Page 59 of Hold Me Until Morning

“Are you trying to kill me?” Dakota whined as the server began to pass out the little glasses filled with a yellow liquid and rimmed in sugar.

“A lemon drop never hurt anyone,” Paisley said, nudging one her direction.

“Yeah, all except for my pride,” Ryder grumbled as he wrapped a tattooed hand around the tiny glass.

Paisley sent him a glare. “You need a little sweet in all that sour.”

Ryder tugged Dakota closer to him, and he ran his nose along her jaw. “Believe me, I have all the sweet I need.”

Cody groaned next to me. “There you go with those dirty paws all over my sister.”

I tried to contain a giggle.

It was cute how Cody kept trying to maintain a façade of annoyance that his best friend and his little sister had gotten together, though I couldn’t feel an ounce of true irritation rolling from him whenever he mentioned it.

It was warmth, instead, his love stark and obvious, even though I was pretty sure he thought he was pulling off that casual indifference he wore like a brand.

“Give me a few minutes, and they’re really going to be all over her.” Ryder prodded it, needling it in.

“Do you see what I have to put up with?” Cody grumped as he elbowed me softly. A streak of fire ripped down my spine.

“Brutal,” I told him, glancing his way.

I shouldn’t have.

I should have remained with my attention focused on the rest of the group. Because he was so close, and there were only two inches that separated our noses.

Every sharp, rugged angle of his face right there, the warmth of his breath mingling with mine.

His scent all around.

Spice and cedar and earth.

My fingers itched with the need to reach out and trace every inch of his face.

His brow.

His jaw.

His lips.

My brain was right back on that image he’d sent me yesterday, my throat going dry and my thighs clenching with the need I shouldn’t feel.

A tease of a smirk played over that delectable mouth, like he knew exactly what was running through my mind.

“To friends…”

Paisley’s voice pulled me from his trap, and I tried to clear the ball of need stuck in my throat as I reached for a shot glass.

“To family,” she continued. “To this group of amazing people. People I could never express just how thankful I am to have them in my life. And to Cody, of course.”

She winked at him, teasing him like he was an afterthought, even though it was clear they all adored him.

A grin spread over his face, the mountain of a man ridiculously gorgeous as he sat back in the stool.

Everyone leaned in to clink their glasses together, Savannah’s a virgin since Paisley refused to leave anyone out. “To us! And to Cody, of course.”

Laughter rang as everyone tossed back their shots.

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