The Billionaire's Practice Kiss - Tamie Dearen Page 0,26

scowl. “He was rude.”

“No worries. My sources tell me that bill’s already dead,” Cole said. “We’ve got a better one coming up for a vote in the House next week.”

As the five chatted at their table, Logan surveyed the ballroom. The hair stood up on the back of his neck, even before he spotted his stepfather glowering at him from across the room. In his petulance, Logan had originally planned to confront Chester that evening…to put him in his place. But being with real friends helped him put his grievances in perspective. The hurts of the past didn’t matter as much as protecting the people he cared about. He was tempted to ask Ellery to take the expensive necklace off rather than risk a nasty scene with Chester.

“You’re squeezing my knee,” she murmured.

“Sorry.”

She flashed another smile, and his entire body warmed. Ellery was addicting. So much so that he knew he couldn’t let their relationship end. They had to stay in contact. To be friends.

Ellery threw her head back, laughing at something someone had said, the sound so contagious, Logan joined in without knowing why. Yes, Logan wanted Ellery to be his friend. A close friend.

Her hand reached out, grasping his, the touch of her soft skin as electric as ever. Who was he kidding? He wanted to be more than friends.

Much more…

Chapter 11

As a hopeless romantic, Ellery couldn’t help being envious of Cole and Brooke. The two were so cute together.

“And Brooke complains that I always wear cowboy boots with my tux.” Cole lifted his booted foot above the table for all to see.

“It wouldn’t hurt you to wear black tux shoes for a few hours.” Brooke rolled her eyes.

“But I wore my dress boots. That’s good enough. Am I right, Nancy?”

“I’m no fashion expert, but they look perfectly nice to me. They make a statement. Like, ‘I refuse to conform.’”

“Exactly!” Cole grinned, elbowing his wife. “You see? Nancy understands.”

Brooke groaned, but her smile said she wasn’t actually upset.

Cole had kept their group entertained throughout the dinner, and Ellery felt comfortably unseen in his shadow. A voice over the PA system announced the bride and groom’s first dance, and a popular country song began to play. Their conversation paused as they watched the couple move gracefully about the dance floor, their adoring eyes trained on each other.

Ellery suppressed a sigh. Would anyone ever look at her that way?

Wishful thinking is worthless thinking. For once, remembering her mother’s words didn’t reduce Ellery to tears. Maybe she was healing, after all.

Since Duane’s initial confrontation, the reception had been smooth sailing. At some point, Ellery’s shawl had ended up draped over the back of Logan’s chair, yet she didn’t mind. It was hard to feel self-conscious about a few scars on her arm when a man at the table proudly brandished a motorized lime green one his wife had aptly named Shrek.

“Can I get your autograph for my roommate?” Ellery asked Cole, handing him her wedding program. “Her name is Kara.”

“Yes, please sign one for her,” Logan said. “I owe Kara big-time. She’s the one who talked Ellery into coming with me to the wedding.”

“Why did Kara have to talk you into it?” A quirk of Brooke’s eyebrow indicated her suspicion.

Logan’s hand tensed on Ellery’s shoulder. “Uh…”

“My panic attacks,” Ellery spurted out to save their cover. “I was in a bad car accident a few years ago, and now I avoid riding in cars as much as possible.”

Understanding dawned on Brooke’s face. Ellery hadn’t discussed the accident, but her table-mates must’ve wondered what had caused her scarring.

“In that case,” Cole said, “I’ll sign it with Shrek, and you can video it for her. That’ll make it one of a kind.”

“You don’t mind that so many women are still in love with your husband?” Ellery asked Brooke.

Brooke exchanged a meaningful glance with her husband and reached out to take his hand. “I trust him completely.”

“And I trust her,” said Cole. “Before Brooke, I didn’t think I could ever learn to trust a woman.”

Ellery’s heart compressed. The two had something special…something she’d never realized she was missing. Now she longed for it. Could she ever have a relationship like that?

Ellery aimed her phone at Cole and pressed the video recording button.

“You two are really lucky.” Logan’s eyes went unfocused, like he was a million miles away. But his hand hadn’t left the room. Not at all. It moved in slow, sensuous circles, stroking the skin between Ellery’s shoulder blades and sending chill bumps rippling