The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [99]
Morgan nodded slowly. “I do believe you’re right, Casey.”
“Ah, no…It’s better if I—”
The kitchen door swung open and Jordan dragged himself in. He was wearing a pair of unsnapped jeans and scratching his belly while yawning hugely. His hair was still mussed and he looked like he could have used another six hours of sleep, at least. The last Morgan had seen him last night, three of the local women were trying to talk him into taking each of them home. It was a hell of a predicament for his most reserved brother.
Morgan had not one whit of sympathy for him.
Because Jordan had taken the path from the garage—where he kept his apartment—to the kitchen, the bottoms of his feet were wet. When he saw Misty packed up and ready to go, he nearly slipped on the linoleum floor in his surprise.
Morgan caught him, then pushed him upright. If Jordan knocked himself out, he’d be no help at all.
In his usual mellow tones, Jordan asked, “What’s going on here?” He dried his feet on a throw rug while quietly studying everyone in turn.
Morgan feigned a casual shrug. “Misty says she’s leaving.”
Casey crossed his arms, ready to add his two cents’ worth. “She’s not even going to tell anyone goodbye.”
Looking from Casey’s disapproving face to Misty’s red cheeks before finally meeting Morgan’s gaze, Jordan frowned. Not a threatening frown, as Morgan favored, but rather a contemplative one. Jordan was no dummy and caught on quickly that this was the reason he’d been summoned from his bed. He fastened his jeans now that he knew there was a lady present, then took several cautious steps forward, making certain not to slip again. Holding Misty’s shoulders, he asked softly, “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you sneaking off like this?”
Morgan didn’t like his brother’s intimate tone at all. And he sure as hell didn’t like Jordan touching her. He glowered at Misty as he said, “I don’t think she wanted anyone to know she was going.”
Jordan glanced at Morgan, then crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Misty with quiet speculation. “Is that true?”
After a long, drawn out sigh, Misty dropped her heavy bag and propped her hands on her hips. “I’m not sneaking, exactly. You all knew I was going to be leaving today.”
Gabe spoke from the doorway where he’d negligently propped himself, unnoticed. “Not true.” He gave Morgan a look, then came into the kitchen and dropped into a chair with a theatrical yawn. He, too, was bare-chested, but he wore loose cotton pull-on pants. “You said you couldn’t stay, Misty, but you didn’t say a damn thing about taking off today at six-thirty in the morning. Hell, the birds aren’t even awake yet, so I’d definitely call that sneaking. What’s up, sweetheart?”
Misty looked ready to expire. Morgan took pity on her and pulled out a chair. “Why don’t you at least sit down, Malone, while you do your explaining?” He reached for her arm, but she sidestepped him. Breathing hard, she glared at them all, then said, “I’m leaving, that’s all there is to it. I’m already packed and I want to get an early start. I’m not good at long goodbyes, so…if you’ll excuse me?”
She picked up her bag and headed for the door. Her car was parked at the side of the house, close to the back door. There was a flurry of arguments from Casey, Jordan and Gabe, but Morgan had expected no less of them. It was why he’d so rudely dragged them out of their warm, comfortable beds. Unfortunately, Misty wasn’t going to be swayed by them.
She stormed out of the house in righteous fury, and they all trailed behind, talking at once. Morgan listened to their arguments for why she should stay and even commended his brothers for making some good points.
Misty did an admirable job of ignoring them.
When Jordan realized how serious she was, he took the suitcase from her hand while stabbing Morgan with curious looks, as if waiting for him to stop her somehow.
Morgan almost laughed. He’d known there