Page 144 of The Wrecked One

AJ pulled Jesse over next to him, and they waved over their wives, about to do the two-step to “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown.

“You coming or what?” Julia gestured my way as Finn hauled her to his side, the both of them in cowboy boots. Talk about a sight I’d never thought I’d see.

Okay, actually Michael Maddox wearing a Stetson dancing alongside Finn was probably even more shocking. He spun his wife, Kate, around before lifting her into the air.

At the sight of Diana convincing Carter, despite some scowling, to do the two-step, well, hell, was I dreaming?

“Why aren’t we out there?” Oliver wrapped his arms around me, drawing my back flush to his chest.

I relaxed against him, feeling safe and at home in his embrace. Plus, I was in a room full of operators—who came strapped, despite the fact it was a party—so there really was probably no safer place to be.

“That’s an excellent question.” I turned around and slung my arms over his shoulders.

“Going to answer it for me, Mrs. Lucas?”

“Jumping the gun there. Five more months until we walk down the aisle.” In Italy with all of our friends and family there, and no evil entity pulling the world’s strings anymore.

“Bah. In my head, you’re already my wife. Don’t need paperwork to make it official.” He leaned in and kissed me, setting me on fire with his lips. It didn’t matter we were in a room with over fifty people as the song switched over to another one everyone loved—“A Bar Song” by Shaboozey—because when I was in his arms, it became only us.

It took Sam’s dog, Scrappy, jumping against our legs to get Oliver to remove his tongue from my mouth.

“Down, boy, she’s mine.” Without pulling away, he waved Scrappy off, then returned to making out with me, not a care in the world.

For tonight, at least, no worries. Falcon would be returning to “active duty” soon since their book-buying mission as a test run had been a success.

I still couldn’t help but inwardly chuckle at that. A bunch of hot dads and operators running around buying up Savanna’s new book—couldn’t get more sexy than that.

After our hot kiss ended, and when AJ and his brothers began singing, Oliver escorted me to the dance floor where his dad and Cindy were already dancing. My sister was there, too, hanging out with Mr. Bad Boy.

Still no sign of Mason. His brother promised me he’d be showing up, but apparently, fashionably late.

“He’s here,” Oliver said into my ear a minute or two later, and of course I knew precisely who he was talking about.

From the corner of my eye, I spied Adelina going still. She stopped dancing with Jude, arms falling to her sides, gaze cutting across the room.

I followed her attention to Mason in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He was staring right back at her just as intensely.

No longer dancing with Oliver, we both went over to my sister, and I let her know, “There’s someone I’d like you to meet. One of my close friends.”

“Mason Matthews is your close friend?” She zeroed in on me in shock, then leaned in so I could better hear her over the loud music. “Why didn’t you mention him before?” When she pulled away, a putting-two-and-two-together look crossed her face. “He’s your ex, too?”

My ex, too? So, you two did more than date. I knew it. “Not like that. Um . . .” Awkward conversation to be having right in front of Oliver. But the man knew everything about me. No need to hide anything from him. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It felt . . . I don’t know. Weird?”

“You could say that.” I had to read her lips, because she’d spoken too softly to be heard over AJ now serenading his wife while getting heckled by Echo Team.

Oliver kissed my cheek and let me know, “I’ll give you three some space.”

“Okay.” I brushed my lips over his for a more intimate kiss, and it was broken up quicker than I’d wanted when I accidentally bumped into Echo Four and his wife who were partaking in a little dirty dancing. They had to be lost in their own bubble, otherwise Roman would’ve joined Echo Team to give AJ a hard time.

Resetting on the mission at hand, I secured a hold of my sister’s arm as if she might float away, and we headed for Mason.

Mason shoved away from the doorframe, dragging his hands through his hair, before standing tall. His chest lifted and fell with a deep breath, and out came the name, “Lina.”

“Mason,” she whispered back, her voice barely cutting through the noise. My flirty sister looked like she’d seen a ghost, transforming into a shy introvert. It was a side of her I’d never seen.

“Hi.” His brows scrunched tight as he studied her.

“Hi,” she echoed. “Been a long time.” Her hand went to her stomach as she stared at him.

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