This was bad. This was very bad.
She should let go of the drawstrings. She should sit back in her seat, smooth her bird-shit-covered wrap, and forget about his scent and his touch and the way nothing and everything made sense when their lips were mere millimeters apart.
Did she dare press him to answer, or did she know deep in her heart what this hulk of a beefcake really wanted?
Her body took over, and she parted her lips. “Tell me what you want,” she whispered, when her phone chimed an incoming call.
As if they’d been doused with a bucket of icy water, she gasped. Raz released his grip, and she scrambled to get herself together. Glancing into her bag, Anders and Alec’s picture flashed on her phone. “It’s my brothers,” she stammered, heat rising to her cheeks as another helping of mortification washed over her.
What was she doing? Erasmus Cress was her boss.
“You should answer. We know why they’re calling. You should let them know you’re okay,” he said with a nervous shake to his voice before sinking into his seat, then running his hands down his face.
“I’ll be quick.” Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she nearly dropped her phone, attempting to answer the call.
“Hey, boys,” she said, trying to sound as if she wasn’t on the verge of screwing the brains out of an annoyingly sexy professional boxer.
“Hey, Libbs, we’re so happy for you,” Alec sang out.
“We didn’t think things would move so quickly,” Anders chimed.
Libby stared at Raz, looking for answers, but the man simply shrugged.
“It’s been quite a day. I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about. I need you to be a little more specific,” she replied, damn proud of herself for putting together a cohesive thought that didn’t include her lips attached to Erasmus Cress.
“We saw the video of you training the British Beast, Erasmus Cress,” Anders answered.
“You did?” she squeaked. Welp, if the video had made it to remote parts of Ecuador, it had made it about everywhere.
“It freaked us out when we first saw it, and we almost booked flights home, but then Briggs Keaton called and explained the situation,” Alec clarified.
Okay, this couldn’t be that bad. That Briggs guy was all about damage control. Hopefully, he’d employed the same tactic with her brothers.
“At first, we were surprised when he described what you were doing. We know how you feel about competitive sports,” Anders added gently.
Libby squeezed her eyes shut for a second, then released a slow breath. She could feel Raz watching her, but she couldn’t worry about him—not with her brothers listening in. “And what did Briggs say?” she asked, keeping her tone even.
“He said that you’ve been brought on to act as Erasmus Cress’s spiritual advisor and that you’ll also be his son’s nanny,” Anders answered.
So far, so good.
“We told Briggs you’d make an awesome nanny, Libbs. You pretty much raised us single-handedly after Mom died, and when Dad—”
“And did he mention your tuition payment?” she blurted, cutting off her brother. She could sense Raz’s intensity dialing up.
Block out the beefcake.
“Yeah, he said that part of your compensation package was to cover our tuition,” Alec answered.
“Thanks, Libby. Seriously, you’re the best sister in the entire universe,” Anders added.
She blinked back tears. “I promised I’d take care of it. And you know I don’t break promises.”
She couldn’t get emotional.
Not now.
Not with Raz watching her every move.
“He said the company would pay half now and half on the day of the fight,” Alec supplied.
Libby swallowed hard. “And that’s okay with the university?”
“It’s no problem. The final payment is due the day of the fight. Some guys down here just signed up to get the Pay-Per-View package. Are you going to be on TV with the Lion?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” she stammered, not daring to look at Raz.
“Did you know that the venture capitalist company was tied in with a sports management agency? You didn’t mention that when we talked this morning,” Anders asked.
They thought she’d gotten the Tri-Derrick deal. And sweet Buddha’s belly! Had it only been hours since they talked? It felt like a million years had passed since she’d last heard their voices.
“They’re actually two different things. The opportunity to work with the sports management agency presented itself after I met with the venture capitalists.”
She could feel Raz’s concentration sharpen.
“How did that meeting go?” Alec asked.
Libby chewed her lip and glanced at Raz. Yep, he was watching her like a hawk.
“It didn’t go very well, possibly a disaster. There might have been some karma cursing involved, but nothing to worry yourselves over. The cosmos has spoken. I’m a bona fide spiritual advisor slash nanny, at least for the next sixty days,” she blathered, cringing at that word salad of a reply.
“Is there something you’re not telling us, sis?” Alec pressed.
Oh no! She couldn’t worry them. She had to alter the trajectory of this conversation.
She met Raz’s gaze. “Do you want to say hello to Erasmus Cress? He’s right here.”
“He’s with you now?” Anders exclaimed.
“Hey, Anders, hello, Alec, it’s nice to meet you. Libby says you two are at uni studying to be doctors,” Raz said, swooping in as he dropped the smug athlete vibe.
“Thanks to our sister,” Alec answered. “And holy shit! This is so cool. We’re on the phone with the British Beast.”
“Alec, language,” Libby chided.
“We’re lucky to have your sister onboard,” Raz answered with a chuckle. The man sounded almost like he meant it. Then again, he was skilled at playing the part of the super athlete. She’d seen him turn up the wattage for the press.
“We can’t wait to watch the fight. The Snake seems like a real asshole,” Anders offered.
Unable to stop herself, she went into strict big sister mode. “Hey, what did I say? Watch the language.”
“Sorry, Libbs,” Anders replied just like he used to back when the twins were wily preteens, experimenting with colorful words. She sighed. They were men—men who were on track to become physicians. They didn’t need her censoring their language anymore. “Sorry, guys, sometimes I forget you’re not twelve anymore.”
“It’s what Mom would say if she were still here,” Alec said softly.
Libby swallowed past the lump in her throat. “It’s been a long day. I should get going, and I’m sure you need your rest. You’re still building the clinic, right?”
“We’ll be back at it, volunteering bright and early,” Alec answered, his tone lightening.
Libby tapped the darkened screen on her cell and smiled at the picture of her brothers. “I’m proud of you both.”
“We love you, Libbs,” her brothers called out in unison.
“And it was so great to meet you, Mr. Cress,” Anders added.
“You can call me Raz.”