She offers me a regal nod. “It is good of me, isn’t it? I deserve wine for my efforts.”
No one has ever claimed she was humble.
Together, Juliet and I lead the way back into the house, and it’s not long before we’re all surrounding a massive dining room table my dad built himself before I was born. This year’s gathering is different than those of the past, but there’s still plenty of joy and banter and good eating.
After dinner, we decide to let the food settle before bringing out the dessert. Which is how I find myself in an intense battle for the crown of best cornhole player, teamed up with Warner. Our rivals are my aggravating sister and my gorgeous librarian.
Surprisingly, despite their team only having half the supernatural abilities as ours, they’re up by a few points. Apparently, Juliet played softball in high school and college.
The choice of a bat as her weapon makes more sense now.
Still, I’m on my last beanbag, and I have a chance to bring this home.
I step up to the line, eyeing my target, ignoring my little sister as she sidles up to Juliet.
“Okay, now you need to distract him,” Tanya whispers, though I can hear her easily enough.
“Distract him how?” Juliet’s brow crinkles in confusion.
“Just use your feminine wiles. Seduce him with your eyes so he can’t aim.”
I bite back a snort, even as I hear Warner chuckling.
“I think you’re overestimating my seduction abilities.”
“Here.” My sister grabs their team’s beanbags and drops them at Juliet’s feet.
“What’d you do that for?” my woman grumbles.
Trying not to laugh, I take aim, but just as my arm swings back, Juliet bends over to retrieve the beanbags. Her gorgeous ass, rounder than the full moon, is on display underneath that stretchy sweater fabric.
My eyes lock on the view, and I barely register the fact that I throw my beanbag. That is, until I hear the cursing.
“What the hell was that for?”
A glance to the right has me meeting the glare of my youngest brother, Isaac, who’s been watching from the sidelines. The guy rubs his nose, and I notice a beanbag on the ground in front ofhim. The beanbag I just threw. Apparently a good five feet wide of my target.
Warner groans at my side while Tanya does a happy dance and Juliet glances between us all in confusion.
“What did I miss?” the librarian asks.
“Nothing,” I mutter a second before my sister claps happily.
“Let’s just say, I’m not overestimating anything.”
They beat us.
I’m not too mad about it. Especially when I reap the rewards of the win by getting a celebratory kiss. Doesn’t really feel like I lost anything after that.
At the promise of sweets, our group relocates inside, spreading out over the open living area. Isaac heads into the kitchen, in charge of serving everyone this last course. Even though Juliet is my priority, I figure she can find her own way to the opened wine bottles while I check in with Hester.
The woman sits near the fireplace in a stiff-backed chair I never liked. She makes the simple wooden furniture look like a throne.
“Can I get you anything?”
Again, the knife-sharp stare takes in the whole of me.
“You are doing fine,” she informs me. “For now.”
