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“That was pretty awesome, by the way. What you said. Standing up for me like that?”
“It was easy. They’re a bunch of assholes who didn’t know how stupid they sounded.” He met her gaze, the anger on his face slipping away into something else. “I meant every word of it. You don’t need to change one damn thing about you.”
She blinked, trying not to feel overwhelmed by the depth of his words or the way he was looking at her with such intense heat that she might just combust. His dark brown eyes were warmer now, richer, like the dark spiced rum she’d sipped earlier, and as his head moved closer, she wondered if she could literally die drowning in their depths.
“We thought we’d join you,” a voice said from next to her. It took her a second to pull her gaze from Reynolds to see that Lexi and Porter were dancing next to them. “There’s only so much talk about mud wraps and nail wraps one person can take.”
“If you’re talking about it, I could never get tired of it,” Porter said and looked lovingly at his fiancée.
Hold on to this one, Lexi. He’s the best of the bunch.
Smiling, she turned to see Reynolds still watching her, his intentions clear as he tightened his arm around her and brought her impossibly closer to him and his heat. She struggled to find air as she saw that familiar twinkle in his eyes, a twinkle that once was followed by a…
His mouth touched hers.
Instantly, the tingling in her belly grew and expanded until every inch of her skin felt alive and charged as she sank against him.
She didn’t know if anyone was watching them and didn’t care as her lips responded to his, her arms wrapping around his neck. He tasted like the hops from his beer, and his scent became intoxicating as it surrounded her, and for that moment, she lost herself in the pleasure of kissing this man.
When Reynolds finally pulled back, his eyes were dark with passion, and there was the tiniest curl of a smile on his lips as he looked at her like she was almost something precious. It felt natural for her to lean her head against his shoulder, their bodies holding each other as the song finished.
Had she not been so close to him, she might have missed the moment he tensed, a tension that had her lifting her head as she followed his gaze.
Ronnie was no longer at the table, and as she scanned the room, she saw him pause at the exit, take a last glance around as if he was checking to see if he was being watched, before ducking outside and out of sight.
“Damn,” Reynolds muttered. “I’ve got to stick with him in case he makes contact. Stay here with everyone, okay?” He studied her, waiting for her to respond.
“Yes, of course. Go,” she said, and after a nod of assurance to him, she watched him slip through the crowded dance floor and out another side door to the street.
“Where’d Ronnie go?” she asked when she returned to the table, trying to keep her tone casual.
“He said something about getting some air for a few minutes,” Bry said. The guy wasn’t particularly wily, and from the way he said this, she doubted he suspected Ronnie’s explanation of being anything but truthful.
“And where’s Mr. Loverboy? Your knight in shining armor?” Julie asked in a slight mocking tone.
“Restroom,” she said quickly.
“You two seem to be getting pretty serious,” Tracie said, sipping a fresh drink. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way, because I’m all for getting out there again and moving on after what Spencer did to you. That had to be so humiliating. But I hope you’re not moving too quickly with this guy.”
Don’t take that the wrong way? Was there another way to take it?
But the thing was, she didn’t care what these women thought anymore. Real or not, her relationship wasn’t something up for debate. Just like her weight, what she wore, and who she dated wasn’t either.
These women’s opinions were just that. Their opinions.
And she valued her own far more.
But something told her even attempting to explain this to them would be pointless. So instead, she smiled sweetly. “Thanks for the warning, ladies. But I’m not planning on marrying the guy. I’m just along for the ride. And it’s been a heck of a ride so far, that I can tell you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to use the restroom.”
Leaving the women open-mouthed and looking a little envious, Waverley headed to the ladies’ room, where she was met with a long but manageable line that had her in and out in less than ten minutes.
She spotted Porter and Lexi still dancing on the floor, only now they were joined by Bry and Julie, Tracie and Stacie, and…
Where was Greg?
She searched for their table, expecting to see the dour-looking guy still standing there, head in his phone. But he wasn’t there.
No reason to be suspicious. He was probably using the bathroom like she was.
