Page 20 of Empower

Holding Raine’s flowers standing beside her while she said, “I do,” to Tank was a dream come true.

Tank looked at Raine as if nothing else in this world mattered to him.

What I wouldn’t give for someone to look at me like that.

And I vowed right then and there to never settle for anything less than the world.

Which is what caused my eyes to stray to a man sitting in the front row, while Raine and Tank shared their first kiss as man and wife.

Only Storm’s eyes weren’t on the happy couple.

No. They were on me.

Nothing but hot scorching heat resonated in his blue eyes that reminded me of a diamond that shimmered when the light hit it just right. It was why I dubbed his eyes as diamond-colored eyes.

Thank god for the dress that Raine wanted me to wear.

Because the light blue material hid the fact that I clenched my thighs together.

Well... I had thought that the material hid it because seconds later I watched as his eyes flared, and then gone was the heat in his gaze, and his eyes moved to the happy couple.

And not once for the remainder of the night, did his eyes come to me without something lurking behind those diamond depths.

With my hip leaned into the bar, I was laughing as Tank led Raine around the makeshift dance floor.

As soon as they finished, she called out, “Okay, all the single ladies need to get onto the floor. It’s time for me to toss the bouquet.”

Her eyes came to me, and not realizing that I had done it, I shook my head at her, then looked at Storm. What I didn’t know was that she had caught it. And a soft smile tugged at the corners of Raine’s lips.

He was kicked back in his chair, his eyes unseeing as he stared at the far wall that was nothing but laid with brick.

Wanting to pull him out of this funk I knew he was in for reasons unknown to me, I waited and then chuckled softly as Shea caught the bouquet.

Then Hippie called out from the corner, “Time for the garter toss.”

Tank growled above the music, “Nothing that touches my wife will ever be tainted by another man. Fuck off.”

Grinning, I looked at Raine as she came to my side with a smile on her face.

I smiled, “Having a good time?”

She nodded, but jerked her head at her dad, “Yeah, but I don’t know what’s going on with him.”

Neither did I. And I wanted to know.

No, I needed to know.

Therefore, that was why I blurted out, “I’m going to go ask your dad for a dance. Is that okay with you?”

Her eyes softened as she looked at me, smiled, and nodded.

Placing my glass that held a Long Island Iced Tea on the bar top I made my way over to him.

Smiling at the people I passed and saying excuse me to those I had to maneuver around.

Whether it was just who the man was, or perhaps… maybe because it was me, his eyes moved to me as I walked toward him.

His eyes stayed on me as I reached his chair, smiled, titled my head to the side, and asked, “Dance with me?”