“Make sure you wear some of that when we’re back in our room tonight. I’d love to see your red lips wrapped around my dick later.”
He chuckled as her cheeks flushed with heat, and he stole another quick kiss before opening his door. When she reached for the door handle he simply glared at her until she folded her hands in her lap and patiently waited for him to come around to her side to open the door for her.
Kalista held tight to his hand as they entered the church. She was immensely glad when they were seated in row toward the back of the church since they were one of the last to arrive. She kept her cape-style wrap on over her dress against the chill in the air. Looking up at the front of the church, she saw her ex, David, standing next to his brother. Relief swept through her when she felt no pain at seeing him again. Only mild distaste filled her now at the sight of him, and she turned to smile at Jared, who held a knowing look in his dark eyes.
“What’s that smile for, honey?”
“I was just thinking how much my taste in men has improved.”
He chuckled as he squeezed her hand, then they both turned to look toward the aisle as music began to play. Despite the fact Kalista disliked her cousin immensely, the wedding was beautiful. Her cousin was a beautiful bride, and Kalista couldn’t help but sniffle as the ceremony came to a close.
Hammer put his arm around her, drawing her close to him as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Who knew my little fairy was so sentimental,” he murmured as the bride and groom turned to beam at the crowd.
They joined into the flood of people leaving the church, and Kalista was grateful that she avoided seeing most of her family before they were back in the car, heading back to the hotel where the reception was being held.
Her good luck ended as they pulled up in front of the hotel, and Kalista saw her mother and father standing outside talking to a few of the other guests. The valet ran over to open her door, and she slid out of the car, waiting for Jared to come around to join her before walking over to greet her parents. She saw the way her father’s eyes widened as he stared at Jared’s car and held back a wince as her mother’s gaze seemed to focus on Jared’s tattoos.
“Hello, Mother. Father.”
“Well, we were wondering if you were going to come,” her mother said with a haughty look. “You certainly haven’t been very communicative lately, Kalista Rose. Shame on you for not calling your own mother back.”
Kalista wanted to roll her eyes and barely held back the urge. “This is my boyfriend, Jared Caufield. Jared, these are my parents, Don and Gina Redford.”
Don and Gina Redford looked every bit the wealthy couple that enjoyed their lives in the center of Houston society. Gina was dressed in a bright blue dress, with her long red hair pulled back in a sophisticated chignon, while Don was dressed in a dark blue pin-stripe suit with a gold Cartier watch glittering on his wrist.
“Good to meet you,” Don said as he held out his hand to shake Jared’s. “And what do you do, Mr. Caufield?”
“I own the gym and rehab center across the street from Kali’s bakery.”
Kalista noticed the way her mother’s face scrunched in distaste at hearing that. Well, it scrunched up as much as it could despite the Botox injections she knew her mother got religiously.
Don pulled his hand back and raised a brow. “The gym business must be treating you well to afford a car like that.”
“Dad!” Kalista felt embarrassment wash over her at the insulting comment her father had just made. Jared’s hand wrapped around her waist, comforting her, and he softly stroked her hip as if to convey he could handle whatever her parents threw at him.
“The car was given to me as a bonus when I won my last fight. I was a professional MMA fighter for the CFL for several years after I left the Army.”
“A military man, then. Thank you for your service,” Don said with a smile. “Why don’t we head inside out of the cold and get a drink?” He held out his arm for his wife and led the way inside of the hotel, following the crowd to an area that had been set up for the cocktail hour before the reception.
Kalista was acutely aware that her father hadn’t even acknowledged her presence, while her mother looked at her as if she were disappointed at seeing her. She smiled up at Jared as he helped her remove her wrap once they were inside, and she waited for the inevitable slam that was sure to come from her mother.
Jared grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to her just as her mother looked over at her. As her father began asking Jared questions about his fighting career her mother moved closer to her.