Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she pushed past him, leaving the intimate little alcove as she rushed toward the doors back into the reception. She never looked back as she struggled to hold back the tears of mortification.
TWENTY-ONE
“Can I get a shot of tequila?” Shaun asked the bartender as she stepped up to the smartly dressed woman. “Actually, make it three. Or can I just have the bottle?”
The woman smiled at her and set out a shot glass, filling it with the clear liquor. Shaun reached for it and tossed it back quickly, setting it down on the bar for the woman to refill. Downing the second one, Shaun took a deep breath before setting it down again. The bartender arched one brow at her, and she nodded, tapping the polished bar with one manicured nail. The woman laughed, shaking her head slightly, but filled it again, and a moment later, Shaun had downed that one as well.
Setting the shot glass down, she pushed it away from her and slid a twenty out to the woman, saying a quiet, “Thank you,” before turning back to face the small crowd of the reception. Jodi and Free were in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by guests as they all danced to the Macarena. As it finished, she heard the beginning notes of the Cupid Shuffle come on from the DJ booth over the speakers, and Jodi rushed forward, spotting Shaun.
“Come on, you’re not missing this one! This is our favorite!” Jodi laughed as Shaun protested weakly, already feeling the effects of the three shots of tequila. Once out in the center of the dance floor, Shaun laughed and shoved all thoughts of that douche Kasey freaking Corcoran out of her mind. Pity orgasm. Pfft. It wasn’t reallythatamazing.
That was the hardest O you’ve ever had, sister, her mind reminded her dryly.
“—To the right to the right to the right, to the left to the left to the left to the left. Now kick now kick—"the group of them danced along to the popular line dance, followingthe instructions. As Shaun kicked first her right leg, then left, then chacha’d in place as she rotated ninety degrees, she knew Kasey’s eyes were on her because she suddenly felt hot all over
Swaying to the music, they made three ninety degree turns before she saw him from across the room, his intense gaze riveted on her.
Damn him!she thought angrily, but she continued to smile and laugh as the song wound down, the crowd applauding before the next song came on.
The tequila had set in, making her feel just relaxed enough, but anger and hurt still tumbled around inside her.
At five minutes to midnight, the DJ asked the guests to please head toward the balcony doors, where the resort would be setting off a display of fireworks as they rang in the new year. Baskets of soft blankets had been arranged by the doors, and several women took one to wrap around their shoulders as they made their way out to the balcony.
The music stopped at one minute to midnight, changing over to the live feed of the countdown to the new year. Jodi and Free were front and center, Jodi wrapped in a white cashmere shawl, Free’s arms wrapped around her as they all waited, counting down together with their family and friends that surrounded them.
“Ten… Nine… Eight… Seven… Six… Five… Four… Three… Two… One… Happy New Year!” rang out in a chorus of cheers just as the first of a truly spectacular firework display erupted over their heads with a chest rattling boom.
Shaun glanced around her, taking in the many couples that surrounded her; the newlyweds, her parents, her aunts and uncles, grandparents… Last year she was engaged. Now she was single and getting pity orgasms from too-sexy-for-their-own-good-groomsmen. Ugh.
Spun around roughly, she only had a heartbeat to comprehend what was happening before her face was captured in both of Kasey’s hands, his mouth dropping down onto hers, hard and insistent and oh-so wonderful. She fought for all of a heartbeat before sighing in defeat. She was still pissed at him, but she was too tired of fighting this, fighting him. She’d wanted this for as long as she could remember and didn’t have the willpower to stop it.
Because…Finally.
He kissed her until she was breathless, his tongue sinking into her mouth, his lips twisting over hers deliciously. He took his time with this kiss, whereas their first kiss in the alcove had merely been a pressing of mouths to keep her quiet as she came. She met his kiss fiercely, wanting all of him. He tasted like bourbon, and she moaned into his mouth lightly, her hands flattening on his vest. And still he continued kissing her, claiming her mouth. Claiming all of her.
Her mind and her body were a trembling mess when he finally released her mouth, one of his thumbs stroking over her kiss roughened lips, and she’d never been more thankful in her life for smudge proof lip stain. Her entire body was on fire, his kiss zinging over every nerve like the fireworks still dancing in the night sky.
His breathing was harsh as he leaned close to her and whispered, “I didn’t kiss you last year at midnight out of respect for you and for your relationship, but if he’s too much of an idiot to be here to do it himself, damn straight I’m going to.”
The haze of desire she’d succumbed to vanished in an instant, but he was gone before she could open her mouth, weaving through the crowd and disappearing back into the reception hall.
Fury, outrage, bitterness, all of it roiled through her violently and she rushed after him, flinging open the door and stridingacross the now empty dance floor. He’d already made it out the other doors and was down the hallway toward the main part of the lodge and had stopped at the elevators when she caught up to him. The doors swished open, and he stepped inside.
Damn near sprinting the last few steps forward into the elevator, she skidded to a halt in the sky-high heels, somehow miraculously not breaking an ankle or her neck in her mad dash to follow him.
Grabbing his arm roughly, she yanked him around to face her as the doors closed, letting her fists fly into his chest in rage. “Fuck you, Kasey, you arrogant, heartless bastard!”
“Shaun? What—"
“Why do you keep bringing up Tommy? I knew you were a jerk, but I didn’t think you were as callous to purposely make fun of me like you have been for months! Why are you being so cruel, Kasey!”
“Make fun of you?” he asked, wrapping his fingers of both hands around her upper arms. “As overjoyed as I am that that prick didn’t show up, I want to rip him to shreds for not being here with you—”
“Why would he be here with me?” she exclaimed on a shout that echoed in the small elevator. She was trembling as she cried, “We broke up in February! Why would he come to my sister’s wedding with me? What is the point of this cruel game, Kasey? To make fun of me for ending an engagement? Or is it to remind me that I’m fucking single and that I never got this far in the planning of my own wedding? Don’t you think I know that?!”
Shaun watched as shock registered on his face, and then she shivered when his jaw tightened, his eyes darkening as he hauled her closer, until her breasts were flattened against his chest. One hand released her arm and tangled in the hair at the back of her head roughly, tilting her face up to his. The sting of pain as hetugged tight made her mouth drop open, and she didn’t stop the moan that escaped her.
“You’re. Single?”he growled through his teeth, and Shaun swallowed hard, her eyes never leaving his. She nodded, just barely, the hand at the back of her head holding tight enough to hinder her movement.
