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But tonight was a cocktail party that had many functions. And tonight they'd meet with the cream of the crop of New Orleans' society and business. She had to be there.
And so did Max.
Damn. She wondered if she had another dress to wear besides the one Kaitlyn had dubbed as "hot". The last thing she needed tonight was "hot".
Time to bring a fall chill to the air.
*
Max patiently waited while the elevator took him to the top floor. When he stepped out, he grinned at the name emblazoned over the entry door. The Lune de l'amour Restaurant. Moon of love. How fitting. Max opened the door and stepped inside, immediately directed to a private room where a small crowd had already gathered.
Now this place had romance. From the elegant table settings, to the artwork, potted palms and floor to ceiling arched windows, Lune de l'amour spoke of elegance and everything that was sensual. Soft lighting cast the room in an amber glow, and live music played in the background. Subtle, but enough to spark his senses and make him wish he and Shannon were going to be here alone tonight.
Ah well, he'd have his chance.
Logan and Aidan were already there, dressed in tuxes, too. They motioned him over and handed him a glass of champagne.
"I hate these kinds of events," Logan mumbled, adjusting his bow-tie. "An evil necessity, but I don't have to like them."
Aidan shrugged. "I just show up, smile, and talk my head off to anyone who will listen."
Logan rolled his eyes. "You're in marketing. That's what you do. At least you have a gorgeous woman on your arm to distract you," he added, inclining his head toward the other end of the room.
Max's eyes widened at Melissa's short, red cocktail dress. Couldn't be described as too much, yet it hugged her curves nicely. Max looked to Aidan and said, "You're a very lucky man."
Aidan grinned and winked at his fiancee. "Don't I know it." Turning to Logan, he said, "If you're lonely for a woman, I could let Mom know when she and Dad show up tonight. I'm sure she'd have a girl for you before the end of the night."
Logan groaned. "I don't need that kind of help. I can get my own woman, thanks."
"Yeah, we all know what kind of women you choose. For someone who takes risks in business, you sure play it safe with women, Logan."
Logan shot a glare at Aidan. "You know why. Let's not talk about this."
Max felt the undercurrents of tension between Aidan and Logan. Logan was holding back...in many areas, the most prominent being the magical powers he possessed. But why? Why wouldn't he embrace them?
"Hey you guys. If you were going to start matchmaking, you should have called me over sooner."
Max turned and smiled at Kaitlyn, looking gorgeous in a long blue dress that showed off voluptuous curves. "Evening. You look beautiful."
She grinned. "Thanks. And busy, too. So what are we talking about?"
"Finding a wife for Logan," Aidan replied.
"Asshole," Logan muttered.
Kaitlyn's eyes widened and a grin curved her generous lips upward. "Oooh now there's a subject I like! If only we could figure out what type of woman Logan liked, then maybe we could find him one."
"I don't like any type of woman."
Kaitlyn arched a brow, and Logan rolled his eyes. "You know what I meant, dammit! I'm too busy right now."
"Famous last words. You're lucky I'm busy with this event tonight, or I'd be finding suitable female company for you."
"Then thank God you're busy."
Kaitlyn giggled, kissed Logan on the cheek and waved as she scurried off. She gave off energy vibes like nothing Max had ever experienced. The woman was a dynamo. And yet he sensed underneath that busy exterior lurked a very patient, very warm woman who just needed a man to help settle her down.
Great. Now he was matchmaking! Turning his attention back to Logan, he said, "I take it your mother and sisters want you to find a mate."
"It's a never ending parade of contestants," Logan said with a sigh.
"You are getting up there in years." Aidan stabbed Logan's ribs with his elbow.
Ignoring Aidan, Logan grabbed another glass of champagne and downed it in one gulp. Then he turned to Max. "Shannon called me late this afternoon. Said your ideas for national and international exposure are phenomenal."
Max was surprised she'd even mention it, as opposed as she'd been to his ideas a few days ago. "Thanks. Her statewide blitz was damned impressive. She's very good."
"That's why we keep her around," Aidan said with a lopsided grin.
"Holy hell."
Max turned to Logan, who had paled considerably after uttering that oath. He followed Logan's gaze, and his jaw dropped.
Shannon had walked in, wearing what could only be described as a dress that fit her like it was part of her skin. Black, snug, short, with high heels that showed off her long, slender legs. The bottom of the dress skimmed her thighs, flaring out in swirls of near invisible black fabric around the edges. And the top of the damn dress squeezed her breasts together. Max held his breath, expecting them to spill out the top of the dress at any moment.
Thoughts of getting her out of that dress remained prominent on his mind. Hell with getting her out of it. He wanted to lift it up, bend her over the nearest table and fuck her until his driving need for her was satiated.
Her brothers would probably frown on that idea, though.
"Our little sister has certainly grown up," Aidan said.
"No shit. A little too grown up if you ask me."
She spotted them and walked over, her hips swaying gently in a subtly sexy way that had Max wishing he'd worn a longer coat. His cock twitched, coming to life as it sensed her approach. Visions of licking between her breasts had him nearly drooling in anticipation.
Tonight. It had to be tonight. He couldn't wait any longer to mate with her, to make her his.
Smiling at Aidan and Logan, she ignored Max completely. "I see you started the party without me."
"Did you forget something?" Logan asked, glaring at her like a disapproving father.
"No, I don't think so. What did I forget?"
"The other half of your dress," Aidan added before Logan could say the words.
Her cheeks pinkened, but she lifted her chin. "There's nothing wrong with my dress. I'm decent."
"Barely," Aidan mumbled.
"You prance around in that damn napkin-for-a-dress all night, and you're going to end up as the dessert on some dickhead's plate," Logan said with a frown.
Max fought back a grin as he thought of himself as the intended "dickhead". The Storms were a protective pack. He liked that. He had a little sister, too. He knew what they were feeling, because Chantal had grown up way too fast, at least in his eyes. A tiger of a lawyer who'd breezed through college and law school years before others her age, she frequently worked among the ravaging beasts of industry. And he'd never liked the way some of those men leered at her. Fortunately she was good at fending them off. Too good, according to their mother, who wanted her only daughter married off to the "right man".
To him, Chantal would always be a little girl. Even if she was in her mid-twenties now.
Then again, he was leering at Shannon, and his intentions toward her certainly weren't honorable. Talk about wearing two faces. He was quickly becoming the master at it. If Logan and Aidan knew what he was planning to do with their sister, he had a feeling he'd be on the ugly end of a beating.
Shannon put her hands on her hips and glared at Logan. "It is not a napkin. Trust me, everything important is covered."
"Not nearly enough," Aidan added.
"Leave the poor girl alone. She looks fantastic."
"Thanks, Lissa," Shannon said, turning to Melissa and hugging her. When she looked back at the men, her lips turned up in a pout that had Max thinking of blow jobs. Probably wasn't her intent at all.
Melissa sidled up to Aidan and planted a kiss on his lips. "Can I drag you away?"
Aidan wagged his brows. "To some
dark corner for a quickie, hopefully?"
Melissa rolled her eyes. "Don Boudreaux of the Chamber wants to speak with you."
"I prefer the dark corner, but okay. Later," he said over his shoulder as he walked away with Melissa.
"And I see someone I need to talk to. Excuse me," Logan said, leaving Max standing alone with Shannon, and utterly unable to breathe. He tried a deep inhale, but only succeeded in picking up her subtle scent. The woman was going to drive him insane if he didn't have her soon.
Her eyes told him that she wanted the same thing. And yet a wariness shadowed her face. That and the cool breeze around them warned him that this wasn't going to be easy.
"You take my breath away, Shannon," he said.
Her cheeks colored a deep pink. "Thank you. You look amazing in a tux," she said, then sucked in her lower lip as if she regretted giving the compliment.
"And you look good enough to eat."
She arched a brow. "Said the wolf to Little Red Riding Hood."
She had no idea how close she'd come to being completely accurate. "Do I look like the big bad wolf?"
Her eyes widened. "Um, no. Not at all. Shall we mingle?"
"How about we dance instead?"
"I don't think so."
He felt the chill in the air, figured it was her magic. She was purposely trying to evade him, but why? Maybe he was getting too close? Or perhaps he was getting under her skin, making her feel off balance.
