I wasn’t expecting her to be so fucking breathtaking.
Large brown doe eyes looked up at me, and suddenly every intention I had went out the window. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with her, but keeping her secluded and away from my sight doesn’t seem as appealing to me as it once did.
Beautiful.
That’s the word Colin used to describe her.
I should have known that my cousin’s limited vocabulary could never do her justice.
My wife is so much more than that small word.
She’s devastating.
An exotic flower plucked from her homeland and gifted to me on a silver platter to do whatever I want with. I could pluck out her petals, one by one. I could cut out her thorns and leave her defenseless. I could crush her in the palm of my hand if I so wished. Or I can nurture her and stand back to watch her blossom.
Such a frail thing to be put in my ungodly hands.
But as I watch her cheeks tinge a pretty shade of red, and her cupid-bow lips part for breath while her gaze remains fixed on my brother’s, the sudden need to remind her that I’m the one who is the master of her fate violently springs free from my chest.
When the song finishes, both Shay and Rosa stare into each other’s eyes, as if they are sharing a private little secret that no one should be made privy to. Annoyed with the cozy display, I step onto the dancefloor and walk over to them. Shay instantly lets go of her hand, his usual carefree expression nowhere in sight, while the wedding guests wait on bated breath to see what I’ll do.
“I’ll take it from here, brother,” I state evenly.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind giving her another twirl?” He smirks at me, his innuendo clear as day.
“You’ve warmed her up enough. It’s time to let the adults have their turn.”
Shay runs his tongue over his teeth before directing his attention back to my nervous bride. He lifts her hand and places a tender kiss along her knuckles.
“Now you have something to look back on,” he says playfully.
“Thank you,” she responds with genuine sincerity in her tone, making my usual cocky brother timidly smile back at her.
“Go,” I order, my patience starting to wear thin.
“Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time. Can’t have any fun around here.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of women here that you can have your supposed fun with that aren’t my wife.”
“But none of them as lovely.”
He offers her a little bow and a flirtatious wink before leaving us alone in the middle of the dancefloor. I give the DJ a tilt of the head, and he puts on an old traditional Irish ballad. Rosa stands a good distance away, waiting for my next move.
“Come here.”
She blinks twice as if English is a foreign language to her.
“I won’t ask again.”
“It didn’t seem like you asked the first time. It sounded more like an order.”
“Are you so keen to break your marriage vows to me so soon? If I recall, you did promise to obey me, did you not?”
The flash of hatred that crosses her chestnut gaze loosens the knot in my chest I didn’t realize was even there. Reluctantly, she bridges the gap between us but insists on leaving a few safe inches. Tired of her resistance, I snake my arm around her waist and pull her to me so fast her chest hits mine. She sucks in a startled breath, but doesn’t utter a word in retaliation at my manhandling her.
Like a rag doll needing instruction, I take both of her hands and place them around my neck while mine settle around her slender waist. Her cheeks are flaming red at how our bodies are pressed together, but her brown eyes continue to hold the same contempt as before.
We begin to sway back and forth in sync with the melody playing around us. Unlike with Shay, she isn’t as bashful in making eye contact with me. In fact, her piercing, menacing glower, intent on showing me she’s not one bit happy to be dancing with me, almost coaxes a smile out of me.
Almost.
When she absentmindedly diverts her attention away from me and onto the crowd watching us for a split second, I tighten my hold on her to remind her that I’m the only one that matters here. Her narrowed gaze rises to meet mine in displeasure.
“If your intention is to kill me in front of all your guests, then I’m sure there are more creative ways of doing it than smothering me to death,” she finally says through the fakest-ass smile I’ve ever seen on a woman.
“As much as the thought has crossed my mind, I have no intentions of killing you.”
“Why do I feel there is a yet left out of that statement?”
“You weren’t this vocal when my brother was dancing with you,” I rebuke, instead of giving her an answer.
“He wasn’t trying to suffocate me.”
“No. He was trying to fuck you.”
This time I do smile when her gorgeous eyes widen and her jaw falls to the floor in utter astonishment.
“Hmm. You’re what? Twenty-seven? Twenty-eight? Given your age, I was under the assumption that I had gotten the more mature girl in the pack. I didn’t think you’d embarrass so easily. Or be this na?ve.”
“You didn’t embarrass me. And I’m not na?ve,” she bites back through gritted teeth. “Your brother didn’t… I mean he wasn’t trying to… to seduce me like you said.”
“Oh, no? Then what was he trying to do?”
“He was just trying to be nice. A trait I see isn’t common in the Kelly family.”
“Nice, you say? My brother has never been nice a day in his life. You’ve known him for a hot minute. I’ve known him his entire life. Who between us knows him and his true intentions better, I wonder?”
“Maybe you’re not as in tune with your brother as you think.”
“Believe me, acushla, I’m well aware of the thoughts running through my horny brother’s mind, as I am of most of my men here. Next time you feel the need to get groped, be more subtle and do it where lingering eyes can’t see you.”
Her nose crinkles in disgust.
“Thank you for taking a perfectly innocent and kind moment and twisting it into something indecent and ugly. I won’t forget it.”