“They look good together,” Pixie said, joining them.
“Yeah, they do.”
Cora broke away from the group, bouncing up to him with Kitty on her arm. “Guess what?”
“What?” he asked. He couldn’t help but smile back at her. She looked so damned happy with herself.
“Lucy has promised to share with me her amazing peanut butter pie recipe. If you play your cards right, we’ll be eating some of that very soon.” She stepped up to him, planting a little kiss on his lips.
James was aware of his brothers watching him. This was the first time in the history of a club where a woman had been so relaxed around him, talking to him, kissing him.
“I’ve also decided to adopt Kitty Cat,” Cora said.
Stacey moved behind them, placing her arm across Kitty’s shoulders.
“Yes, she’s our new sister. She’s no longer Kitty Cat, though, she’s Kitty.”
From the look on Kitty’s face, she was so damned happy about that. She’d been around the club a long time. He’d not even given it much thought if she wanted to be around all of them.
Leo and Paul were staring at Stacey intently. It was always James’s job to make sure his brothers were dealing with shit.
“What’s this going to mean for the club?” James asked.
“Oh, we’re having a girly night tonight. You’re not invited back to my home. Kitty’s going to stay with me,” Cora said.
Stacey laughed, pointing at his face.
“It’s nice to know you’re going to miss me.” Cora kissed him again, moving across the garden.
“What’s going on with you and Cora?” Pixie asked.
“We’re having some fun.”
“She’s right though, you look damned gutted.”
“If you knew what Cora was like in bed, you’d know.” James threw his shirt over the handle of the lawnmower, and got back to work. He pushed the mower back and forth, watching as Cora got stuck into work. She helped Ryan through the weeding. He was … happy, and he knew it was because of Cora. She had an easy way about her. There was nothing fake or mean about her, unlike some women.
He really did like her.
Someone turned some music on, and it wasn’t long before everyone started to dance. Lucy walked out of the house with drinks, and when she passed by, James snagged one. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m feeling better. This is amazing. I completely forgot what it was like to have you all here. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you.”
He took a long drink. “We’re here for you.”
“I like Cora. She’s such a wonderful person. Ryan speaks highly of her.”
James glanced toward Ryan. He was dancing around the garden with Stacey and Teri. Leo and Paul were not looking too happy about that.
When a song came on about a woman no longer accepting a man cheating on her, the women stood in a circle, jumping, and miming along to the words. James leaned on his mower and watched Cora. Her eyes were glowing with life, and he recalled the story she’d told him about witnessing the death of a businesswoman. It had affected her in such a fundamental way. If she’d not witnessed it, and she hadn’t changed, he doubted they’d have ever been in the same garden, singing to trashy pop songs.
Leo and Paul snagged Stacey around the waist. Cora’s friend laughed at the action, but there was nothing there for her. His men were going to get hurt if they thought they could tame that wild cat. She taught history at the school and was a damn good teacher, but she wasn’t going to settle with one man, let alone two.
Since Cora and Stacey had visited the club James had done some digging on them. Neither woman had a bad reputation, but they were known for being together without men. Teri got along with both of them well.
Cora danced toward him, pointing her finger in his direction. He usually hated being the focus or the main attention, and some of the club turned to watch them. James stepped away from the lawnmower as Cora moved right up to his body. She wasn’t singing. She mimed as she wrapped her arm around his neck, bowing back. He dropped her a little. She didn’t once break the flow of the song.
He brought her back up, and Cora turned in his arms, dancing down his body, going back up, touching him with her hand.