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“It was a beautiful wedding,” she whispered. “They’re so obviously in love.”
“They came through a lot to get here,” he murmured, his gaze following the bride and groom as they greeted friends and accepted congratulations. “I think it’s made them stronger as a couple.”
Struck by both his sentiment and the show of obvious affection for his friends, Lia exclaimed, “Paul Watts, you are a romantic!”
He frowned at her accusation. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“Don’t deny it.” A happy glow enveloped her. “Here I expected you to have a suspicious view of the whole love-and-marriage thing and you go all mushy on me.”
“I’m not mushy.”
She ignored his growled denial. “I never imagined you’d be a fan of love and such.”
“Calling me a fan is a little over-the-top,” he protested, taking her by the elbow and turning her toward the house where the reception dinner and after-party were taking place. “And why is it so surprising that I believe in love?”
“Love requires a leap of faith,” she explained, having mulled this topic often in the last few days. “You’re so logical.”
He looked thoughtful as he considered her point. “It’s also about trust,” he said, indicating he’d also given the matter some consideration. “Trust of yourself and of the other person.”
“But you’re not exactly the trusting sort,” she reminded him.
“That’s not completely accurate when it comes to family and friends.”
His single-minded, fierce protectiveness of those closest to him was sexy as hell. She was used to being alone and never considered what it might be like with someone to count on. Lately, however, Lia had pondered the immense sense of security those closest to Paul must feel. She’d never doubted that he was someone who could be counted on to aid and protect, but until now hadn’t considered what being the beneficiary of such attention might be like.
That afternoon in her camper, encircled by his strong arms, she’d experienced a sense of well-being unlike anything she’d ever known. At the time she’d put the sensation down to their lovemaking and her joy at being inside the familiar refuge of her camper.
But maybe it had been just as much about gaining Paul’s trust. Watching him with his family had offered her insight into his protective nature. He wanted nothing but the best for those he loved. When he’d begun to open up to her in small ways, she’d been thrilled to be gifted with this show of faith.
“So what you’re saying,” she clarified, “is that once given, your trust is complete?” The power of that took her breath away. “What if someone does something that goes against your principles?”
She was thinking about how Ethan had plotted to introduce her as Grady’s granddaughter and the hit Paul was taking to his integrity in going along with the scheme. Yet the animosity between the brothers originated with Ethan. Paul obviously loved his brother and hated their estrangement.
“As much as I wish everything was black-and-white, it’s never that simple.” Paul stopped beside their assigned places at the dinner table and drew out her chair. “Now, can we drop all this serious talk and have some fun?”
With a nod, Lia abandoned the topic and focused her attention on enjoying the delicious reception dinner Dallas had prepared and marveling at the change in Paul as he socialized with his close friends, trading good-natured quips and contributing his share of funny stories that stretched back to their grade school days.
The depth and breadth of connection these people shared
highlighted Lia’s isolation. An ache grew in her chest that she recognized as longing. She wanted to belong. To feel the snug embrace of camaraderie. To be in on the private jokes and accepted into the club.
But this was an exclusive group of people, and not just because they’d been friends since childhood. Each one possessed an easy confidence born of privilege. In contrast was Lia as she sat beside Paul, listening attentively while speaking little, a huge fraud in the dress she couldn’t afford.
As the waitstaff set plates of wedding cake before all the guests, Lia excused herself and headed to the bathroom. On the way back to the dining room, Dallas appeared in her path. As Lia gushed over the delicious dinner, she immediately sensed that Paul’s cousin wasn’t paying the least amount of attention to her compliments.
“Is something wrong?” Lia asked, uneasiness sliding across her nerve endings at the older twin’s somber expression.
“You and Paul...” Dallas began, her voice scarcely rising above a whisper. “I saw what happened between you when you were putting the paddleboards away.”
Cheeks flaming, Lia thought back to those stolen moments. It was her fault that they’d been caught. She’d begged him to kiss her.
“You two were...” Dallas looked horrified. “Kissing.”
Lia threw up her hands as if to ward off the undeclared accusation. “It’s not what you think—”
“You’re first cousins.”
“We’re not.” Stricken by Dallas’s accusation, Lia blurted out the denial without considering the wisdom of spilling the truth before she’d spoken to Paul and Ethan about it.
