Beautiful Sacrifice (Maddox Brothers #3)(87)

With his hands, he let us know we were free to go, and then Jim stood, prompting everyone else to stand as well. The men stood around with their hands in their pockets while the women gathered their purses and attended to their smeared mascara.

The brothers relaxed, taking the few steps to the front row.

I held up my phone to Thomas and Liis. “Say cheese!”

Thomas stood behind Liis, enveloping her in his arms, and kissed her cheek.

I snapped the picture and then flipped my phone around to show them the result. “Perfect.”

Thomas hugged her to his chest. “She is.”

“Aw, cute,” I said.

Someone tapped on my shoulder.

When I saw it was Taylor, I hugged him, feeling the stiff fabric of his tuxedo beneath my fingers. “Are you hot?” I asked.

“Baking.”

“Well, you look intolerably sexy,” I said quietly.

His eyes burned when they met mine. “Yeah?”

“There is something to be said about not having all this beauty outside. Makes it easier to stay inside.”

Taylor pulled me against him. “I’m flexible. There’s a perfectly good beach over there.”

Jim clapped his hands and rubbed them together, reminding us other people were around.

But no one was paying attention to our quiet flirtation. Instead, people seemed to notice the palpable tension between Thomas and Liis, and Trenton and Camille.

“Grab your ladies, boys,” Jim said. “I’m starved. Let’s eat.”

Walking hand in hand with Liis, Thomas followed his father, Trenton, and Camille.

“What is all that about?” I asked Taylor.

“Oh, Liis and Camille?”

I nodded.

Ellison leaned in. “They both dated Thomas. It’s going to be awkward for a while, but it’ll get better.”

“Well, you’ve both kissed the same guy,” Tyler said.

Ellison playfully punched him, but the contact still made a thud.

Tyler held his stomach, startled. “Oh!”

Taylor cackled and then interlaced his fingers in mine, and together, we strolled to Sails, the restaurant parallel to our building. The patio was on the opposite side, and the twins sat at one of the empty tables marked Reserved for the reception.

Seconds after we sat down, a server approached to take our drink orders.

“Whiskey,” Taylor said. “Neat.”

“We have a nice Irish Jameson Eighteen.”

“Sounds good,” he said. He was smiling, but his tone and the skin around his eyes told a different story.

The server looked to me.

“Just a water, please.”

“Yes, ma’am. Flat or sparkling?”

“Sparkling,” I said. At least that would feel a little more like I was celebrating with everyone else.

Liis and Thomas were across the way, seated with Shepley and America and Shepley’s parents. Looking content and in love, Camille and Trenton were chatting with Jim two tables away, completely oblivious of Thomas and Liis at the other table. Whatever awkwardness lived between the two couples must have been one-sided, but I was only speculating.

Taylor pulled off his tuxedo jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white button-down. He leaned over, pointing to his bow tie, and I helped him loosen it along with his top button.

“Goddamn, I’m glad you’re here,” he said, leaning the remaining inches to kiss the corner of my mouth. “I was really sweating it until you texted me.”

“I told you I would come.”

He scanned my face and touched his thumb to my bottom lip. “I want you. Just you. Nothing else. I’m not just content with that, Falyn. You’re not part of what I want. You’re everything I want. Anything else is a bonus.”

I sat back against my chair, trying not to stare. His forearm tensed when he reached up to rub the back of his neck, and I had to cross my legs to control the ache between my thighs. It had been more than two weeks since I felt his skin against mine, and my body was letting me know about it.

“What?” he asked, a coy grin stretching across his face.

“Nothing,” I said, looking away as I tried not to smile.

Abby and Travis arrived. Travis held his wife’s hand high in the air as her other hand held her bouquet. The hostess announced their arrival over the PA system, and everyone in Sails clapped and cheered. A rock ballad came over the speakers, and Travis pulled Abby out to dance. She looked absolutely beautiful, her elegant caramel waves nearly blending in with her skin that had already been bronzed by the Caribbean sun. The stark white of her dress only made her tan look even darker.