by Kiersten Fay
Planting a hand at the small of her back, Dane stepped aside and pushed her to the forefront. Her expression turned so stark, like she’d just been delivered to feasting sharks.
“This is Evie,” Dane said.
Evie gave a weak smile and nodded in greeting. “Hello.”
“Hi, Evie,” Lex said in a voice you might use with a child. “It’s great to see you again. How are you doing?”
“Good. Thanks,” she muttered quietly, anxiously, then resumed her survey of the room.
Behind Evie’s back, Dane lifted arms as if in exasperation, giving Lex a helpless look. Lex responded with a stern expression and seemed to be saying something with his eyes. A silent conversation was taking place and Kasima didn’t have the key to decipher it.
“Yeah, yeah,” Dane grumbled. Then he snapped to Evie, “Come on. We’re going to the bar.”
As soon as they’d gone, Kasima muttered, “What was that about?”
“It’s a long story. Suffice it to say, Evie went through something…traumatic. Dane is…sort of helping her through it.”
Huh. Kasima would have assumed Dane wanted nothing to do with the girl.
“Oh no.” Lex scrubbed a hand down his face. “The vultures are descending.”
Just then, Kenzi, the bride’s maid, appeared. “Lex! Look at you. You actually showed up when you said you would. How novel.”
“Kenzi,” he greeted her with a warning in his tone.
As if on cue, Kenzi focused her shrewd eyes on Kasima. “And this must be the mysterious Kasima who’s been stealing you away from us at every opportunity.”
“Uh, yup. That’s me,” Kasima said, facing Lex with a raised brow. “Whom everyone seems to know about.”
He shrugged. “Like Dane said, these people gossip worse than teenage girls.”
Kenzi glanced down at one of the place settings and picked up the card with her name on it. “And what a fun surprise. You’re both been seated at my table.”
Lex snorted. “Shocking, since you helped Naia with the seating chart, and you are unfailingly nosy.”
Kenzi took her seat with a smirk, and waved her empty champagne glass at a nearby waiter.
The waiter scurried over to fill it, along with the other glasses around the table, even those whose seats had yet to be claimed. Kasima peeked at the nametags of their missing tablemates: Goldie and Donovan.
“A toast to new friends,” Kenzi said suddenly, raising her glass.
Lex picked up his champagne. “And to those friends minding their own business.”
Kenzi countered brightly, “And to old dogs learning new tricks.”
Lex gritted his teeth. “And to old dogs whose bite is worse than their bark if some people aren’t careful.”
Kasima rolled her eyes, gathering the gist. She lifted her glass, interrupting. “How about to the happy couple?”
They both blinked at her. Kenzi smiled and clinked her glass to Kasima’s “Oh sure. We can toast to that.”
After they all took a sip, Kenzi held out her hand to Kasima. “So we weren’t formally introduced. I’m Kenzi, and I’ll be your BFF for the night and possibly the foreseeable future. What are you doing tomorrow? We should do lunch.”
Lex shook his head. “Go easy, Kenzi.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to scare her away…yet. Why don’t you go grab us a real drink while us girls chat. You know what I like, and if you don’t know what she likes by now, then you are a bad boy toy.”
Kenzi was something of a spitfire. Kasima liked her already.
The second Lex was halfway across the room, Kenzi leaned in and whispered, “So how is our little Lexington in the sack?”
But her voice wasn’t quiet enough in a room full of vampires. Kasima saw Lex studderstep, but he continued toward the bar.
“I bet he’s as magnificent as he is hot.” Kenzi licked the pad of her forefinger and mimed scorching it in the air. “Tsss.”
Kasima laughed. “Let me put it to you this way. On a scale from one to ten, he’s so off the charts, he doesn’t even register.” Had Lex heard that? He was at the bar now, engaging the bartender.
“I knew it!” Kenzi leaned back in her seat, body melting, and groaned, “Arrrrg, I need to get laid.”
A balding man from a nearby table had overhead that and smiled her way.
Kenzi sat up. “Ew. Not you, perv.”
The man didn’t seem put off in the least. He merely smiled wider and wagged his bushy eyebrows.
Kenzi turned amused. “Alright, I like your style, I’ll put you at the bottom of my list. My very long list.”
Naia and Cortez entered the reception area. Cheers from the guests erupted. The newlyweds inched into the room as people crowded around to offer their congratulations. When they got near, Kenzi stood to hug Naia. Kasima politely rose as well.
“You look amazing,” Kenzi said.
“Thanks to you,” Naia replied, twirling and showing off a shorter, sexier version of her wedding dress. “Everything was perfect. You did such a wonderful job with the decorations and the dress and well, pretty much everything. Right, my love?”
Cortez offered Naia a pleasant smile. “As always, I’m finding it impossible to notice anything but you.”
“Awww,” Naia, Kenzi, and even Kasima sighed.
Naia rewarded her new husband with a quick peck on the cheek. He dragged her close and stole a full mouth kiss.
Kasima’s skin could have turned the deepest shade of envy.
Cortez noticed her then. His unfathomable gaze caught hers, and held.
In that moment, she couldn’t look away. Couldn’t breathe. Not because he was doing anything vampiric, at least she didn’t think so, but because of something else entirely. Something unfathomable. A baser instinct set off warning flares in her brain. There was something about his eyes boring into her that set her instantly on guard.
His gaze was like slowly being stripped to the bone.
He raised a brow.
Kenzi cleared her throat. “Cortez, Naia, meet Lex’s date, Kasima.”
Naia’s lips rounded, and then transformed into an inviting smile. “Oh, Kasima. So nice to finally meet you.”
Guess everyone really does know about me. But why should they? Why would Lex talk about her to anyone if things between them had an end date? Maybe he talked with his friends about all his lovers. Maybe, in his circle, that was normal.
Kasima put her hand out in front of her, intending to shake Naia’s hand. Instead, Naia pulled her in for a full-on hug.
“Oh, okay,” she said, a little stunned.
“Lex is a good guy,” Naia muttered.
Kasima was learning that. Too bad he wasn’t her good guy. Not like she wanted.
18
Lex returned to the table, drinks in hand. “Ladies, let’s try not to overwhelm her in one night.”
Placing her at arm’s length, Naia chirped, “I must hear the story of how you two met.”
Kasima cocked her head. Maybe they didn’t understand that she and Lex weren’t a serious couple? Then Naia’s words brought back the memory of that night; the masquerade ball, their first kiss, their bodies clashing…all the salacious things they’d done since then.
Cortez coughed into his hand. “A story for another time perhaps.”
What had Lex said about Cortez? That he had a way of reading people? She wondered if he could somehow sense the direction of her thoughts. She blushed furiously.
Lex came to her rescue. “Yes, another time. We don’t want to monopolize the two of you. People are waiting to offer their congratulations.”
Sure enough, there was a crowd of people mingling by the table of honor.
“He’s right,” Cortez said. “There’s no getting around it. Even if they are more interested in schmoozing rather than celebrating our union. Best to just get it over with. Besides, I think Kasima could use a minute to settle in before we accost her.”
She was feeling a bit overwhe
lmed.
As soon as they were gone, she accepted the drink from Lex and took her seat.
Kenzi finished off her champagne and was waving her glass for a refill while sucking on the straw of the tropical-umbrella drink Lex had sat in front of her.
Waiters buzzed around the room, dropping off mini rose-shaped puff pastries drizzled with sweet raspberry sauce. Kenzi plucked one from the tray and popped it into her mouth, chewing as she addressed Kasima. “So, Kas, can I call you Kas? Tell me about yourself.”
“Uh, well,” she began. “I work at the Tribune as the editor’s assistant.”
“You work with Mr. Dixon?”
“Yes. I hear he likes to visit the club.”
“On occasion. Sweet old guy. Likes to chat. I think he’s lonely, though. You have any siblings?”
Kasima shook her head.
“Pets?”
“Uh, no.”
“Kids?”
“Not yet.”
Kenzi’s eyes darted to Lex and back. “Do you want them?”
Kasima felt like she was being quizzed. “I haven’t really thought about it.” Could vampires have kids?
Lex scraped a hand down his face. “Shall I get you a hot lamp, Kenzi? Cool it with the inquisition, would you?”
“Kasima doesn’t mind a few questions. Right, Kas?”
Lex sighed. “She’s too polite to say otherwise.”
“How else do you expect her to get the Kenzi stamp of approval?”
“She doesn’t need the Kenzi stamp of approval, do you, Kasima.”
“I—”
“How would she know? You obviously haven’t told her anything about us. Why is that? Hmmm?”
“She doesn’t need to know about any of you.”
Something sharp seared Kasima’s chest.
Kenzi waved that away. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course she does. Right, Kasima?”
She didn’t get a chance to reply. Lex said in a mitigated tone, “I’m sorry. If I knew you’d be turned into a spectacle, I never would have invited you.”
Another slice to the chest. “It’s fine, Lex. I’m having a great time. And I don’t mind answering a few questions.”
Kenzi affected a superior expression. “You see.”
Lex sat back and swigged his drink. “Just say the word and we can duck out of here.”
Kenzi’s grin was both playful and threatening. “I would find you.”
Naia plopped down at one of the empty seats, blissfully interrupting the squabble. “Someone should tell those stiffs over there this is a wedding, not a damn networking gig.”
Lex glanced over to where Cortez was chatting with several professional-looking individuals. “You want me to bounce them for you, Naia?”
“Tempting, but no. Those are the guys from High Spirits Brewery and Wine. They’ve been wooing Cortez for the last year, hoping to get his business. I think Cortez is ready to make the deal, for the right price.”
“Poor guys,” Lex shook his head. “They don’t even realize Cortez knows exactly how low they’re willing to go.”
Naia smirked. “He’ll make sure the deal is fair.” Then she turned to Kasima. “So, tell me about yourself.”
“Ugh,” Lex groaned. “Not you too.”
Naia put her hands up. “Wha’d I say?”
“He thinks we’re being nosy,” Kenzi offered.
“You’re being nosy. Naia, you get a pass because it’s your wedding day.”
“Well, how could we not be? All I hear about lately is how once again Lex has run off to be with his secret lover.”
Kasima struggled to keep the shock off her face.
A male voice interjected from behind. “And how he’s utterly whipped.” It was the man who’d walked Naia down the aisle. He held out his arm to shake Kasima’s hand. “I’m Cole, brother of the bride, newest member of the Cortez clan, and totally available when you get sick of Lex.”
She laughed at his playful smile. Lex grumbled, shooting Cole a death stare.
Cole didn’t seem bothered. He grabbed Naia’s hand. “I hope you all don’t mind if I steal the bride for a sister brother dance.” There were already several people on the dance floor.
“Great idea, Cole.” Kenzi chirped. “Kas and I will join you.”
“Okay,” Kasima said as Kenzi tugged her out of her seat.
“Perfect,” Kenzi said, finding a space close to the far side of the stage, Kasima suspected, so their voices would be drowned out by the large speakers. “Now grumpy old Lex can’t interrupt us. He never dances.”
“Never?” Kasima decided to test that. She caught his eye back at the table and crooked her finger. He crossed his arms and shook his head, ass planted firmly in his seat. She shot him a pouty frown. No go. Yet he seemed content to watch her dance, heat in his gaze. She made sure her movements were as sensual as possible.
“He did willingly set foot on a dance floor once, but that was to break up a fight. I’d like to say he threw elbows to the beat, but I can’t be sure. Other than that, I’ve never seen him so much as tap a foot with enjoyment.”
They lost themselves to the music for a moment. Kasima kept peeking at Lex, teasing him with her body. Lex never took his eyes off her, even as he had to shift in his seat.
Before long, Kenzi resumed her questions. “So, what are your intentions with our Sexy Lexy? Can I expect more wedding planning in my future?”
“I hate to disappoint you, but we’re not serious. We’re just having fun.” She placed a hand over her chest where a pang zinged. Only she was starting to wonder if things between them had grown more serious than that. Or at least was starting to. It was clear Lex had spoken about her with at least a few of his friends. They were all very interested in her, acting like she was his girlfriend or something.
“Well, I guess that’s typical Lex.”
Like ceramic to concrete, Kasima’s hopes shattered. Of course this was his typical behavior.
“Honestly, we’re all a little shocked you’ve held his attention for this long.
Or maybe not.
“It’s got to be some kind of record for him. I must know the secret of your success.”
Phenomenal sex? “I don’t think there is a secret. Lex just needed a date for the wedding is all.” Kasima glanced back at Lex. He was now leaning forward in his chair, still watching her, but with that bedroom expression that sent lusty chills over her skin.
“He’s never ditched work for a girl before,” Kenzi continued.
Kasima stopped dancing. “He’s been ditching work?”
Kenzi nodded happily, still gyrating to the music. “Usually he’s a workaholic, but ever since the masquerade, he’s been cutting out early, coming in late, or strong-arming others to take his shifts.”
From across the room, Lex cocked his head at her: What’s wrong?
She gave him an everything’s fine smile and resumed dancing, her mind drifting over the past week and how often she and Lex had been together, now realizing during some of that time, he’d been shirking his duties to be with her. That wasn’t FWB, booty-call type behavior. Couple that with his winning her stuffed bears, buying her flowers, and the consistent sleepovers, an outsider looking in might see a couple in love, or headed that way.
Already she knew her feelings for him were beyond what they should be.
Was he on the same page? Or was she just a fool who had lost control of her heart.
She decided after the wedding was over, she would speak to him about her feelings. Better to get it out in the open. And if things had to end, better they ended before she fell even deeper for him.
If he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, it was very possible that tonight was her last night with Lex, so she decided to make it a memorable one. She wanted to dance with Lex.
Breaking away from Kenzi, she faced Lex and rolled her hips enticingly.
Leaning forward in his chair, his gaze darkened.
Eyes locked, she crooked her finger at him.
Even though his eyes were hooded, as though he wanted to do as she bid, he shook his head.
“Hmm,” Kenzi said, catching their interaction. Mischief lit her expression. “This ought to be interesting. Do you trust me, Kas?”
“Huh?”
Kenzi pointed to the eavesdropper from earlier. “You! Eyebrows. You’re going to dance with us.”
The man needed no more encouragement than that, jumping to his feet and placing himself between the two women. He was facing Kenzi to start, but Kenzi flipped him around and whispered in his ear, “I like to watch. You have till the end of this song to impress me.” Then she shoved him at Kasima.
“Hi.” The man smiled down at her, closing the space between them.
“Uh.” She sent Kenzi a beseeching look.
“Just go with it,” she muttered. “It’s already working.”
Working? She peeked at Lex, who was now frowning, on the edge of his seat. Kasima put her arms around the man’s neck. Dirty tricks.
A couple heartbeats later, she heard Lex’s voice just behind her and had to suppress a grin.
“What are you doing?” he asked darkly, grudgingly, as if he knew exactly what she was doing, and had come over here anyway. Because he couldn’t stand it?
Mission accomplished, Kenzi tugged the balding man back toward her. “My turn, stud.”
Kasima faced Lex, answering, “Trying to get you on the dance floor. And look at that. Here you are.”
“I don’t take pleasure in dancing,” he grumbled, yet he moved closer and hooked her waist.
“You will with me.”
His lips twitching, “I’m finding that is true with everything.”
He stared into her eyes as she peered up at him. Their bodies fell into a natural, sensual synchronicity, the heat between them turning electric. Could he hear how his words inspired a sudden change in her pulse? Her heart fluttered for him. Did he know he could easily command it? That it was very nearly his for the taking?
Was it written all over her face? She shifted in his arms, giving him her back as they danced. Palm sliding around her stomach, he clamped her close.