Kent came up to my side, looking dapper in a suit and tie. He already had a glass of champagne in his hand as he admired the enormous Christmas tree in the entryway. The string quartet played music for everyone to hear. “Wow…this place is nice.” He whistled under his breath.
“Are you wearing a suit?” I asked, mildly surprised.
He brushed his hand over his shoulder. “Yes. And I look good in it.”
“Didn’t realize you owned one.”
“Shut up. I don’t want to punch you at your own party.”
“And I don’t want to stab you so close to Christmas.”
He took a drink of his champagne then examined the crowd of people mingling. Dressed in ball gowns and suits with booze in their bellies, they somehow enjoyed the festivities and didn’t grow tired of them.
This party had barely started, and I was already tired of it.
“Where’s Mrs. DeVille?”
I shrugged. “Sweeping someone off their feet, I suppose.”
“You two getting along?”
We were fucking a lot. So, yes. “Things are better.”
“She still wanted to be married to you after your drunken episode?”
Not only did she still want to be with me, but she also took care of me. She was there the entire time even though she could have handed off my care to Abigail. She ran her fingers through my hair and watched over me the whole night. “I guess so.”
“Hold on to her, Maverick. Not too many women will stay around after that shitshow.” His eyes surveyed the crowd.
“Did I even invite you to this?” Abigail sent out invitations weeks ago, but I was certain Kent’s name hadn’t been in the pile.
“Yes. At the bar.”
“When I got so drunk I couldn’t remember anything?”
“Yep. I thought I could pick up a fancy lady for the evening.”
“Most of them are married.”
“Most,” he emphasized. “But not all. And marriage is just a piece of paper… Who cares?”
My eyes narrowed on his face as the offense went straight to my heart. I imagined Kent making a move on Arwen when I wasn’t in the room. Even with a wedding ring on her left hand as a sign of her commitment, he still thought it was appropriate to test the waters. It bothered me all the way down to my core. “It’s not just a piece of paper. It’s a lot more than that…”
He turned his gaze back to me, his lips rising in a smile. “It is, huh?”
“Yes.”
“So, things are going well with the missus, then? Lots of fucking?”
After we were together again the first time, it happened nonstop. Every night we were making the headboard tap against the wall, and every morning we were having quick fucks before we started our day. I’d confide those details to him if Arwen were just a random woman…but she was my wife. “There’s a widow here named Sabrina. She’s your type.”
“Widow?” he asked. “Is she old?”
“My age.”
“Oh…a lonely young woman. That sounds exactly like my type.”
“She was the woman who hit on me a couple of weeks ago.”
“Gotcha.” He nodded slightly. “So, she’s definitely down to get nasty.”
“She likes rich men. I’m not sure if you’re rich enough.”
“I may not be a billionaire like you, but I’ve got plenty to offer.” His eyes moved across the room and stopped when he noticed something. “Damn, is that your wife in the blue dress?”
My eyes followed his gaze. She stood in a blue gown with slender straps over her shoulders. With a deep cut in the front that accentuated her perfect rack, she looked like a princess living in my castle. Her brown hair was pulled back, and the gown trailed to the floor, fitting her curves so well. She stood out from everyone else because she was so gorgeous. “Yes…the one and only.”
Kent whistled again. “No wonder you put on that ridiculous wedding ring.”
Ever since it slipped over my knuckle, it hadn’t come off. Now I was used to wearing it all the time. The weight suited me, and the color suited me even more. “I put it on because I’m married.”
He chuckled. “And it looks like you’re happily married.”
“Yeah…I think I am.” I watched her talk to people whose names I couldn’t even remember. It seemed like she was the host of the party because she walked up to everyone and made them all feel welcome. She’d never been particularly funny, but she managed to make people laugh so easily.
“I guess if I were married to that woman, I’d be happy too.”
“Well, you aren’t,” I said darkly. “Don’t forget it.”
He nudged me gently in the side. “Don’t worry, I know she’s off-limits. No fooling around with your friend’s sister, mother, ex, and the woman he loves.”
“You forgot wife.”
“Woman you love…same thing.”
13
Arwen
I recognized Sabrina from a mile away. In a tight black dress and a smile so fake, she was obnoxious just to look at. The woman preyed after my husband like he was available for solicitation.