Only a Millionaire (The Sinclairs #6.5)(41)

“Thank you for waiting,” I said breathlessly, my voice touched with humor.

“I’d wait forever for you, Brooke. I feel like I already have,” he said in a quiet voice as he put his arm around me.

I sighed as I felt the heat of his massive body next to mine. “Me too,” I murmured.

My sister, Jade, was making her way through the crowd, and she looked flustered as she sat down in her chair across from me.

Her cheeks were as red as a ripe tomato as she took a large sip of her drink.

I leaned across the table as I asked, “Are you okay? Your face is flushed.”

She lifted a hand to her cheek, like she was trying to brush away the heat of her skin. “I’m fine,” she snapped. “I didn’t know Eli Stone was coming.”

I’d met the eccentric billionaire right after the wedding. “He’s friends with most of the Sinclairs here in Amesport. I didn’t know he was coming, either. But he seems nice enough.”

One thing I’d discovered about filthy-rich people was that most of them knew each other, and quite often they were friends. Or else they hated each other. I was pretty sure that my half siblings knew so many rich people because that’s how they’d grown up. Maybe other people with money were the only ones they could trust.

“I hate him,” Jade said vehemently. “We can’t even be civil to one another.”

“Why?” I asked.

She shook her head, looking like she regretted her outburst. “It’s nothing. I don’t have to talk to him again,” she said in a calmer tone.

“Did he do something to offend you?” Liam asked, sounding annoyed that a guest at his wedding might have upset my sister.

Jade and Liam had gotten to know each other over the last couple of months, and they had a mutual respect and affection for each other. If somebody hurt my twin, he’d be determined to make it right.

“No. Really. I’m good,” Jade said. “He just annoys me. I’m not going to let some pompous, arrogant, filthy-rich guy piss me off.” She smiled a little too brightly. “It’s a special day.”

Her lips were smiling, but her eyes looked troubled. I was worried about Jade, but until she was ready to talk about whatever was bothering her, there wasn’t much I could do.

“You two lovebirds need to tell the caterer to bring on the food. I’m starving,” Aiden suggested in a loud, booming voice down the table from Liam and me.

“When are you not starving?” Liam said drily, but he motioned for the waiters to start the food service. “Does he ever stop eating?” Liam asked in a quieter tone.

I smiled. All of my brothers could eat like horses. “No. They’ve been that way for as long as I can remember.”

I didn’t mention that there had been so many times that my older brothers had sacrificed their food for me, Jade, and Owen. They were making up for lost time now that they’d never need to worry about having enough food for the whole family ever again.

“Glad I ordered extra food,” Liam said good-naturedly.

He’d ordered a ton of food—more than my brothers could eat. And I knew he’d done it because he knew how much they liked to eat.

“I love you,” I blurted out as I turned to look at him, my heart in my throat as I thought about how lucky I was to have a man who cared about my family.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Liam asked as he saw a tear roll down my cheek.

I shook my head and swiped the random tear away. “Nothing. I was just wondering what I’ve ever done in my life to deserve a man like you.”

He smiled at me as he tipped my chin up to look at my face. “Nothing. You didn’t have to do anything. You just had to be you. And for the record, I love you, too.”

I knew he loved me. He proved it with actions as well as words. I looked at his handsome face, thinking once again how damn attractive he looked in formal wear. “Maybe we can skip the cake,” I said, in a voice just loud enough for him to hear.

Suddenly, I didn’t really care if I ate or not. I wanted to get Liam home and strip off every item of his clothing until I could touch his heated skin. Words didn’t seem like enough right now. I wanted . . . him. I needed to show him that I loved him as well as saying it out loud.

He laughed. A loud, deep, and thoroughly amused sound that melted my heart. “Sweetheart, we can eat first.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I don’t think I can wait,” I whispered against his ear.

“You’re hungry—”

“I want you more,” I said, my mouth next to his ear.

“Fuck!” he said in a quiet, frustrated tone. “I saw a few vacant rooms as we were walking toward the ballroom, but that isn’t exactly what I had planned for our first time together as man and wife.”

“We could get back before our food is cold,” I said suggestively. I didn’t need a perfect honeymoon. All I needed was Liam.

I felt his shoulders tense beneath my arms. “Feeling adventurous?” he asked huskily.

“Very.”

He rose without any further prompting. I could see the playfulness in his eyes as he pulled me to my feet.

“We’re coming back so I can feed you,” he said insistently. “We can’t be gone long.”