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Don’t answer that.

Emily moves past me, her hand lingering on my shoulder. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“Am I interrupting?” Aly asks, watching Emily’s retreat to the bar in the back of the room, a glass of red wine in her hand.

“Let me ask you something.” I lean in, invading her space. “What do you think Austin do if I kissed you right now? Just to prove you’re mine?”

Her eyes flicker, as if she wants that, but knows what would happen. It’s one thing to be here, accompanying the same space together, but if I kiss her in front of everyone, it changes shit.

Her inhale comes from deep within, her glass brought to her lips. She takes a sip of her wine. “What would Emily do if I kissedyou?”

My chest brushes against hers, the heat of my breath hitting her face. My words push through tight lips and an aching chest when I say, “If he keeps looking at you like that, I’ll fuckin’ kill him. He lost his chance with you, and I’ll be goddamn if he thinks I’m giving him another one.”

I’m not completely serious. I don’t think I’d kill Austin, but you really never know.

She laughs, rolling her eyes. “He doesn’t want me, Ridge.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Iknowthe way he’s watching. He knows what he lost, and given the chance, he’d ask for it back.”

Aly winks. “His loss, your win.”

As the opening notes of “Shake” come on, I reach for her, my palm pressing against the small of her back, fingertips tightening. I lead her to the dance floor without asking.

She gasps, lashes fluttering, setting her wine glass down on a nearby table. “What are you doing?”

“I think it’s called dancing.” Her arms wrap around and over my shoulders, chest to chest, heart to heart. “Unless you’d like to take me up on the offer to fuck in the bathroom because I’m still up for that.”

Her body shakes with laughter. “You’re so bad.”

My lips press to her forehead, but never her lips. “Something tells me you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I wouldn’t.”

We sway, move, breathe together when I whisper, low and throaty, “The dress. . . I never stood a chance against, but I can’t wait to rip it off.” I slide my hand slowly down her back, searching her face the whole time. I pause... and then slide my hand down some more.

Her mouth pops open. “Ridge, stop.”

I move her just right so she can feel my erection, and she blushes, tenderly, beautifully. “I just can’t help myself.”

“So?” I’m hopeful when she raises an eyebrow, but then she giggles. “The Walking Dead?”

I gasp. “Those little jerks are watching it without me, aren’t they?”

She nods.

“I’m disappointed.” I actually am. They promised me.

“Theyreallylike you.”

I can’t help but think it’s a warning. My fingertips brush her cheek. “They’re great kids, Aly. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

Her lashes flutter, her eyes filling with tears she won’t let loose. “This is crazy.” She’s changing the subject, motioning with her head to our surroundings. “I can’t imagine how much money they’ve put into this.”

I chuckle, my mind elsewhere, on Aly, her body and the things I want to be doing to it. “And it doesn’t even look good. But you,youlook good. Good enough to eat.” My mouth finds the curve of her neck, gently biting.

Giggling, she shrugs her shoulder to stop me, squirming around, a restless desire she can’t hide from me. “It does too look good.”

“Whatever,” I mumble into her skin, more pressure applied to my teeth. “I want to leave.”