God, she’d missed him. Loved him something stupid.
“You look beautiful, Nik,” Caleb said quietly, kissing her on the forehead as if she were still ten years old.
She kissed him back, wiping at the gloss she left behind on his cheek. “Thanks. So do you.” It felt as though they hadn’t seen each other in months, when it had only been a few weeks.
He looked around distractedly, his espresso-colored eyes cold. “Where is he?”
“Not here.” She felt good saying it.
His gaze flipped to hers. “What?”
“He had something else to do.”
Warmth made an appearance, and she got her brother’s real smile, crinkled eyes and all. He was the beautiful one. He looked so much like their dad, with his short dark hair and brown eyes, only their father hadn’t been tattooed. But they did share that strong jaw and cheerful disposition. “That’s good. That’s real good.” Caleb gave her arm a squeeze and went over to greet the others, earning a glare from Gabriel when he gave Eva the same type of greeting he’d just given her.
She held tightly to her wrap and suffered through one more hug from Vex. “How are you, lovely?” asked the big blond. With his near-shaggy hair and vibrant blue eyes, he looked more like a surfer than the president of a notorious biker club.
“I’m doing okay. You?”
He loosened his hold but didn’t release her. Oddly, he tilted her chin back with a knuckle and peered down at her. What was this?
“I think everyone’s a little better now that you’re here,” he said before breaking the weird contact and turning to Eva’s father, who’d just strolled over. “Vasily.” He extended his hand.
“Hey, kid. Shouldn’t you be elbows deep in a carburetor somewhere?”
“My toys will still be there when I get home,” he chuckled.
“Didn’t I tell you that’s how it would go down? Minute they walked in, the lineup formed.” Maksim, who’d just joined them, grinned, his unusual silver eyes flashing wickedly. “Come here, malishka .” He pulled an eye-rolling Eva in for an affectionate embrace. “Allow me one last grope before you completely destroy me by marrying this . . . angry-looking Italian. What’s wrong, G? It was just an innocent hug, as much as I’m sure your woman wishes it wasn’t. No chaperone this evening? I should take advantage.”
Nika blinked when she realized that last bit had been aimed at her. The way Maksim bounced from topic to topic at warp speed was like watching multiple TV shows at the same time.
She wanted to curse when she felt her cheeks heat. Red hair and a blush did not go well together. She accepted a lingering kiss that landed a little too close to the corner of her mouth—the guy smelled great—and tried to keep her smile natural. She was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. She straightened her wrap again, worried it might slip and reveal something it shouldn’t with all the touchy-feely going on.
“Are you okay?” Eva whispered at her elbow. “You look flushed.”
“Oh, uh, I’m good. I’m just not used to being mauled.” She cringed inside at the way that sounded. She should be used to it. Kevin had mauled her breast only hours ago. The fact he was completely impotent with her was the one blessing in the whole mess of a marriage. But that didn’t stop his roving hands. She shuddered from the memory of that unwanted touch. “So, you ready?” she asked for probably the fifth time since arriving.
“You are cold,” Eva exclaimed in hushed tones. “I can’t believe you have goose bumps. I’m trying not to get sweat stains.” She rubbed Nika’s arm in an effort to warm her up. God, if she only knew what had caused them.
“Told you,” she mumbled. At least she wouldn’t have to defend her choice in clothing anymore tonight.
“I’ll be glad when this part is over. I wish we’d gone to the courthouse.” Eva looked around nervously.
“Really?” Nika said with mock surprise. That look had nothing to do
“You look beautiful, Nik,” Caleb said quietly, kissing her on the forehead as if she were still ten years old.
She kissed him back, wiping at the gloss she left behind on his cheek. “Thanks. So do you.” It felt as though they hadn’t seen each other in months, when it had only been a few weeks.
He looked around distractedly, his espresso-colored eyes cold. “Where is he?”
“Not here.” She felt good saying it.
His gaze flipped to hers. “What?”
“He had something else to do.”
Warmth made an appearance, and she got her brother’s real smile, crinkled eyes and all. He was the beautiful one. He looked so much like their dad, with his short dark hair and brown eyes, only their father hadn’t been tattooed. But they did share that strong jaw and cheerful disposition. “That’s good. That’s real good.” Caleb gave her arm a squeeze and went over to greet the others, earning a glare from Gabriel when he gave Eva the same type of greeting he’d just given her.
She held tightly to her wrap and suffered through one more hug from Vex. “How are you, lovely?” asked the big blond. With his near-shaggy hair and vibrant blue eyes, he looked more like a surfer than the president of a notorious biker club.
“I’m doing okay. You?”
He loosened his hold but didn’t release her. Oddly, he tilted her chin back with a knuckle and peered down at her. What was this?
“I think everyone’s a little better now that you’re here,” he said before breaking the weird contact and turning to Eva’s father, who’d just strolled over. “Vasily.” He extended his hand.
“Hey, kid. Shouldn’t you be elbows deep in a carburetor somewhere?”
“My toys will still be there when I get home,” he chuckled.
“Didn’t I tell you that’s how it would go down? Minute they walked in, the lineup formed.” Maksim, who’d just joined them, grinned, his unusual silver eyes flashing wickedly. “Come here, malishka .” He pulled an eye-rolling Eva in for an affectionate embrace. “Allow me one last grope before you completely destroy me by marrying this . . . angry-looking Italian. What’s wrong, G? It was just an innocent hug, as much as I’m sure your woman wishes it wasn’t. No chaperone this evening? I should take advantage.”
Nika blinked when she realized that last bit had been aimed at her. The way Maksim bounced from topic to topic at warp speed was like watching multiple TV shows at the same time.
She wanted to curse when she felt her cheeks heat. Red hair and a blush did not go well together. She accepted a lingering kiss that landed a little too close to the corner of her mouth—the guy smelled great—and tried to keep her smile natural. She was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. She straightened her wrap again, worried it might slip and reveal something it shouldn’t with all the touchy-feely going on.
“Are you okay?” Eva whispered at her elbow. “You look flushed.”
“Oh, uh, I’m good. I’m just not used to being mauled.” She cringed inside at the way that sounded. She should be used to it. Kevin had mauled her breast only hours ago. The fact he was completely impotent with her was the one blessing in the whole mess of a marriage. But that didn’t stop his roving hands. She shuddered from the memory of that unwanted touch. “So, you ready?” she asked for probably the fifth time since arriving.
“You are cold,” Eva exclaimed in hushed tones. “I can’t believe you have goose bumps. I’m trying not to get sweat stains.” She rubbed Nika’s arm in an effort to warm her up. God, if she only knew what had caused them.
“Told you,” she mumbled. At least she wouldn’t have to defend her choice in clothing anymore tonight.
“I’ll be glad when this part is over. I wish we’d gone to the courthouse.” Eva looked around nervously.
“Really?” Nika said with mock surprise. That look had nothing to do
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