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Thankfully, no one seeawk toainst a wall, a bottle of beer to his lips Long, blond hair stuck out every which way and his nose was pierced with a silver ring Lots of tattoos In ripped black jeans and a faded T-shirt he had the saht their clothes artfully aged People with -over I steadfastly resisted the urge to shrink back Not happening When he aze seemed curious but not unfriendly The tension inside me eased

"Hey," he said

"Hi" I braved a sood," he said to Sam Then he tipped his chin at ain stupidly "I’ht, Ms Thomas?" asked Saave me a polite nod and headed back the e’d co the crowd Running after hi to be taken hoh with the pity party Tis

Hundreds of people had been packed into the place The only thing in my experience that canificantly None of the dresses here tonight compared I could almost smell the nized a few of the faces One of last year’s Oscar winners and a lingerie model I’d seen on billboards back ho fro on the lap of a silver-haired member of … damn, as that band’s name?

Anyway

I shut my mouth before someone noticed I had stars in

When a wooddess side-swiped me, Mal stopped and frowned after her "Soish beat of the s of litter We weaved our way through a big rooes and the people draped over theuitars, amps and other rock ’n’ roll paraphernalia Inside the house the air was smoky and hu beneath ht breeze was blowing I raised ainst a decorative iron railing The strong lines of his face were in profile Holy shit, how could I have forgotten? There was no explaining the full effect of David in real life He fit in with the beautiful people just fine He was one of theed in the kitchen with the waitstaff

My husband was busy talking to the leggy, enhanced-breasted brunette beside him Perhaps he was a tit uess as any Dressed in only a teeny white bikini, the girl clung to hiically attached Her hair was artfully ested a minimum of two hours at a top-notch salon She was beautiful and I hated her just a little A trickle of sweat ran down my spine

"Hey, Dave," Mal called out "Coht his eyes looked dark and distinctly unhappy "Ev"

"Hi"

Mal started to laugh "That’s about the only word I’ve been able to get out of her Seriously, man, does your wife even speak?"

"She speaks" His tone of voice ain Or at least, not within his hearing

I didn’t knohat to say Generally, I wasn’t after universal love and acceptance Open hostility, however, was still kind of new to ainst David’s ar hiave h the fact that she saw o I stood taller and lookedmistake

David’s dark hair had been tied back in a little ponytail with strands falling around his face What should have reeked of scu dealer worked on him Of course it did He could probably ray T-shirt molded to his thick shoulders and faded blue jeans covered his long legs His black army-style boots were crossed at the ankles, easy as you please, because he belonged here I didn’t

"Youher a room?" David asked his friend

Mal snorted "Do I look like your fucking butler? You’ll show your oife to a roorowled

"Every news channel in the country would disagree with you there" Mal ruffled ht years old "Check you later, child bride Nice toclueless

Mal stopped and grinned "You haven’t heard what they’re saying?"

I shook h he wandered off

David disentangled himself from the brunette Her plu "Come on"

He put his hand out to usher th of his forearm, was his tattoo

Evelyn

I froze Holy shit The man sure had chosen a conspicuous place to put my name I didn’t kno I felt about that

"What?" His brows dren and his forehead wrinkled "Ah, yeah Co her hair I had nothing against bikinis I owned several despite s (I’d never actually worn them but that was beside the point) No, what I minded were the sneers and snarly looks Bikini Girl shot