Chapter 6 #3
A.J. had turned to the side, and his face lit up at the sight of her on approach.
Ana took his beer, and A.J. opened his arms for a hug, lifting her off the ground, par for the course with him.
He was just as much a brother to Rory as Jesse, which was why Jesse trusted A.J.
’s judgment about her coming to Virginia with Chris.
Plus, he knew A.J. would keep an eye on her.
“Ana.” Rory hugged her next. From what Ella had told Rory, Ana already fit in with the Hawkins family. She was excited one of her best friends had gotten hitched, and to such a strong woman. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Ana said with a smile as A.J. fist-bumped Chris.
“I see you secured the package.” A.J. winked, accepting his beer from Ana while Rory held back an eye-roll.
“Just barely.” Chris gave her one of his adorably sexy smiles that had her face feeling way too warm. Was she blushing again?
Fortunately, she was saved by a diversion in the form of a beautiful woman extending a bottle of beer her way.
She was about Rory’s height. Dark, wavy hair fell past her shoulders, and she had a show-stopper smile.
Her gray T-shirt, paired with skinny jeans, exclaimed: I eat cake because it’s somebody’s birthday somewhere!
Rory chuckled and knew, in that instant, she was going to like this woman.
“I’m Harper. Beer okay?” she asked.
“It’s perfect.” Rory gratefully accepted the drink, then spent the next twenty minutes going through all the official introductions. Putting all the names to faces had her feeling more at ease.
Being around so many people also had her missing her Southern roots and small town. This night made her realize how much she’d given up traveling the world. She’d never really thought about everything she left behind since she was always so busy chasing the next new thing.
“They’ll grow on you.” Ana gently nudged Rory in the side an hour later. “Especially that one.” She lifted her beer in the direction where Chris and Harper laughed about something while playing cornhole against Roman and Wyatt.
Harper had a hand on Chris’s chest, and she leaned forward, a forearm to her stomach as she doubled over with laughter.
“Don’t worry. Nothing is going on between them.” Ana discreetly pointed to Roman on the other side of the game. “One of these days, the sparks between Harper and Roman will cause a full-on explosion. We’re all just counting down until it happens.”
“Oh, I wasn’t, um.” Jealous. No. Not possible. I don’t do jealous. But shit, I was nervous earlier, which was weird. But jealous? No, that was one shade of color she didn’t wear. Not for anyone.
“According to A.J., there was quite the explosion between Asher and Jessica, too. And now they’re married,” Ana went on, eyes set on the couple with their twins asleep in the double-stroller by the patio table.
Asher moved them back and forth, maintaining the motion to keep them asleep, while Jessica rested her head on his shoulder.
Rory could only imagine how much work twins would be.
The backyard overflowed with so much love and happiness. Every which way Rory looked, she was pleasantly hit in the face with it.
These people were a family. A big, military family, even though they were all retired. It was nice.
“I’m really glad you’re here,” Ana added. “And now I have an idea.” She whispered something into her ear, and Rory laughed.
“Oh, hell yes,” Rory said with a nod of excitement and quickly followed Ana over to the “DJ” who happened to be Finn tonight.
Ana said A.J. was usually their resident DJ for parties, which wasn’t too surprising, but Finn wouldn’t let him work the music since the party was in honor of A.J.
and Ana’s wedding. The “DJ booth” was Finn’s iPhone and a big speaker on a table by the snacks.
Ana gave Finn instructions, and once he’d queued up the song, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her.
“A.J.’s bride has a request,” Finn called out when the familiar tunes of Blanco Brown’s The Git Up began to play. Rory recalled A.J. had the DJ play this song at what would have been Ella’s wedding on the Fourth of July, and he’d taught Ana to two-step to the tunes.
“Ana wants all of us guys to two-step for her as a wedding gift,” Finn said, which produced several groans and a few “hell nos” from some of the guys, but the wives weren’t having it.
Jessica forced Asher to stand even though he was shaking his head with prayer hands, begging not to. But when Jessica pressed up on her toes and put her mouth to his ear, Asher’s eyes widened, and he nodded in agreement.
Probably promised him hot sex, Rory thought with a laugh.
A.J. stood in the middle of the line of nine guys—Luke being the only one missing from his company. Chris was on A.J.’s right, and Rory stood in a row with the women on the other side, about three feet in front of them, not wanting to miss this sight.
Elaina came up next to her, and Rory smiled. “This will be good,” Elaina said with enthusiasm.
Bear and Ollie ran up and down in the middle of the open space, howling with excitement.
“Come on!” Ana urged.
Finn clapped his hands together, and A.J. stepped forward and spun a finger in the air, motioning for the guys to follow his moves.
Wyatt and Asher hung their heads, reluctant to follow the command. But Knox took it down like a champ, which inspired a little competition in Chris to finally join in, and he began busting his moves.
“Oh, this is heaven.” Rory laughed, watching all of the guys dancing. Even Asher and Wyatt went so far as hooking their thumbs in their belt loops while shaking their hips.
Chris’s eyes gleamed as he looked straight at her, but he continued to copy A.J.’s movements. Her heart was beating wildly, and her skin grew hot at the effect watching him dance had on her.
“A gift for all of us women,” Emily said before stepping forward to dance with her husband. The rest of the wives joined in and danced with their loved ones.
Elaina began dancing with Bear, which was an adorable sight.
“What do you think?” Chris asked, a bit breathless. “Will you dance with me?” He held one palm over his chest. “I give you my promise that I won’t fall for you.” He smiled. “Tonight,” he softly added under his breath.
Rory glanced over to see A.J. now at the “DJ booth” when George Strait’s Troubadour played next.
“Okay,” she agreed, seconds before Chris surprised her by sweeping her arms up over his shoulders, then setting his hands on her hips.
She inhaled sharply at his bold move, doing her best to breathe evenly.
To just live in the moment, something she never usually tried to resist doing.
Heck, she was all about living in the moment.
That was her modus operandi until Carter Dominick forced her to change.
To return to being the woman she left behind ten years ago in Alabama.
Chris had her chuckling when he began mouthing the lyrics, his chin lifted, eyes on the sky.
“I’m not a country music fan, but A.J.’s forced me to listen over the years,” he said a minute later, stepping closer.
“And it’s growing on you, huh?” She wet her lips at the realization his gaze was now glued to her mouth.
“The South is definitely growing on me. More ways than one.”
“No charm. No flirting. Remember?” she reminded him of her rules. And no sex. She had to find a way to discreetly add that one.
“Got it. No lingerie, either.” He quickly spun her around, and her palms flew to his chest, his heart beating hard and fast beneath her touch. Eyes fixed back on hers. “And I’ll do my best to keep my word.”
To not fall for me? Heat traveled over her skin, rolling like a wave that had her nipples tightening beneath the sheer bra. But damn it, what if I fall for you?