Protect Me (Rivers Edge Book 4)(19)

I look up at him with question in my eyes. He can see that about me? My  pain, my past? Is it written all over my face like a flashing sign?

His eyes are intense and all-knowing as if he can read my thoughts.  "It's part of the job," he confirms. "Plus, I take the protection of my  friends very seriously," he says with the very slight rise of the corner  of his mouth.

"Thank you," I whisper as he descends the stairs. Maddox looks up and  gives me a final wave before opening the door below my stairs and  stepping inside the bakery to see his wife.

I step back inside the apartment, securely locking the door behind me. I  give the place one more look-over and conclude that I'm losing my mind.  Besides a little embarrassment that my boss' husband just saw my messy  place, nothing is wrong. Not a speck of dust is out of place.

But if that's the case, why do I get this strange feeling that something dark is looming?





*****




I arrive at the Stevens household at six o'clock sharp. The driveway is  so packed with cars I have to park in the yard close to the end of the  driveway. I take off up the driveway towards the large, white house.  Laughter filters around the side of the house and when I step around, I  see the reason for all of the extra vehicles.

The entire male Stevens population and a whole slew of other men are  standing around the side of the house, shotguns in one hand and beers in  the other. Nate notices me instantly; his eyes seek me out as if they  are a heat-seeking missile and I am the target. He casually swaggers  over to me, a cocky smile plastered on his too-handsome face. Damn.

"Hey, beautiful," he says when he reaches me.

"Hey. What's going on here?" I ask as I take in the group before me.

"Clay pigeon shooting. We've been here since early afternoon shooting for Jake's bachelor party," he tells me.

"Ah, I see. So, all of the girls are inside I take it?"

"Yep, spa night is inside. We're getting ready to head up to Jack's Pub  for dinner and more festivities," Nate says as he slides a strand of  hair behind my ear.

"What kind of festivities?" I ask with a knowing smile on my face.                       
       
           



       

"I plead the fifth," Nate replies with a laugh before taking a pull from his beer bottle.

"Well, then I must let you get to it," I tell him with another soft smile.

Nate leans in closer so that our bodies are practically touching. "Can I  text you later?" he asks seriously. All signs of the playfulness in his  eyes are gone, leaving in its wake smoldering ash just waiting for that  little spark.

"Well, I don't know how late I'm going to be rocking the spa treatments,  but I suppose I could squeeze you in," I reply playfully.

Nate leans forward ever so slightly until his lips are a mere breath  away from my own. His warm breath fans out on my face and my lips tingle  in anticipation of his touch. "Well, I might have to pull you away from  your gossiping, wine, and foot rubs, but I think I'm going to need to  see to you later."

"I look forward to it," I whisper moments before his lips touch mine.  The kiss is soft, sensual and our lips barely move. It's more of a touch  than a kiss.

"Put it in your pants, Stevens," Maddox yells from behind Nate. "We're  supposed to be celebrating Jake's last fling before he's shackled to one  woman for the rest of his life. No fraternizing with the enemy," he  adds, drawing the attention of everyone in the yard.

"The enemy better go inside before the natives get restless," I tell him  as I pull back from his lips. I miss his touch instantly.

"Go inside and I'll text you later," he adds with one long stroke with  the outside of his pointer finger down the column of my throat. I shiver  uncontrollably at the intimacy of his caress.

I can't even get words past the lump in my throat. I find it hard to  swallow so I just turn and walk towards the house. Quickly, walk  quickly.

When I reach the front door, Avery throws the screen door open and pulls  me inside. "Sheesh! I thought you'd never come inside. What were you  doing out there, anyway? Fraternizing with the enemy?"

"What is with you people? Your husband said the same thing."

Avery leads me into the living room bursting with laugher and smiling  women. "It's not every day you get an evening away from your children  and your husband. Although, I'm definitely looking forward to after the  bachelor and bachelorette parties, if you know what I mean," she says  while leaning in to make sure no one hears her. "I made a trip to the  lingerie store just for tonight."

I blush three shades of pink as I turn to survey the room. There are two  portable pedicure stations set up on one side. Erin and another older  woman that I've never met are sitting in the pedicure chairs and  receiving full foot and lower leg treatments.

"My mother-in-law, Christine, is there in the chair next to Erin. She's  here for just another hour, and then she's going to go pick up my kids  from the sitter's house. Mom is back in the guest room which is set up  with a masseuse. Our friend, Holly, is the one getting the manicure.  Sarah and Claire are over there at the wine bar with Josselyn," she says  as she points out everyone in the room. "Everyone, this is Lia," Avery  announces to the room.

I hear a mix of greetings from the room at large and follow Avery  towards the bar. "How much can I contribute towards this evening?" I ask  Avery as we approach the other ladies.

"Nothing. It's all taken care of."

"Are you sure? I'd be happy to pay for my share."

"Nope. All covered. My mom brought in the manicurist and pedicurists  from a salon in St. Charles. And believe it or not, it was Jake's idea  and he brought in the masseuse," she says with a smile. "If you want to,  you can tip at the end of the evening. You should have seen my brother  before Erin. He bed hopped as bad as Maddox did. He ran into Erin again,  after twenty years of her loathing him. She grabbed him by the balls  and shook some sense into the boy. I'm so proud of her," Avery says with  a chuckle.

I dive into the delicious array of finger foods and help myself to a  glass of sweet white wine. I've never been a big drinker. Alcohol leads  to clouding of the mind. Clouding of the mind leads to not being able to  think quickly on your feet and having slow reflexes. When I dated  Garrett, having delayed reflexes could have meant the difference between  spending the night in the hospital or not.

I shake off the vivid, unwelcomed images and go about enjoying my  evening. Tonight, I'm going to have a few drinks and unwind with my new  friends. Tonight, I'm going to have fun. And tonight, I'm doing it for  me.

After my manicure, Mrs. Stevens comes out and announces her own form of  entertainment for the evening. "I picked up a little surprise at the  store this morning. We're going to watch ‘Magic Mike'," she exclaims  with a little sparkle in her eyes.                       
       
           



       

"Mom," Avery groans and shakes her head.

"Oh my gosh, this is hilarious," Erin says as Mrs. Stevens puts the DVD  into the player. "When we had Avery's bachelorette party, Mrs. S dropped  more money into the stripper's g-string than anyone else!"

"Seriously?" I burst out laughing along with Josselyn.

"The story never gets old," Josselyn says. "But you need to have Avery  tell it so you can hear her true mortification when she relives it in  colorful detail," she adds laughing with Erin shaking her head next to  her.

The next thing I know, all of the wine is gone, Mike has shown all of us  ladies how magical he is, and the party is clearing out. I've had  several glasses of wine tonight, which is just enough to know that I  probably shouldn't be driving.

"Come on. My mom is driving all of us home," Avery says as she leads me  towards the door. When I get my slightly foggy head to focus, the  dashboard reads twelve-thirty. How in the world did it get to be so  late? Or early? I guess, technically, it's early, right?

My phone buzzes in my purse as I slide into the backseat between  Josselyn and Erin. I can't control the smile that crosses my lips when I  see Nate's name on the screen. I slide open the text message screen and  go all school-girl giddy when I read his message.

Hey, beautiful. Having fun?

I try to reply back quickly, but my fingers aren't working properly for some reason.

Yep. I can't feel my fingers.

Why the hell did I just tell him that? Oh. My. God.

LOL Well it sounds like fun. Where r u?

Ur mom is driving me home. I'm sandwiched tween Erin n Joss. ;)

Seriously. Someone take the phone out of my hands, STAT!