Rock Chick 05 Revenge (74 page)

Authors: Kristen Ashley

I felt a light touch on my shoulder. It wasn’t a Luke Touch so I looked up to see Jules standing there. Her eyes were on Luke, “Can I steal her?”

Luke lifted his chin, I got up, Jules took my hand, we walked away and she stopped and pulled me girlie close.

“You okay?” she asked.

God, she was
so
nice. Here it was, her wedding day and she was worried about me and my latest drama.

“Let’s not talk about me, are
you
okay?” I returned.

Her face got soft, her eyes moved around the room until they fell on Vance and her hands went to her belly. I saw the solitaire there, the band of her engagement ring was slim, the setting was plain, the diamond was magnificent, on her right hand was the super-fly silver band I knew (because she told me) was the promise ring Vance had given her last Christmas.

“Bliss,” she said.

I looked from her belly to her eyes. “What?” I asked.

“Bliss. For the first time in my life, I feel bliss,” she got close. “Do you feel it? With Luke?”

That’s when I got close. “I told him I loved him tonight,” I shared.

She nodded and her lips tipped up in a smile. “The fireman’s hold out the door, right?”

“Yeah. Why do these guys act like that?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Who knows?” Her eyes went back to Vance. “Thank God they do though.”

I grabbed her hand. “I’m so glad you’re happy.”

Her tippy lips turned to a full-fledged smile just as Indy came near.

“Are you guys talking about the fireman’s hold?” she asked softly.

“That was hot,” Ally said, coming up beside me.

“I’ll say. Luke’s making the rest of the Hot Bunch look like amateurs,” Roxie joined our group.

“They’re gonna have to step it up,” Ally said and then we all giggled at the thought of the Hot Bunch “stepping it up”. If these boys stepped anything up, civilization would go back in time about fifty thousand years.

Jet shoved in and her arm came around my waist. “You okay, you know, after the fireman’s hold?” she asked.

“Are
you
okay, after you got engaged a couple of days ago?” Jules cut in.

Everyone looked at Jet and her cheeks got pink. “I didn’t want to steal your thunder,” Jet said to Jules.

Jules grabbed her cheeks in each hand, pulled her forward and gave her a big old kiss, right on her forehead.

This started a bunch of sloppy girlie kissing and hugging and carrying on. Daisy, Shirleen, May and Nancy joined in and it got sloppier and louder.

Finally Tex boomed, “Will someone change this crappy music? We need some goddamned rock ‘n’ roll!”

The Rock Chicks all turned to stare at Tex. He tugged his tie off, threw it in a plate filled with half eaten hors d’oeuvres and aimed a scowl at us.

This made the girl huddle burst into laughter.

Then someone put on some rock ‘n’ roll.

My hand was tagged, pulled and I moved in its direction, following Luke. Once he got me away from the gaggle of Rock Chicks, he turned me into his arms.

“Done bein’ mad at me?” he asked.

I glared, giving him his answer. He ignored the glare, bent his head and nuzzled my neck.

“You may be mad at me but you still love me,” he said close to my ear and he sounded pleased with himself.

He was right, as usual. I didn’t share this.

His head came up and he rested his forehead against mine as his hand came to my jaw, his thumb stroking my cheek.

“Babe, I’m not gonna let the woman I love tell me, finally, that she loves me, slide by without a celebration.”

“You didn’t have to carry me out through a crowd of our friends, acting like a caveman.”

He smiled at my broken silence. “It’s who I am,” he said quietly, honestly and without a hint of remorse.

“It’s annoying,” I told him (but I had to admit, just to myself, I didn’t really mean it).

“Yeah,” he said this like being annoying was an acceptable personality trait. Then, deciding to move on to a different subject, he asked, “Is Jules happy?”

I melted a little, I couldn’t help it. It was a nice party, these were great people and Jules and Vance were folks who deserved happiness.

“She said this is bliss.”

His head slanted, his fingers splayed against my jaw, his thumb slid along my lower lip then his mouth came to mine.

With his lips against my lips, I watched close up as his eyes went ink.

Then he said, “She’s right.”

####

About the Author

Kristen Ashley lives in the beautiful West Country of England with her husband and her cat. She came to England by way of Denver, where she lived for twelve years, but she grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana. Her family and friends are loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen’s Mom moved her and her brother and sister in with their grandparents when she was six. Her grandparents had a daughter much younger than her Mom so they all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Discover other Titles by Kristen Ashley

The Rock Chick Series:

Rock Chick

Rock Chick Rescue

Rock Chick Redemption

Rock Chick Renegade

The ‘Burg Series:

For You

At Peace

The Colorado Mountain Series:

The Gamble