isn’t what it used to be.”
An older woman snuggled up to the man, putting her arm around his waist in support. “Come on, Superman, how about we go and get a piece of that delicious-looking cake?” She winked at Rin. It was obvious the woman was trying to take the sting out of the fact that her man wasn’t as strong as he used to be.
At that moment, Rin almost felt sad about her family curse. She’d never thought she needed a man to make her life complete or meaningful, and still didn’t, but seeing how sweet the man and woman were to each other, and how protective, made a pang of jealousy streak through her.
“Varinia, are you sure you’re all right?” Roman repeated, after the older couple and the woman who’d backed into her had left.
“I’m fine.” Rin waved off his concern. At his look of disbelief, she insisted, “Happens all the time. I’ll probably trip over my own feet at some point tonight.”
When he still looked concerned, she conceded in a lower, more serious voice, “I’ll most likely have a bruise. But I always have bruises. Nothing’s broken, promise, it’s all good.”
She smiled to try to reassure him and was about to suggest they go and sit down to chat—until she saw her mom heading their way.
Her mom’s man-dar was working overtime tonight and Roman was a fine specimen.
Rin looked over at him. He’d changed out of the torn jeans and long-sleeved Henley, and was now wearing a maroon polo with a pair of dark blue jeans, so dark they could almost be black. He had the same boots on he’d been wearing earlier, but obviously wasn’t carrying his leather bag anymore. He looked good. Really good.
“Damn,” Rin muttered, seeing her mom checking Roman out as she approached. She felt extremely protective of the man and even a bit…territorial. She turned her back to her mother and looked up at Roman. “My mom’s on her way over here. I was going to wait a bit before introducing you, but—”
“Well, well, well…who do we have here?” Cassia purred as she reached their side.
Rin sighed, but did what was expected of her and turned to face her mom. “This is Roman…uh…”
“Reese. It’s good to meet you.” Roman held out his hand, and didn’t even flinch as Cassia took hold of it with both of hers and patted it with way too much gusto.
“The pleasure is all mine,” she gushed.
Rin held back the eye roll that wanted to come out at the simpering tone in her mom’s voice. She hadn’t been around Roman all that long, but she really didn’t like the way Cassia was eyeballing him…as if he was a meal and she hadn’t eaten in days.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”
Roman smiled and answered Cassia’s implied question. “I’m a friend of Varinia’s. She invited me. It’s good to meet you.”
“Oh, so you know Rin already. Great. Come on, you have to meet Tina. I can’t believe Rin kept you a secret.” Her mom widened her eyes a margin at Rin before turning her hundred-watt smile back to Roman.
Roman looked amused at Cassia’s response, but took it in stride. “I’d be happy to meet the other birthday girl.”
Rin reluctantly followed along behind Roman and her mother as she towed the poor man across the room to where Tina was sitting. More than once in the past, a guy Rin had liked had totally forgotten about her once he’d met her sister. She really, really didn’t want that to happen this time. She hadn’t gotten to talk much to Roman yet, but knew without a doubt that she’d find him even more fascinating than she did already…if he didn’t get enamored with her sister before she had a chance.
The trio arrived at the table where Tina was holding court with the group of men. Cassia stood next to her firstborn and totally ignored Rin.
“Tina, I’d like you to meet Roman. Rin invited him and I knew he just had to meet you while he was here.”
“Roman,” Tina said and nodded her head in greeting, holding out her hand
An older woman snuggled up to the man, putting her arm around his waist in support. “Come on, Superman, how about we go and get a piece of that delicious-looking cake?” She winked at Rin. It was obvious the woman was trying to take the sting out of the fact that her man wasn’t as strong as he used to be.
At that moment, Rin almost felt sad about her family curse. She’d never thought she needed a man to make her life complete or meaningful, and still didn’t, but seeing how sweet the man and woman were to each other, and how protective, made a pang of jealousy streak through her.
“Varinia, are you sure you’re all right?” Roman repeated, after the older couple and the woman who’d backed into her had left.
“I’m fine.” Rin waved off his concern. At his look of disbelief, she insisted, “Happens all the time. I’ll probably trip over my own feet at some point tonight.”
When he still looked concerned, she conceded in a lower, more serious voice, “I’ll most likely have a bruise. But I always have bruises. Nothing’s broken, promise, it’s all good.”
She smiled to try to reassure him and was about to suggest they go and sit down to chat—until she saw her mom heading their way.
Her mom’s man-dar was working overtime tonight and Roman was a fine specimen.
Rin looked over at him. He’d changed out of the torn jeans and long-sleeved Henley, and was now wearing a maroon polo with a pair of dark blue jeans, so dark they could almost be black. He had the same boots on he’d been wearing earlier, but obviously wasn’t carrying his leather bag anymore. He looked good. Really good.
“Damn,” Rin muttered, seeing her mom checking Roman out as she approached. She felt extremely protective of the man and even a bit…territorial. She turned her back to her mother and looked up at Roman. “My mom’s on her way over here. I was going to wait a bit before introducing you, but—”
“Well, well, well…who do we have here?” Cassia purred as she reached their side.
Rin sighed, but did what was expected of her and turned to face her mom. “This is Roman…uh…”
“Reese. It’s good to meet you.” Roman held out his hand, and didn’t even flinch as Cassia took hold of it with both of hers and patted it with way too much gusto.
“The pleasure is all mine,” she gushed.
Rin held back the eye roll that wanted to come out at the simpering tone in her mom’s voice. She hadn’t been around Roman all that long, but she really didn’t like the way Cassia was eyeballing him…as if he was a meal and she hadn’t eaten in days.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”
Roman smiled and answered Cassia’s implied question. “I’m a friend of Varinia’s. She invited me. It’s good to meet you.”
“Oh, so you know Rin already. Great. Come on, you have to meet Tina. I can’t believe Rin kept you a secret.” Her mom widened her eyes a margin at Rin before turning her hundred-watt smile back to Roman.
Roman looked amused at Cassia’s response, but took it in stride. “I’d be happy to meet the other birthday girl.”
Rin reluctantly followed along behind Roman and her mother as she towed the poor man across the room to where Tina was sitting. More than once in the past, a guy Rin had liked had totally forgotten about her once he’d met her sister. She really, really didn’t want that to happen this time. She hadn’t gotten to talk much to Roman yet, but knew without a doubt that she’d find him even more fascinating than she did already…if he didn’t get enamored with her sister before she had a chance.
The trio arrived at the table where Tina was holding court with the group of men. Cassia stood next to her firstborn and totally ignored Rin.
“Tina, I’d like you to meet Roman. Rin invited him and I knew he just had to meet you while he was here.”
“Roman,” Tina said and nodded her head in greeting, holding out her hand
Similar Books
