While We Waited (The Reed Brothers #8) by Tammy Falkner

answer.”
    “She usually doesn’t,” I murmur. I look over and find her cuddling the kid while she feeds him a bottle. She winks at me.
    “Your family is pretty fabulous.”
    “Yeah, they are,” I agree. My family is awesome .
    “You’re lucky,” he says, his voice getting husky. “Not everyone is that lucky.”
    “You were adopted by an uncle, right?” I vaguely remember the story. The uncle didn’t want his sisters, so Tag went there alone.
    “Yes.” He’s stiff as a board now.
    “Then you were lucky too.”
    He doesn’t say anything.
    “So you’re going home with us?” I wince when I realize how that sounded. “I mean,” I stumble to say, “I mean you’re going to use Star’s old room again?”
    He nods. “For tonight, at least.” He looks down at me. “You don’t mind, do you?”
    “As long as you promise not to pee on the toilet seat or leave the seat up.”
    “I’ll do my best.” He chuckles. “Can you survive my presence for a day or two?”
    I shrug. “I’ll try. It’ll be difficult.”
    “Thank you for your sacrifice.” He laughs again. It’s a warm, clean chuckle and my insides melt. He speaks again and it’s right by my ear. “I’m sorry if my leaving hurt you. I had to take care of something, and I couldn’t explain it at the time. But now I want to tell you about it. Can I?” He waits expectantly.
    “Maybe…”
    The music stops and he lifts my hand to his lips. He places a tender kiss across the backs of my knuckles, and my belly flips. “Thank you for the dance,” he says, his lips lingering over my skin, his breath warm and humid.
    “Thank you for punching the douchebag in the face.”
    “You’re welcome.” He tangles his fingers in mine and leads me back to my parents. Then he takes Wren to go and dance.
    I watch him as he laughs with her, and his cheeks get rosy and I imagine she’s teasing him about hitting the guy. But then he looks in my direction and his eyes meet mine. She’s teasing him about me if he’s searching me out like that. He winks at me, and my heart betrays me with a little flip. What the fuck is that about?
    Another man comes up and asks me to dance. I get up and say quietly to him, “Did I fuck you too and just don’t remember it?”
    He shakes his head. “Not yet,” he says with a grin.
    I laugh and let him lead me out onto the dance floor. But I can feel Tag’s eyes on me and I don’t even unbutton the top button of the guy’s shirt. I don’t run my fingertips beneath his collar. I don’t accidentally graze his dick. I do nothing. Because Tag is watching me, and for some reason I feel funny about having him see me put the moves on some random guy. Just in this moment. Just for this second.
    The thought irritates me, because I can do whatever I want with my body. It’s mine and I don’t have to let anyone judge me. Not a single soul.
    I’m beyond irritated when the dance is over, because I could have taken this one home with me. Tag is already messing with my game.
    I have to fix that. Starting immediately.

Tag
    I flex my fist, stretching my fingers because they hurt. I haven’t hit anyone in a really long time. I couldn’t help it though. He was so rude and inconsiderate. I wanted to shove his teeth down his throat but couldn’t, not with her watching. It’s bad enough that I hit him.
    I would scare her if she actually saw how much turmoil there is deep down in my soul. If she encountered the depth of my rage, she wouldn’t look at me the same. None of them would.
    I sit down next to Emilio, Finny’s adoptive father. He holds his fist up like he wants to pound his fist against mine, like men often do, so I touch mine to his gently. “Nice job,” he says quietly.
    I don’t say anything.
    “If you hadn’t done it, I was going to.”
    I look up at him, but still don’t speak.
    “I’d fight to the death for my daughters.” His voice is low and gravelly.
    “I’m glad Star and Wren have you.” It’s true.