Page 31 of Nothing to You (Nothing to… #7)

“I think we’re supposed to give him gifts,” Zairn said, kissing her shoulder again. “And advice. Teach him how to make good choices. Good, moral choices.”

“Says the rehabilitated former playboy,” Roxie stage whispered from the corner of her mouth. “The poor kid is doomed.”

“We didn’t think it through, did we?” Kintyre asked, putting an arm around Lilya to pull her closer. “Imagine the mouth he’ll have on him when he’s a teenager.”

Roxie jumped. “Teenager? Oh, God, I’ll have him sassing you long before then. Roux will help round him out. Make sure he can see how fun it can be to poke and prod.”

“Lola,” Zairn warned. “This is a big responsibility.”

“Oh, I’m only kidding,” she said. “You think I want to turn their kid against them? Turn about is fair play. If we screw up their kid, imagine what they’ll do to ours? Do you know how good they are at math?”

“Accounting? That’s what scares you?” Kintyre asked. “I am so happy I know that.”

“He’s coming to the Halloween party this year as an actuary.”

“Ha, ha, laugh it up,” Roxie said, because everyone was. “I have a secret weapon.”

“Secret weapon?”

“Jane would run circles around both of you,” Roxie boasted.

“We’re giving her a kid. What are you giving her?”

Roxie’s smile fell. “Huh, checkmate.”

But she could still rely on Jane because the beauty diverted the subject… sort of. “Knox and I were talking about babies,” Jane said quietly, though she glittered with excitement.

“Having babies?” Lilya asked.

“He just won’t be outdone on anything, will he?” Kintyre asked, grinning.

“Oh, I don’t think he meant to—”

“Relax,” Roxie said, reaching over the table to pat Jane’s wrist. “Having babies is a great idea. Then the little ones can have playdates together.” She slid from Zairn’s lap, still touching Jane’s wrist. “Z and I had a baby today.”

Everyone gasped.

“It’s not a baby, it’s an embryo,” Zairn said. “Not the same thing.”

“Depends on who you ask,” Rourke muttered. She twisted around to show him a glare. “Back in your cage, Hilda. We’re not getting into that tonight.”

“Do you have a fertility problem?” Kintyre asked, seeming honestly concerned.

“You can use Radley’s uterus if you need one. It’s superfluous; she won’t be using it.”

“No, I will not. Are you eager to rent out every part of me or just the reproductive ones?”

“Any part I can make cash out of, I’m good.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re so short of it.”

“I don’t make money out of you because I need it. I do it because I can.”

“Haven’t managed it yet.”

“This looks like gold, right here,” he said, twisting them both to the side to give her a quick glance at the bustling room.

“I should get back to—”

“Enjoy it,” he said, squeezing her tight. “You won’t get this group together again anytime soon.”

“It’s my—”

“It’s nothing. Mieux is on it. She’s in charge tonight.”

“You promoted her over me?”

“Yeah, that’s it. I’m exerting my superior power to give her a boost. Think she’ll sleep with me?”

“She’s smarter than that.”

“What does that say about you?”

“That I’m kind to plants and animals.”

“Which am I?”

“A little of both. You plant yourself on the couch like a stray beast and primate all over the place.”

“Primate as a verb? That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Do you want children now?” Kintyre asked. Oh, yeah, the embryos. “Our doctor is—”

“It’s just in case I die or dry up,” Roxie said. “Or if I dump Z and want to gouge him for child support.”

“Never knew plastic specimen pots got you going, buddy,” Rourke said. “The things I’m learning about people today. There really is a kink for everything.”

“What a surprise you’re grateful the conversation got back to sex.”

“I love it when you make things about sex.”

“Everything is about sex in your head.”

“The specimen cup wasn’t what got him off,” Roxie said, stirring her drink with a fingertip. “It’s amazing what money will let you get away with.”

“You didn’t,” Jane gasped. “There in the…”

“We didn’t do that. The point was to get it in the cup. If we did that, it would never have got there. It was weird, really weird.”

“You get so used to them finishing inside you that giving it up feels—”

“Wrong,” Roxie said, nodding. “I told him I’d be jealous, and I was right. Handing over his love seed is a strange process. I wonder how many women saw him in there and begged to have their husband’s specimen switched with his.”

“And now you have an excuse if any secret babies show up,” Rourke said. “That is an excellent plan, my friend.”

“Trust you to be impressed by cheating.”

“Forty-five.”

The jarring unfamiliar masculine voice carried over the music and its owner stopped beside them.

“Radley, meet Knox Collier.”

The guy was so fucking hot. She tried to step back, but Rourke was still holding her. Square jaw, tan skin, his hair was LA beach boy dirty blond with darker hues lifting its charm.

“Fuck, he’s expensive.”

“He’s not for sale, Rad. You think I got you an opening night bonus?”

“No, but I mean…” Leaning against Rourke’s embrace, she used it for balance as she touched the frowning Knox’s jaw. “Wow, he’s the real deal. Hollywood elite.”

“Sickening, isn’t it?” Roxie asked. “His personality counterbalances all that hotness.”

“Roxie,” Jane whined.

“I’m kidding. You know I love him,” Roxie said, picking up a canapé from the tray in the middle of their table. “Besides, Cam is adorable… and hotter. They were not made equal.”

“Knox is adorable too.”

The circular table had four short, curved benches around it. The side closest to them was open, allowing those at the table to observe the room. If she and Rourke weren’t there anyway.

Knox passed behind Roxie and Zairn to sit by Jane. He swept her hair aside, and she turned to meet his waiting lips.

So sweet, these couples all together, happy. Eurgh, it was kind of sickening.

“Come on,” she said, tugging on Rourke’s forearms. “We should go schmooze.”

He’d used the word, so couldn’t mock her for it. Well, he could, but he groaned instead.

“I don’t want to go schmooze people. Can’t we stay here?”

“I don’t know,” she said, then appealed to the table, “how many of you have donated to Huddle Hope? Tell Rourke.”

“All of us, Rourkey-baby,” Roxie said, pushing the tray toward Lilya. “Try the green one.”

“Then these are not the people we need to schmooze. I gave you a chance to escape, you didn’t take it. Too bad that’s over. Now it’s time to get your schmoozing hat on, Boy Scout. Schmoozy-schmooze.”

“You like that word, don’t you?”

“I’ve had a couple of champagnes,” she said, slapping her palm to his when he offered it. “Let’s get this party started.”