A waiter passes with a tray, and Adrian accepts a glass of champagne, giving me a not-so-discreet once-over. It makes me wonder if she's the remaining guest at the party who hasn't picked up on my relationship with Veda. Or if she has, she hasn't been as scandalized by it as the rest of the pack as they stand watching their daughters dance in groups around the dance floor. "Yes, I'm really loving this theme. What an effort this must have been." She smiles into her glass and takes a sip of champagne, swaying closer to me. "I just wanted to say, I think it's very admirable you've taken such an interest in Veda's well-being. Poor girl. No mother around and her father overseas." She shakes her head. "She's lucky to have you."
Guilt gives me a swift kick in the gut, and I return my focus to Veda on the dance floor, hands thrown up over her head, eyes closed, completely lost to the music. She outshines everything and everyone around her. It's not even a contest. And this woman's unintentional reminder that I played God and rearranged her life to suit my obsession has me wanting the party over so I can bring her to our bedroom and apologize with my cock between her legs. She tends to forgive me for almost anything when I'm working her into a screaming orgasm beneath me. Or on top of me. In the pool, in the shower, up against the entry table, on my jet.
That last one hasn't happened yet, but after I give Veda her birthday present, it'll only be a matter of hours until it does. Unless she falls asleep. The girl has a penchant for dozing off in modes of transportation, and it's goddamn adorable, even if I'm left with an unattended hard-on nearly every time.
"I'm lucky to have her, too," I say, remembering I'm in the middle of a conversation, but barely able to concentrate while watching Veda dip her hips, the light pink silk of her dress riding temptingly high. "She brings happiness wherever she goes."
Adrian makes a small sound. "That's incredibly sweet." I'm surprised when she lays a hand on my arm. "If you ever need a woman's opinion about … anything, give me a call." She bites her lip and squeezes. "I know how hard it is to be responsible for a high school girl, and you're doing it alone."
"Yes. Thank you for the offer," I reply politely, taking my arm back. But not fast enough. On the dance floor, my girlfriend has stopped dancing, those young hormones blasting from the barrel of a gun. Color creeps into her cheeks and she appears to be contemplating removing one of her high heels and stabbing it into Adrian's neck. "If you'll excuse me?"
I leave Adrian's side and intercept Veda halfway between the clueless mother and the dance floor, shushing when I reach her, sliding a hand around her elbow. A signal that everything is fine and we would talk about what upset her later. Several parents are within earshot, and while I don't hide our relationship from anyone, I don't think a high school-age party is the time or place to kiss her jealous streak back into submission. Although, believe me, I'd love nothing more.
"Who was that?" Veda whispers. "Why did she have her hands on you?"
I'm not fooled by her compliance in being quiet. There are sparks going off in her big, blue eyes, and I can sympathize because I spend half my life now wanting to do harm to anyone who breathes the same air as her. I've had to tone down my tendency to maneuver and isolate her, though. She resents it because her father was overprotective of Veda and her mother before the woman passed away. Making decisions without consulting her is what made her leave me, and if I have to suffer for the paradise she provides me, so be it. "Just one of the mothers, angel. It was nothing." I give her elbow a squeeze. "I think she's had a little too much champagne."
Veda glances past my shoulder, presumably at Adrian. "Women don't need to be drunk to come on to you, Ramsey. They just need a pulse."
I can't help but laugh, and when I do, I notice she stares up at my mouth, as if she likes the sound. I've become adept at figuring out when she likes things and giving her as much of it as possible. Before Veda, I never laughed, but if she likes proof of my happiness, all she has to do is stick around. "What about you?" I ask, dropping my voice. "Do you have a pulse?"
"Yes. Everywhere." Her smile is catlike as she sidles closer, tilting her head to the side. "Beat beat beat."
Here it is. The bite of Veda's green monster. Same as I would do with her, she wants to let everyone know we belong to each other. And I've been on the tracks before while this particular train roars down the tracks, so I know there's very little chance of stopping it. I bend down and speak just above her ear. "I'll take care of your pulse when everyone goes home for the night. Just a little while longer."