Cousins: An Alpha Bad Boy Romance(22)

A somewhat familiar looking, handsome older man, dressed in a crisp white shirt and metal gray suit steps forward. He has a head full of deep wavy dark hair, with a little salt and pepper at the temples that I can tell he must tame using a lot of product. His face is serious but his eyes are wildly expressive with lines that crinkle in the corners. He exudes pure confidence and dominance in the room without appearing arrogant. I deduce that this man must be Juliette's husband. The infamous Uncle Joseph.

"Hi Elizabeth. I'm Joseph."

The room is deadly silent now. I'm unsure of why. I feel like I'm in the middle of a Godfather movie.

I smile awkwardly. "Happy Birthday Uncle Joseph."

I extend my hand to shake his, but he moves forward bypassing my extended hand, and slowly embraces me. I can feel some tension in his body, but I'm not really clear why it's there. Maybe because this is sort of awkward for the both of us.

"Just call me Joseph."

I nod in agreement.

"I look forward to getting to know you."

"Me too," I say.

I hear some light chatter in the room begin again and when my uncle releases me, he turns to slowly and lovingly embrace my aunt.

"Thank you for this," he says to her. Gliding a few of his knuckles down the side of her face. Staring into her eyes like she's the only woman in the room.

"Happy Birthday, Honey." She softly says, almost with a blush to her cheeks.

I'm not going to lie. I'm surprised by their intense affection for each other. They look like they are very much in love. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. My parents don't look at each other this way and neither do my friends' parents. It's kind of nice.

As the evening continues, I meet several more of my relatives in the room and am amazed that each person seems nicer than the next. I'm tired though. Physically and mentally. It's exhausting faking a smile and conducting idle chitchat with people you don't know. One after the other.

I decide to excuse myself from the main room and find a restroom to give myself a break. After I pee, wash my hands, and finish talking myself into returning to the party, I decide to take the long way back to the party room and pass through a seating area where people are waiting for tables in the main dining room. I notice an unoccupied seat, so I decide to sit down for a second and text Sloan. Anything to buy me a few more minutes away from my well-intentioned but smothering new family.

Before I know it, some snot-nosed tween with freckles and a mischievous look on his face decides to race me for the seat. He swiftly brushes behind me and plops his butt in my spot. I can imagine the look on his mother's face if I end up ass first in this kid's lap, but it's hard for me to stop my backward momentum. My ankle turns (thank you very much wedge sandals), and now I'm falling. I turn my body just enough, so that I'll hopefully end up on the floor and not on top of freckle face. Although I'm betting he wouldn't mind.

"Down goes Frazier!" The kid says gleefully as I fall right on my butt.

While I'm totally embarrassed, and paranoid because I'm wearing white and have zero idea what nastiness could be on this floor, I'm impressed that this little deviant even knows who Joe Frazier was. I'm twice this kid's age, and the only reason I know the heavyweight fighter's name is because he's a Philadelphia legend and fought Muhammad Ali.

Before I can help myself up, all my spidey senses raise to a high alert.

I feel him before I can even see him.

"You all right?" A heavy voice asks me with a look of concern, but also laced with a sprinkling of what I think is laughter in his voice. I nod my head up and down like a speechless idiot while the voice pulls me up to my feet and balances me around my waist.

It's him ... in all his badass, muscular, one-dimpled splendor.

What I'm feeling right now is hard to explain. My stomach is swirling inside due to a weird brew of excitement and fear. What are the chances of me running into the same guy, in this restaurant, when I'm flat on my ass ... again. Actually, scratch that. It explains everything. I have the worst luck.

"Yes thanks." I finally say.

He begins to methodically brush my ass and the backs of my thighs off using slow broad strokes with the palm of his hand, and I'm embarrassed to admit to myself just how good it feels to have his hands on me. Especially there.

"Just getting off the dirt." He assures me with a wink. He then turns to freckle face with a stern look on his face.

"You should always give up your seat to a lady. Didn't anyone ever teach you that kid?"

The boy's face drops.

"Yeah."

"Yes what?"

"Yes sir," he answers petulantly.

The stranger nods his head and turns back to face me. He's still holding me loosely around the waist mind you, and I have yet to make any attempt to move from under his protection.