Page 23 of Donut Disaster
Noah inches back, looking confused. “Everett?”
“She saw you making out with Cormack,” he offers. “Try to be a little more discreet next time, would you?”
Noah’s eyes bulge with horror. “I wasnotmaking out with Cormack.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “You were with her.” I detest how jealous and petty that sounded coming from my lips. And more than that, I hate that I was jealous and petty to begin with.
Naomi rings the little brass bell in her hand, and the room simmers down to silence.
Two velvet thrones are situated at the front of the room, and Naomi settles in one as Alex and his muscles bulge out of the other.
“Today, we are privileged to have a very special guest!” Naomi’s voice booms over the room just as a brunette in jeans and a plain white T-shirt saunters in, her own copy ofHis Silent Needtucked under her arm. She takes a seat right up front like a studious pupil anxious to glean whatever Professor Strong Arms has to teach us. “Everyone, please offer a warm welcome to ex-Marine turned investment banker, Mr. Alex Fox!”
The crowd is on their feet, clapping and catcalling with the best of them.
Naomi hushes the hot-to-trot masses once again before asking Alex a number of quasi-invasive questions. Apparently, Alex doesn’t drink, smoke, or eat anything yellow. He likes long walks on the lake shore, sunrises and sunsets, and a mountain getaway is his ideal vacation. He doesn’t have pets at the moment, but he sees a future with a wife, four children, two dogs, and at least four cats. And just like that, every ovary in the room explodes in his muscular honor.
Naomi wiggles the naughty book of the hour into the air. “If you will turn with me to page two hundred and sixty-three, Alex is going to read Diego’s point of view from the scene in which he and Delilah finish up canoeing in the rain.”
Half the room breaks out into titters, fanning themselves with their copy of the heated read.
Alex starts in, his voice deep and husky as he goes on to describe the flames of passion between two consenting adults in every gory detail known to man—and a few that seem to be contrived for the sole purposes of this bawdy book.
I bite down hard on my lower lip as Everett leans in.
“What’s the matter, Lemon? Itching to find the nearest closet? Let’s leave now. I can give you the relief you need.”
Everett and I have a heated history with closets as of late.
Noah holds out a hand toward Everett, nearly slicing the two of us apart in the process.
“Hey,” he barks it out at his old stepbrother. “Don’t speak to her like that.” Noah looks ready to kill.
“Oh?” I muse. “And how exactly were you speaking to Cormack? Just admit it, Noah. You’re seeing her right infrontof my back!”
A sigh deflates his chest. “I don’t know what this guy has been feeding you, but I’m not seeing her. And as soon as I get those divorce papers, the only person I want to see is you.”
“Then why is she always suspiciously around?” I’m not sure why I’m suddenly pent up with a jealous rage. I have a boyfriend. And it just so happens his annoying stalker is safely behind bars. It’s true. Last month Everett was kidnapped, and Noah and I rescued him. I bet Noah is having a serious bout of rescuer’s remorse.
“I don’t know why she’s around, Lot.”
Everett and I exchange a disbelieving look.
“I’m serious.” Noah chooses to defend himself, and half the room turns around to shush him.
Alex gets to the apex of the scene, and every woman in the room—Carlotta, Mom, Meg, and Lainey included—is fanning themselves into oblivion.
“And as his need grew…” Alex’s voice grows right along with it.
I shoot a look to Noah. “Listen, I get it. You’re still attracted to Cormack. She’s a beautiful woman.” I take a moment to scowl at her as she sits the closest to Alex’s feet as if lost in ardent worship.
Everett picks up my hand and kisses the back of it. “Noah, we wish you both a very happy life. We look forward to double dinner dates and game night.”
Noah does not look amused. “You’re doing it again, aren’t you?” He leans in toward his old stepbrother. “You’re trying to poison her mind against me because you know your days are numbered. Newsflash, gavel boy: I should have those divorce papers in my hand in less than two weeks. That’s right. Start quaking in your robe because you should.” He gives Everett a light shove over his chest, and I quickly step between them.
“Knock it off, Noah. It’s not Everett’s fault you magnetize to Cormack whenever she’s in the room. And by the way, might I remind you, it was Everett who was nice enough to suggest we cool it while I weed through my feelings for you.”
Noah’s forehead smooths out. “Have you cooled it?”