‘She shouldn’t worry. It’s only a little party.’
‘You know how she is.’
Yes, Lauren did know what her mother was like. Celeste Latham enjoyed her job as a homemaker and mother, and she liked things spotlessly clean. Ever since Lauren’s older brother by three years, Benjamin, had left home to pursue a career in professional baseball, Celeste didn’t need to wash his sports clothes anymore and the casual observer might think that Celeste was a little bored without that to occupy her time.
With a last glance back to the little house, Lauren followed her dad back to the porch. Rachel had already poured the champagne, and welcomed her brother Chris along with his latest conquest Blake, plus a co-worker from the physical therapy center. Mostly, though, she was busying herself with giving her attractive dentist long, languishing looks.
Lauren was happy that Rachel’s brave physicality was paying off. A worried glance at her watch showed her that her own date Tim was now an hour late – and she wondered if he was going to show up at all. Why would she ever have assumed he would? She was not as sexy as blonde bombshell Caroline.
‘Hey, Lorelei!’ Chris chirped, giving Lauren a boisterous hug from behind. Nobody except Rachel’s older brother by two years called her that, but he could not be dissuaded from it. He could also not be discouraged from pressing wet, unwelcome kisses into the nape of her neck whenever he saw an opportunity. What a childish, tattooed baby!
‘Hey, Chris!’ Lauren wrenched free of his embrace and motioned toward his date, who was shooting her jealous glances. ‘Don’t forget that you didn’t come here alone!’ Lauren leaned closer to his ear so that his dark, shoulder-length hair touched her cleavage. ‘I think she wants to kill me, so keep an eye on her, would you?’
Chris gave his cheekiest grin and slammed his fist against the flat of his palm. ‘Don’t worry, Lorelei, anyone who wants to pick a fight with you will need to get past me first! I shall protect you. Always! But first I’m going to get my date a drink.’
Lauren laughed and nudged him in the side. She could see a brand-new tattoo peeking out from under his T-shirt. He must have dozens of those things all over his body by now.
‘I know, I know! You’re my hero. Which is why I’m going to get you that martini. And now go and have fun with . . . your biker chick whose name has already slipped my mind.’
Chris winked at her, and whispered, ‘Same thing happened to me yesterday morning – but, believe me, it was way more embarrassing for me!’
‘Why don’t you have it tattooed on yourself, just to be on the safe side?’ Lauren suggested cheerfully.
‘Then there wouldn’t be any room left for the important stuff,’ Chris joked, pulling his T-shirt down and to the side so that Lauren could admire his latest body art. It was a dragon, with its wings spanning Chris’s entire chest.
Lauren lashed out at him as he turned, chuckling, and strolled back over to Blake, the biker chick. Again she looked at her watch. Tim was now very late.
‘Idiot!’ she grumbled, pressing her lips together sullenly. Fine, his loss! She returned to the house to mix a martini for herself and Blake. She turned up the stereo and undid her ponytail. This was a party, dammit, and even if the guest of honor had decided to stand her up she would not let him spoil her fun.
With a drink in each hand she left the kitchen a little while later and froze.
There he was, standing in the patio doors.
He was wearing jeans, a simple white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. His hair was casually falling into his eyes. Nothing about him resembled the lawyer she’d met in the elevator, and yet immediately she felt very close to him.
Her joy was mixed with anger at him for being late, but when he stepped closer and let his eyes wander over her body like a soft caress, the anger dissipated.
‘Hi!’
Jesus, even the simplest things made her knees melt!
‘I thought you’d forgotten.’
‘Of course I didn’t forget. I’ve just been thinking about what gift I should get you for your birthday.’
Lauren wished she could brush the hair from her face, but she was still holding those two martini glasses. ‘You brought me a gift?’ she asked in surprise, because he wasn’t holding anything in his hands.
He grinned a mischievous grin and turned to the large windows. Nobody was paying them any attention. Audaciously, he hooked his fingers around the belt buckles of her jeans and pulled her with him into a shady corner. Coaxing her against the wall, he tilted his head. She could feel his breath brushing her collarbone, and felt his lips against her ear.
‘It’s a somewhat selfish gift,’ he whispered, hugging her round the waist. By sheer force of habit she pulled in her stomach and held her breath. Her heart was beating against her chest, and the tension between them seemed to rise with every breath that she took. Slowly, he raised her hand that was still holding the glass. Then he guided it towards his mouth and emptied the drink into his throat, all the while looking into her eyes. She knew he could see that she was aroused and she could see that he was as well. Her breath quickened as she expectantly leaned into him.
‘Happy birthday, Lauren,’ he whispered, and his lips wandered from her collarbone up to her neck until they finally found her lips. The taste of gin on her tongue was intoxicating as she returned his kiss. Boldly, she rose up onto her tiptoes and tilted back her neck to deepen their kiss. It was only now, standing this close to him, that she realized how tall he was. He could have easily rested his chin on the top of her head. He caressed her back and spine until she buckled into him.
‘Seriously, Lorelei!’ Chris called out in fake outrage, and casually strolled past them in the direction of the kitchen. ‘Offering dessert to only one of your guests . . . That’s a bit rude, is it not?’
Lauren flinched, and Tim took a step aside, grinning. Ever the gentleman, he smoothed down her T-shirt and laughed when she nudged him in the side with her elbow.
‘You’re the dessert? What kind of party is this?’ he asked, obviously enjoying himself. Lauren glared at him.
‘Shut up, Chris! And what are you doing inside, anyway?’ Lauren asked, hurriedly following him into the kitchen.
‘Blake wants her drink,’ he explained, opening the icebox with the pre-chilled martini glasses inside.
‘Here, give her this one,’ Lauren offered him the glass she was still holding in her other hand, but Chris scrunched up his nose.
‘It’s been getting hot in here, and all the alcohol has probably evaporated by now. Besides, girls with a proper drink in them are . . . so much easier to conquer.’
He gave her a mischievous wink and poured a generous measure of gin into the mixer, along with some ice.
‘Idiot!’ Lauren muttered as Tim stepped behind her, placing a proprietary hand on her hip.
‘And that works? With girls from Vermont?’ he asked Chris, scrutinising his hostess’s face with a daring smirk.
‘Meh,’ Chris countered, laughing. He measured out the vermouth, and added it to the drink. Then he stirred the mix with a long spoon. ‘It always works, no matter where they’re from.’
‘You’re both crazy! Give me the vermouth, and get back to your biker chick!’ Lauren demanded, tearing the bottle from Chris’s hand, who in turn walked back to the refrigerator and grabbed two fresh bottles of beer. He handed one to Tim, who now leaned against the kitchen island at the center of the room.
‘You’ve invited a biker chick? Do I need to be worried?’ he asked, taking a sip from the bottle. Lauren’s eyes were stuck on Tim’s lips and she wanted nothing more than for Chris to buzz off so that she and Tim continue where they’d left off.
‘No,