Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(6)

Zandra’s face flamed. Reaching for her rum cocktail, she mumbled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Racquel laughed. “Yeah, right. And I’m a world-famous supermodel.”

“You could be.”

Racquel snorted. An award-winning photographer, the tall, slender, exotic beauty could just as easily have made her living in front of the camera as behind it—a fact acknowledged by everyone but her.

As Zandra sipped her drink, Racquel eyed her speculatively. “Did something happen between you and Remy this afternoon while the rest of us were gone?”

Zandra shook her head quickly. “Of course not.”

It was true. After their race—which she’d lost, of course—she and Remy had spent the next couple hours swimming, splashing and frolicking in the water like they’d done as children. By the time they returned to shore and collapsed upon their lounge chairs, Zandra had been too worn-out to do more than shove her sunglasses onto her face and close her eyes. She’d dozed off, awakening a short time later to find Remy kneeling beside her, gently easing her sandals onto her feet.

He’d looked up at her, and their eyes met and held for a breathless moment before Zandra glanced away, mumbling something about needing to wash and dry her hair in time for dinner. They’d gathered their things and walked back up to the hotel without speaking. When they reached the door to Zandra’s room, Remy had brushed her cheek lightly with the back of his knuckles and mouthed, See you soon, before sauntering down the hall to his own room.

Long after they parted ways, the warmth of his touch had lingered on her skin.

Technically nothing had happened between them. Yet something had definitely changed. Zandra sensed it, like a tremor running beneath the ground before an earthquake erupts.

It scared her shitless.

Racquel sighed, the sound breaking into Zandra’s reverie. “Too bad.”

Zandra glanced at her. “Too bad what?”

“Too bad nothing went down between you and Remy.” Racquel grinned, snagging the last plantain from Zandra’s plate and forking it into her mouth. “But there’s always tomorrow.”

Which was the last thing Zandra needed to think about.

Gulping down more rum, she hazarded another glance at Remy. He was laughing and conversing with his eldest brother, Royce, whose dark good looks, charming personality and healthy bank account made him irresistible to every woman but the one who’d divorced him three years ago.

When Remy suddenly turned his head and met Zandra’s gaze, a rush of heat flooded her loins.

As they stared at each other, she realized that the only way she could keep herself out of trouble was to cut her trip a day short and catch the first thing smoking back to Chicago.

“May I have everybody’s attention?”

Silence fell over the table as everyone turned to look at Remy’s twin brother, Roderick, who wore a broad smile of satisfaction that matched the one worn by the gorgeous woman seated beside him.

“Lena and I just wanted to thank all of you for joining us in St. Lucia—”

“Yeah, it was a real hardship,” a deep voice joked, drawing a round of laughter.

Roderick chuckled, shaking his head at his younger brother, River. “Wiseass.”

“Roderick!” chided their big sister, Robyn, clapping both hands over the ears of the pigtailed little girl sitting next to her. “Have you forgotten that there are small children around?”

“My bad.” Roderick winked at his niece. “Sorry, Mackenzie.”

She gave him a huge, dimpled grin. “It’s all good, Uncle Rod.”

Everyone laughed.

When the humorous moment passed, Roderick continued warmly, “As I was saying, Lena and I are glad all of you could be here this week. At the risk of repeating what was already expressed at our wedding reception, we truly appreciate the love and support all of you have given us over the past four months. From helping with wedding preparations to dispensing marriage advice to knowing when we needed space to be alone together, everyone at this table played an important role in making our special day the most unforgettable day of our lives.”

Turning to Lena, Roderick picked up her hand and laced their fingers together, gazing at her with such tender adulation that a wave of soft feminine sighs wafted around the table. Zandra was pretty sure she sighed, as well.

“As you all know,” Roderick continued, “the way Lena and I came together was by no means typical. But then, there’s nothing remotely typical about the way I feel about her. I wanted her from the moment we met, and I have no regrets about going after her and not taking no for an answer. Now that we’re married, I fully intend to spend the rest of my life making sure that she never regrets giving her heart to me.”

“Oh, baby,” Lena whispered tearfully. “I won’t regret a thing. I love you so much.”

Roderick gently stroked her face. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

Beaming with pride and satisfaction, Lena’s grandfather, Cleveland, lifted his glass and called out jubilantly, “Here’s to the bride and groom!”

A chorus of cheers swept around the table as everyone raised their drinks to toast the newlyweds, who shared a deep, passionate kiss that left the women fanning themselves.

“That’ll get me some more grandchildren soon,” predicted Roderick’s mother, Bernadette.