Rock Wedding (Rock Kiss #4) - Nalini Singh Page 0,109

for her dress.

Even had they clashed terribly, she’d have worn them.

Curling her hand around his biceps, she admired his own form. He’d chosen to pair a fitted black shirt with his black pants. The shirt hugged his pecs and arms and made her want to jump his bones. She wasn’t the only one, she saw when they joined the party. Several women made eyes at him.

Abe rubbed her lower back. “It’s not too crowded at least.”

Ignoring the women trying to flirt with him when it was obvious Abe wasn’t interested, Sarah glanced around. “Is that Kit over there?”

Abe followed her line of sight. “Yeah. Noah’s with her.”

ABE BEGAN TO WEAVE HIS WAY THROUGH THE LARGE ROOM, careful to keep Sarah always in the protective curve of his arm. For the most part, people didn’t get in his way—there were some advantages to being a big guy with tattoos and a visible piercing.

“Abe, Sarah.”

Abe stopped and exchanged handshakes with Marty, after which the tall, thin man leaned toward Sarah and accepted her kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday,” she said and lifted the little bag she was holding.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Marty said, though his tanned-to-honey-brown skin flushed in pleasure. “I asked for donations to the scholarship fund I help administer.”

“We did that,” Sarah reassured the other man. “But everyone should get presents on their birthday, even if it’s just a small thing.”

Unhidden delight in his eyes, Marty took the bag. “Can I look?”

“Of course,” Sarah said, her hand not on her belly but curved below it, as if she was supporting it.

Digging inside the gift bag, Marty came up with a small but rather battered jewelry box of deep red. He looked curious rather than dismayed. Abe was curious too. Having no idea what the hell to get a man who was filthy rich and whom Abe knew only from the music world as opposed to a personal friendship, he’d left it up to Sarah.

As he watched, Marty flipped open the box and gasped. Loud enough to capture the attention of several people nearby, who peered over to see what had him so excited. “My dear,” he whispered, “where did you find these?” He turned the box so people could see what lay within: cuff links that appeared to be hand painted with a miniature scene that reminded Abe of the traditional Chinese paintings he’d seen in a museum one time.

“My secret,” Sarah said with a smile. “A little bird told me you collect vintage cuff links—the seller told me these are meant to be part of a rare set.”

“They are!” Marty pressed a hand to his heart, his ring finger bearing a dramatic ring set with a square sapphire. “The artist only ever painted a hundred overall. And they’re in the original box too!” In raptures at this point, the other man closed the box and hid it away in the bag before enclosing Sarah in a hug. “Thank you.” It was heartfelt.

Sarah hugged him back, said, “You’re welcome. I’m so glad we got it right.”

Eyes shining after they broke apart, Marty leaned in to whisper, “I’m going to disappear from my own party for a few minutes to put these beauties with the rest of my collection.” Leaving them with a conspiratorial smile, he snuck out through a side door.

Kit and Noah, who’d drifted closer, immediately asked what was up. Kit shook her head when Sarah told her. “How did you know about his collection?”

“He mentioned it in an interview once.” Sarah shifted a little on her feet as she often did to find a comfortable position now that the pregnancy was so advanced.

When Abe rubbed at her lower back, she threw him a smile that made his heart twist itself into a thousand knots. God, he was so gone for her. Head over heels, like that song Noah had written for the new album.

“You’re showing me up,” Kit teased with a mock-scowl. “Did you see Marty hired Florentina Chastain to do a full dessert bar? Her people just brought out peach tartlets with a dark chocolate garnish.”

“Oooh.” Sarah lit up.

Curving his hand over her hip, Abe said, “You want me to grab you a plate of dessert stuff?”

“No. I’ll waddle over with Kit—half the fun is in the choosing.”

Tall and statuesque, Sarah was far too graceful to waddle. Abe watched her as she and Kit wandered over into another room where Abe could just glimpse the edge of the dessert bar. “We fucking lucked out with our