Page 79 of Face Off

“I’m having a terrible time.”

Charm leaned close enough for her hair to brush my jaw. “Your smile disagrees.”

“You’ve been drinking.”

“So have you.”

“That explains the smile.”

“What explains your hand?”

I looked down and found my palm resting against the curve of her thigh beneath the table.

“Poor thought process.”

Her laughter warmed my cheek. “I should’ve guessed.”

By the time dinner ended, the mezcal had faded into a steady buzz, but the ease between us remained. Daniel and Harrison led half the group toward the game room after Daniel challenged him to billiards, while Elenore linked arms with Sarah Bennett and followed them. Bliss and Cade disappeared with the wedding coordinator, although Cade’s hand sliding toward the back of Bliss’s dress suggested the meeting wouldn’t remain professional for long.

Aura and Easton headed toward the gardens. Rider allowed Lyon to drag him into the billiards game, and Briggs lingered near the terrace doors while Lyric continued entertaining the Bennett brothers.

Charm collected her purse from the back of her chair. “Are you playing?”

“Billiards against six Bennetts and Harrison?”

“You sound frightened.”

“I’ve survived worse odds.”

“I’ve seen you lose to Briggs.”

“He cheated.”

“He distracted you by taking his shirt off.”

“The horror of that is the only reason it worked.”

“It really shouldn’t have.”

I offered my arm. “Where’s your room?”

Charm looked at it before lifting her gaze to mine. “You don’t know already?”

“I know most everything there is to know about you. That isn’t the same as knowing which door Bliss assigned you.”

“East wing.”

“I’ll walk you.”

“Still suspiciously polite.”

“Take the offer before I recover.”

She slid her hand around my arm, and the contact brought the entire day full circle. I had imagined this exact thing in Cade’s truck while discussing the wedding-party pairings. Charm beside me, her fingers resting against my sleeve, and enough of her perfume surrounding me to collapse fifteen months into a handful of breaths.

This time, we crossed a crowded terrace together.

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