Reckless In Love (The Maverick Billionaires #2)(52)

As Sebastian gave Harper a kiss on the cheek, he silently noted that he’d never seen his friend truly happy until he’d met Harper a few months ago. Will had battled his demons and won. Considering how bad Will’s childhood had been, it was a hell of a feat.

“Saw the rams out there.” Judging by his intense expression, Will was impressed. “They’re powerful. Unique. Superb.”

“Especially with the lights coming up from below,” Harper agreed. “The rams could be real, actually fighting.”

Sebastian’s heart swelled for Charlie. “Make sure you tell Charlie that when she comes down. She needs to hear how her work affects people.” Maybe she’d start to believe she deserved all the success he felt should be hers. He glanced at the bank of elevators, barely able to tamp down his impatience. “What’s Jeremy up to tonight?”

“He’s staying with Mrs. Taylor,” Harper said. “He’s going to watch Steve McQueen in a special version of Bullitt with scenes deleted from the original car chase.”

When Harper smiled, Sebastian saw the light Will had fallen head over heels for. Yet for Sebastian, Charlie’s light was even brighter. So bright and so beautiful that he had to wonder who was really helping whom? Long before he’d come into her life, she had been creating magnificent works of art and taking care of her mom. Yet for him, it seemed as though he’d merely been marking time until he found her.

Before Will could launch into an account of how he’d acquired the prized Bullitt DVD, Matt Tremont joined their group. Once the runt of their Maverick litter, no one would ever have guessed it by the breadth of Matt’s shoulders and the width of his chest. Still the brainiac who’d built a robotics empire, he’d bulked up somewhere along the way until he was a force all on his own.

“Hey, Harper.” Matt leaned down to kiss her cheek. “You’re looking fabulous.”

“She always does,” Will agreed, playing his fingers through her hair in an unconscious gesture of possession, desire, and most of all, love.

“Thank you, Matt.” Harper’s smile was a mile wide as she asked, “How’s Noah?”

“He’s great. He can’t stop talking about the last time he saw Jeremy. No one makes him laugh harder than your brother.”

Everyone adored Matt’s five-year-old son. Susan especially, who’d made it clear more than once that she couldn’t wait to have more grandchildren to spoil rotten. And that her boys were taking far too long to get the job done.

“Nice gig,” Matt said to Sebastian. “Food looks good too. Looking forward to meeting the artist. Her rams are mind-blowing.”

“Glad you think so, but we know you’re really here for the free food.” It didn’t matter how far they’d come, some things were ingrained—no matter how much food you had, it was hard to forget what it was like to be hungry and all out of options.

Sebastian glanced past Matt’s shoulder to the elevator bank. Still no Charlie. “You see Evan or Daniel yet?”

“Whitney corralled Walter Braedon, so Evan’s with them.”

Will scowled. “Whitney always goes for the major players first. Especially if photographers are nearby.” Men and women with cameras were everywhere, snapping pictures at the front entrance as celebrities and the who’s who of the Silicon Valley elite arrived, dripping with jewels and designer gowns.

“And Daniel’s right over—” Matt waved his hand like a snake charmer. “—there.”

The fifth Maverick was making his way toward them, a plate of appetizers in his hand. Running a conglomerate of home improvement stores and producing his own do-it-yourself TV show, Daniel was dressed for the part as always, in khaki pants and a camel-colored jacket with leather patches on the elbows, his hair overly long. Sebastian wondered if he would manage to unearth a tux for Will and Harper’s winter wedding in Chicago, or if he’d just show up grinning in a plaid work shirt and boots. Truth was, none of the Mavericks would care if he did. Each of them wanted only happiness and a good life for the others.

In addition to taking over the world together, of course.

“Harper.” Holding her hand, Daniel kissed her cheek. She was one of them now, a Maverick, as was Jeremy. “You’re as lovely as a Tahoe sunrise.” Daniel was building a cabin up at Lake Tahoe, so he clearly had the big blue lake on the brain. He was also right that Harper, with all the love shining out of her, was just as beautiful.

Then Daniel was looking past them all, up the stairs. “Holy hell. Will you look at that vision coming down the stairs.”

As everyone turned, Sebastian suddenly couldn’t breathe...and his heart all but shut down in his chest. Tonight, the woman he’d fallen head over heels for wasn’t Charlie the strong, pretty tomboy. She was Charlotte.

But no, he realized, as his heart—and brain—slowly stuttered back into action. She was both Charlie and Charlotte. Radiant and alluring. Intelligent and creative. Brilliant and beautiful.

And he’d never wanted any woman more.

“She’s coming over to us,” Matt said, his voice sounding very far away.

All Sebastian could see or hear or feel was Charlie as she descended the stairs with elegance and style. She’d piled her hair on top of her head, a few locks falling carelessly free, brushing her shoulders. Gold drop earrings dangled from her lobes, glittering in the light of all the chandeliers.