“Pulling out all the stops, I see,” I said, deadpan.
Anton pushed my hair off my shoulder and ran his thumb down my cheek. “For you, lucita, the world.” His tone sounded serious, but the twinkle in his eye belied the mischief.
I snorted. “With chicken and rice?”
His eyebrows narrowed. “Hey, don’t joke. Everyone loves chicken and rice, si?”
“Si, Anton. Wes, you want something to drink?” I turned around and faced Weston. His eyes were plunging daggers straight into the back of Anton’s head, and I hadn’t a clue why. “Wes?” I asked again until his green eyes focused on me. “A drink?”
Heather came over and yanked open the fridge. “I’ve got some Cristal chilling, which I think we should pop now, in lieu of the martinis I was going to make. We certainly have a reason to celebrate since you’re getting married! Oh my God! Are you just dying?” She asked as she went over to a cabinet and pulled out four champagne flutes.
I inhaled full and deep and let all the tension slip out of my shoulders as I held my hand up and stared at my ring. “Dying, no. Happier than I’d thought I’d be at this moment in my life? Damn straight!” I looked at Wes, and his entire body seemed to soften, the edge he’d had a minute ago gone with my words. His shoulders no longer looked as though they were as high as his ears, and he held his head in the palm of his hand, elbow resting on the kitchen bar in a lazier, more casual resting position.
“What woman wouldn’t be beside herself?” I leaned over the other side of the bar and grabbed his hand. He held mine, lifted it, and kissed the palm. Tingles started low in my back, and I mentally followed them as they tickled along my spine. Those tingles turned into ribbons of heat when he ran his thumb down the center of my palm. I swear it was like a hot button direct to my clit. The moment he scraped his nail along the inside of my hand I had to stifle a moan. Now was not the time or the place to be getting riled up. We had the rest of the night to get through before we could bask in the glory of our love once more. But we would. Oh, yes, we would.
I decided right then and there that I was going to make my man so hard before the night was up that he’d lose his mind in lust before he even took me back to the hotel.
Playing his game, I gripped his hand and pulled on his arm. Then I ran my finger from the inside of his elbow to his wrist where I traced a few figure eights. His eyes lit up, and he grinned, all white even teeth and a dazzling pair of lips I’d never tire of kissing. For a moment, I worried my secret plan to seduce him and make him crazy with lust might backfire on me. He was quick on the uptake, my guy. Regardless, it was a worthy tradeoff. I came around the kitchen counter and stood next to him. He claimed me instantly.
Heather poured the ridiculously expensive champagne. “Come on, Anton. Put the burner on low and get over here,” she urged.
Anton turned a few knobs, spun on his toes as if he were in a Michael Jackson video, tipped his body back, extended his foot out, and shimmied over to her.
“Show-off,” I coughed.
That time, Wes burst out laughing. Finally my guy was loosening the hell up, but I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I was one, wearing his ring; two, clamped to his side; and three, Anton was actually a dork. A sexy as fuck dork, but a dork nonetheless. The first I’d never admit to even if under extreme duress because Wes would lose it. Besides, if Anton’s fans knew how cheesy he was, they’d still love him because his music was on point and he was hot as Hades, but the silly factor might actually score him a few good girls. One could only hope.
Anton lifted his glass, and we all followed suit. “To lucita and her hombre, may you both shine as bright as the sun and share many days lost in amor. Salud.”
I grinned, and for the first time, Wes actually smiled at Anton and nodded. Anton looked at Wes and then at me, tipped his chin, and drank the entire glass in one go. He finished it off with a hearty, “Segundo ronda.”
Wes squeezed the ball of my shoulder, and I cast my eyes to his. “I’m glad we’re here,” he admitted.
I closed my eyes, inhaled, and planted my forehead against his neck. “Me too. They are good friends and only want the best for me. Which. Is. You.” I nudged against his cheek with each word.
Wes lifted my head and pecked me on the lips. “I can see that. My head is still…you know…tainted.” He spoke so softly only I could hear. It didn’t matter, because after our toast, Anton went back to cooking, and Heather went back to filling the drinks and then away to put on some tunes.
“No.” I caressed his temples. “Just misplaced concerns. There will never be another. I swear it.”