Page 33 of Dangerous Encore
"Sober? You have a time machine to go back to thisafternoon?"
She moves out of the way to make room for Joel. He's holding up a plastic tiara. Only it's not a normaltiara.
Each of the peaks is topped with a plasticpenis.
He drops to one knee and holds it over his head. "MyLiege."
"Allow me." Athena takes the tiara and places it onViolet'shead.
Violet turns bright red. "Prayforme."
I kiss her goodbye. "Iwill."
Athena and Piper drag her away. Bella and Lacey follow a few minuteslater.
The brightness in Joel's eyes fades as his wife walks out the door. As much as I hate to admit it, marriage looks goodonhim.
"Why is Logan's house this huge? And where the fuck is he?" Joel pours two glasses of whiskey and brings one to me. "Trust me, Strong, you're gonna learn the difference between married life and single lifereallyfast."
"You're theexpert?"
"Fuck yeah, I'm the expert." He smiles. "It's all about what makes herhappy."
"You have ten whole months of relationshipexperience."
"Almost eleven. And you gotta count the six hours before we got hitched." Joel laughs. "Youscared?"
"Wereyou?"
"No. But I didn't have her father standing at the altar behind me." Joel shudders. "Pretty sure he still thinks I'm a fling she's gonna get over." He motions to Mal, who's moving toward us. "And I didn't fucking have Mal as my best man. That'sterrifying."
"Love you too." Mal blows Joelakiss.
Joel catches it and slides it into his pocket. "You know I'mtaken."
"And I'm not?" Mal cocksabrow.
"Don't see a ring,"Joelsays.
Mal shakes his head. "You don't have to bring that up anytime someone mentionsBella."
Joel shrugs. "I can't help that I want the world to knowshe'smine."
"That must be it." Mal looks to me then motions tothebar.
He's got something he wants to say with Joel out ofearshot.
I nod to Joel then follow Mal over to the bar. Joel scampers off to go talk with Kit. And—there's Logan. He's polishing off a bottle of beer, staring at his phone like it's the source of all happiness in theuniverse.
Fuck.
Hebetternot—
"He won't." Mal picks up the bottle of champagne and pours two glasses. "Even Logan doesn't want some shady stripping agency knowing hisaddress."
Good.
I've had enough of anonymous naked women staring at me like I'm a trophy slash dollar sign for onelifetime.
