“Sorry about the mentioning the tattoo.”
His mouth relaxed and he palmed her back. “You didn’t know.” He slid his eyes down her body and back up, tucking her closer to whisper into her ear. “You look good enough to eat.”
Her knees nearly buckled.
“Speaking of eating,” he said, backing away from her, “if you expect to get a meal out of these hors d’oeuvres, you’d better grab ’em before someone else does.”
After Sadie had eaten her weight in mini crab cakes and was on her second blue drink, Aiden had gone to the bar for a refill. Sadie chose to hang at a table rather than go with him. She sent a wave across the room to Crickitt, who shrugged in apology as she hobnobbed with a few of the company’s mucky-mucks. Sadie waved her off with a shake of her head. Shane had made Crickitt full partner; Sadie understood that she needed to work the room.
“You must be Sadie.”
Sadie turned to find a woman with chestnut-colored hair and kind blue eyes smiling at her. She was Sadie’s height, and in flats no less, Sadie realized as she scanned her simple, attractive black dress and shoes. “I am.”
“Angel Downey-McCormick.” She shook Sadie’s hand. “My brother’s been hiding you from me all evening.”
Sadie emitted an uncomfortable laugh. “I—”
“Thank you.”
Sadie blinked at her. “For?”
Angel licked her lips as if debating whether or not to say what she was thinking. “Dad told me Aiden is a different person since you came back into his life. Better. Happier. I imagine it must have taken a lot to forgive him for the way he treated you last year.”
Sadie felt the gratitude swell in her chest. Angel…understood. She didn’t seem to be giving Aiden the benefit of the doubt. “I’m still working on it,” she said thickly.
Angel’s attention went to Aiden, who approached, fresh drink in hand. Before he got close enough to hear, Angel winked at her. “Keep working on it.” She beamed over at Aiden. “Hey, baby brother.”
“Evan’s the youngest,” Aiden argued, clearly not liking the nickname.
“You’re all babies to me.” She patted his arm. “Nice to meet you, Sadie.” Then to Aiden, “I like her. Don’t screw it up this time.”
Aiden bit his lip and looked the slightest bit chagrined.
Sadie grinned. “I like your sister.”
“Yeah.” He put his drink down. “I bet you do.” Aiden’s attention went to the back of the room. “PDA alert.”
Sadie turned to see Shane butt into the gaggle of suits surrounding his wife and put a protective arm around her waist. He tugged her against him and, heedless of professional company, Crickitt allowed him to tow her away. Shane leaned in to whisper into Crickitt’s ear and Crickitt tossed her head back to laugh. Something warm and gooey pooled in Sadie’s belly. I want that.
They were happy together, perfect for one another. Who wouldn’t want that? In a world where marriage ended more often than it endured, Sadie hoped against hope that her best friend and Shane beat the odds.
“Dance with me.”
Aiden’s warm breath against her temple sent gooseflesh popping up on her arms. She turned to find him smiling down at her. “I know it’s not ‘The Electric Slide’”—he nodded to the jazz band in the corner—“but I think we can handle it.”
Aiden led her to the floor and pulled her against the hard wall of his chest. She put a hand on the shoulder of his jacket and swayed to the music. The last time they’d danced together was at Crickitt’s wedding. Sadie hadn’t been very nice to him that night. Aiden had been apologetic and exposed and so…Aiden. Again she felt a wave of regret for not treating him better.
Keep working on it.
“Relax,” Aiden murmured against her cheek. His palm splayed across her back, pulling her closer. “You smell so good.” His voice rumbled against her chest, sending her hormones into fan-girl hissy fits.
That she and Aiden hadn’t tumbled into bed the night they met had to be some sort of miracle of biblical proportion. Though technically, they tumbled into bed the next, next night, but they hadn’t gotten physical. Another miracle. The attraction between them had always been—and continued to be—dangerous. Combustible.
She thought back to the evil-slash-brilliant idea she’d had on her way in. The idea of seducing Aiden once and for all. Of finding out what sex was like when she gave herself over to the connection between them. Sadie was all out of hidden aces. She didn’t want to wait, didn’t want to date, didn’t want to pussyfoot or beat around the bush any longer. She wanted Aiden. Period. And she’d bet with the right approach…Aiden would fold like a cheap suit and have her out of this dress faster than she could say Do me.