings remained locked inside. He’d be running around here bare-ass in less than thirty seconds if he opened his mouth.
The slight smirk twisting her lips told more than words how amusing she found his dilemma.
Screw it. “You know what? You and your damned brother can bite my ass!” Whoosh went his pants.
Was there anything more vulnerable than a man without a lick of clothing to protect his junk while a woman laughed? That was the last time he went commando. He wrapped the throw around his hips and headed for the staircase.
Her giggles haunted him his entire descent to the first floor.
Alastair Thorne covered his wife’s dancing blue eyes the second Ryker’s pants disintegrated. He hadn’t really believed his friend would say the words to lose his last piece of clothing.
The hilarity of the situation was emphasized by Aurora’s belly laugh. Tears of mirth streamed from her eyes, and she wiped them with a shaky hand.
“Her face!” she crowed. “Did you see your sister’s face when his pants went bye-bye?”
Alastair chuckled and swiped a hand over the mirrored surface. “I think from here on out we should give them their privacy.”
“Watching a naked Ryker storm around his house might be interesting TV, darling. The man has seriously beautiful buttocks.”
He snaked an arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “Don’t make me kill him. He’s my best friend.”
She bit her lip to suppress her giggles when her clothes disappeared.
“Ryker who?” she asked forty-seven minutes later when they were horizontal and satiated.