Page 61 of Cruel Embers
“Pretty,” Jacob says, patting Vi’s cheek softly, causing her to blush.
“She is, isn’t she,” I say wholeheartedly.
Henry’s gaze flicks to mine and then back to Violet, his eyebrows drawing together, and then his eyes go wide before he quickly schools his features, but I know he’ll be questioning me later.
Meg appears and wraps her arm around Henry’s waist.
“I love what you did, Violet,” she says, her eyes darting around the hall.
I let out a groan. “Hello, what am I invisible? I did help.”
Meg just rolls her eyes. “Yeah, if you say so.”
“To be fair, as much as it pains me to admit, I couldn’t have done it without him.”
I slap my thigh. “Hah, see.”
“Okay, make sure you don’t get your head caught in the door on your way out,” Henry says, laughing, and if it wasn’t for Violet joining in with her soft laughter, I might have told him to piss off.
“Laugh all you want. When it comes to the games, be prepared to lose.”
Meg shakes her head. “Why do I feel a bet coming on?”
Henry's lips rise into a smirk.
“Come on, Meg, we need to go and talk tactics.”
She rolls her eyes and holds out her arms for Jacob, who throws himself at her, and I swear my heart jumps into my throat. It’s his newest thing lately, but the little guy seems to have zero fear.
“You’re going down,” Henry says in a sing-song voice.
“Wow, something tells me he’s going to take those games seriously,” Vi says as they walk away.
I nod. “Yep, my whole family is competitive. Try spending Christmas Day with all of us. It’s pure chaos.”
She smiles. “I don’t doubt that.” Her eyes scan the hall, and unable to stop myself, my hand brushes over her arse. Okay, I could help myself, but I didn’t want to.
Her cheeks flush, and her pupils dilate, full of fire. There’s the Tinker Bell I know and love. I meanlike, know and like. Not that I couldn’t love her, shit.
“Nathan,” she whisper-shouts, and I can’t help but laugh.
“You know you love it,” I say.
ChapterThirty-Two
VIOLET
Seriously, I do not need him turning me on in the middle of a damn baby shower. I glance to my left as Ethan and Charlotte walk in, holding hands.
I swat Nathan’s shoulder. “Behave,” I say to him under my breath as I make my way over to them.
“Well?” I ask, spreading my arms and spinning in a small circle until I face them again.
My stomach is alive with butterflies, but I’m not sure if it's the anticipation of whether or not they like it, or from Nathan’s previously roaming hands.
“It’s stunning,” Char says as her eyes roam over the tables with the centrepieces.
I let out a breath. Thank fuck for that. If she were lying, I’d be able to tell.
