“You, honey. I see you.”
Her eyelashes fluttered and she leaned in and placed the softest, sweetest kiss on the center of his lips. “I like that you see me. And I…you know.”
That shy look again. That was killing him.
“I…like you.”
“Good to know.” He smothered a laugh, but keeping the smile from his lips proved impossible.
“Like like.” She was trying. God, he loved her for it.
“Also good to know,” he told her.
“A lot,” she said meaningfully.
“Get to bed, babe.” With a gentle slap to her ass, he said, “You can work up to it.”
He expected her to give him hell. She didn’t. Instead, her eyes turned to his. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He sat forward, still inside her, and kept his hands on her lower back to keep her from falling.
She pressed a finger to his lips, then replaced it with a kiss. It was the sweetest thing. Then she slid off him and tugged her skirt down. The moment the bathroom door closed, the monitor crackled and Hawk’s voice cut in.
Ash didn’t know what his son said or if he was sleepwalking or up and at ’em, but he was grateful he’d had these last few hours—and the next several—with Gloria. She was able to be her and he was him, and they were them even with Hawk down the hall.
This was fucking working.
Asher buttoned up his fly, buckled his belt, and shook off the post-sex buzz threatening to drop him into bed where he could easily sleep for twelve hours.
Instead, he popped open Hawk’s bedroom door and dealt with his boy.
Chapter 24
Gloria was beginning to wish she’d gone out with the bachelors instead. The bachelor party would probably consist of booze, bar-hopping, and pool or darts. Sofie’s bachelorette party had morphed into a baby shower.
Sigh.
She needed a refill on her sangria by the time Sofie held up the eighteenth (eightieth?) onesie and everyone crowed, “Aww!”
With a polite smile, she slipped out of the chair in Sofie’s mother’s living room and went to the kitchen.
“I’m jealous.”
Gloria turned, midsip, to find Faith in the kitchen with her.
“I want sangria.”
Glo smiled.
“Wine is my other drug.”
“And Connor is your first?”
Faith waggled her eyebrows and Gloria chuckled. She understood. Good sex could be like a drug. And there was no denying Faith thought her sexy ex-military landscaper hung the moon.
“Anyway,” Faith continued. “I need to dish with you.” She poked Gloria’s arm. “We haven’t had enough girl time. I’m not the only one who wants details on the aftermath of Jordan running off like a crazy person.” She shot a thumb into the living room and mouthed Sofie. “That girl is gonna grill you. So after the baby shower hoopla is over, you’re coming out with us.”
An hour and a half later, Gloria, Sofie, Faith, and Charlie had escaped the family function and reconvened at Salty Dog. Salty had the best food in town when you wanted something fried and also wanted a good drink. And while Faith and Sofie weren’t going to be drinking tonight, Charlie and Gloria, and Sofie’s sisters, Kinsley (younger) and Lacey (older), were definitely going to be partaking in the spirits.
“Sofie,” Gloria interjected, and Sofie turned toward her, her green eyes bright and smile broad. “We have given you baby presents, we have fed you dinner, and we have drank in your honor.” Glo held up her martini and Charlie, Kinsley, and Lacey lifted their glasses and tapped them together in a silent cheers. “Now what would you like to do? The night is your oyster, sweetheart.”
“Hmm…” Sofie rolled her eyes to the ceiling, then her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows rose. “Donny.”
“Oh no, you get to do Donny every other night of the week,” Glo argued. “Tonight is—”
“No,” Sofie said with a giggle. “I mean Donny.” She pointed. “He’s here. They’re all here.”
Since Gloria sat with her back to the front door, she had to pivot in her chair to see a herd of men strolling in. Donny, Connor, Asher, Evan, and two men she didn’t know. One was average height, had close-cut hair, and was wearing khakis and a golf shirt—Lacey’s husband, no doubt about it—and the other was tall, dark, slightly older, and incredibly attractive.
“Who’s the new guy?” Gloria asked.
“Kenneth,” Lacey said proudly, then wiggled her fingers at her new husband. Kenneth waved back, looking as out of place in the pack of bad boys as a taco at a sushi bar.
“I bet she means Alessandre,” Faith guessed correctly. “Donny’s friend and mentor lives in New York. Has a gazillion dollars.”
“Approximately,” Sofie said, and lifted her Perrier bottle to tap with Faith’s.
The pack of bad boys didn’t wave, but Glo could see in their eyes the very moment they found their women. Donny found Sofie, Connor found Faith, and Evan found Charlie. Gazes locked, then ignited. And quite possibly the coolest part was that Glo wasn’t left out. Asher found her and winked.