Quest pretended to ponder then. “I’m actually quite infatuated with her mouth.”
Laughing once more, Mick tugged his loosened bow tie. ‘I’ll bet you are!”
Quest rolled his eyes. “See there you go...thinking with your mind in the gutter.”
“Okay then...what do you like about her mouth?”
“I like the way it looks when she tell me she loves me,” he smiled when her expression went from playful to entranced. “When you tell me you love me as much as I love you, Michaela.”
She stood on the toes of her pumps, heart
going to her throat when he took her off her feet. “I love you
Quest Ramsey,” she spoke with fierce conviction as he took her
mouth in a kiss.
~~~
“Well Miss, I’d say you’re carrying the record for the most times on the dance floor,” County laughed when Quincee clapped and nodded as though she’d understood every word perfectly.
“Alright, alright enough showing off. Eat up before the next guy comes asking for your hand,” County held a fruit bowl up for the child’s inspection. She’d volunteered to give the baby her snack while Quest and Michaela enjoyed a dance.
Quincee plucked a small banana slice and pushed it into her mouth. She was chewing dutifully when her gray eyes widened as she smiled to display banana and a few teeth.
Contessa glanced over her shoulder and did a double take when she saw Fernando. He smoothed a hand down her back, while settling to share the square footstool where she faced Quincee in an armchair.
Fernando tugged one of Quincee’s curls. “Already danced with your cousins, now it’s your turn,” he said.
Quickly, Quincee reached for another banana.
“Not so fast, girlie,” County kissed the child’s nose. “Never rush for a guy, no matter how sexy he is.”
“Even if the guy comes with his hat in his hand?”
“No need for hats in hand,” County said even as his voice sent a shiver of something appealing along her spine.
He nudged her shoulder with his. “Not even after last night?”
County watched Quincee select another banana slice. “Everyone’s got a right to their own opinions about how that situation should’ve been handled- doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.” She leaned over to wipe excess fruit from Quincee’s hands.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done in Persephone’s position and thank God I’m not in it, because I don’t think I could’ve held off telling you I was gonna have your baby any longer than I did.”
Fernando nodded, then he was squeezing County’s knee visible at the deep split of her apricot colored skirt. He squeezed insistently and urged her to face him. Circling a hand about his wife’s neck, he put his forehead to hers before he kissed her deep.
Quincee’s banana grin returned as she
clapped.
~~~
“I’ve seen at least ten people walking around with empty champagne flutes. Snap to it, folks!”
“If I’m not mistaken, the wait staff has a manager.”
Sabra turned and found her husband leaning against one of the many marble columns that dotted the ballroom. Her smile was a mix between sweet and sultry as she joined him. Her hands glided the crisp sleeves and lapels of his tux while approval radiated from her toffee stare. She marveled over his potent, dark appeal whether he was wearing clothes or without them.
“The woman had her hands full. I was just helping out.”
“Ha! Helping them out or scaring them shitless?”
Sabra tilted her head at a cocky angle. “You say tomato...”
Smoak’s manner was wholly tender as he reached out to tug a curl dangling from her upswept hair. “Are we okay?” He asked.
“Course we are,” surprised by the question, she linked her arms about his neck.
“Last night-” He smiled when she stuck out her tongue and buzzed out air around it.
“An uproar every now and then, keeps things spicy,” Sabra claimed.
“Maybe,” Smoak didn’t look convinced. “But I could do without them.” His deeply set gaze followed the line his thumb traced along her clavicle.
“Well...if you insist,” Sabra gave a lazy eye roll and sighed. “In my defense though, last night I was trying to act low-key so as not to take the spotlight off the bride.” She paused for Smoak’s laughter which surged long and heartily.
“Anyway, I didn’t want to take the spotlight off the bride by telling you I’m pregnant, so I-”
Smoak took her arms suddenly, gave her the slightest of shakes. “What’d you say?”
“I didn’t want to take the spotlight off the bride-”
“Sabra…”
She laughed, tugged at his lapels again. “I’m gonna have your baby, Smoak Tesano.”
Mouth open, Smoak stood back just a fraction and studied his wife’s figure 8 frame encased in the stunning violet gown she’d worn to stand for her cousin.
