Brennan’s familiar cinnamon-and-clove scent sparks happiness in me as he wraps an arm around my waist and plasters me against his side.
“Sebastian Sterling, meet my future bride, Audrey Tripp,” he says.
“Ah, I see now why you’re so enamored with her.I’d kill for a woman who’d fight for my honor like that,” he says in the deepest natural voice I’ve ever heard.
I lean into Brennan, grateful to have him by my side as the behemoth of a man—in a suit, no less—looms over me.
“Like you need anyone to fight for you.Keep your mitts away from my woman, you beast.”
By the lack of menace in his tone—but heaps of tactful warning—and his playful choice of words, it’s obvious they’ve been friends for a while.
“Where do you know each other from?”I ask.
“We were roommates in college before I dropped out.I tried to shake him like I did everyone else, but he’s as protective as a mama bear, and somehow he confused me with one of his cubs.”
Mr.Sterling shrugs.
“I have an eye for people.”
If he sensed something in Brennan, he was right.My boss, fiancé, and ex-stepbrother went from rags to riches all on his own.
“Then obviously you can tell Audrey didn’t mean to toss the trash at you,” Brennan snarks.
A wry smile flits across Mr.Sterling’s face.
“Of course.You’re forgiven, soon-to-be Mrs.Diamond,” he says.
My mind blanks.I turn wide eyes up at Brennan.He chuckles, makes our excuses, and leads me away from his friend.
“If you don’t close your mouth, I’m going to take it as an invitation to ravage you,” my evil fiancé says.
I snap my teeth together and glare at him.He stops next to an empty cocktail table along the edge of the ballroom and tucks us closer to the wall, putting as much space between us and the crowd as possible.
“I am so hard right now,” he whispers in my ear.
“Stop.Now isn’t the time or the place.”
“Now is always the time.The place, though… I’m sure there’s a dark corner somewhere.”
“Don’t you dare,” I hiss.
A waitress stops and offers us the last two drinks on her tray.
Brennan smirks at me as he takes them.At his absent nod, she scurries away.After handing me a glass, he leans down to murmur in my ear again.
“We’re in a hotel.We could book a room,” he suggests.
I sigh and shake my head before sipping the champagne.Brennan kisses my temple and throws back his entire glass in one gulp.
“Ah well, it was worth a try.Let’s get this over with so I can take you home and feast on you.”
I elbow him and say his name in warning.
He sets his empty glass on the cocktail table and grimaces.
“I’ll need it to wash away this shit.That has to be the worst champagne I’ve ever tasted,” he snarls.
I lift my half-empty glass and inspect it.
