crimson and lace. The dress she wore hugged her waist before flaring into a flirty skirt down to her knees. Her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and her eyes glimmered with excitement.
So beautiful.
I was up on my feet, moving toward her, before my brain even registered the fact. She was a force that drew me in, and I never wanted to be anywhere else but surrounded by her dazzling light.
“You’re here!” Lailah exclaimed.
I reached her side and took her hand. “You look stunning,” I said, leaning forward to brush a lingering kiss against her lips.
The corner of her mouth curved as she stepped back. “Just wait until tomorrow.”
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
She glanced around, seeing my mother as she rose from her spot at the bar. They waved to one another, and then Lailah tried to spot the other few remaining members of our dinner party.
“Has Roman arrived yet?” she asked.
“No,” I answered bluntly.
“There’s still time,” she soothed, stroking the sleeves of my shirt in a comforting manner.
“I know. But would it really kill him to care about someone else for once?”
Her fingers found mine, curling and locking us together. “He did, remember? That’s why we’re here tonight. Because Roman cared about you enough to fly all the way across the country to tell me what an amazing man I’d managed to let slip through my fingers. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would be happening right now, Jude.”
I sighed in frustration—mostly because I knew she was right and partially because I couldn’t figure Roman out.
Why would a man do something so selfless yet manage to pull a complete one-eighty and return to being a full-time asshole the second he returned back home?
What was I missing?
The hostess took us back to our private table that had been reserved for this special evening, and I gave her instructions to send any late stragglers straight back.
Of course, the only late straggler was my brother, but I was trying to be polite.
Sitting next to Lailah among our family and friends, everything suddenly started to become very real, and the tardiness of my brother was soon forgotten.
My hand fell to her knee under the table and squeezed. She turned to me as everyone was busy chitchatting. As our eyes locked, I knew she felt it, too—that amazing feeling that anything was possible because we’d found each other.
Moisture pooled at the corners of her eyes, and as I raised my thumb to brush it away, she mouthed the words, I love you.
Just as I began to repeat them back to her, I was promptly interrupted.
“So sorry we’re late!”
I turned to see Roman walking toward the table with a buxom brunette dressed in a napkin that she was trying to pass off as a dress. Every head turned as the two passed by, and as they drew closer, I couldn’t decide if the attention was due to the napkin-sized dress or the smell of alcohol that seemed to be seeping out of their pores.
I rose quickly from my chair as Roman tried to head toward the single empty seat just to the left of Lailah.
“I wasn’t aware you were bringing a date, brother.”
His darkening eyes met mine, and his mouth curled up into a menacing smile. “Wasn’t aware I had to tell you, brother, ” he replied.
“Well, it is common courtesy so that we know how many place settings to have the restaurant prepare for. As you can see, we are a seat short,” I said, gesturing to the empty chair.
“I guess Ginger will just have to sit on my lap then. Huh, sugar?”
Ginger—if that was her real name—just smiled and nodded, the silicone in her boobs bouncing up and down with enthusiasm.
Just fucking great.
I sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of my nose, as I glanced around at our family members nervously looking about.
“No need for that, Roman. I’ll go ask the hostess to set an extra seat for your . . . friend.”
“Thank you,” he remarked as his hands slid around Ginger’s waist.
I didn’t
So beautiful.
I was up on my feet, moving toward her, before my brain even registered the fact. She was a force that drew me in, and I never wanted to be anywhere else but surrounded by her dazzling light.
“You’re here!” Lailah exclaimed.
I reached her side and took her hand. “You look stunning,” I said, leaning forward to brush a lingering kiss against her lips.
The corner of her mouth curved as she stepped back. “Just wait until tomorrow.”
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
She glanced around, seeing my mother as she rose from her spot at the bar. They waved to one another, and then Lailah tried to spot the other few remaining members of our dinner party.
“Has Roman arrived yet?” she asked.
“No,” I answered bluntly.
“There’s still time,” she soothed, stroking the sleeves of my shirt in a comforting manner.
“I know. But would it really kill him to care about someone else for once?”
Her fingers found mine, curling and locking us together. “He did, remember? That’s why we’re here tonight. Because Roman cared about you enough to fly all the way across the country to tell me what an amazing man I’d managed to let slip through my fingers. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would be happening right now, Jude.”
I sighed in frustration—mostly because I knew she was right and partially because I couldn’t figure Roman out.
Why would a man do something so selfless yet manage to pull a complete one-eighty and return to being a full-time asshole the second he returned back home?
What was I missing?
The hostess took us back to our private table that had been reserved for this special evening, and I gave her instructions to send any late stragglers straight back.
Of course, the only late straggler was my brother, but I was trying to be polite.
Sitting next to Lailah among our family and friends, everything suddenly started to become very real, and the tardiness of my brother was soon forgotten.
My hand fell to her knee under the table and squeezed. She turned to me as everyone was busy chitchatting. As our eyes locked, I knew she felt it, too—that amazing feeling that anything was possible because we’d found each other.
Moisture pooled at the corners of her eyes, and as I raised my thumb to brush it away, she mouthed the words, I love you.
Just as I began to repeat them back to her, I was promptly interrupted.
“So sorry we’re late!”
I turned to see Roman walking toward the table with a buxom brunette dressed in a napkin that she was trying to pass off as a dress. Every head turned as the two passed by, and as they drew closer, I couldn’t decide if the attention was due to the napkin-sized dress or the smell of alcohol that seemed to be seeping out of their pores.
I rose quickly from my chair as Roman tried to head toward the single empty seat just to the left of Lailah.
“I wasn’t aware you were bringing a date, brother.”
His darkening eyes met mine, and his mouth curled up into a menacing smile. “Wasn’t aware I had to tell you, brother, ” he replied.
“Well, it is common courtesy so that we know how many place settings to have the restaurant prepare for. As you can see, we are a seat short,” I said, gesturing to the empty chair.
“I guess Ginger will just have to sit on my lap then. Huh, sugar?”
Ginger—if that was her real name—just smiled and nodded, the silicone in her boobs bouncing up and down with enthusiasm.
Just fucking great.
I sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of my nose, as I glanced around at our family members nervously looking about.
“No need for that, Roman. I’ll go ask the hostess to set an extra seat for your . . . friend.”
“Thank you,” he remarked as his hands slid around Ginger’s waist.
I didn’t
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