Page 69 of Reticent

He cocks an eyebrow. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

“Are we really doing this?” This is the worst timing.

Hunter’s jaw clenches as he exhales through his nose. “No.” He puts his hands on my shoulders, working them up and down my arms. “And I don’t blame him for wanting you but fuck that guy.”

I look over to see a stunning blond enter the gallery. “And Jessica?”

“What about her?”

“She just walked through the door.” I nod my head in that direction.

He glances over his shoulder and curses under his breath. “I’ll be right back.”

I grab his arm. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to tell her to leave.”

I quickly shake my head. He can’t do that. Not unless he wants to risk someone overhearing. It has the potential to become an issue, depending on how she’d react. Seeing that I don’t know her, I have no idea on how she would react to him asking her to leave. “No. It’ll cause a scene.”

“Ask me if I give a fuck?” His eyebrows are drawn down into a severe frown, his lips pinched in obvious anger. This is exactly what I’m talking about.

I tug on his arm. “Fix your face. You look mad as hell right now.”

He doesn’t move his eyes from her, despite my tugging. “She shouldn't be here. I specifically told her not to come.”

“You’ll have to deal with her later. I mean it, Hunter. Don’t.”

He gives a reluctant nod and kisses my forehead. As much as I want to drag Jessica out the door by her blonde extensions, that’s not what we’re doing today. I’m better than that.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

We make our rounds through the gallery, introducing each other to our friends, family, and coworkers. The Brathwaites are the first of Hunter’s closest friends that I meet. His friendship with Conner Brathwaite spans back to their teenage years. With hair almost as dark as Hunter’s and piercing green eyes, Conner is ridiculously sexy and brooding. By his side is his wife, Novalee, who barely reaches his shoulder. Her voluminous curly hair gives her a little more height, but she can’t be over five foot one.

“Nova’s sleeping through the night, but twins still find their way to our bed most nights,” Novalee says.

“Those little cockblockers,” Conner mutters. The rest of us laugh. Conner smirks—sort of. I don’t think he’s much of a smiler or an overall people person.

“Think you’ll have any more?” Hunter asks them.

“If I have my way, we’ll have two more in a couple of years,” Conner says. Nova Brathwaite, their infant daughter, is the latest addition to the Brathwaite family, following after Caden and Caleb.

“One more and we’re done,” Novalee responds.

“You can’t blame me for wanting more babies with you.”

“Aww.” Novalee rises to her tiptoes and kisses her husband.

“Well, aren’t you two just fucking adorable,” Hunter drones. They really are.

A server approaches us with a tray of sparkling champagne. The four of us decline—me for obvious reasons—but seeing the flutes filled to the brim amplifies my need to pee.

I excuse myself from the group, hugging Novalee and giving Conner a little wave because he doesn’t seem like the hugging type. I run into Niko in the hallway on the way to the restrooms.

“Hey, String Bean.”

“Thanks for coming.”

“Did you think I’d miss it?”