She wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
Because he was right.
“You aren’t flawed. I’m sorry. I guess we tend to view others through our own desires. I want to spend my life with the person I love, someone who will love me back, warts and all. So it’s hard for me to understand someone who doesn’t want the same. But you’re right, Alex. If you genuinely want to live your life alone, then that’s your decision, and the rest of us should respect it.”
Alex leaned back, blinking a couple of times. “Wow. You’re the first person to ever listen to me.”
She grinned. “Yeah, well, I figure I owe you…for agreeing to bring me to this wedding, for defending me, for the orgasm. Tonight is turning out to be one of the best nights of my life.”
“Even without the cheesy wedding?” he joked.
“The night is still young, and most of the single guys here are getting pretty wasted.” She pretended to scout the room, searching for Mr. Right. “Since you’re not on the market, maybe I can convin—”
Alex took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her gaze back to him. “You’re leaving here with me tonight, so you can stop looking around.”
She took his hand in hers. “Seriously, Alex, I can’t thank you enough for…everything.”
His eyes softened, the look he gave her one she couldn’t quite recognize.
Before he could respond to her thanks, Bella came back to the table, grabbed a glass of water, and chugged the whole thing. She’d clearly worked up a sweat on the dance floor. “Why aren’t you guys out there?”
“Taking a break,” Alex explained.
“Deep discussion going on,” Charley joked.
“Oh,” Bella said, sitting down on the edge of her seat. Her bestie loved to dance, so Charley knew she wouldn’t hang out for long. “Do tell.”
Charley laughed. “Thanks to the tequila, we’ve just about figured out the meaning of life and love.”
“Alex?” Bella asked. “Love? That must have been a short conversation.”
“Tread lightly, Bella,” Alex said. “I know all your dirty secrets.”
She waved her hand, unconcerned. “So does Charley. So tell me, brother dear, what did you contribute to the discussion on love?”
Charley started to hop in, to tell Bella she was wrong to condemn her brother for not wanting to get married, but it suddenly occurred to her that wasn’t what Bella was saying.
“I mean,” Bella continued, “have you ever said those three little words before?”
Alex grimaced. “I tell you and mom I lov—”
“Someone you aren’t related to,” Bella hastened to include.
He waved his hand at her. “Go away, Bella. You’re ruining my buzz.”
She laughed, completely unoffended, as she turned her attention to Charley. “Get a dog,” her best friend advised her. “Unconditional love and acceptance.”
Charley enjoyed the annoyed look on Alex’s face. “She has a valid point. Life would be much simpler if I went that route. A dog for companionship and a vibrator to take care of all the rest. No muss, no fuss.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “You don’t need a dog.”
Bella laughed. “Don’t worry, Alex. No one here is suggesting you do anything as radical as let some living being—human or canine—into your cold, cold heart.”
“Seriously, sis?”
Bella winked at Charley. “See? Merely mention the words love or relationship and he gets uptight.”
“You’re a pain in the ass,” Alex said, though there was no heat behind his words.
Charley hadn’t seen Bella and her brother together in nearly eight years, but she was glad to know their relentless teasing was still in place, as was their genuine affection for each other.
“I’m just kidding, hotshot,” Bella said, kissing her brother on the cheek fondly. “My deepest desire is that one day you meet a woman and fall helplessly, madly in love.”
Alex gave his sister a horrified look. “Well, now you’re just being a bitch.”
“I’m glad you two are having a good time. Kudos to me for saving both your weekends. And see,” she said to Charley, “Vegas can be great even without eloping.”
With that, Bella was gone again.
Charley glanced at Alex, and she could see Bella’s comments had struck a nerve. She tried to figure out some way to lighten the mood again.
Before she could come up with something, another person walked up.
“Hey, Charley. Alex. Good to see you.”
Charley turned around to find Marcus Webber, three sheets to the wind, standing next to them.
“Hey, Marcus. Long time no see.” Alex stood up and the two men shook hands. Marcus was yet another high school friend and former hockey teammate. He’d moved to Chicago after college.
Charley stood as well, glad once again that she hadn’t worn heels. Even in flats, the tequila had her swaying.
Marcus gave her a hug, his own drunkenness lowering his inhibitions. “You look fucking hot, Charley. Damn, girl.”
She laughed, glancing at Alex. She thought he’d be amused too, but his eyes had narrowed.
Was he jealous?
No way.
He couldn’t be.
“You wanna dance?” Marcus slurred.
“She promised me the next one,” Alex answered for her.
There was just enough malice in Alex’s tone to penetrate through Marcus’s alcohol-soaked brain, and hers.
Shit.
He was jealous.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry ’bout that, man,” Marcus stammered. “Maybe I’ll catch up with you two later.”
Marcus continued stumbling toward the dance floor, and she was about ninety-five percent sure that tomorrow he wasn’t even going to remember seeing them.
“Marcus looks good,” she teased, pretending to ogle the other man’s butt.
Alex leaned closer. “Stop looking.”
Charley was pretty sure he meant those words as a serious warning, but his deep, sensuous tone paired with his hot breath against her cheek sent her thoughts to the raciest, kinkiest places on the planet, and suddenly she had an image of her bent over Alex’s lap, naked, as he spanked her with those big hands of his.
So as far as threats went…that one failed.
“Or?”
Her gaze drifted to said hands, her face suddenly very hot and no doubt flushed.
Alex’s eyes narrowed briefly and a slight grin crossed his face. “Hold that thought for later,” he whispered as they sat back down.
She took another sip of water, though at this point, she could drink three gallons and it wouldn’t be enough to stave off tomorrow’s hangover.
Alex’s hand slipped under the slit in her dress and he lightly caressed her knee.
The touch vanished when someone bumped into their table, jarring it loudly.
Ben stood across from them, shooting daggers at Alex. It looked like he wanted to say something, but Beverly was there in an instant, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the dance floor, giving Charley a look that could kill.
“Open bar,” she murmured. “Two words that spell recipe for disaster.”
Alex didn’t seem to hear her—or appreciate her joke.