El’s beauty came from her roundness.The sheer generosity of her form.He loved that about her.Hell, he loved her, period.
And what a relief that always was to verbalize.Even if it was silently.
He’d hidden from his feelings for so long, that to finally be able to embrace them was a blessing in itself sometimes.
“She does look beautiful tonight, doesn’t she?”Trip murmured softly, seeming to understand where Shawn’s mind and thoughts were focused.
How could they be anywhere else, though?El made every other woman at the party fade into dust in comparison.
But then, he guessed that was only fitting considering she was theirs.Theirs to cherish and to love.
It killed him that in the first few days of finally being able to be together, he’d wrecked it by something he’d done in his past.Something he’d never expected to be an issue in the future because it had been so unimportant back then.
He’d tried, since all this had begun, to take a moment with her.To talk this through.But she wasn’t having it yet.Was refusing to be alone with him.
It was a knock he had to take on the chin, but he’d take it.He had to.
“Did he introduce her to Leilani?”
“Who’s Leilani?”Shawn asked Trip.
“It’s Ryan’s mother.And no.He didn’t.”
Trip grumbled.“Shit.He’s definitely feeling possessive then.”
“Is that bad?”
“No, but it means that it’s better for everyone they stay up on the dais.Anyone so much as sniffs her, he’s going to be fucked off.”
“What about us?”
“We’re the only ones who’ll be able to approach.”
At Marc’s words, Shawn frowned.“So why are we in the crowd?”
“Weren’t you listening?”
Shawn rolled his eyes at Trip’s exasperation.“Sure I was, but I’ve never been good at reading between the lines, dammit.”
“His failings are our strengths,” Marc said calmly, his tone the exact opposite of Trip’s exasperation.
“But you guys don’t seem to like working a crowd.Especially you, Trip.”
The other man grunted.“I’m standing here, aren’t I?”
Shawn’s lips twitched.“That’s one way of putting it.”
“He’ll mingle later,” Marc stated with ease, but there was little doubt from his tone that Trip would work the room at some point that evening.Ryan too, if Marc had his way.
Trip sighed, shot Marc a pissed off look, and said, “Yes, dad.”
Marc’s nostrils flared, not with amusement but exasperation.“You know it’s imperative that we do this.Because he sure as hell won’t.Not like us.”
“You don’t hear me complaining, do you?I said yes.”
“You tagged on ‘dad’.I’m not your father, Trip.I shouldn’t have to remind you that this shit is important.”
Trip growled under his breath.“You don’t have to remind me.I don’t need reminding.”He glowered at Shawn.“Now see what you’ve done.”
