Sweet Torment(19)

She looks up and blinks rapidly. "Don't make me cry. I can't have runny mascara in the pictures."

"I'm going to put on my dress while you grab a tissue and blot."

I slip into the short turquoise sequin gown and Mom pulls the zipper upward. I step into my silver pumps and rise three inches. I'd be considered average height now. Maybe.

"You look beautiful, baby girl."

"Thanks."

"Let's see if the boys are still here. I'd like to get some pictures with them."

I'm thrilled when we find Bram and Owen still in the living room. Owen stands and gives me the once-over. "Wooo …  check out this hot tamale."

I hold out the skirt of my dress and do a spin. "Like it?"

"You look great, sis. Every boy at that prom is going to want to dance with you."

Bram's brow wrinkles. Don't go there, Duke. Don't start questioning what I'll be doing tonight while I'm not with you.

"You know me. I'm not much of a dancer."

Mom taps Bram on the shoulder. "Up. I want a picture of you and Claudia together."

Owen tosses his hands in the air. "Well, shit, Mom. You don't want one of your son and daughter together?"

"Hold your horses, Owen. I'll get your picture in a minute."

Bram's grin is wide when he approaches. "You look gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"Bram, put your arm around Claudia."

He does as Mom says but also lowers his head to whisper in my ear. "Owen's right. All the boys are going to want you."



       
         
       
        

"Doesn't matter. I don't like boys. I'm into men." I love the huge smile that spreads across his face.

"I want some pictures by the azaleas." Mom takes at least fifty pictures of us. The whole time I'm thinking one thing-years from now, we'll show these pictures to our kids and tell them the story of us.

"Hey, no one told me there was a photo shoot. I want in." River dashes across the lawn and wraps his arms around me from behind, doing the dreaded prom pose.

"Almost done but I need one of you and the boys together."

River steps back so Bram can take the spot next to me. It's funny how it's always been that way, even when we were kids. He has always instinctively known Bram's place was by my side.

If you went through photos of when I was a baby or toddler, you'd see that nine times out of ten it was Bram holding me. Occasionally Owen and rarely River.

"Look who I found." I follow the sound of my dad's voice and see him, Oscar, and his parents coming toward our photo shoot location by the hot-pink azaleas.

I'm not super excited about Bram seeing me with Oscar, so I play it off as platonic as possible. "Hey, it's pork chop looking all snazzy in a tux." Calling a guy pork chop is about as unromantic as it gets.

He grins and adjusts his bow tie. "I guess I clean up all right."

He comes to me and opens a clear plastic container holding a spray of flowers. "Corsage for the lady."

Shit. I don't think it's good for your boyfriend to see another guy give you flowers of any kind. "It's beautiful, but you didn't have to do that."

"That's what a prom date does." I wish Oscar hadn't referred to himself as my date in front of Bram. Although he's aware we're going together as friends, I know Bram won't like hearing that.

"Thank you." I glance at Bram when Oscar slides the elastic band around my wrist. Just as I suspected, he doesn't look happy.

"Come stand with Claudia, Oscar. I need to get pictures of you two. Don't worry. I'll be quick since I know you need to leave for the party bus soon."

Oscar puts his arms around me, more of the dreaded prom pose, but I put on happy appearances for the camera. When we finish, I glance at Bram and his broad smile has been replaced with a scowl. Well, shit. Nothing I can do about it now.

"I need to grab my clutch before we go."

I'm dashing out of my bedroom when I collide with Bram in the hallway.

"I've changed my mind. I want to see you later tonight, so text me when you leave prom."

I can't stop the smile spreading on my face. "Okay. But what about the two numbnuts?" 

"I'll come up with something." He shrugs. "Maybe pull out the Jack Daniels and get them to do shots."

Drunk and passed out. "I like that plan a lot."

"Damn, I want to kiss you, but I'll mess up your lipstick."

"How about I let you mess it up later?" Maybe leave a ring around his cock.

"Deal."





8





Bram Windsor





I tried to get away with drinking as little whiskey as possible, but I should have known getting Owen and River drunk would involve me getting buzzed myself. I was nuts for thinking I could pull out a bottle of whiskey and them not rag me into drinking with them. It's guy law.