River hid a smile. “Now who needs to learn to behave?”
“I’ve seen five-year-olds put together better fits,” Jem grumbled. “At least they’re not afraid of color. And their parents get rid of the clothes that are too small.” He added this last bit as they passed a hulk of a man whose shirt buttons were straining across his chest. If he flexed a bicep, a seam would rip.
“I don’t think those jeans leave you any room to throw stones,” River said innocently as he plucked two flutes of champagne from the tray of a passing server.
Jem took the glass with a wry look. “And whose fault is that?”
“Mine,” River replied, “but if you want an apology you’re going to be waiting for a long time. I’m not sorry at all.”
They clinked their glasses together, but as River suspected, they didn’t get past the first sip before the sharks smelled fresh blood in the water and came out to investigate.
“River,” purred a B-list Hollywood starlet River had once presented an award with. He couldn’t remember what now. Kiana swooped in on tottering heels and kissed his cheek. “I didn’t know you’d be here.” She glanced slyly over at Jem. “And you brought a party favor.”
She meant it in a teasing way—no one could argue the fact that Jem was sweet—but River bristled anyway. “Get your own, Kiana. I’m not sharing and I didn’t bring enough for everyone.”
Kiana held up her manicured hands in a gesture of surrender. “Touchy. I’m sorry, I’ve had one too many already.”She heaved a sigh, and for a moment the mask slipped and River saw the exhaustion behind her makeup. “Let’s start over.” She turned to Jem and offered her hand. “Hi. You’re handsome. I’m Kiana.”
Jem shook it, looking more bemused than anything. “Hi, Kiana. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jem.”
“Oh my God, you’re not even looking at my tits. Aren’t you a gentleman. River, where did you find him?”
“You would not believe me if I told you.”
“Hmm.” She narrowed her eyes, teasing, and then returned her attention to Jem. “You’re going to be very popular. Not just because you’re handsome. Riverneverbrings a date.”
River released Jem’s hand and put his arm around his waist instead. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after him.”
Kiana giggled. “I’m sure you will. Nice meeting you, Jem.”
She wobbled off, and Jem and River moved farther into the house, skirting along the outside of the cavernous great room. “Sorry about that,” River said quietly as they meandered along. “I should’ve warned you. People can get—well. When you’re a commodity, it’s easy to start treating other people the same way. It’s not as bad as it was, but let me know if anyone gets handsy.”
Jem looked down and to his left, where River’s ringed fingers had tucked up against the waist of his jeans. “Anyone other than you, you mean?”
River made to pull his hand away, only to find Jem’s fingers on top of his own, holding them in place. “Joking. I am 100 percent capable of telling you and everyone else where to put their wandering hands. Or removing them myself.”
“Hot.”
Jem laughed. “I told you, I was an NCAA athlete. But I’ll tell you if we need to book it.”
“That’s all I ask.” River paused. “I should guess the sport thing.”
“You never will,” Jem promised lightly.
“Hmm.” River never could resist a challenge. “Is chess an NCAA sport?”
“You think I got this ass playingchess?”
“I don’t know,” River said easily. “Maybe there’s a variant that involves a lot of squats. What do I know about chess?”
“Ihaveplayed the variant that involves taking shots whenever you lose a piece.”
River bet he had. “Benefits of a college education.” He gestured toward the backyard. “Shall we?”
Jem hadn’tbeen lying when he told Amanda he had experience with fancy parties. When Jem and Andrew had been young golf stars, before he knew they were half brothers, his father liked to parade his proteges around at his high-brow gatherings.
But even Jem’s father had never had quite so illustrious a guest list, and he’d definitely never have let Jem bring River as his date. He took a moment to lament the change out of the dress, because imagining his dad’s reaction to the tattoos and nipple piercings playing peek-a-boo as River, a man, wore the hell out of that dress could have gotten him through ten report card seasons.
Well. Okay. Maybe just one.
