Page 24 of Embrace
“But you’re the only one I can trust.”
“You can trust any doctor to keep your care confidential.”
“And I’m trusting you to keep my care confidential.”
I studied his grin with narrowed eyes then leaned back once I realized we were again appearing too intimate.
“He’s your boyfriend or your colleague?” Greg asked, eyeing Jake.
I whipped my face around to see Jake practically snarling at us. “Either that or my brother.”
Greg chuckled at my delivery. He had to know the context to get my joke, and there was no way I was explaining it to him.
Suddenly, Courtney sprang to her feet. “Thank you all for coming to our Midsummer’s Eve party. We’re going to have a lot of fun. By the way, Rich and I are getting married.”
That time, she stretched her arm out, flashing her ring to everyone in the tent, and applause erupted all around us. Heck, I clapped too. The two of them more than likely deserved each other. Jake didn’t clap. He looked miserable sitting beside her, staring. He was probably upset that he’d asked me to save him a seat beside me and I hadn’t. I wanted to, though.
Finally, it quieted down.
“For dinner, we’re going to have some good old-fashioned gumbo and jambalaya,” she announced, sounding more like a Valley girl than ever.
I tried to avoid Jake’s cold stare.
“JJ Good is in the house.”
She clapped, and applause erupted again as a guy with curly hair and a pointy goatee stood up and took a bow. He was wearing tight pants that were rolled up above his ankles and a red velvet vest that showed off his hilly chest and biceps.
Courtney then pushed out her hip, posing. “So, all y’all are going to get to see my lady parts tonight. JJ’s going to paint me nude, live! But don’t worry, I’m not going to show anything you all haven’t seen before.”
“Girl, I didn’t come here to see your twiggy little ass,” a guy who looked like a football player said.
“Fuck you, Damon,” Courtney retorted.
Damon clapped and laughed. She rolled her eyes. That was one thing I liked about Court—she knew how to react to a joke when she heard one.
“But first,” she announced like a whiny little ringmaster. “It’s time for midsummer-night fairies!” She clapped excitedly, and everyone couldn’t help but join her.
Music started outside the tent, then in danced six nearly naked girls with flowing scarves tied around their heads, their breasts fully exposed, bushy pussies fully out too.
A laugh escaped me as a band of flute players comprising shirtless guys with long wigs and pieces of cloth over their loins followed the girls. I bit down on my bottom lip to keep myself from cracking up. I couldn’t decide whether the performance was tasteless or just plain old foolish. Thank goodness Zara wasn’t around, or we would’ve inappropriately broken out in laughter together. When my amused eyes found Jake’s, he pointed his head toward the exit and lifted an eyebrow.
I nodded eagerly, and after he stood, I turned to say goodnight to Greg. I knew I wouldn’t be back, but he was enthralled by the dancing titties. So I got up, and keeping eye contact with Jake, I walked with him toward the exit.
My attention was diverted when Rich shot to his feet as well. I couldn’t believe he was following Jake around the table. He would’ve made it all the way if Courtney hadn’t run after him. When Jake and I made it out of the tent, he took my hand and guided me as far away from the noise as he could.
We stopped next to a lit swimming pool that had candles floating on top of the water. Courtney had thought of everything in her effort to impress her guests.
Jake and I beamed at each other. I couldn’t help myself as I cradled one side of his face in the palm of my hand. But instead of kissing him, I cleared my throat and dropped my arm to my side.
“Courtney had assigned seating, and she wanted you all to herself.”
Jake pointed his head toward the tent. “What’s up with that guy, anyway? I’m starting believe you’re not safe around him.”
“Don’t worry about Rich. He’s a harmless meathead who doesn’t like to lose.”
He shrugged. “I’m not faulting the guy for being sour. If I had you and lost you, I’d be angry too.”
I sniffed, looking down bashfully. When I looked up again, we stared into each other’s eyes for a prolonged period of time. I felt as if my heart would explode. He’d been out of my presence for nearly six hours, and it felt more like six months.
