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Not that admitting it to myself mattered. Nothing would happen. Cecilia would never like me. Not when she had Aaron, who was really the best bloke there was. And she had Xander, who was pretty clever and witty and the best vamp leader I’d ever known. And Jax, who was one hell of a wolf, athlete, and boyfriend.
And nothingcouldhappen. Especially with my mothers’ spies—information gatherers as she called them—being anywhere and everywhere. For all I knew, the cherry-cheeked chap who’d just served me my scotch could have been on her payroll.
My mother was hell bent on me returning to England, not after graduation either, but immediately. The text messages were now far more frequent. And her plans didn’t include me making my own choices, least of all for a penniless human student slash janitor.
I glugged the scotch back, the ice cubes clinking as I drained the tumbler. I ordered another. Despite the growing swarm of partygoers clogging up the bar, the drink came swiftly. Slipping a twenty-bill tip inside the bartender’s palm, I thanked him for his quick service.
I spotted Aaron’s hulking frame over by the swimming pool, and made my way through the revelry, taking care to not spill my whisky as I weaved. The air was fresher the farther I moved away from the crowds, the vibrations of bass far less intrusive. Aaron was reclining in a rattan armchair that was struggling to accommodate his ample backside, his thick, long legs and bulging arms equally oversized for where he’d chosen to sit.
“Where’s Cecilia?” I asked.
He pointed over to yet another patio, its floor a sweeping semi-circle of stained oak, where people were dancing and bouncing along to the DJ’s music. In the throng, I spotted Ceci, shorter than almost everyone else and dressed more conservatively too, in a mid-length, flowing skirt and sleeveless top. She was dancing with Jax and Xander. They almost moved as one.
Jax was behind her, his hands on her hips, her skirt riding up a bit, but she still managed to look so sweetly innocent as she stared up at Xander in front of her. Xander stepped closer and leaned in, almost resting his fanged smile against her neck.
They all moved their bodies in perfect time with the beat, but it was Cecilia I couldn’t look away from. She radiated grace and ease, resting a hand on Xander’s chest and the other covering one of Jax’s, holding it to her. A look of joy and eagerness beamed from her face, like she’d never done anything like this before—maybe she hadn’t, most likely she hadn’t if Aaron’s hints about her lack of experience were true—and was loving it.
Xander moved his mouth to her ear and nipped at it with his fangs and she lost her rhythm for several beats, melting into him.
Yeah, it was pretty hot.
I undid the top button of my shirt, needing a bit more air.
My gaze staying on them, I sat in the armchair beside Aaron, rubbing my free palm up and down the rattan arms’ smooth woven pattern as I took another gulp of warming scotch. “Enjoying the party?”
Aaron chuckled. “I’d say you are. You’re so busy gawking at Ceci, you’re not even going to mention my upgrade?”
Turning, I saw that he’d gone for a smart casual outfit of navy and white; slacks, a sharply fitted long-sleeved shirt, and deck shoes. Stuff a lot swankier than he normally wore. I raised my glass in salute. “Oh yes, how nice. You do look very dapper this evening. Trying to impress anyone in particular?”
Snorting, he swigged from his beer bottle. “Maybe I realized I had to up my game a little?”
I laughed. “I think your game’s been going quite well recently—if you count up all the kisses—don’t you?”
He grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. “It has. But I’m hoping it’s going to keep going well. And”—he nodded at my attire—“I didn’t want to be outshone, in clothing terms, by some of my competition.”
“Competition?” I looked down at my own neatly pressed outfit. Slim-fit slacks and long-sleeved shirt, Chelsea boots. “Well, I’m not your competition for what—who—you want. But I’d say you’ve got the edge on me in the style department. For tonight, at least.”
He wagged his finger at me. Beer was causing his words to subtly muddle, but only just. “I’d like you to be honest with me, okay?”
“Aren’t I always?”
He scoffed. “Good, then you won’t mind admitting you like Ceci. Just as much as I do.”
“Oh, come on. She’s nice enough, but I hardly speak to her. Hardly get the chance with your tongue in her mouth half the time. Not to mention your new throuple members, Jax and Xander. No, not throuple.” I looked upwards, stroking the chairs’ arms, searching for the right term. “Whatever three chaps and a girl are called.”
“You’re bullshitting. I see the way you look at her. Like just now. I know you, remember? You’re not hiding anything, at least from me. You’re always looking out for her, always going out of your way to help her. Why not just admit you like her? It’s not a problem if you do.”
I shrugged, knowing he wasn’t buying my bullshit, but I had to try. “Don’t friends look out for each other? She’s your girl now.” I looked over at Ceci on the dance floor. She was still getting lavished with affection by Jax and Xander. “All of yours.”
“It’s more than just being friends. It’s okay, you don’t have to hide it anymore.”
I took another sip of Scotland’s finest. The ice was starting to melt, the cubes reduced to fragile shells, and I crunched and chewed one. “What can I say? I’m spoken for, as you well know.”
“And if you weren’t?”
“I’d dance a bloody jig and do a somersault into the pool.” Reaching over, I patted the top of his hand. “If you know some way of releasing me from my obligations in England, please do tell.” Leaning back into the armchair’s soft embrace, I tapped the pointed tip of my left ear. “After all, I’m all ears.”
Aaron sighed, running his fingertip along the beer bottle’s mouth in circles. “There’s nothing you can do about that? Nothing at all?”
