Your Alluring Love (The Bennett Family 6)

So here I am between Ms. Williams and Ms. Hannigan, always with a glass in my hand. It doesn’t seem to get empty, no matter how much I drink. I only realize it’s more than I intended when my limbs relax. I was still wound up because of the reporter. I’ve been fighting this war for a long time, ever since college reporters would try to get information about my older brothers from me. But they were usually the least dangerous because they went straight for the kill. What really hurt were the people who approached me under the guise of friendship, while all they wanted was to get an internship or an interview, or were just looking for an introduction to my siblings. I used to be a trusting person, probably the effect of growing up in a large family where I could always count on someone to join me in any shenanigans, but also to have my back.

Since I’m no good at reading people outside of my family, it took me a while until I got a grip on weeding out the wrong crowd. I swallowed bitter disappointments but also sharpened my claws. No one will take advantage of my siblings if I have anything to say about it, and I typically have a lot to say about everything.

The ongoing joke in our family is that the older siblings protect the younger ones, but we youngsters have done our share of protecting the older trio, if only by serving as a wall, not letting moochers get to them. Sebastian, Logan, and Pippa had to fend off their own share of moochers without having to deal with the ones coming via our recommendations. Pippa’s first husband was a jackass who only married her for money. The divorce scarred her deeply. She’s happy now, but she was unhappy for a long time.

“Ms. Williams, stop giving me mojitos,” I complain.

“Don’t you like it? I can also make you a ‘sex on the beach.’”

“No, I really should go find my friend. We were supposed to—”

“Go out for drinks?” Nate’s voice sounds from my right. He’s approaching us fast, nodding at my glass and then at his. “We’re in the right place.”

“Ah, smart and sexy. My kind of guy,” Ms. Williams says. “I’ll leave the two of you and chat with some of the other party animals here.”

The second she leaves, I let out a sigh. “You always rescue me. Why? I don’t need it.”

“Yes, you do if you don’t want to be drunk as a skunk.”

“Hey! I’m just a little inebriated.” When he stops right in front of me, I realize I’m just drunk enough to lose my head. Shit. I can barely resist his charms when I’m one hundred percent sober. How am I supposed to resist all this manliness? Steel pecs, strong arms, three-day beard. Scent so sexy it makes me want to lick him. Oh boy. I set my glass down.

Amusement dances in his eyes. “How many drinks did you have?”

“No clue. My glass is just always full.”

“Looked like it to me from the other end of the room.”

“You’re drinking too.”

“No alcohol. I’m driving, remember?”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking in a straight line.”

“How about dancing?”

“With you?”

“Yes.”

Oh boy.

“Sure.”

Setting his glass on the table too, he takes my hand, pulling me on the dance floor, and I feel eighteen again. Thank heavens the music is slow, requiring nothing more than balancing from one leg to the other.

“This is just like prom night. You’re my knight in shining armor again.” He pulls me against him, and hot damn, those abs really are like armor. “Why do you always save me? I don’t want to need saving.”

“No, you need someone with whom you can make good memories. I’ll always volunteer for that.”

“Is it really okay that we’re here? I didn’t mean to stay so long—”

“But Ms. Williams kidnapped you. I saw.”

“We can go out. It might be the last time we’re together before you leave.” At this, he pulls me even closer to him, and I was close enough already. But now our chests touch and my breath catches. His eyes are snapping fire, electrifying me too.

“I’m here for another two weeks. This isn’t the last time.” Bringing one hand to my face, he rubs his thumb along my jaw. His gaze pierces me with an intensity that turns my knees weak. We’re so close that our noses almost touch. I can feel his breath on my lips. Luckily, the music ends, and he pulls back. Being on his best behavior, like I asked him to. He keeps being a gentleman for the rest of the night. We dance, we mingle with the seniors, and he quickly becomes the soul of the party, cracking jokes and sharing funny stories. He’s always been very charismatic. Afterward, he talks to several of the seniors who are too shy to join the crowd, preferring to hang around the buffet or just sit and watch.

Nadja, the manager on shift tonight, looks around, leaning against the table with the buffet. I’m pouring water into a glass, intending to chat her up, when I see Nate crossing the room to her. He’d been talking to Ms. Everly, a lovely lady who has been morose the entire evening. She and her husband would have celebrated sixty years of marriage on Saturday, but unfortunately, he passed away six months ago.