Page 121 of Isla

She sighs, snatching the phone away from my outstretched hand. She opens her camera roll, scrolling back a couple of pictures. "This is the dad."

I look down at a picture of a man about the same age as Lorna.He's ruggedly handsome, gray hair just starting to show at his temples. "How old is he?"

"Thirty-five," she says softly, staring at the picture.

"How old are his sons?"

"Stepsons," she corrects. "His wife was older than him. They're twenty-eight."

"They're twins?" I ask when she doesn't give another age.

She nods, holding out the phone to show me a picture of two guys who look like runway models.

"Ohhh, this is trouble," I breathe, my eyes widening more with each picture she scrolls through.

"So much trouble," Lorna whispers, her gaze lingering on a picture of all three of them.

"Good luck with that." I grin at her, excited for this new side quest in her chaotic life. "Are you ready to dance your ass off?" I ask, excitement swooping in.

"I've never been more ready for anything in my life."

"Wait." She looks so beautiful that I can't help myself. I grab the phone from her hand, open the group chat that shows three tiny little guys at the top, snap a picture of her, and send it to them before she can protest. I throw both of our phones on the bed and drag her out the door, heading down to where I can already hear the music thumping away.

63

People have been arriving for about twenty minutes, and the guys should be just pulling in. Charlie and her men decided to forgo the party this year–Charlie wasn't willing to leave the baby with a sitter yet, and the guys weren't willing to leave her. Jack is taking his host duties seriously, though–I can hear him greeting every single guest as they come through the door.

"Let's go!" Lorna begs, dragging me down the hallway. I get more nervous with every step, butterflies going wild in my stomach. Pausing in front of a mirror, I take one last look, breathing deeply through my nose, the diamond around my neck glittering as my lungs expand. I look down at my rings, twisting them around my finger with my thumb, remembering the moments they proposed.

"I can hear them calling for you, Isla." Lorna pushes me ahead of her, prodding me down the hallway, not stopping until we're at the top of the stairs. And there they are. My men. They look up at the same time,and it feels like all the air is sucked out of the room.

Dylan is standing on the left, torso bare except for a gold strap holding a bow to his back. Small wings poke past his shoulders, the feathers matching the white fabric draped around his waist. It stopsmid-thigh, leaving a tantalizing amount of skin bare. My gaze slides to Henry, my mouth dropping open even more as I take in his burnished gold body, the gold circlet of leaves around his head, and the large wings protruding from his back. And then there's Theo. His whole body is highlighted in a deep reddish gold, the metallic paint catching the light, making me want to drag my fingers over him so I can see every place I've touched. The fabric draped over one shoulder and around his waist is a deep dove gray, matching the wings peeking from behind him. The feathers are edged in the metallic paint, making them look like they're on fire. I snap my mouth closed as I walk down the stairs, my heart in my throat. Henry is the first to step forward. He takes my hand and spins me in a circle, admiring my costume.

"Ravishing," he whispers, his voice deep and so fucking sexy it has me clamping my thighs together.

"What do you think of our costumes?" Dylan asks, turning my head and kissing me soundly. "We're the three different parts of Eros. I'm love, Henry is longing, and Theo is desire." I swallow hard, my mouth like the desert as I look them up and down, studying their costumes for far too long, wanting nothing more than to undress them right this very second.

I clear my throat. "You all look fucking amazing."

Theo closes in, drawing me into a passionate kiss. "I don't think I could have waited one more day, Isla." He cups my jaw, his fingers gripping me in a desperate hold. "I can't fucking wait until we're married, and I can stop worrying about you realizing what you're getting yourself into."

I pull back, meeting those honey-colored eyes. "I knowexactlywhat I'm getting myself into, Theo. I'm not going anywhere. Even when you're an asshole." The corner of his mouth twitches, and he kisses me again, softer this time.

"You're Aphrodite?" Henry asks, more of a statement than a question. I nod, spinning in a circle so they can see the entire costume as well as my ample side-boob. As I turn, I realize Lorna is still behind me, and my cheeks flame.

"Dylan and Theo, this is my sister Lorna," I say,quickly stepping to the side so she can come forward.

She gives them a wide smile. "It's so nice to meet the other half of the relationship." After giving them hugs, she turns to Henry and slaps him on the shoulder like an old friend. "Are you ready to have the night of your life? I know I am." She grabs a flute of champagne from a passing server and downs it, wiggling her fingers at us before disappearing into the crowd.

"You look fucking amazing," Henry breathes, his hand sweeping over my bare back as we head in the same direction as Lorna. "You're sure we can't have sex now?"

I glare at him. "I didnotspend as much time as I did planning this party only to miss it."

He gives me a guilty grin. "I knew that's what you'd say, but you can't blame me for trying. Especially when you look likethat."

We're swept into the fray of dancing couples as we enter the ballroom, but we quickly realize there is no way for us to dance without it feeling awkward. We're either bumping into people or getting separated. I give up and guide them out onto the terrace, where we tuck ourselves into a dark corner, the guys crowding around me as we sway to the music. The more glasses of champagne that slide down my throat, the less I'm able to tear my gaze from their incredible bodies. Just when I'm about to screw it all and drag them up to the bedroom, the dinner bell sounds.

I'm pushingmy food around my plate, my stomach a ball of nerves, when Lorna shows up.

---