drug to him. And then she was gone.
"What, you know her?" Josh's voice broke into his thoughts.
His eyes moved from the softness of her hair to Josh's brown inquiring eyes. "Um, yeah. At least I think it's her."
"No way. How do you know her and how is it you know her but haven't claimed her?"
His eyes landed on Josh. "Claimed? What are we wolves?"
"I mean, what is she, batshit crazy or something?"
"No. I mean I don't know. I don't know her that well, I just met her a few years ago at a bar."
"Did you..."
"Knock it off." His eyes landed on her again. Same full lips. What he could see from the table up, she was still slender and delicate. But he also remembered a woman who knew what she wanted and expected to get it.
She laughed at something Sophie said and it was like a gut punch. Damn she was sexy. He could barely hear her laugh over the voices of his friends talking in the room, but what he could hear brought a memory crashing into him. They were sitting in the bar at the hotel both were staying at. He used a cheesy pickup line, something about falling from heaven and she laughed. Then she looked him square in the eyes, hers the prettiest green he'd ever seen. She leaned in and the fragrance she wore, citrusy and fresh, wrapped itself around him as her lips curved up in the most beguiling smile.
"Look here, handsome, I don't fall for stupid pickup lines. I'm not an easy mark. I don't even flatter easily. So, if you think you have a shot with me, you'd better bring, not just your A game, but your A plus, plus game."
He laughed and he remembered how her eyes watched his. He knew, in that moment she was smitten, and she'd be his by the end of the evening. He brought his A plus, plus game. He brought it over and over if memory served.
"You fuck with Sophie's friend and Sophie will kick your sorry ass."
Looking at Josh again, he grinned.
"Well, I haven't had my ass kicked by a pregnant woman ever."
Jax, who sat across the table between Josh and Dodge, leveled a scary gaze on him. His stomach tightened at the look in her eyes. She'd been rather testy lately, big as a house with twins, not able to work out like she used to and worried about what in the hell she was going to do with twins and how would she work. The decision had been that her mother, Pilar, would be moving into the wing they added to their home. So, Jax was stressed, pregnant and irritable.
"Today going to be your day, Axel?" she asked softly.
"No, ma'am." he replied. Then he thought he should soften her up a bit. He smiled at her and winked. That usually did the trick. Usually. Today she just stared at him, she didn't even move. He squirmed in his chair, twice and then she burst out laughing.
"Gotcha."
"It's not fair 'cause you're huuugg...pregnant."
"You almost got your ass kicked just now. You call me huge ever again and I don't care who's around, you're going down."
Tapping on a glass had them all turning toward the front of the room and Roxanne, Hawk's wife, as she called for attention.
"Thank you all for coming today to help us shower Sophie, Gaige and Little Vickers with gifts. These two, finally, and when I say that I mean FINALLY got their act together and tied the knot. Then didn't waste any time getting pregnant. So, we'll need to hurry and eat then open the gifts, 'cause now that they have their rhythm, they'll be moving fast."
The crowd in the room laughed and he couldn't help himself, he looked at her. Irish. That's what he'd called her. She said she had been the top of her class on the gun range and the only sharpshooter in her unit.
Just as he remembered her nickname, she turned her head and their eyes met. The bolt of lightning that shot through him intensified as it landed in his cock. She nodded slightly and he squirmed again, this time for a much different reason.
5
Bridget stood as they left the room. The lunch had been delicious, the gifts lavish, and she was thrilled that she'd opted for the one thing she thought no one would think of for a baby gift. She'd sent it ahead earlier this week to Roxanne, who was kind enough to