Page 137 of Kept in the Dark

James is already throwing his head back and laughing when Wesley says, voice full of real admiration, “That was almost such a good joke, Dimitri. The raw material is there, but the execution needs refining.”

“Shit! I leave for 30 seconds to use the bathroom, and I miss the surprise? Guys!” Nicole’s deep voice behind me makes me turn, but her eyes are on James and Wesley, and her expression is full of censure. “I can’t believe you did it without me!”

I turn towards the door and see her long, bare legs first. My mouth goes dry at the sight of so much skin revealed by the frilly, flowery skirt.There is something about a leggy woman in a dress, particularly when she is my woman.

Her look is apologetic, like it is her fault she was not here, as she comes over and fits herself against me for a hug. “Surprise,” she breathes.

“I am not 40,” I say, lifting a brow as I tilt my head down to look at her.

She grins. “I know. But the cows made me laugh.”

“And it is not my birthday.”

She shrugs. “It’s not really about getting older, and I know you don’t want to be celebrated—but I wanted an excuse to celebrate you, and to try to convince you birthdays aren’t so bad. It’s the one day you’re allowed to make all about you.”

“That is a very American way to look at it.”

“Well, unless you’re going to tell me when your actual birthday is—”

“I will not.”

“Then it’s today from now on.”

It is very far from the correct date, but I have no intention of ever telling anyone. I do not need to be celebrated, but since this one appears to be little more than a family dinner and a few blow-up cows, I do not mind. And I like the idea of being reborn after Nicole, by her will.

I lift a hand, and she tilts her head to make room for it at the base of her neck and shoulder—a synchronized call and response our bodies make to each other. “I will allow this—for you.”

“Good, because birthdays aren’t all bad. I got you a present,” she murmurs, eyes locked on my lips.

“Oh?”

“I’m wearing it,” she whispers, brushing her breasts against my chest. Her breath ghosts across my lips, and the blood in my body rushes downward.

Perhaps birthdays have more merit than I thought. “I want to open it now.”

She grins and runs the tips of her fingernails along the line of her cleavage, tugging down the center of her dress and flashing a hint of red lace. “It’s not really something you open. It’s more something you… remove.”

The blood that rushed south starts to pound insistently. She is going to have me hard in front of my teammates. Wicked woman. I shift my hand so it is less caressing and more circling her throat. Her breath catches, and I watch a wave of goosebumps rise and fall on her skin. “We are leaving.”

She grabs my wrist and pulls so she can shake her head. “Eleanor and I blew up, like, 60 balloons. We’re staying, at least until the food is gone.”

I bend my head down, and she rises on her toes to meet me. Just before our lips touch, she smiles, knowing she has won—that I would do far more for her than delay my raging desire and stay at a silly party, just to know she was pleased.

“As you wish, mymed.”

44

Nicole

It’s sort of a term of endearment

“Okay, so, do they have code names for each other? Like, is JamesEagle Eyesor something?” I ask in a low, conspiratorial voice.

Next to me on the couch, a tipsy Eleanor huffs a laugh as she takes another gulp of her champagne. Her cheeks are flushed with it, and I keep catching James looking over with a funny expression on his face. It warms me that he keeps an eye on her, even though it makes me feel like I’m witnessing something private when his gaze shutters as she purposefully ignores him to pour herself another glass.

He’s pissed, and she’s egging him on. This is going to blow up. Soon.

“It’s so funny to me that you call him James. It takes me half a second to realize who you mean every time.”