Whiskey Kisses (20 page)

Annie pulls out her phone and jots something down before flashing it at me.

Baya says you’re seeing my brother.

I bite my lip and resist the urge to smile.

“I don’t know, am I?” I shrug, and give a little laugh.

Annie is quick to type out a reply.

Are you coming to my Mom’s birthday party tomorrow night? She’s turning 50. It’s a pretty big deal. I’ll be cooking. I promise, it won’t kill you. I’m actually getting better in the kitchen.

I give a little smile. My stomach cinches. I’m not sure Holt and I are at that phase in our non-relationship, but a part of me wants him to ask. I’ll be seeing him later. Maybe he will.

“That would be nice.” My throat dries out at the thought. A family party is the exact kind of thing that couples do. “But he hasn’t really mentioned it.”

I’m sure he will.
She gives a sheepish smile.
I’m glad you’re with Holt. I think you’re cute together.

“Thank you. I’m glad I’m with Holt, too.” There, the words slipped out like oil, and I didn’t cringe or explode into a thousand remorseful pieces. Maybe it’s okay for me to say those words—to feel that way.

Annie drops her phone and cups her hands over her mouth. Roxy gasps, and Baya jumps to her feet. I turn to find Laney—stunning, beautiful Laney—heading in this direction.

“Oh my, God.” The words stream from me in a deflated whisper. I stand to greet her and take up her hands. She’s wearing a full white gown with layers of tulle and a sweetheart neckline. “You are a princess, through and through.” Tears spring to my eyes, and I don’t fight them.

Laney beams as she steps up on the pedestal. She does a quick rotation in the three way mirror and presses her lips together because she’s about to lose it herself.

“Your turn, Baya.” She wipes her face down as Baya makes her way to the back.

“Laney, I can’t tell you enough how beautiful you look,” I say, trying to compose myself.

“It’s true. You look like the perfect cake topper,” Roxy pipes up. “I’m just glad you’re letting me wear black. Come to think of it, I’ll probably wear black to my own wedding.”

“You throwing your hat in the ring?” Laney glances at herself in the mirror from over her shoulder.

“No way,” Roxy is quick to set her straight. “Cole and I are waiting until after graduation.” She turns to me. “We plan on hitting the ground running with our own businesses. He’s doing construction, and I’m opening a bakery.”

“Sounds like I’ll be visiting you a lot.”

Her eyes widen as Baya comes out. Baya stuns in a sleek mermaid gown with a full train and just enough sparkle to catch the light. She heads over to Laney and clasps her arms around her waist.

“You both look amazing.” They look like jewels, like treasures, and they are.

Annie, Roxy, and I each try on our bridesmaid dresses. Roxy and Annie both look gorgeous in the gowns they’ve chosen.

The dress Laney hand selected for me is long with a rhinestone-encrusted waist and a plunging neckline that showcases my own jewels. I have to admit I look pretty damn good, but it’s a far cry from the matronly number I picked out for myself. In a way, I guess, the two dresses are symbolic of the lost girl I was and the woman slowly emerging in me. Holt pulled me from the mud and mire of the past. He’s washing me anew with his love. And now I can’t wait for him to see me in this dress—and then out of it.

I wrap an arm around Laney as we look in the mirror.

“It’s going to be a perfect day,” I whisper.

Baya, Roxy, and Annie head back to change and Laney picks up both my hands.

“Baya hinted that things are getting pretty serious between you and Holt.”

I try to look away, but Laney catches my gaze and doesn’t let go.

“Maybe—yes.” Crap. “So I guess Holt told Bryson, and the rest is Whitney Briggs rumor mill history.”

“Not true.” She touches her finger to my chin. “I asked. I’m the one that probed. And, yes, Holt told his brother, but they’re close.” Laney lets my fingers slip through hers.

“I think we’re close.”

“Are we?” She inches forward as if she’s about to whisper a secret. “If we’re so close, why is there something big I don’t know about, Izzy? And if that’s true, are you ever going to tell me?”

The temperature in the room feels as if it spikes fifty degrees, and the dress suddenly feels three sizes too small. I breakout in a cold sweat and the floor begins to sway.

“You know”—I touch my hand to my forehead—“I’m not feeling so hot. I think I’d better go.”

I make a dash for the dressing room. The last thing I want to do is tell Laney every dirty detail right before her wedding. I’ve managed to protect her this far, and I’ll be damned if I don’t make it to the finish line.

If I get my way, the finish life will be my grave.

Holt

The Black Bear feels like home. It feels like family—sometimes closer than a brother.

It’s wall-to-wall bodies as the sorority girls pour in to witness another round of house band prospects.

“Why don’t we give it to three or four bands?” I say to Bryson as he plucks his phone from his jeans. He’s studiously jotting down notes as each band performs.

“We could rotate.” Cole nods into the idea.

“Because the band we heard last night sounded like an engine dying a slow death,” he says, irritated as shit. “Besides, we still have karaoke night and a DJ on Fridays. I don’t think we should clog up every night of the week.”

“Good point.”

The band starts up, and I think every animal in a twenty-foot radius just ran for cover. “Crap.” It’s all I can do to keep from slapping my hands over my ears. “Keep looking, dude. I can tell from go this one ain’t it.”

A gorgeous brunette walks in, and my dick perks to attention.

Izzy gives me that heart-stopping smile, and I magnetize toward her.

“Hey, good looking.” I stop shy of stealing a kiss. Even though there’s a sea of people around too busy to notice, I’m still not sure she’d be into it.

“You redefine good looking.” She runs her finger along my jawline. “Any chance of getting off early?”

She looks hopeful. Izzy has on a little black dress that hugs her in all the right places, and heels that almost bring her to my height. She grinds her hips into mine, and my dick springs out to greet her.

“I’m getting off right now, kitten.” I lean in and stop myself from burying my face in her neck. Izzy holds the scent of honey and lavender. “But as for this place, I’ve got at least another hour. It’s Cole’s turn to close.” I take her in again from head to foot. “Damn, you are looking hot tonight.”

Izzy cuts a sly look across the crowd. “Too bad there’s not a minute we can steal to be alone.” She twists her lips and gets a mischievous look in her eye. “You know, so I can help you get off—wherever it is you’d like to go.”

Holy hell. I think I’ve just been propositioned.

Without giving it a second thought, I take her by the hand and lead her through the crowd—straight to the women’s restroom. I’ve seen this done enough times to know how it works. Last stall on the left might as well be on Jupiter.

There’s not a soul in sight, so I steal us away to the back and lock the door.

The speakers are on overhead, and you can’t hear yourself think straight in here, just the way I like it.

“I’ve missed you,” I whisper right into her ear.

Izzy lands those pillow-soft lips over my cheek and rakes a trail to my mouth.

“I’ve missed you, too.” She strums the words right into my lips.

I cup her cheeks in my hands and set her lips on fire with mine. Izzy gives soft, soulful kisses—kisses that stretch out for weeks. This is exactly what I want the rest of my life to be like—nothing but Izzy pouring her addictive kisses right down my throat. Izzy is a dessert I’ve longed for, and, now, here she is with her sweet body pressed over mine right where she belongs.

She gently pulls my hands down onto her hips. I ride a little lower still until I hit the hem on her short-as-hell dress and touch her bare thighs beneath that. She takes a quick breath and seizes against me. Her hands travel down my chest, right to my blooming hard-on, and she’s quick to unleash it from its denim prison.

“You want to do this?” I take a gentle bite out of her earlobe and she shivers into me.

“We’re doing it aren’t we?” She gives a little laugh as she peppers soft kisses down my neck, giving me a little bite of her own. “You in?”

“Not only am I in”—I pluck the condom out of my pocket and give a little grin— “I come prepared.”

“
Ooh
.” Her eyes widen for a moment. “I’m digging the double entendre.”

“And I’m digging you speaking French.” I crash my mouth to hers and lose it. Her tongue lashes over mine like a punishment. I ease her against the door and work her dress up, pulling her underwear to the side.

Izzy helps me roll on the rubber before I lift her onto my hips.

She touches her hand to my face and pants through a crooked smile.

“
Iz.
” I bear into her in lieu of saying those three magic words that have the power to send her running out of here like a bullet. Her lids grow sleepy. Her lips bloom full and ruby. Izzy looks drugged, lost in ecstasy, exactly how I imagined she would look if we ever got around to doing this—how I hoped she would look.

Izzy sinks down over me, and her head arches back. She bites down onto her lip with her eyes shut tight as if she’s enjoying the hell out of it—at least I hope she is.

I suck in a quick breath as I lower her over my body. Izzy digs her fingers into my shoulders and buries her face in my neck.

“
Holt
,” she gives it in a heated whisper.

“I got you.” I plunge her over me, again and again, until I’m almost there. She takes everything I’m giving her, moaning softly in my ear, saying my name until it drives me insane. “Izzy, I—” I almost said it. I don’t know if I can keep the words from flying out of my mouth.

I give about three more thrusts and lock her body down over mine. Neither of us moves as I give in to my release. I throb for days, shaking out deep inside her as I bury my face in her hair.

“That was heaven,” I whisper. “Sorry—I was greedy.” I press a kiss into the hollow of her neck. “Spend the night. Let me make it up to you.”

She tilts back and belts out a laugh. “Maybe I will.”

“You want to hang out? I’ll entertain the hell out of you with my mixer moves.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Then maybe we can catch a movie. Or there’s always tomorrow night.” I take a quick breath. “Mmm.” I wince as Mom’s birthday comes to mind. “I just remembered I’ve got this family thing tomorrow night, but hey, there’s always Sunday, right?”

“A family thing?” She nods into me expectantly. Izzy is so damn beautiful she looks like Ms. America 24/7, never mind the fact she’s got that I’ve-just-been-fucked look that’s making me insane. But I’m not sure about bringing her to any family thing just yet.

I dot her cheek with a kiss. “It’s not important.” As much as I want to bring Izzy home, I can’t stomach the thought of flaunting my new relationship in front of my mother after what I did to her. I don’t think I can go there just yet—ever maybe.

“Not important, huh?” Her features soften. Izzy sags in my arms, dejected. “That’s fine.” She gives a sad smile. “And you know what? I totally get it.” She hops down and readjusts her dress.

We head back out into the bar, and she glances at her phone.

“It’s my mom. I think I’d better head out. She twisted her ankle a few weeks back.”

“Will I see you tonight?” I run my fingers through her hair, afraid I might have hurt her somehow. It’s written all over her face that I did.

“We’ll see.” She gives a little shrug and heads out the door.

I’ve been around enough girls to know I’m in the doghouse.

I just can’t figure out why.

Saturday night rolls around and still no sign or word from Izzy. I know she mentioned her mother needed her, but it’s pretty clear that was just an excuse. Baya and Bryson drive out to my mother’s together, and I hop in my truck and head over alone. I should’ve asked Izzy to come. It would have been the perfect time to introduce her to my mother. My stomach knots up as if protesting the idea.

I park and head on up. Annie has the house decorated with streamers and balloons. A large banner is strung out over the living room that reads
Happy Birthday Mom! 50 years young!

Mom is in the den, already chatting it up with Baya and Bryson.

“It’s the birthday princess.” I pull her into a nice, tight hug and give her cheek a little peck. “Happy birthday. You look great.”

“So do you.” She gently slaps my cheeks before looking over my shoulder. “Alone are we?”

“As always.” It feels right saying that and, yet, a part of me doesn’t want it to.

“Annie mentioned you might be bringing someone.” She smooths my collar. “I did too with the way you were kissing that girl the night of the engagement party.” She lifts her glass as if she were toasting me.

“I sort of thought you were bringing someone, too.” Baya shoots me the stink eye.