Page 28 of Head Over Heels
Cecilia was tall and lithe, built like a supermodel and just as pretty. At five months pregnant she hardly showed.
Shane, who’d gone over to her in the commotion, pulled his wife close and kissed her temple before rubbing her barely-there belly. “I’m sure the kid will appreciate it.”
She covered his hand with hers, lacing their fingers together. She craned her neck to look at him. “I’m sure.”
Maddie clapped her hands. “Any non-pregnant women, get over here.”
Gracie Donovan swung around, planted her hands on curvy hips, and shook her head at her husband, Maddie’s brother James. “Your sister is making me drink.”
James, a serious-minded professor, nodded and said in a dry tone, “I’m sure it will be a real hardship for you.”
“It will be.” Gracie tilted her chin, her blonde curls bouncing. “I might be forced to strip for you later.”
Gracie was the very definition of bombshell, and most men would have a heart attack at the prospect, but James’s expression didn’t even flicker. “The sacrifices I make for you.”
Gracie laughed and gave him a big long kiss before pulling away and sashaying over to the rest of the girls huddled around the table. “Okay, let’s do some damage.”
“That’s the spirit,” Maddie said.
Penelope sighed but took her glass.
When Sophie raised her shot, Ryder forgot everyone else in the room. As though sensing his stare, she looked over at him. They locked in on each other and the hyperawareness they seemed to share made the room go quiet as the blood rushed in his ears.
Without breaking eye contact, she licked her skin on the top of her hand.
His fingers tightened on his bottle.
She liked muscle cars, tequila shots, and arguing.
He was in fucking trouble.
Eyes still on him, she shook salt and licked her skin again, slow and evil.
The erection he’d finally tamed roared back to life.
She downed the tequila before sucking on the lime.
He’d lusted after plenty of women in his time, but never quite like this. Never so hard he doubted his control over the situation. He took a sip of his beer and aggressively roamed the length of her body over the bottle.
“Again,” Maddie said, shaking him from his haze.
Mitch shook his head. “Madeline.”
She looked at him, her long red hair like flame around her face. “Yes?”
“Since we’re baby free tonight, I have things in mind that don’t include you throwing up.”
Her lips tilted and she held up a glass. “You know what tequila does to me.”
“I do.” He laughed when she took another shot. Then he turned back to the guys. “This night is going to either be very good or very bad, and there’s no telling which way it’s going to go.”
Ryder couldn’t have said it any better himself.
* * *
Ryder had a mellow buzz as they were all outside, sitting in comfortable chairs in a big circle around a huge chat pit littered with citronella candles and a low-burning fire to take some of the late-spring chill out of the air.
The alcohol flowed freely, and by silent, mutual agreement Ryder and Sophie kept their distance. Well, kind of kept their distance.