Blake, Abby - Keen Inclination [A Bride for Eight Brothers 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) by Abby Blake Page A

in an annoyed voice.
    “This sort of proposal,” she said with what was probably supposed to be a seductive laugh. She pulled some sort of perfume bottle from her pocket, sprayed the stuff on her neck and stepped closer to them both.
    Bryce felt the effects immediately. His cock hardened against his jeans, his breathing became labored, and his head filled with sensual images of fucking, claiming, marking his woman. He heard a strangled groan as the perfume—obviously made from mouse tears— affected Matt as well.
    “Now,” Jacqueline said as she sighed happily, “wouldn’t it be more comfortable if we took this back to your quarters?”
    “I have a better idea,” Matt said as he lifted Jacqueline over his shoulder. For a single, suspended moment Bryce worried that his brother wasn’t thinking clearly, but one look at the determination on Matt’s face was enough to put his mind at ease.
    Jacqueline giggled happily as Matt marched down the hallway. She wasn’t quite so impressed when, after they made it to the lab in record time, Matt unceremoniously dumped Jacqueline onto one of the lab tables.
    “Where is it?” Matt demanded as he ran his hands over Jacqueline’s clothes trying to find the perfume bottle. Jacqueline shrieked in outrage, but Matt finally found the offensive concoction and relieved her of it.
    “Call Lachlan,” Bryce said in a strained voice to Ryan. “And steer clear of her,” he said, pointing at Jacqueline, so angry that he didn’t even want to say her name out loud. “She’s wearing a perfume made from mouse tears.” Ryan nodded and went straight to the communicator.
    Bryce and Matt took up aggressive positions in front of both the doors. There was no way Jacqueline was leaving the room wearing a perfume designed to rob a man of his choices. Bryce ground his teeth against the need to find his wife and work off some of the strain. First he needed to contain Jacqueline, and then he needed to make sure he was in control of himself. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his wife.
    It seemed to take forever but Lachlan finally made it to the lab. He took one look at the rigid stances of the four men in the room and quickly realized the situation.
    Unfortunately for Jacqueline, the woman chose that exact moment to leap off the table and have a very unladylike tantrum. Before she could shout out more than a couple of horrible threats, Lachlan threw a bucket of soapy water over her. They all watched impassively as Jacqueline screamed like she was melting and then very inelegantly threw herself onto the floor and kicked her feet like a bratty three-year-old.
    “Are you two okay?” he asked Bryce and Matt. When they shook their heads he said, “Head back to your quarters. I’ll deal with this.”
    Bryce glanced over at Ryan and Ty, nodded his thanks to Lachlan, and turned to hurry back to their quarters. Matt was right behind him.

    * * * *

    Mikayla was feeling a little better just from being able to spend some time alone. Talking to Ty had helped, but he’d headed back to the lab once dinner was under control. It had been a rough few weeks for all of them, but they were almost back to Earth, and they’d soon be able to wave goodbye to the female scientists. Mikayla was humming softly when Ryan and Ty came into the room. Ryan looked pissed, and Ty looked more annoyed than she’d ever seen him. For two men who were usually joking around, it was a pretty sure sign that the close quarters were affecting everyone.
    “Jacqueline kept some of the mouse tears,” Ryan said immediately, his voice laced with anger. Fabulous. The woman was not only condescending and predatory in her attitude, but it would seem that she had no idea how dangerous the mouse tears really were. What the hell had she been thinking? She should’ve just left the dangerous cocktail on the planet. It was, after all, considered an illegal substance now.
    “What happened?” Mikayla asked, concerned for all involved.