Actually, for that matter, so was his new wife. And her kid. Jay seemed to be the only one enjoying this, but then maybe he was just happy to show off the suit his dad had bought him for the occasion.
He was the fanciest dressed us of all.
Then finally—finally!—Brooke declared us free to go, and both boys beelined for the dessert table, which had been set up down the beach, where the rest of the guests were mingling. Korrad and Kesha followed, not speaking, and I figured this was my chance.
I angled my way toward Jocelyn. She took one look at me, her eyes went wide, and she grabbed the hem of her dress and chased after her friend.
Damn.
Except…that hadn’t been fear I’d read on her expression or scented in the air. Her arousal had teased my nose enough to know what I smelled, and I found myself grinning arrogantly.
What were the odds she wanted me as much as I wanted her at this moment?
I strolled after her, enjoying the way her ass moved in that purple dress. It was sleeveless and a hell of a lot longer than that sexy red minidress she’d worn on our date, but it framed her tits beautifully. I’m guessing it was consideredmodest, and maybe it was only that I knew what was underneath it that made me find this arousing.
Or maybe you’re just being fucking gross, ogling the female.
Maybe.
Never said I wasn’t an asshole, did I?
So yeah, I kept my eye on her. At first, she seemed nervous, awkward…but after Brooke handed Jocelyn a second glass of champagne, she began to loosen up. I watched her seem to gain confidence as she laughed with the females Brooke introduced her to, and by her third glass, her cheeks were rosy, and she seemed to really be enjoying herself.
I, on the other hand, knew I was getting more and more anti-social. I hung out with Dravik, Varron, Harkaan—the males who’d moved from the Colorado mine to Eastshore the same time as us, but they knew me well enough not to be surprised by my surly glares.
Luckily, none of them noticed I hadn’t been able to tear my gaze from Jocelyn.
Strangely, she seemed aware of it. Every once in a while, she’d glance my way—as if to be certain I was still looking at her?—and her lips would curl. I wasn’t sure if the smile was for me or for herself…or maybe she was just drunk.
I wanted to get her alone.
But she was having fun, and I wasn’tthatmuch of an asshole to try to lure her away.
Still, I wasn’t going to give up. She was here on Eastshore, and until tonight, I hadn’t realized how much I needed to see her again.
My opportunity came when I finally got around to scoping out the tables of food. There wasn’t a full mealhere, just a lot of little things made with cheese and fruit. You know, the kind of shit where I could fit six in my mouth at once and still not be satisfied? Guess I should be glad I had that half a chicken earlier.
I finished chewing and had turned away, only to be almost knocked down by Jay’s friend. Milo, that was his name. He took a wide step around me, looking worried, and the part of me that was always attuned to herfeltJocelyn suddenly hurrying toward us. Did she think I’d hurt the kid?
I saw the way his gaze kept flicking to the food behind me, and when I realized I was standing in front of the dessert table, I figured that was what he wanted.
So I made a show of stepping out of the way and gesturing him toward the cupcake display, just as Jocelyn stumbled to a stop beside me, tripping over her feet again. She wasn’t in real danger of falling—she’d just moved too quickly—but I wasn’t going to let this prime opportunity pass.
I caught her. Then, under the pretext of setting her upright, slid my hand down her side and around her back. Even without looking at her, I recognized her shudder, and I wanted to sink into that sensation.
But Jay chose that moment to appear at my other side. “This is Milo,” he announced, and I figured for his sake, I could force my attention back to his new brother.
I didn’t move my hand, though, and Jocelyn’s heat branded me through her dress.
To my surprise, the kid hadn’t moved around me to get to the cupcakes. In fact, he had transferred all his attentionto me, his head tipped back almost too far in order to watch me. I was tempted to pick him up under his armpits, the way I used to do with Jay, and hold him up to my eye level. But I didn’t know the kid, and no matter what the mayor or that ceremony said, he wasn’t my nephew yet.
So, with a sort of mental sigh, I forced myself to draw my hand away from Jocelyn’s warmth. I lowered myself to one knee in the sand in front of Milo so he didn’t have to crane his neck. His eyes went wide.
“Hi,” I said, wondering how stupid I sounded. “I’m Brakkor.”
“Jay calls you Uncle Brak.”
“Uh. Yeah, that’s what his dad calls me too. I guess you can, if you wanted.”
