Page 99 of Whiskey Proposal

I take one of the Foster House whiskeys and pour a couple of drops right above her nipple. Then I lick them off and swirl my tongue around the peaked tip. She draws in a shuddering breath. I do the same to the other side.

Her chest rises and falls under my mouth. “I can’t believe you’re right.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific. I’m right about a lot.”

She stuffs her hands into my hair. “I am a hundred percent going to come again tonight.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Emerson

I walk into Bootleg like I’m walking past a badger hole. I quizzed Lane about what to get, but he was no help. He didn’t tell me much more about Haven’s fiancée than I already knew. She’s a photographer and she works with rescues.

My stomach twists as I enter, but my name bounces off the walls.

“You came!” Campbell bounces up to me, her skirt flouncing around her. She’s wearing cowboy boots again. I’m back in a nice peasant blouse, loose shorts that look like a skirt, and wedge sandals. I fit in, but as I look around, the overalls would have worked here too.

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“Of course.” She tucks her arm in mine and tows me to one of the many tables pushed together.

Elodie and Clem both have a mug of beer in front of them.

Elodie waves. “Welcome! How was Denver?”

“Boring.” I’m lying, and from one of the disbelieving snorts I hear, no one believes me.

“Yeah, that office is made for boring.” Elodie’s tone is dry, but mirth sparkles in her eyes.

Lane did warn me that whatever we did had probably already been done by his brothers and their wives. “Nothing going on there.” I gesture to her mug. “Is this really an excuse to just have a beer?”

Clem chortles. “I said the same thing. I feel like all five of my bosses and even Myles are going to pour out of the woodwork and bust me.”

Jamison shrugs. “Someone needs to send Iverson a picture so he can punish me when I get home.”

Laughter fills the air, and I take a seat.

Prescott drops into the chair next to me and hands me an envelope. “Here’s the invite. I know it’s short notice, but I didn’t know if you’d like that I was coming on too strong.”

“She was too afraid to come to my wedding,” Campbell says.

“Haven was too chicken to invite me.” Prescott winces. “But then I told him no when he did.”

Campbell drapes her arms on the tabletop. “And he almost missed the whole thing to go get her.”

“God, that’s sweet.” The longing almost chokes me. I have no drink to wash the jealousy away. I stand. “Can I start a tab?”

“It’s on the house.” Prescott gets up.

“I didn’t mean to disrupt you.”

“Not at all.” She waves me to follow her to the bar. “I’ll show you where everything’s at and you can get your own. Papa said he’d clean up after us.” She leans over. “The new girl we hired will clean up after him.”

I chuckle. It’s hard to hang on to the jealousy when she’s so nice. “I appreciate it. I appreciate all this.”

Prescott retrieves a glass from under the counter. “Does it feel unreal? Because it did to me when I moved here.”

“Yes, it really does,” I answer honestly.