God. They were so together. The realization that she was his made her tingle.
“Look at you,” Kinsley murmured into Gloria’s ear. “Think you can find me one of those rock stars?”
Gloria turned her head to take in Kins and automatically thought of Ricky. The long-haired, wily new guy to the band would be much better hooked up with Kinsley Martin than he would Jordan Trudeau.
“Trust me, sweetheart,” she told Kins. “You don’t want any part of Knight Time, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for you.”
“My girl. At a bar.” Donny crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at his wife-to-be, his long black hair brushing his cheekbones and a smile twitching on his lips. “What are you doing here? You were doing baby shit or something.”
Baby shit. Gloria laughed.
Donny peeled his eyes off Sofie to smile over at her. “How you doin’, Glo?”
“Keeping her in line,” she said with a lift of her glass.
“We’re done doing baby stuff and decided we should come out and have a little party of our own,” Sofie said to her fiancé. “You don’t look like this is your first stop.”
“Aless got us a limo. Surely the girls aren’t making you drive them around on your bachelorette night.”
“I’m doing it,” Faith said, lifting her hand.
“That’s why I love her.” Connor crossed over to his wife and bent to kiss her on the lips. He lowered his voice and murmured and everyone close by looked away to give them privacy.
“Ace, you good?” Evan came to his wife next, standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders.
Charlie tipped her head, her honey-blond hair falling over the back of the chair, and pursed her lips. Evan rewarded her by bending and giving her a kiss.
Kenneth was next, smooching Lacey and squatting next to her chair.
“Why does everyone get kisses but me?” Sofie pressed her nails to her collarbone. “Am I not the bride?”
“I’m going to excuse myself to the ladies’ room,” Kinsley groaned. “I can’t take it.”
“I’ll go with you.” Gloria stood, too. She agreed that everything had suddenly become intimate. She didn’t get far before Asher grasped her hip with one palm, pulled her to him, and took her other hand in his. He danced a few steps, leaning her back to dip her and she’d just figured out why. Over the din of diners and the blare of TVs, Knight Time’s “Unchained” played over the speakers.
“How could I have possibly missed that?” she asked as Ash brought her to her feet again.
“I know my own song, Sarge.” He stopped dancing but held her close. There was a twinkle in his eye and a curve to his lips that made her think he’d had a few brews before Salty Dog as well.
He kissed her, and Gloria melted into him. The kiss went on a little longer than socially acceptable. She knew, because a few whistles and howls came from her friends behind her.
“You guys have a limo? Why didn’t we think of that?” Gloria shifted away from Asher and tried not to look like that full-body assault was the single best thing that had happened to her all day.
“I can get you a limo,” came a smooth-as-silk voice. The man with the widow’s peak and sharp, dark eyes offered a hand.
“Gloria Shields.” My, but was he good-looking. He stood right around Donny’s six-four, had the same black hair but with gray at the temples. He was dressed in designer faded jeans, his button-down shirt cuffed at the forearms, his hair falling rakishly over his forehead.
“Alessandre D’Paolo.”
“Ohh, and an accent. Aren’t you a catch?” she teased. Alessandre lifted her hand and placed a kiss there.
“Hey, hey, easy.” Asher pulled Gloria flush to his side. “He has a ton of ex-wives. No idea what he’s doing, so don’t let that smooth accent fool you.”
Alessandre let out a hearty laugh. Of course. Asher had already won over the newest in their boys club. The charmer.
“All right, us hens are going to get out of your cock house.” Sofie frowned and looked to the side. “I’m pretty sure I said that backwards.”
Everyone erupted in laughter, including Charlie, who was adorably drunk.
One by one, the girls stood from their chairs. Kinsley returned from the bathroom, and Gloria didn’t miss Donny pulling Sofie over to the side, wrapping his palms around her ass, and pulling her up and into him for a deep kiss. Where her rear was concerned, the man was not shy. Glo had seen that ass-grab more times than she could count. Donovan set Sofie back on her heels; then his hand went to her tummy and paused there while he stared into her eyes.
Gloria put her hand on her chest, her breath catching. It may have been the first time she’d ever felt a real tug to have what those two had. The promise of family. A love so deep anyone looking on could see that they were going to make it.
“It’s fantastic, isn’t it?” Kinsley pulled her purse onto her shoulder.
“It is.”
Then Kins echoed Gloria’s thoughts by quietly adding, “Want.”
Exactly. Who wouldn’t want that?