The tennis player’s answer to that latest volley?
Jacob Esera is a hottie. So serious and focused. I mean, imagine all that intensity in bed!
At the time, Juliet had been driving to a work meeting and had burst out laughing at the idea of anyone finding her old nemesis hot. Probably why fate had decided to slap her with the tingles that would not stop.
“If I wanted the world to know my business, I’d have a TV show,” said nemesis muttered tersely. “I mean, who goes out and says that kind of stuff about someone they don’t know?”
Lots of people, all the time. But not Jake. She’d never once caught even a snippet of his private life on TV or in the magazines—not that she’d been looking, but beloved as they were by the media, it was hard to avoid catching glimpses of the Bishop-Esera family in print and online.
“Don’t die of shock, but I agree with you.” She waited for Jake to laugh at her—after all, she’d done a ton of media with and for Reid. Her ex had told her it’d be good for his future career in television; he’d had plans to end up with his own late-night sports show or as an anchor on a long-running commentary show.
Young and in awe of Reid’s career as a top professional athlete, Juliet had tried to be a supportive wife despite her discomfort at the intrusions into their private life. He’d even talked her into allowing reporters to follow them around to do a “day in the life of” piece. It had made her skin crawl to know people were watching her every move, and she’d nixed any further such stalking.
It had been the first time she’d defied Reid in their short marriage, and it had signaled the beginning of the end. The pinhead had wanted a brainless talking doll, not a living, breathing woman with her own thoughts and opinions.
“I figured Reid was behind the publicity you got,” Jake said as the MC—one of Jake’s uncles—called everyone to order. “You never were big on public stuff. Must’ve made you nuts to have it all out there.”
Startled at the unexpected understanding, she was glad of the MC’s announcement that the formal part of the reception had begun. First came the cake cutting, interspersed with joyful laughter, then a toast made by Sailor on behalf of the entire Bishop-Esera clan and responded to by Molly on behalf of Charlotte.
Charlotte’s parents might’ve passed away, Juliet thought with an ache in her already overworked heart, but she very definitely had a family.
Joseph then got up to welcome Charlotte into the family, his speech so full of warmth and love for this “new daughter” that tears ran down Charlotte’s face. Gabriel kissed them away before rising to his feet with a murmur to his bride. Meanwhile, a couple of cute little second cousins dressed in lavalavas printed with hibiscus flowers, their feet and upper bodies bare and their round faces awash in grins, began to do a dance that was more enthusiasm than skill.
The two couldn’t have been more than five or six years of age.
The adorable factor was off the charts.
Juliet didn’t think anything of Gabriel’s departure from the wedding party table… until she felt Jake’s warmth leave her side a minute later, followed by Fox on the other. Sailor and Danny had already disappeared.
No freakin’ way…
But then the music altered into a fast dance rhythm, and the cute second cousins scarpered off with giggles—or as if they’d been coached. And onto the dance floor stepped Gabriel Bishop… with five gorgeous groomsmen. No ties or leis now, but they’d kept on everything else.
Blowing Charlotte a kiss—a Charlotte who had her hands clasped over her mouth—Gabriel took a step to the right… and the entire group of six stepped into a routine that was a gift from a groom to his bride.
It was also a testament to the athletic skill of the men involved. Because they could move. Gabriel and Harry might both be heavily built, but right now they were pure masculine grace. As for Jake… Juliet had caught the odd news replay of him on the rugby field, but those glimpses had done zero justice to the beauty of the man in motion. Add in the heartbreaker smile he’d brought out as well as the grins he shared with the others, and she was in danger of a fatal heart event.
The tennis player was more right than she knew: Jake was a serious hottie.
Glad she’d thought to get her phone from Alison, who’d been babysitting all their phones in her handbag, she hit Record, then propped the phone up against a water glass so she was free to just watch. The choreography was amazing, all the men perfectly in sync—and all so obviously having a good time that their joy was infectious. Grinning, Juliet glanced at Charlotte to see that her friend had all but melted, her delight effervescent.
The men brought down the house.
And Gabriel got a passionate kiss from his delighted bride while the others laughed and grabbed glasses of cold drinks to cool down from the dance.
She glanced at Jake as he slipped into his seat beside her. “Jacob Esera, I didn’t know you had that in you.”
A fading hint of the grin he’d sported on the dance floor. “It’s my big bro’s wedding, Jules. We did it at Sailor’s reception too, you know—different routine though.” He shoved a hand through his hair, then took a long drink from his glass.
Juliet found herself hypnotized by the movement of his throat, the tendons strong and defined. A hint of perspiration dotted his skin. She wanted to lean in and lick it up, her thighs clenching under the table.
Cheeks hot and a shocking slickness between her legs, she forced herself to look away and saw that the criminally cute cousins had returned to finish their number. Or to act as decoys to distract from another planned surprise. Because it took her a few minutes to realize that Fox hadn’t returned to the table.
Her eyes narrowed just as the music altered and the impish kids ran off a second time.
The now jacketless rock star, the sleeves of his shirt folded up to reveal a stunning dragon tattoo that twined around his left arm, was at the microphone in front of the live four-piece band. His lip ring caught the light as he turned to grin at the quartet.
Gabriel, love brilliant in his eyes, rose from his seat beside Charlotte at the same moment and held out his hand to his bride. She slid her hand into his without hesitation, and the two of them walked out onto the dance floor.
Charlotte’s reception dress was sleeveless, ankle-length, and hugged her body with delicate elegance. Made up of cream-colored fabric with a high neck, and a lower—but not scandalously low—back with a soft cowl design, it was graceful and sexy without being too much. It perfectly suited Charlotte’s personality and comfort zone.
Fox’s gritty voice flowed into a smoky ballad that made Juliet shiver, the words were so beautiful. The chorus was formed around the words: Be mine. I’m yours.
Sometimes the simplest things hit the hardest.
She also appreciated that the lead singer of one of the world’s most successful bands was careful to keep his voice in the background so that the spotlight stayed on Gabriel and Charlotte. Though Gabriel was much taller than Charlie, they didn’t look mismatched on the floor—their bodies were too naturally in sync for that, with Gabriel’s tenderness and devotion for Charlotte as evident as her love and adoration of him.
When Gabriel spun Charlotte out in a swirl, Juliet’s friend’s laughter filled the old theater.