“Noel, are you going to tell us you’ve never had sex with your wife? Never fucked her so hard that she screamed? If you haven’t, mate, you ain’t pleasing your woman right.”
Max spat out his drink, laughing. Noel stepped away from Clara as his chest rose heavily. Then he glanced at Alex for confirmation and he received a nod.
“You know I get a clean hit on that pretty face of yours,” Noel stated as he balled his right fist.
Julian stretched out his arms and welcomed it. “Yeah, yeah. I know how it works. I got work on Monday so avoid the nose. I need to breathe. But aim wherever. You’ve got a weak hook anyways.”
Noel smiled. “I’m not going to hit you, Julian.”
“Scared to break your hand?”
Clara stepped forward and wrapped her hands around Noel’s arm, lowering it. “No, because I’m going to punch you,” she announced.
The rage and embarrassment that filled Clara’s eyes had Julian bursting out in laughter. He let his arms fall by his side as he continued to chuckle and shake his head.
So much better than the strippers!
However, he didn’t give her a chance as he closed the distance, yanked her away from her husband, and wrapped his arms around her small body.
“Oh, kiddo, you’re so precious,” Julian cooed.
“Get off me!” She wiggled in his hold, and Julian hugged her tighter.
“Sorry Noel hasn’t nailed you good. And I’m sorry he can’t get it done since Alex still holds his balls.”
“Okay, that’s enough from you, ya teasing little shit,” Julian’s brother said from behind him. Rob had his hand on Julian’s shoulder, pulling him off Clara.
“Roberta, that wasn’t very nice. I wanted to see Clara Parker spank me.”
“Not in your lifetime,” Clara stated as she fixed her curls back in place.
“Go sit down, Julian,” Rob stated. “We’re already tired of your shit.”
When Alex made his way to him, his hand settled on Julian’s right shoulder. “You’re such a little shit.” He laughed. “I’ll bring you a beer.”
Julian nodded appreciatively, turned around, and made his way to the table. When he reached a free table, he pulled out a chair and sat on it, staring at his group of friends. Just as Alex was about to order, Julian yelled, “Don’t spit in it! Or get me that pissy-coloured beer.”
Alex responded with a nod and continued to speak to his fiancée. Julian took in their group. For years, he’d stayed away from them and kept to himself. He never wanted to admit that he’d missed them, including his brother. But they all did okay, and for that, he smiled. Alex and Keira were expecting a child, and Noel and Clara were happily married. As Julian’s father had said, soul mates always found a way to be with each other. In all the years he’d known Clara, she was where she finally belonged. Not with him or Liam. She was Noel’s heart, and behind all his teasing, Julian was jealous.
When Alex had their beers, he treaded carefully towards the table Julian sat at. The moment he reached the table, Julian let out a sigh. Tonight wasn’t going how he’d expected. So far, it was a letdown.
“There’s something really wrong about having your bachelor party after your wedding. It’s just not right.”
Alex set the pint in front of him and sat at the table. “Stop your sulking.”
Julian reached for the beer and nursed it like a hot beverage on a winter’s morning. “This is such a piss poor excuse for a bachelor party. It’s like an offence to men everywhere!”
Alex shook his head. “You couldn’t get him away from my sister long enough to have one. And well, you decided to be with the Italians. So drinks at PJ’s is your fault.”
“It was the sex you couldn’t get him away from,” Julian pointed out as he sipped the Guinness.
“Seriously? I don’t need you reminding me that he’s sleeping with my sister. We grew up hearing and sharing each other’s sex stories, but now I can’t stomach it if Noel were to say anything. Fucking hell, I gave him my blessing to marry her. You’d think that excuses me from hearing anything physical about them.” Alex shivered and took a long pull from his glass.
“You know I’m just busting your balls, right?”
“Yeah. You’re lucky I like you or I’d have knocked ya on your back the moment you decided to pull that stunt.”
Julian shrugged. “Group needed some fun. No strippers mean no fun. Watching you and