Free Finally Satisfied by Tori Scott Page B

knows that no one else knows about you and Eric. She
won’t say anything.”
    “Thank you.” Angel squeezed his hand. “I
really appreciate that.”
    Somehow Mitch seemed to anticipate the
potential problems and took steps to diffuse them. She’d never met
anyone quite like him. The more she was around him, the more she
realized he was nothing like his brother. When she looked at him,
he didn’t really even look like Eric, after all.
    Sam and Reggie joined the group, carrying a
bottle of champagne and a tray of glasses. They passed the glasses
around to the assembled group, then Sam poured each one a glass.
“I’d like to make a toast to the bride and groom to be. “May you
still enjoy the love and friendship you have today when you’re old
and gray, may your life be filled with laughter, the joy of
children and grandchildren if that’s what you want, and may you
both look back with no regrets.”
    They clinked glasses and drank. Sam and
Reggie remained standing and everyone looked up at them
expectantly. “I also want to announce our own engagement. We didn’t
make it to Paris for Christmas, but Reggie has agreed to marry me
in spite of that grievous error. I plan to make it up to her with a
honeymoon in Paris instead. We hope you all will join us for a
beautiful June wedding in the gardens at the Hyatt manor.”
    Cara squealed and enveloped Reggie in a
crushing hug. “I knew it! You were way too quiet on Christmas Day.
You already knew then, didn’t you? And you kept it a secret this
long? How could you?”
    Reggie hugged her back. “I’m sorry. Had to
let Sam make his big announcement. But yes, he asked me Christmas
morning, down on one knee in front of the Christmas tree. George
actually cried when we told him. Can you believe that?”
    Sam chuckled. “He was probably thinking about
how much work he has to do to be ready in six months.”
    Reggie elbowed him in the ribs. “Was not. I
think he’s learning to like me.”
    “He loves you.” He dropped a gentle kiss on
her lips. “Almost as much as I do.”
    Gray left the room and soon returned with
another bottle of champagne. “This requires another toast.” He
refilled everyone’s glasses. “I can’t imagine two people more
perfect for each other than Sam and Reggie--other than Cara and I,
of course. May your life be perfect, full of fun and hot sex, and
free of the likes of--what was her name?--Barbie. or Beebe.”
    “Here, here!” Reggie said, laughing.
“Definitely Beebe free.”
    “And here I thought you were cheering the hot
sex part,” Sam teased.
    “That, my dear fiancé, is a given.”
    Mitch reached over and took Angel’s hand in
his, not speaking but conveying by his action that he was staking a
claim. It was there in the set of his jaw, in the firmness of his
grip. Somehow, Angel knew what he was thinking without hearing a
word. And for the first time, she was totally okay with that.
    ***
    Mitch followed her up the stairs to her room,
but before she could put her key into the slot, he pulled her back
against him and nuzzled the base of her neck. “Come to my room with
me, just for a little while. We won’t do anything you don’t want to
do, but I need to be alone with you.”
    Angel hesitated. Was she ready for this?
After so many years of celibacy, was she ready to have an affair
with the one man she shouldn’t? Her head warned her of what
happened the last time she let a man--a boy--get close to her, but
they weren’t horny teenagers with no idea what they were getting
into.
    She nodded, slipped her hand in his, and
followed him down the hall.
    Once inside, he led her out onto the balcony
instead of trying to get her into his bed like she’d expected. She
let out a pent up breath. He wasn’t going to pressure her, and the
sudden release of tension left her feeling drained. He was
definitely full of surprises.
    Outside, the night was clear and cool, but
the wind was calm and the stars sparkled brilliantly.