Cocky Protector - Kat Mizera Page 0,32
us.”
“I’m sure it’s hard,” Shannon said with an understanding smile. “I don’t have kids, but it seems to me you should take advantage of having time alone with your husband. My friends tell me it makes a big difference.”
“Oh, it does. I’m just a little nervous.” She reached for her glass of champagne.
“Let’s have a toast,” Shannon said, picking up hers as well. “To old and new friends and a fantastic adventure this week.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Chance lifted his glass and we clinked them together.
“So how long have you been dating?” Aubrey asked.
“Well…” Shannon glanced at me. “We knew each other briefly back when I was in college, but he was in the military and about to be deployed, so we kind of lost touch. We ran into each other about a week ago and picked up right where we left off. And a friend told us we could get on the boat here in Cologne, which is where I live, so we did something a little romantic and a lot impulsive.”
“A week, huh?” Aubrey glanced at her husband. “Sounds a little familiar.”
“Really?” Shannon’s eyes twinkled. “Do tell.”
The girls talked about how Aubrey and Chance had met on a road trip, while Chance and I had a separate conversation.
“How are you doing?” I asked him. “Everything been okay since you got out? I meant to check in, but I heard you were good.”
“Yeah. Married my girl, became a dad, ride my bike a lot—can’t complain. What about you? Still jetting off around the world being a hero?”
I snorted out a derisive laugh. “Yeah, kinda.”
He arched a brow. “Do I sense a change in the air?”
“I don’t know. My life is complicated.” I glanced across the table at Shannon. She had her champagne flute in one hand, laughing at something Aubrey was telling her, her eyes sparkling as they talked.
“Why?” He followed my gaze briefly and then brought it back to me. “Looks pretty simple to me.”
“Do you even know me?” I started to laugh and he did too.
“Well, if you want to talk, I plan to be at the gym at seven. Aubrey will be sleeping in.”
“I don’t know what Shannon’s plans are but—”
“You’re welcome to go to the gym without me,” she interrupted, laughing. “I have no interest in getting up that early to work out. I’ll sleep in and maybe Aubrey and I will meet for coffee while you two do whatever exercise thing you want to do.”
“Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” I told him.
We spent the evening with Chance and Aubrey, moving to the lounge after dinner and talking and drinking late into the night. Chance was Australian, and his accent got more and more discernible when he drank. He also had a bawdy sense of humor, so he had us all in stitches. Surprisingly, Shannon was a lot of fun when she was drunk as well, telling hilarious stories about her students over the years.
We drank way too much champagne and told far too many dirty jokes, but when the DJ played “Something About The Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John, I had to dance with her. She followed me onto the dance floor and moved into my arms—as usual—as if we’d been dancing together forever. Now that she was up against me, the restraint I’d been showing all night began to slip away. I wanted her so much it hurt, but I was trying like hell to be patient and let her come to me. Not when she was this drunk, though. I wouldn’t do more than kiss her when she was like this. If we were going to make love, it was going to be when we both were able to remember every second of it.
“You smell nice,” she murmured. “I don’t remember you wearing aftershave before tonight.”
“I only wear it when I’m on a date,” I whispered against her ear. She was moving with me, her body practically molded to mine. And I was getting hard again. Jesus, I normally had better control than this.
“Is this a date?” she asked softly.
“What do you think?”
“I think I want you to kiss me.”
“Honey, I already told you once I start kissing you, I might not be able to stop, and that could go very wrong on the dance floor here in front of all these people.”
“Mm, I suppose.” She closed her eyes, pressing her cheek to mine. I was about six inches taller than her, but she was in