At all.
And then I wondered why the heck I didn't have a problem with what had just gone on.
Was there something wrong with me?
If so, then there was—definitely something wrong with these people.
Stefan let go of Giselle, and they shared one more sweet kiss before he walked over to Eve.She was digging through a drawer, and his hand landed on her lower back.She looked up and smiled at him.Stefan leaned in and—kissed her, too.
Not just a quick peck.
Nope.
Definitely tongue.
They didn't proceed into a full-blown make-out session.One kiss.And then he and Nick discussed the wine situation.
A bottle or two were opened.And Stefan brought over two glasses in his hands.He sat beside me, where Nick had been.
“You good?”he asked and took a quick sip of the white sparkling wine in his glass.His eyes glided over my face—and then to my chest.
“I'm fine,” I said, my pitch a little too high.
Stefan chuckled and leaned into my ear to whisper, “Your face is flushed.Your lips are plump and swollen.Your nipples are hard.And you can't seem to catch your breath.”The tip of his nose dragged up the side of my face.“And I can smell the desire on you, Francesca.”He took a deep inhale and held it, like I was a glass of wine or something.“And it's turning me on so much, I want to drag you upstairs and fuck that wet pussy of yours.”His lips touched my cheek.“And yes, I know exactly how wet you are right now.”
Stefan sat back and nodded to the wineglass he brought over for me.“Drink.Tell me if you like it or not.”He changed the subject on a dime—like he hadn't just been talking about taking me upstairs and—
“The steaks are burned,” Carlo announced, walking in with a platter full of steaks in one hand and salmon in the other.“I'm blaming Eve for it.The fish made it through, though.”
Eve gasped and said, “That was not my fault!You picked me up and dumped me on the table,” she said with a laugh.
Carlo set the plates on the table and smiled at me.Then he turned and walked straight to Eve.“Yes, but if you weren't so beautiful, I wouldn't have burnt the steaks.”
She laughed and watched him as he approached her.They embraced, and Carlo dipped her backward in dramatic fashion while he kissed her.When he stood them back up, he said, “Definitely your fault.”
Eve's hand tenderly touched the side of his face.
Nick and Giselle had both observed what they were doing.My poor brain was so muddled at the moment.
But the delicious smell of the steaks rose up into my nose.Some of them definitely had more char on them than others.That didn't bother me.Steak was steak.You could always cut away any burnt bits.
The salmon steaks looked incredible.Like they belonged on a cooking magazine or something.He'd also set a bunch of grilled asparagus on the platter that looked perfect.
I hadn't eaten asparagus that many times.And when I did buy it, it was always the frozen kind.It only very rarely went on sale, though.That was why we stuck with the regular, cheaper vegetables.
A few more minutes—and the table was filled with food.And chatter.And laughter.
Being here with these people felt like one big, continuous warm hug.
After we ate, Eve brought out what was left of Carlo and Giselle's wedding cake and cut off slices for us.
“I saved the top tier and labeled it in the freezer for you.On your first anniversary, you take it out to celebrate,” Eve instructed Giselle as she handed out small dessert plates, each with an enormous piece ofcake on it.“Just don't do what we did—” Eve glared over at her husband, “and put an entire tray of lasagna on top.”
Nick tilted his head to the side in his trademark manner and said, “You asked me to put it in the freezer.So, I put it in the freezer.”
Eve looked at me.“Don't let them put things away in your freezer.They don't pay attention.”
Giselle wiped the icing off her lip and said, “Stefan pays attention.Carlo,” her head bobbled from one side to the other, “sometimes.But Nick.”She gazed over at Nick.“Nick really doesn't get it.He once put a frozen, twenty-pound turkey on a tray of cupcakes I was flash freezing.”She shook her head.“It didn't end well.”Her voice trailed off as she sighed.
