Page 29 of Royally Ruined

A path opened in the crowd; I could see Scotch. Like a missile I homed in on her. Gently she swayed toward me, meeting me halfway. It felt intentional, and I ached to believe it was ... that she wanted to be by my side just as furiously as I needed to be by hers. Our hands dangled, close to touching and never managing to make contact.

That was when I noticed it—her eyes were glistening in the purple haze of oncoming night. She watched as Sammy and Kain kissed again, never breaking her stare. When they stormed off on their horses, she finally glanced up at me. Hastily she rubbed her eyes. “Sorry,” she laughed with a sniffle. “It’s just amazing to see that.”

“See what?” I asked, hardly hearing myself over the cheers around us.

“People in love.” For another second she watched the pair galloping around the field. As if she’d woken from a dream and become conscious of her own vulnerability, she slapped her cheeks and cleared her throat. “Ah! What’s with me? Weddings make everyone cry, don’t they?”

I couldn’t have wanted to dig into her mind and understand what made her tick more than I did right then. “Sure,” I agreed, though I didn’t. I was proud for my brother, but I wasn’t crying. Not like she was—like the love of two strangers could mean so much.

Lifting my head, I scanned the orange-gold grass. I needed to shield my eyes to spot my brother and his new wife circling back our way. They slowed as they approached, just enough to swing their horses together. Kain wrapped his fingers in her hair. He held her solidly, no doubt in his heart as he kissed the woman he loved.

I wondered how that would feel.

- CHAPTER TEN -

SCOTCH

Kain gave me a funny look. “You seem familiar. Have we met before?”

I nearly spit out my drink. I hadn’t seen him approaching as I hovered by the snack tables with his brothers. The reception was in full swing inside the barn; I’d just started to get comfortable.

“Us, met before?” I asked coyly. Of course we had, though the meeting had been brief. I’d seen Kain at the Dirty Dolls sparingly, which I was grateful for, because it meant he didn’t know for sure if he recognized me—and that helped me keep my voice calm. “I just have one of those faces. I’m Heather,” I said, shaking his hand with a sweet-as-pie smile.

The grooves in his forehead didn’t vanish. Not until Sammy swished toward us; then his eyes were shining with pride, and I was a nobody again.

“Hey, you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Hello, wife,” he growled playfully. Kain pulled her tight against him, kissing her deeply in spite of how many of us were crowded around. It went from a tender moment to an explicitly sexual one as he held her.

Thorne coughed into his fist. “Save some for your honeymoon.”

“I’ve got plenty for now and then,” he said, holding Sammy as she tried to wiggle free. She gave us all an apologetic look before he hid her with another make-out session.

Kain palmed her ass, and that was when she shoved him off with her lips pursed. “All right, all right,” she laughed. “We have an audience!” She was burning red, but I could tell from her smile that she was secretly pleased.

Scanning her gown, I said, “Your dress is beautiful.”

“Oh, thanks!” Sammy trailed her fingertips over the beaded front and down to her satin-clad hips. “I was worried I wouldn’t finish it in time.”

“Youmadeit?” I gasped.

Kain put his arm around her middle, hugging her against him. “Sammy’s the best in the business.”

“Stop it,” she laughed. “I’ve got a long way to go to be the best.”

She said it like she fully intended tobecomethe best wedding dress maker out there. Looking her over with new appreciation, I realized I believed she would. Sammy had an aura that shone with self-confidence.

Leaning closer, Kain winked pointedly at me, then looked up at Costello. “If you ever need a wedding dress, Sammy can get one ready for you in a day.”

“I—I don’t think I’ll need anything like that,” I sputtered. As jittery as this topic made me, I was curious about how Costello was reacting. Peeking up at the silent man, I watched as he sipped his drink. He was so damn quiet ... but were his fingers squeezing the glass just a bit harder than they had to?

Sammy broke the silence. “Thanks for all the nice words,” she said, swishing her pleats. “Your dress is beautiful, too, actually. Where did you get it?”

My fingers wrapped themselves in the rose-pink dress I was wearing. “It was a gift.” Being reminded that Costello had bought the figure-hugging outfit for me had my heart rumbling.

“Well, it suits you.”

“Yes,” Costello stated bluntly, “it does.”

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