“I hear they call that color orchid.”
My lids opened, and I turned toward Lyric who had a smirk on his face.
“That is what you were thinking about, right?” he asked, brows raised, his crazy smile getting even bigger.
I had thought about the color for a second, but that certainly hadn’t been where my focus had stayed, but I wasn’t going to admit anything to him. Not that he’d believe me.
“How the hell do you know that, anyway?”
“You said a bad word,” Griffin whispered in my ear before I could get my answer.
I found myself searching for Embry, but she wasn’t there, so I was in the clear. “Don’t tell Embry,” I whispered back.
“Okay, Daddy.” With his arms around my neck, he squeezed me tight. “I got your back.”
God, this kid was older than his years and so damn special.
“Thanks, Champ.”
If I were a girl, there was a fair chance I might have ended up ruining my makeup if Lyric hadn’t jumped in and answered my question.
He cleared his throat to nab my attention, and pointedtoward the stairs, love and desire, filling his eyes. “My wife told me, of course.”
I turned again and saw that Patience was at the bottom of the staircase, with Ruby coming down behind her. Of course my sister knew the color; she had modeled for years, and still did sometimes, in addition to working as a nurse. Fashion was her thing, and she’d been so excited to help Patience get ready for the evening.
My gaze flicked to my sister—beautiful as always—for a second, then went straight back to Patience as she started walking toward me. I set Griffin on the ground and wiped my palms on my pants again. I gulped when the most stunning woman was standing right in front of me.
Not just any woman, but mywife.
Her silky brown hair was swept up onto her head in a fancy style, with a few tendrils falling around her face, the long column of her neck exposed as if waiting for my lips to settle on her velvet skin. My eyes traced down her neck to where a silver, heart-shaped locket rested between her breasts, and my mouth went dry.
I knew it was the same tracking necklace that all the ladies had, and I’d seen it many times, but right then, it was my own personal honing device.
A throat cleared, and I was almost pissed at Lyric for interrupting again, but when I glanced up, I realized it was Gramps. Shit, I’d been caught. He gave me a shit-eating grin and then sat down in his chair.
Turning back to look at Patience, I noticed her staring at me, insecurity in her warm, chocolate-colored gaze. I realized she was worried about what I thought, but that should be obvious with the reactions I was physically having in her presence.
She needs the words.
“You look absolutely beautiful.” I took her hand in mineas she gave me a soft smile. “Seriously, Roo,” I started, causing her to roll her eyes. “You’re drop-dead gorgeous. Nobody there will have anything on you.”
Lyric coughed.
I looked at my sister, who had also made her way over. “Sorry, sis, no offense.”
Ruby gave me a dazzling smile. “None taken.”
As if I was afraid she would disappear, I snapped my head back toward Patience.
“Thank you,” she said breathlessly, causing my cock to stir.
For the first time since getting home, I found myself wondering if, when things settled, I really had to give her up? I also wondered what it would be like to go home together after the dinner and strip her out of her dress.
“I doubt that, but that’s sweet of you,” Patience added, thankfully pulling me from my wandering mind.
Feeling a tug on my free hand, I looked down to find Griffin pulling on it. “See, I told you she was purr-ty.”
“You sure did, Champ,” I replied as everyone laughed.
