“You thought of everything,” Kellus said, ignoring Arik’s puckered lips and walking right past him toward the bar. In one fast move, he caught Kellus’s wrist and drew him into the circle of his arms.
“It’s our first party as a couple. I want everything perfect,” he stressed, leaning in for that quick press of lips, contact that he so desperately needed.
“It will be, but you can’t dodge your family with fake stomach aches if they’re all in our house,” Kellus teased, feigning a look of disapproval, which made Arik chuckle.
“You think you know me so well?” Arik teased when Kellus kept that firm look.
“All I’m saying is that’s not ever gonna work again, mister. You aren’t leaving me out here with both our families while you fake nausea.” Kellus reinforced that declaration with a finger in his face, pulling away from his arms as the doorbell rang. He completely ignored Kel’s statement and grabbed his finger before threading their hands together.
“Here we go. Let’s get the door together.” Arik eagerly took the lead, practically dragging Kellus to the front entry and meeting Kel’s brother, Kelvin, and his wife right as they entered. Two little boys excitedly rushed toward them.
“Uncle Kel, X-box!” one of the twins exclaimed. Since they both looked exactly alike, Arik didn’t even try to guess which one had spoken first.
“Come this way,” Kellus said, grinning over at Arik as his nephews danced impatiently at his feet. “No running or roughhousing. You’ll break things. Promise me.”
“Yes, sir!” they said in unison. Kellus pointed to the side of the penthouse that had the game room, and the boys took off running toward those bedrooms as the doorbell rang again, already forgetting the rules they’d just been given. Party on.
~?~
Three hours later
Their home was filled to capacity. Eighty-five of their closest friends, including everyone from both sides of the family. Most of Arik’s local staff were also present; all seemed to be having a nice time. Originally, Kellus had thought Arik was going a bit overboard in the preparations, but after making another sweep through the rooms, he was clearly very wrong. Arik could easily quit his day job and be a hugely successful party planner. His guy had done an outstanding job in making sure everyone had what they needed to have a good time. Kellus had even heard the rumor that his nephews planned to put their parents on notice and move in with them at the earliest opportunity.
Kellus took a seat on the edge of the sofa, closest to his mother. It hadn’t taken his family long to settle back into their normal routine. He hadn’t realized how badly he’d missed them or how much he needed every single one of them in his life. Luckily, they seemed to feel the same way. His cell phone began to vibrate in his back pocket. He pulled the phone free as he listened to his mother talking to Gage, regaling him with story after story about his artistic talents dating back as far as preschool. Embarrassment had him immediately cutting his gaze to Gage who graciously engaged, listening intently, humoring his mom. When Gage lifted his head toward Kellus, he gave him a big smile and mouthed a clear “I’m sorry” before turning and spotting a very tipsy Kelvin heading straight toward him.
“I’m drunk,” Kelvin announced loudly, clearly stating the obvious. He stood and tucked his cell back into his pocket as his brother reached out, pushing at his chest.
“I can see that,” Kellus said, turning his brother by the shoulders and guiding him toward the kitchen and the waiting coffee pot to hopefully help sober him up. Midnight was coming. No way would his sister-in-law be happy kissing his drunk brother, no matter how hard Kelvin would try to lay one on her.
“You don’t drink anymore?” Kelvin asked, his words not quite so slurred.
“Not really.”
“Well, I’ve got to confess somethin’. I’ve been snoopin’ through this place. It’s badass!”
The comment made Kellus laugh, especially the inflection in Kelvin’s voice as he made that declaration. Kellus nodded as he reached for a coffee cup.
“I was taken with the view when I first walked in. I hadn’t ever seen Dallas quite like this,” he said, pouring a cup of the steaming beverage before handing the mug to Kelvin.
“Man, I checked out your closet,” Kelvin confessed boldly.
Kellus’s heart froze in his chest. Shit.
“Don’t you say one word,” Kellus warned, lifting a finger to point at his brother’s face.
“Of course I’ve got to say somethin’. I bet that’s some funny shit. Does he pose for you all the time like that?” Kelvin asked, making it clear he’d seen the picture of Arik on the chaise lounge from Dubai. Snooping didn’t even begin to describe his brother’s nosey behavior. He had hidden that picture behind the small chair in their closet to keep it from being seen tonight. Somehow, Kelvin managed to make everything worse with his next statement. “That’s the chair Ma’s sittin’ on. Is that where he posed?”