Page 117 of Wicked Dares
Arthur chuckles into his wine. “They’re still in that early phase.”
“Oh, hush now, you old puffer fish.” Ellie Mae waves him off before turning back to Piper. “When Arthur and I first met, he wouldn’t stop staring at me, either.”
Arthur leans back in his chair, brows raised. “That’s ‘cos she walked into my charity gala wearing a red sleeveless dress and nearly gave every man a heart attack.”
Ellie Mae laughs brightly. “You spilled bourbon all over yourself.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
Piper laughs harder now, her hand brushing lightly against my arm as she turns toward Ellie Mae.
“Well, it was a small price to pay. I still got the girl.” He winks at his wife, and she smiles.
They keep talking about us, but I’ve been paying attention to them, too.
The way they are, calling each other my Arthur and my Ellie Mae. They’re like soul mates.
They make you believe you could find love like theirs and it will last.
I didn’t have examples like that growing up.
My father and Louise are a great couple who provided a good home for us. But Knox and Dorian would say that our father doesn’t love Louise the way he did our mother. They’re probably right. I’ve noticed parts of that, too, even though our mother was a psycho.
The worst part was that no matter how good Louise and Dad were, my earliest understanding of man and wife was him with my mother.
Him trying to make her happy, wanting to be a happy family, and her being two-faced. She loved him, she loved his money, but quietly destroyed his children when he wasn’t watching.
Then she got knocked up with another man’s child and left my father.
I get the feeling that if she hadn’t gotten pregnant, she would have killed one or all of us and claimed it was an accident. She tried to kill Dorian, so I know my suspicions aren’t off.
I don’t even know where she is, and I don’t care to know.
The waiter brings another bottle of wine, pulling me from my thoughts.
He pours carefully while Arthur watches with the satisfaction of a man presenting prized treasure.
“This,” he says, lifting his glass, “is the reason you’re all coming next week.”
Ellie Mae brushes against his shoulder and grins. “I’m so excited.”
“This is my special brew.” Arthur taps the glass. “No one in all the generations of Lockwoods has ever tried this. Go on, taste it.”
Piper and I exchange glances and pick up our glasses.
I take a sip.
Dark cherry, oak, and smoke hits my taste buds.
I’m a man who loves his wine and has probably tasted every blend, but I’ve never had anything quite like this before.
“Woah,” I gasp. “My God, Arthur.”
“Good, right?” Arthur nods.
“It’s magnificent.”
