She bustled off in a swish of satin, her dress whispering around her as she entered the tent.
Rhae crossed the space to meet him. As he approached, he felt his cock thicken with desire. He couldn’t get the feel of her underneath him out of his head.
Eyes sparkling with love and the reflection of the lights, she tilted her face up to him. “Hey there, handsome.”
“Hi, gorgeous.”
She hooked her hand around his nape, drawing him down for a kiss. Their mouths scarcely brushed when the music started. A loud, thumping beat rolled from the speakers.
Denver groaned against Rhae’s mouth. “Oh, god. Not this song.”
“You all know what time it is!” the DJ shouted over the microphone.
“Cupid Shuffle” blasted across the tent. Groans and cheers broke out in equal measure.
Rhae was already laughing. She grabbed both of his hands and hauled him onto the wooden dance floor, the same one used at Oaks’s wedding. The Malones seemed to be handing it down from family wedding to wedding like an heirloom christening gown.
Rhae grabbed him. “Come on, SEAL. Let’s see what those hips can do.”
He dug in his heels. “I don’t even know the moves.”
“That’s the point!” She tugged him into the middle of the guests forming a dance line.
He caught sight of Carson and flipped him the bird. His brother only grinned and gave him a salute in return.
“Damn. I guess I’m doing this.” Denver moved in step to Rhae’s moves, half swaying, half lurching to the left, then to the right.
Someone shouted the steps like they were in bootcamp, which had Rhae howling with laughter every time Denver went the wrong way.
He leaned in as they stepped and turned. “Don’t worry—I’m going to get revenge.”
“On your brother for picking the music, or me?”
“Both of you. Only his punishment is going to be much, much,muchdifferent from yours.” His eyes hooded as he stared down at her.
She shot him a wink. “Sounds like sweet payback.”
When the chorus repeated for a third time—and Denver was sufficiently humiliated—he ducked out of the tent and made a beeline for the bar. With a fresh drink in hand, he battled to restore his dignity by leaning nonchalantly against the rustic wood bar and appeared masculine.
Theo appeared beside him with a smirk and a glass of bourbon. “Nice moves.”
“Shut up,” Denver said without heat.
Theo chuckled low and deep as he took a sip of the alcohol.
They watched Rhae dancing to a slow song with Navy, droopy from being passed around the family like a bouquet. The little girl had one hand tangled in her momma’s hair and the other clutching the strap of her dress.
A lump formed in Denver’s throat.
“What’d you decide about Blackout?” he asked, his voice low.
Theo glanced at him sideways. “You really asking? Or are you hoping I already made the smart choice?”
“There is no smart or dumb choice. Only a choice.”
Theo stared at his glass a moment. “How could I leave all this? Plus, you guys would be lost without me.”
Denver eyed him, then nodded slowly. “Agreed.”