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Everyone went quiet as a woman began to climb out of the back seat of the Mustang. She was maybe twenty-two and gorgeous, with blonde curls that spilled down over her shoulders. Kian frowned and then leaned close to Sean. “Who’s that?” he asked.
Sean sighed theatrically. “And that,” he said loudly, for everyone to hear, “is what happens when you’re too busy with Washington, and running a security team, and dating the President’s daughter, to ever visit!”
The blonde woman rolled her eyes. “Oh, Kian!”
Kian’s jaw dropped. “Kayley?! Little Kayley?!”
The party got underway. Erin had wired up speakers around the parking lot and people began to mingle to the sound of pop and smooth R&B. Cal, who’d run back to his house to fetch more plates, showed up with a huge black and gold long-haired German Shepherd called Rufus. Rufus immediately bounded up to me, put his paws on my shoulders and woofed, then started licking my ear, which tickled enough to reduce me to helpless giggles. As he ran off to meet the O’Harras, Colton slipped his arm around my waist. “I’m letting JD work the grill for a little while,” he told me. “He’s from Texas, so I figure he can handle some steaks. And in other news, JD told me that about an hour ago, the FBI arrested Lucas Bainbridge. He’s trying to hide behind his fancy lawyers but the FBI ain’t messing around. Looks like he might be the second Bainbridge to wind up in jail.”
Colton led me off to where Stacey had taken up position behind the bar—apparently, her cocktails were becoming a staple of these parties and when I tried one of her Manhattans, I saw why. Colton grabbed a beer and we circulated, his arm still around my waist. I’d been to a million parties, from lavish balls thrown by billionaires to knocking back bootleg vodka in dark cellars with a bunch of freedom fighters. But I’d always been there to manipulate someone, or get information from them, or plant a bug, never just to enjoy myself. I’d always been there as someone else, never as me. And I’d never felt so secure. Or so happy.
We passed by Annabelle and Erin, who were sitting cross-legged beside the Harley. Annabelle was talking Erin through the complexities of the bike’s systems, from the clutch cable to the circuit breakers, while Erin listened in rapt attention. Meanwhile, Danny and Sean had the hood of the Mustang up and were deep, deep in conversation about the benefits of different types of air intakes.
We had to dodge back out of the way as Rufus tore past us, woofing. Right behind him was Atlas, making a Chewbacca warble of excitement. We bumped into Lorna, who was looking a little misty-eyed as she watched her nine year-old son, Cody, turn somersaults with the younger kids on the inflatable castle. “Another couple of years and he’ll be too old for that kind of thing,” she muttered. I nodded as if I understood, but in truth it was a whole area I’d never even thought about. As a spy, the idea of having kids was ludicrous. I was away overseas all the time, I never knew when or if I’d come home and family was just another thing my enemies could use against me. But suddenly, that feeling hit me again, like I was a balloon without a tether. For the first time in many years, I was...free. I could have a family.
If I want one. I blinked and looked at Martin, who was sitting on Sean’s knee, being told a story. Do I want one? I stared at the child and tried to figure out if I felt broody. And this presumed that Colton would even want children. And Chyort, I couldn’t believe I was even wondering things like that. Being free was hard. I grabbed Colton with both hands and pulled him back against me, smooshing myself to his broad back and resting my chin on his shoulder. Immediately, I felt better and I sighed softly in relief. Colton twisted around to look at me, curious.
“I just wanted to feel you,” I told him simply.
He grinned and his eyes burned bright. He’d looked great clean-shaven but I was glad his beard was growing back: it was more him, somehow. “You should have said. I’d have turned around.”
“Hush! There are children present!”
We dodged back again as Atlas raced past, this time chased by Rufus. Atlas stopped and Rufus crashed into him. Then the two friends looked at each other: what now? Rufus threw back his head and woofed. Atlas attempted to do the same, and gave a half-woof, half roar: rrrralph. Rufus woofed again and it became a contest, getting louder and louder, until Colton and I distracted them with a piece of rope they could play tug with.
