I say, “I was under the impression that just being married to me would be enough.”
Laughter fills the room as Grace looks at me and shakes her head.
Once again, I wait for the noise to fade.
“Seriously, folks, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now you’ve heard it from me, so if anyone asks, you know the real story. Be sure to set ’em straight—and make sure they pay you, too. The jackals where I come from will spend an arm and a leg on gossip.”
I wave the singer closer, throwing my free arm around the kid. He gives me a goofy grin.
“Before I hand the mic back to my man, I have one more announcement I’m sure you’ll be thrilled with. Everybody’s bar tab from now until midnight is on Ridge Barnet, so bottoms up!”
15
No Controlled Burn (Grace)
I can’t decide if I’ve ever been more embarrassed or more awed in my life.
I’m still trying to pull my jaw off the ground. Ridge had that crowd eating right out of his hand.
And what he did to me?
Insane.
Indescribable.
Absolutely deadly.
His kiss took me by surprise the first second. Thirty seconds later, it took me over.
He knew when to tease, when to chase, when to spar, and when to give.
I wonder if I’m even in a solid state after melting under his heat, tasting the sexy torment of his lips. And of course I’m already addicted.
That kiss was performance art.
If I didn’t know the truth, I’d think we really are engaged.
Not just from his little speech, but the way he’s still all over me, running a firm hand down the small of my back...
Oh my God.
My panties are so wet it’s a struggle to move by the end of the night. The man is a freaking magician when he can make me believe in an illusion I’m supposedly in on.
His touch was too real, like a man who’s been awestruck by the woman he’s promised to marry.
A woman he’s seriously in love with.
He hasn’t left my side all night between introducing us to the townspeople, praising me like I was sent down just for him, hugging me, teasing me.
Holy Hades. Teasing me.
Honestly, it was far more than simple teasing. My libido must be halfway to Mars by now.
Dancing with him was a dream. Those slow, close, shockingly graceful movements.
Every time he reeled me in close, I got a whiff of his aftershave mingled with his scent. It leaves me delirious, this dense, earthy shadow in every breath. Inhaling Ridge Barnet affects my ability to breathe, to think, to control myself.
Did I mention his body?
It’s hard in all the right places. Muscle and ink fused together by a crazed perfectionist, dusted with a halo of raspy stubble and eyes like a wild thing forever on the hunt.
I could go on forever, but that’d require my wits, which I’m not sure I’ll ever find again.
Praise for Ridge aside, I have to admit, I wasn’t half bad tonight.
His lead was easy to follow and he told me where to go, to act as in love with him as he is with me.
Never once did the high stakes behind what we’re doing leave my brain.
Standing our ground is the best option, and I’m grateful we have it, considering everything else close to going haywire.
After being around him this long, I expect the unexpected from a handsome, overly sexy, foul-mouthed beast-man hell-bent on saving our lives.
What I didn’t expect?
That I’d ever have this much fun.
It’s easy when your Not Fiancé is a natural jokester, too. He’s had people laughing all night, including me.
Especially me.
Astounding, considering I haven’t laughed so hard my sides hurt in ages.
I haven’t felt so carefree since college.
I’d partied more than one night away back then, and remember how I felt the next morning. So I’m nursing my margaritas rather than doing shots with lime and salt on my well-licked hand.
Truth be told, tequila has nothing on the high he delivers.
Ridge is the life of the party, hell, the entire gravity.
His exuberance has the bar as hyped as he is, everybody in wild spirits. I think they’ll be talking for ages about the night a billionaire movie star bought out half the booze on the shelves and let it flow like water.
After another round of dancing where he twirls, dips, and kisses me—leaving me thinking terrible things about his god-like stamina—I’m so breathless I could keel over.
“I need to sit,” I say, tumbling into a chair.
So, another revelation for the night is just how