Page 9 of Unexpected Forever
She glances at her watch. “Sure, why not? Everything’s about to wrap up soon. One glass of champagne won’t hurt.”
I flag down the bartender and within a few moments, a chilled flute of champagne is in Charley’s hand. Slim fingers wrap around the glass, and I have a moment of wondering what her hand would look like wrapped around my cock.
Shit, it isn’t like me to think with the head below my belt first. I clear my throat and do my best to shift the rod in my pants.
“Cheers,” she says, holding up her glass to mine.
“Cheers. Congratulations on your new job. I hope it’s all you want and more.” I clink my tumbler against her flute, and her eyes soften as they meet mine.
“Thanks. I hope so too.”
We drink, her blue-eyed gaze twinkling and holding mine over the rim of her glass. She downs about half of it before licking her lips. “Hmmm, that’s good. Glad I chose it.”
“You chose the liquor too?”
“Well, I had help from Shane, the winery owner. The man knows his wine. But I know liquor so that part was me.”
“Help me out here. Shane is your cousin Emma’s fiancé and he owns the place, right?”
She smiles. “Yep. I know, there are a lot of us.”
I ignore the momentary churn in my stomach.
“You did a good job. I wanted to thank you and Aidan for putting together such a great party for Megan. I would like to pay you guys back somehow.”
She shakes her head. “There’s no need for that, Nate.”
“It’s the least I could do since you guys did the hard part of organizing it.”
“Don’t worry about it. It was a trial run for me, and since Aidan is family, Emma and Shane gave him a good deal.”
From the set of her delicate jaw and raised chin, I know I’m not going to get anywhere with convincing her otherwise. I’ll find another way to make my contribution later.
I raise my hands in defeat. “Okay, have it your way.”
“I usually do.”
Her gaze shifts over to me and a flirty smile plays on her lips. My thumb tingles with the urge to reach out and trace her plump lower lip that’s driving me crazy.
She turns toward me and sets her glass on the bar, all traces of humor gone. “I do want to thank you, though.”
“For what?”
“For being so kind with all the people here. I know there for a few minutes when we first arrived, it got a little like a photo op session for you.”
I shrug a shoulder. “It’s not a big deal. I’m happy to do it. This was controlled chaos. And I enjoyed meeting the family that has brought so much happiness to my sister.”
I grin and tap a finger against the rim of my glass before continuing. “Especially Stella. I see where you and your sisters get your looks.”
Her cheeks turn a sexy, sweet shade of pink. “My mom is a beautiful woman. Modeled a bit back in her day before she met my dad.” She tilts her head, a wry grin on her face. “You also met the Poker Posse.”
I swirl the whiskey in my glass with a smile, thinking about the little old ladies that surrounded me earlier. “I did. They’re sweet, even the grumpy one. But why are they called the Poker Posse?”
She laughs, a throaty but melodic sound. “Those sweet little old ladies are the biggest poker hustlers around.”
“You’re shitting me.” I spy the one in a turquoise dress across the room.
There’s no way.
