Velvet Kisses(76)

“Are you two together?” Annie whispers to Marley apprehensively.

“We’re most definitely together,” I say, dropping a kiss to Marley’s temple. “I’m in love with this woman right here.”

“Aww!” Baya and Laney sing in unison.

“You know what I’m in love with?” Ryder takes a quick swig of his beer. “The fact two of my buddies have started a lucrative business with me.”

It’s true. We had a sit down with a small army of attorneys and made it legal. Capwell, Edwards, and James Media Services has officially launched onto the scene.

Ryder ticks his head. “I think I have our first intern.” He gives a stern nod toward Bryson and Baya. “Owen is coming to town.”

Bryson takes a mean breath, expanding his chest wide as a table. “Owen is Aubree’s brother.” He looks to me as if this might register on some level. “She’s the one who tried to kill Baya a year and a half ago. Anyway, Owen’s a good guy. I’ve got nothing against him.”

“Neither do I,” Baya is quick to add.

“My sister, Piper, is coming down this summer. I’m sure she’ll need to keep busy. It looks like we’ll have two built-in interns.” Piper is going to be a handful, but, even so, I’m looking forward to having my little sister around fulltime.

“And”—Bryson lifts Baya’s hand between them—“I think we might have a built-in client.”

Baya shifts her gaze to Marley. “Only if my partner in crime agrees.”

“How can I not?” Marley runs her finger down my tie. “Besides, I have a way of getting one of the owners to do my bidding.”

I drop a kiss to her lips. “I think we should leave so you can begin to sway me.”

“One song.” Blake flicks my arm before bouncing to the stage.

“This is for my brother and his one true love. I’m glad to see you both so damn happy.”

I lean in and touch my lips to her ear. “That’s exactly what you are—my one true love.”

The 12 Deadly Sins start in on an achingly slow song, and the crowd starts to migrate as people find their dance partners. But I’ve already got mine for life. We make our way deep into the crowd and slip into one another’s arms. There’s no place I’d rather be.

“Hey, stranger”—I graze over her ear with my teeth—“you still looking for a one-night stand?”

She shakes her head. “I’m looking for love—and thankfully found it. I think maybe that’s what I was looking for all along.” Marley wraps her arms around my neck. “You still have a thing or two to teach me, Professor James?”

“I’ve got a lesson I’m dying to give you.” I grind my hips into hers. “It’s pretty hard. It’ll need your full attention.”

Marley clasps on tight as we sway to the music. Her hair, her body, the way her eyes make the world fade to gray—everything about Marley Jackson is poetry in motion. We dance for what feels like a perfect eternity with her in my arms the way I like it, the way I need it to be.

“You are amazing.”

Marley mewls like a kitten as her eyes lock with mine. “And you are about to get very, very lucky.”

“Let’s get out of here.” I clasp her hand as we thread our way through the crowd. My body has been craving hers for the last few weeks. I almost took her right there on that hike this afternoon.

We head out into the cool night, the thick scent of cigarettes and beer mingle in the air.

“Well, look who’s here—together.” A voice gripes from behind.

I turn and spot Monica with a long, black coat wrapped tightly around her. She looks as if she’s headed to a funeral. Her eyes give me that shifting gaze, the one that says I’m disappointed in you and sorry all at the same time.

“We are together.” I pull Marley close. No sense in hiding anything. “Look, Monica, Marley didn’t publish that article. It was a malicious attempt to keep us apart by someone who was angry with her. And, just so you know, nothing or nobody can possibly achieve that.” My hard stare, my stern words, they both act as a warning. “One more thing—if people don’t respect Marley, they don’t respect me.”

“I get it.” She holds up her hands a moment before turning to Marley. “I apologize if I’ve been anything but civil to you this semester.”

“No apology necessary.” I can feel Marley edging into me as if she wants to bolt to the parking lot.

“No, it is.” Monica stuffs her hands in her pockets. “I thought we could have something, Wyatt, but I guess our time has come and gone.”