How about it’s none of your business, I felt like snapping.

Caro ducked her head, her body language screaming, No one mention me, no one mention me!

“Life as we know it,” I replied vaguely before Roane could come up with something that didn’t involve his cousin. I gave Poppy a thin smile.

“Oh, you’re American. Just here on holiday then?”

Poppy seemed pleased with the idea. What would it take to make her go away?

“Poppy!”

She whipped around before I could respond with something sarcastic, and I followed her gaze. A blond woman was gesturing from the gap between this dining room and the next. “The food’s here.”

“Coming.” Poppy nodded and turned to us. She eyed Roane with determination and then, to my horror, walked around the back of my chair and settled to a stop at Roane’s. The woman leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek. “I’ll come say hi later.”

A flush crested the tops of his cheeks as he nodded stiffly.

Poppy smiled like she thought he was adorable and thankfully turned to leave. Only she did a double take toward the fireplace. “Oh, I wondered where you were, you sweet darling.” She moved toward Shadow, who sat up at her arrival and bussed into her petting hand.

For some reason her touching Shadow was almost as infuriating as her kissing Roane!

She kissed Roane.

Okay, it was on the cheek, but it was more than just a peck.

There was invitation in that kiss.

And he blushed!

I couldn’t look at him, I was so mad.

Which was unfair. I knew that. I never said I was rational every day.

This woman knew Shadow. Roane had obviously spent some time with her, and he had never mentioned her even once to me. His supposed friend.

As soon as Poppy disappeared into the other dining room, Caro cleared her throat and shot Roane a questioning look. “She’s a little full on.”

“Aye.” He side-eyed me. “But she’s just a harmless flirt.”

I scoffed inwardly and avoided his gaze by looking over to make sure Shadow was all right. He was back to sleeping. The traitor. He’d licked Poppy like he was happy to see her. “She seemed pretty familiar with Shadow.”

“She bought his affection.” Roane’s voice held amusement, which brought my gaze back to his. “Gives him a biscuit every time she sees him.”

“It must be often enough for her to carry biscuits in her pocket on the off chance of seeing him.”

Something lit up in Roane’s dark eyes as he stared at me. “She has a dog too. Hence the steady supply of biscuits.”

Realizing I was not hiding my suspicious jealousy one bit, I felt my cheeks grow heated. “Oh.”

He grinned at me. That sexy grin. “Aye. Oh.”

The bastard was pleased I was jealous!