Page 80 of Frequency of Attraction

Tate chuckled. “Between the four of us, you’d think we’d know more about weddings. I gave you a housing development,ma belle. Isn’t that enough?”

Quinn could see that he was teasing. She knew her cousin. There wasn’t a thing on Planet Earth he wouldn’t do for Rosie. Tate had taken Rosie’s dream of tiny houses for the homeless and turned it into a full-blown project in Seattle. Villages in Portland were next on their list. Quinn had even volunteered to help when the time came.

The lovely redhead glowed. “Nothing could be more romantic than building those houses, but I’d still like one dance.”

Smiling, Tate stood and held out his hand. In her heels, Rosie towered over him. “I’ve been formally trained, you know. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Rosie shot Quinn a wink as they headed onto the dance floor. Quinn moved her gaze to Chen’s sister, still on the dance floor with the twins. “Tell me about Xiaoming.” Vadim had just rejoined Quinn after spending time talking with Xiaoming through Chen.

Vadim smiled. “I’ve been hearing about Xiaoming since the day I met Chen. His sister has always been the person he wanted to be good for, if that makes sense. I hope they can figure out her citizenship. Elle’s stepmom runs a facility for people with conditions like hers, you know, right here in San Diego.”

Quinn hadn’t known that. “Wow. That’s almost like fate.”

“Not almost. Thatisfate.”

Vadim had become a firm believer in fate after going to space. He could not bring himself to accept that crossed paths and formed connections could be coincidental, not with their wide, complex world. Believing in fate was a romantic idea for a mechanical engineer-turned-astronaut. Quinn loved him for it.

She stood, smoothing the satin of her pink one-shoulder dress. The cocktail dress hit above her knee and revealed a slash of skin across her chest. “Dance with me,mon beau. You are looking too delicious to stay here in the corner.”

Her gaze followed his ascending frame. The charcoal suit jacket and low-collar white shirt showed off the vibrant colors and ropy muscle that defined his body. But he lived in his eyes. The man he was shone from there. He swept her onto the patio and into his arms, the place where Quinn was happiest. Vadim was home.

They danced in contented silence. Quinn could not stop beaming. The love in the room was communicable. Or maybe love overflowed from inside her. Next to them, Tate and Rosie glowed as brightly as the bride and groom.

“Long distance doesn’t seem to affect them at all. Their challenges seem to make them stronger,” she commented.

“Tate is more patient than most, but I’m sure they have their hard moments just like we do,” Vadim replied. “But there’s an appreciation there, too.”

“And amazing sex from pent-up frustration.”

He grinned down at her. “Do you need more phone sex,kiska?”

She needed more real sex, but with Vadim, she’d take anything she could get.

The newlyweds danced their way over.

Chen grinned. “My favorite ball of stress and my brother from Mother Russia together at last. Quinn, you look radiant tonight.”

Quinn sent Chen an air kiss. “As do you. What’s a cramped death trap in space compared to your blushing bride? You’ve made a wise choice, my friend.”

His eyes danced. “Have I?”

“I mean, you got a free house out of the deal,” Elle pointed out.

“And you get my beautiful face and uptight parents. Fair trade.”

Elle giggled. She leaned in conspiratorially. “Think they’ll be married by the time you launch?” She nodded at Tate and Rosie, who looked to be blissfully oblivious to everyone around them.

“Hundred bucks says no,” Vadim said.

Chen rolled his eyes. “You’re with Miss Moneybags now. At least make your wager interesting, Vadim.”

Her boyfriend’s lips quirked as he looked to Quinn.

“Fine,” she said, flicking her gaze back to Chen. “If Tate and Rosie are married by the time of OrbitAll’s first commercial launch, I’ll take us all on vacation anywhere you want. If they’re not, you’re taking us.”

“Fuck, yes. You’re taking us to the Maldives. You’ll get Rosie in on this, right?” Chen goaded Elle. “She’s your best friend. Make her propose to Tate like you were going to propose to me. He’ll love that, promise.” He dropped a loud kiss on her mouth.

“Absolutely not.”

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