Page 32 of Vodka And Virtue

His bright smile turned wicked.

“What? Am I missing something?”

When he laughed, I knew he was up to no good.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he dissolved into a fit of hilarity. “I didn’t mean to get your hopes up. I have to go and see a band I’d like to hire for the lounge.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad. Is it at a club?”

“Not exactly. But it’s definitely a morematureestablishment.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Just wear a suit and pick me up by seven.” When he winked, I knew I was in trouble. I just didn’t know how deep yet.

It wasn’tuntil he climbed into the front seat of my truck the following evening and punched the directions to our destination into my GPS, that I realized what I had signed up for.

“A New Day Nursing and Rehab Center? Your idea of dinner and dancing is a night at the old folks’ home?”

Carlisle laughed as he buckled his seatbelt. “It’s a rehab facility.”

I gave him a pointed look. “That’s what they tell you in the brochure, but you and I both know it’s just a retirement home.”

“They’re having their annual prom. This is my chance to see the band in action.”

I sounded skeptical when I asked, “What do they play, polka?”

He laughed harder. “Big band classics.”

“Is the food puréed? Or can people with teeth eat it?”

Carlisle laid his hand on my bicep, and I felt the heat of him seep through my dress shirt. “I believe they are serving a chicken dinner. The actual breast, not puréed. Of course, it’s not too late for you to change your mind. I don’t mind going alone.”

I leaned in closer, inhaling the spicy citrus and sandalwood of his cologne. “Not on your life. How many more chances will I get to take you to the prom?”

The musicactually turned out to be pretty decent. The food, not so much. Unfortunately, the punch wasn’t spiked either. The only plus side I could find was that Carlisle let me lead him onto the dance floor. The music had more of a swing beat, but when the next song slowed down some, I took him in my arms and held him close to my body. He swayed with me as the saxophone played, and I had to physically restrain myself from sucking marks into the skin of his neck. He smelled so good and felt so warm and solid, it was hard not to drag him down the hall to the nearest broom closet and take him against the wall.

God help us if I ever got the chance. We wouldn’t surface for days.

The song ended, and Carlisle took a seat at our table as I went to fill two cups of punch. When I rejoined him, we had company.

“Rory, this is Hudson Brantley and Murphy Maguire, and Murphy’s aunt Sadie.”

Reaching across the table, I took Sadie’s withered hand in mine. “You look lovely, ma’am,” before shaking hands with both men. “Haven’t I seen the two of you around before?”

Carlisle explained, “A few times at the lounge. Mostly, they stick to my uncle's place across town.”

“Because Shannon won’t admit Murphy if he’s on duty,” Hudson teased.

Murphy laughed, his hazel eyes twinkling. “Not true. Well, maybe a little. Mostly, it’s because Hudson and I believe in quantity over quality when it comes to drinking. We can’t afford those highfalutin lounge prices.” His aunt Sadie twisted the skin of his upper arm. “Ow. What did I say?”

Hudson laughed as Sadie explained, “You told me you were done with that drinking nonsense, and you were going to focus on your career and getting ready to marry that good man sitting next to you.”

Murphy scoffed. “Good man? Let me tell you what thisgood man—” Unfortunately, we would never know what he was going to say. Hudson pinched the skin of his other arm. “Ow! Both of you quit it.”

Carlisle met my eyes, smiling with amusement. “And this is why Shannon won’t admit them.”

I laughed with him, seeing his point. I wasn’t sure I could handle a man like Murphy McGuire. He seemed like a double handful.

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