Taylor opened her mouth to protest, but caught herself as she sought his sister’s location through the crowd. The truth was she had thought it. Grimacing, she offered Monique an apologetic wince.
“I had no idea. I’m so sorry for taking things wrong. Thank you.”
Understanding shone in the blonde’s bright green eyes. “No worries, Tay. I wanted to take you shopping with me. I really did, but that would have ruined the whole surprise. I hope you like it.”
“Oh I do!” She turned to bury her nose in Sebastian’s shoulder. “How did you pull all of this off?”
“Monique did most of it,” he admitted. “I just bankrolled things.”
“And I told her who to invite. Happy birthday, sugar,” Irene said, stepping from the crowd to wrap her in a warm embrace.
“Thank you,” she murmured, returning the hug.
“Go,” Sebastian urged, shooing her toward the back deck. “Go enjoy your party.”
Happy to oblige, she looped one arm through Irene’s and snagged Monique with her other on the way past. Various trays of cold cuts, cheeses, crackers, vegetables, and hors d'oeuvres spilled across the granite counters and island. Outside, thick smoke already wafted from two industrial-sized grills. Beyond them, a makeshift wooden dance floor glimmered in the middle of the yard. She eyed the colored light tracks surrounding it and the waiting DJ with no small measure of amazement.
Pausing, she turned to give Sebastian an incredulous look. The gesture earned her an unrepentant grin that highlighted the dimples in his cheeks. His affectionate wink made her heart flutter and she longed to be back in his arms.
“Come on,” Irene urged, dragging her out on to the back deck. “You can ogle Prince Charming later. It’s time to get our groove on.”
“I don’t know if I can trust him to be alone right now,” Taylor admitted. Her gaze darted to Monique. “He looks awful guilty. What else does your brother have up his sleeve?”
“Uhm…his arms would be my guess?”
“Quit being a smartass!” she exclaimed, reprimanding her with a playful nudge. “I think you’re forgetting I’ve been around long enough to know innocence doesn’t exactly run in your family.”
“Hell, honey, even I’ve been around long enough to gather that much,” Irene agreed.
Monique laughed as she tugged free and spun around to face them. “I have no clue what either of you are talking about.”
“Hold up,” Irene said, stopping short.
Taylor tripped over her own feet in her efforts not to slam into her friend’s back. Grace never was her strong suit. Embarrassed, she glanced around and was relieved to see no one had witnessed her stumble.
“I say we hit the minibar, then the dance floor. Little sister is legal now. It’s time to break her in properly.”
Monique arched an eyebrow, her rounded features taking on a skeptical twist. “Drinks do sound great, but I promise you making the birthday girl sick won’t go over well. It’s best we return her to my brother healthy and in one piece.”
Taylor couldn’t argue with that, but the vivacious redhead had no such qualms.
The waitress waved them off with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “He’ll get over it. It’s a twenty-first birthday tradition. Besides, your precious brother gets her to himself every day. Today it’s our turn.”
Monique’s vivid green stare narrowed. She opened her mouth with a shake of her head, but Taylor interrupted.
“I think I can find a way to enjoy the best of both worlds. Besides, I would much rather curl up with Seb at the end of the night than spend it on my knees praying to the porcelain gods,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
The comment made the other two women laugh.
“If I was a betting woman, I’d place my money on you spending it on your knees anyway,” Irene said, casting a knowing look Sebastian’s way. “I can’t say that I blame you for choosing to worship at his feet though, sugar. Not one bit. That’s a mighty fine alter to pray at.”
Monique muttered something beneath her breath before hooking an arm through hers and steering Taylor toward the dance floor. A short while later, bodies packed the gleaming wood from end to end. Irene made her rounds, moving from one man to the next in a steady procession, testing the waters with each. Content to let the lusty coppertop enjoy herself, Taylor stayed stationed near the front with Monique. They bumped hips and butts, laughing while music blared round them and pounded through the sprawling grounds. The forceful bass vibrated through her body making her nerve endings tingle, while the whiskey sour in her cup added to the pleasant warmth of the sun.
Unlike the parties she’d attended in the city, they had no neighbors for miles and were free to cut loose and do as they pleased without fear of disturbing anyone. That, and Sebastian had spared no expense. Shielding her eyes, she slowed to scan the deck for him until a light touch at her elbow drew her attention. She spun to find Daryl grinning down at her. Her heart soared at the sight of her childhood best friend. Now a strapping college linebacker, he was a far cry from the scrawny, knobby-kneed boy she’d met on her first day of kindergarten. He still had the same unassuming smile though.
“Happy belated, Tay.”
“Thank you! I can’t believe you’re here!”
“Yeah, well, I have to admit I was a little surprised to get an invite after the way things went down the last time we ran into each other, but I’m glad I did.”
“So am I. It’s so good to see you again. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” An awkward moment passed as they both resisted the urge to hug. Daryl broke the tension by giving her a pointed nudge. “This is a hell of a place you have here,” he said, grinning. “I feel like I’m in one of those crazy music videos.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not normally this wild. I swear.”
He winked. “I’ll take your word for it. If you think we can pull it off without some psycho jamming a gun in my face again, I’d love to give the dance floor a go. Just for old time’s sake.”
Her shoulders shook with the memories of all the awkward school dances they’d shared, and she turned to search the deck again for Sebastian. He stood leaning against the wooden railing with Josh at his side. The tattered rim of his baseball cap shielded his eyes, but she could see the reluctant smile plying her lover’s lips. Josh’s expression was
n’t nearly as forgiving. His steely blue stare remained rooted on Daryl, tracking him intently.
“Your fiancé seems like an all right guy, Tay. I talked to him inside for a while. I still think the other one is slightly certifiable though. Just between me and you.”
The drink she’d just taken sprayed past her lips as she fought to hold in her laughter. “I used to think so, too, but Josh really isn’t so bad once you get to know him. He’s just super protective of Sebastian.”
“I admit I don’t know the guy all that well, but I definitely get the impression your fiancé can take care of himself. As for his partner…well…again, I’m going to have to take your word for it. I still think the guy is nuts.”
Taylor rolled her eyes and elbowed her friend. It was best to change the subject before one of Sebastian’s teammates overheard something they would both regret. “Shut up and dance with me, silly.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed in concentration beneath the bent rim of his baseball cap as he kept a close eye on Taylor and the dance floor. His gaze moved in a constant shift between her and his sister, making sure no one overstepped their bounds and touched the things they shouldn’t. He didn’t care much for the music, and most of the people grinding to it even less, but he reminded himself that today was about her and her enjoyment, not his. He owed her that much. Tipping his rum and Coke, he took a long swig. Just a few more hours and this unique brand of self-inflicted torture would come to a merciful end.
“You hanging in there okay, buddy?” Josh asked, clapping him on the back.
He shrugged. “I will be glad when this is over.”
“It must be killer being away from Taylor for so long. So close, yet so far away.”
He confronted his partner with a glare capable of stripping paint.