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“But that’s the best kind of fun, sweetheart.”
“Hmm.” I wrap my arms around him and he stares into my eyes.
“I hate this kind of thing, Jessie.”
“Sorry.” I bite on my lip as his eyes burn into mine.
“I’m going to have to punish you for this, you know that, right?” he growls with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“I’d expect nothing less,” I whisper just before Conor interrupts us.
“Plenty of time for that later,” he says with a grin. “You have guests.”
“And presents!” I squeal, remembering that he has a pile of gifts to open, including the beautiful watch that I bought him.
Shane takes a deep breath and turns to face the room, keeping his hand on the small of my back as he does.
“Let’s do this,” he says with a flash of his eyebrows.
Chapter 2
Shane
The moon is full as I sit on the roof terrace looking at the view and enjoying the quiet. I left the party about ten minutes ago because I needed some fresh air and some peace. I don’t celebrate birthdays. They only remind me that I’m getting older and closer to death, while I still have so much to do with my life. They make me reflective in a way that I don’t like.
I could have strangled my brothers earlier. What the fuck they were thinking agreeing to throw me a surprise party I’ll never know. But then I saw her face and I knew she was behind it, and how the fuck do I stay mad at her, or any of them, when I know that they did this out of love for me? I’m not sure I’m worthy of the kind of devotion that I have from Jessie when I’ve done nothing to deserve it.
I spin around when I hear footsteps behind me and see Alejandro Montoya walking toward me, holding the bottle of whiskey he bought me in his hand. He and I have been buddies for a long time, and back when we were both single, along with his best buddy, Jackson Decker, we had plenty of nights out where we got drunk and picked up hot women. Understandably, none of us have any desire to do that any longer given we’re all happily married.
“I thought you might want to crack this open?” He holds out the bottle of Midleton Chapter One.
“Is that why you bought me a forty thousand dollar bottle of whiskey for my birthday, so you could drink it yourself?” I grin at him.
“Maybe,” he replies with a shrug and a smile before he takes a seat beside me and hands me the bottle. “Now crack it open.”
I break the seal and he holds out his empty glass. I pour each of us a generous measure before placing the open bottle on the table and leaning back in my chair. I take a sip and the rich liquid burns my throat.
“So, forty, huh?” Alejandro says with a chuckle.
“Not yet, buddy,” I remind him and he laughs harder.
He arches an eyebrow at me. “I never figured you for the birthday party kind of guy.”
“That’s because I’m not.”
“Ah, Jessie,” he says.
“Yup.” I take another sip of my whiskey. “I never figured you for this kind of guy either.”
“I’m not.”
“Alana?”
“Yup.”
“What are we letting these women do to us, buddy?”
“Make us better men,” he says with certainty and I realize he’s right. Everything about my life is better with Jessie in it. Everything about me is better.
