against him while they floated around the dance floor.
Madison had moved off with the other bridesmaids and the bride for the photo session. Val, Leon’s bride, wasn’t from Louisiana, or even the States. Val knew no one here, so Thomas’s mother had recruited the daughters of the Duprees’ old friends to be Val’s bridesmaids. Madison had been happy to help out. But Madison was like that, always welcoming, always friendly.
Leon kept smiling at his new wife, Val, slim in the white dress that hugged her body. Another man was watching Val, a friend they’d brought home with them from their travels, a Greek called Demitri. Thomas’s youngest brother Remy, who’d been with Leon out in Egypt, had told Thomas the incredible detail that Demitri joined Val and Leon in bed.
A menage à trois. Thomas never would have believed it of Leon, the dutiful oldest Dupree son, who walked the straight and narrow. Thomas and Marc had embraced an adventurous sexual life, and even belonged to a club, but Leon had never been wild. Now, Leon looked happier than he ever had in his life.
Thomas was called to join the photo shoot, which went on and on. Shots of the bride; the bride with the groom; the bride and groom with Mom; the groom with his three brothers; the groom with the bride, the three brothers, and Remy’s wife. Leon with his best friend, Demitri, and a shot of Val, Leon, and Demitri together.
A threesome. Hmm. You go, bro.
“Go for a run later if you don’t get lucky?” Marc asked Thomas as they walked to the hotel for the reception.
Thomas nodded. He knew what Marc meant—a run in the swamps around Fontaine in some form other than human. Thomas and his brothers could shape-shift into any animal they wanted, provided they’d touched that animal at least once. Another barrier between himself and Madison. Shape-shifters weren’t thick on the ground. How could he explain to the woman of his dreams that he sometimes liked to run around as a jaguar?
It probably wouldn’t matter anyway, because Thomas couldn’t even get close to Madison at the reception. Thomas ate the banquet food and raised his glass in the many toasts to Leon and Val, wishing he were sitting next to Madison instead of between Marc and Remy at the other end of the table.
Finally the lights went down, and the newlyweds had their first dance. Thomas watched Leon gaze into Val’s eyes and her wicked smile flash in return. Val coiled her fingers around Leon’s neck, her body in the sleek wedding gown sliding against Leon’s. She certainly loved him. Their friend Demitri stood on the edge of the dance floor, watching with an intense dark gaze.
The music stopped, and the rest of the guests were invited to dance. Thomas looked for Madison, spotted her talking and laughing with girlfriends, her smile piercing his heart. Her scent, like orange blossoms, had filled him when he’d taken her arm, and it seemed to cling to him still.
He imagined hooking his forefingers into the off-the-shoulder dress and pulling down until he discovered whether she wore a little strapless bra underneath, a slash of lace on skin, or nothing at all. He’d teach her what he’d learned since their truncated relationship nine years ago—how to articulate her deepest needs and then beg for Thomas to fulfill them.
Everything you desire, deep in your heart. I will make it come true.
Someone blocked his view of her. Keith Girard, stopping to talk to Madison. Damn.
Madison was obviously uncomfortable with him. She stepped back on one heel as he curved over her, but Keith kept leaning in, talking fast.
Thomas was across the room before his brain registered that his feet had moved. He slammed his drink to an empty table and reached Madison and Girard in time to hear Girard say, “You know you want to, Maddie.”
“Keith, not now,” Madison said.
Girard grabbed Madison’s arm. She glared at him, and Thomas’s animal rage roared to the surface. He shoved himself directly
Madison had moved off with the other bridesmaids and the bride for the photo session. Val, Leon’s bride, wasn’t from Louisiana, or even the States. Val knew no one here, so Thomas’s mother had recruited the daughters of the Duprees’ old friends to be Val’s bridesmaids. Madison had been happy to help out. But Madison was like that, always welcoming, always friendly.
Leon kept smiling at his new wife, Val, slim in the white dress that hugged her body. Another man was watching Val, a friend they’d brought home with them from their travels, a Greek called Demitri. Thomas’s youngest brother Remy, who’d been with Leon out in Egypt, had told Thomas the incredible detail that Demitri joined Val and Leon in bed.
A menage à trois. Thomas never would have believed it of Leon, the dutiful oldest Dupree son, who walked the straight and narrow. Thomas and Marc had embraced an adventurous sexual life, and even belonged to a club, but Leon had never been wild. Now, Leon looked happier than he ever had in his life.
Thomas was called to join the photo shoot, which went on and on. Shots of the bride; the bride with the groom; the bride and groom with Mom; the groom with his three brothers; the groom with the bride, the three brothers, and Remy’s wife. Leon with his best friend, Demitri, and a shot of Val, Leon, and Demitri together.
A threesome. Hmm. You go, bro.
“Go for a run later if you don’t get lucky?” Marc asked Thomas as they walked to the hotel for the reception.
Thomas nodded. He knew what Marc meant—a run in the swamps around Fontaine in some form other than human. Thomas and his brothers could shape-shift into any animal they wanted, provided they’d touched that animal at least once. Another barrier between himself and Madison. Shape-shifters weren’t thick on the ground. How could he explain to the woman of his dreams that he sometimes liked to run around as a jaguar?
It probably wouldn’t matter anyway, because Thomas couldn’t even get close to Madison at the reception. Thomas ate the banquet food and raised his glass in the many toasts to Leon and Val, wishing he were sitting next to Madison instead of between Marc and Remy at the other end of the table.
Finally the lights went down, and the newlyweds had their first dance. Thomas watched Leon gaze into Val’s eyes and her wicked smile flash in return. Val coiled her fingers around Leon’s neck, her body in the sleek wedding gown sliding against Leon’s. She certainly loved him. Their friend Demitri stood on the edge of the dance floor, watching with an intense dark gaze.
The music stopped, and the rest of the guests were invited to dance. Thomas looked for Madison, spotted her talking and laughing with girlfriends, her smile piercing his heart. Her scent, like orange blossoms, had filled him when he’d taken her arm, and it seemed to cling to him still.
He imagined hooking his forefingers into the off-the-shoulder dress and pulling down until he discovered whether she wore a little strapless bra underneath, a slash of lace on skin, or nothing at all. He’d teach her what he’d learned since their truncated relationship nine years ago—how to articulate her deepest needs and then beg for Thomas to fulfill them.
Everything you desire, deep in your heart. I will make it come true.
Someone blocked his view of her. Keith Girard, stopping to talk to Madison. Damn.
Madison was obviously uncomfortable with him. She stepped back on one heel as he curved over her, but Keith kept leaning in, talking fast.
Thomas was across the room before his brain registered that his feet had moved. He slammed his drink to an empty table and reached Madison and Girard in time to hear Girard say, “You know you want to, Maddie.”
“Keith, not now,” Madison said.
Girard grabbed Madison’s arm. She glared at him, and Thomas’s animal rage roared to the surface. He shoved himself directly
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