Her face flamed. She’d gone almost twenty-three years without sex, and suddenly she could hardly think of anything else.
“Funny…” River shrugged. “Raine told me she invited Heavenly, who came here alone.” He turned to Dean. “She was one of the nurse volunteers in the ER the day they brought my sister in after she offed my shithole of a father.”
“I was there that day, too,” Dean said, nodding. “I’m sorry we didn’t meet then. You’re studying to become a nurse?”
She did her best to focus on the conversation, not the pair of men flanking her. “I’m in my first year, but yes.”
“Tell me about your classes.”
Heavenly did, acutely aware that she had five pairs of eyes on her. Dean listened intently. Beck looked indulgent, while Seth seemed proud. River was too busy watching their reactions to notice that Pike looked at her as if he’d like to strip her down in the middle of the party and have at her.
She backed away from his dark stare, situating herself more solidly between Beck and Seth. As the conversation turned, they all seemed interested in her recent instruction on trauma.
“Well, I’m not really sure…” She winced, remembering a recent lab. “I’m just a volunteer. I made the mistake of asking about his scar—”
“Well, shit. Who hasn’t got scars?” Pike leered at her, twitching the metal stud in his brow.
“I got shot once.” Dean lifted his shirt a bit higher than necessary. She got an eyeful of wide, muscled chest and his ridged abdomen, along with the circular scar in the shape of a bullet hole between his ribs.
“Put that shit away.” Beck rolled his eyes.
“Oh, that’s nothing.” River tugged up his shirt to reveal a whole collection of muscles—and scars that made her gasp. “I’ve been tagged and have so many holes and repairs from back-to-back tours…”
He clearly had. The chance to study a body with so many assorted injuries excited her. She peered closer. “Oh.”
“Stand down, soldier boy,” Beck growled.
“She doesn’t need to see your”—Seth waved at his abs—“stuff.”
River and Dean shared a glance, then cracked up.
“Just making conversation.” River winked.
Or so he claimed. He’d accused his sister of stirring the pot, but River seemed awfully pleased with his mischief.
“How about you fuck off, too?” Beck suggested.
Heavenly blinked. She probably shouldn’t like how possessive he sounded…but she did.
Suddenly, Liam was behind her, fresh drink in each hand. When she turned to him, he held one out to her, which was lovely. She’d lost her other somewhere along the way.
“You all right?” he asked, leading her a few steps from the group.
“Um, yes. Fine. Thank you. Your home is really lovely. I appreciate you inviting me.”
Liam studied her, and she couldn’t escape the feeling he saw straight through her. That he knew her secrets. Her heart stuttered.
That must be her nerves talking. Everyone saw what they expected to see—a young nursing student, busy juggling studies, volunteering, and work. Right? Her problems were hers to bear alone, and none of these people, even the perceptive Irishman, had any reason to suspect otherwise.
She hoped.
Finally, he nodded. “It’s our pleasure. We’re glad you could join us.”
Heavenly was relieved when Beck sidled over and took her hand, tenderly folding her against his side as he thanked Liam, who moved on to circulate around the growing party.
“Stay close to me,” Beck murmured in her ear, then glared Seth’s way. “Lots of riffraff here tonight.”
Across the yard, a band filed out onto the patio. As they set up, someone shouted that it was time to get this party started. Then tunes filled the air.
The moment the upbeat notes lit up the crowd, Seth grabbed her hand and tugged her away from Beck. “Let’s dance.”
She’d love to and she’d always wanted to, but… “I don’t know how.”
He frowned as if that didn’t compute. “Not much to it, angel.”
“Everyone will be watching.”
“I’ll guide you. Just take my hand.”
Anticipation tugged her one way, anxiety the other. But how could she live life if she never tried?
Heavenly smiled Seth’s way and nodded. When he wrapped his arm around her waist, the jolt of his touch reverberated through her. But she didn’t have time to dwell on her spontaneous reaction to him. Seth twirled her under his arm, curled a hand around her waist, and led her through a familiar song about a girl asking a guy to call her maybe. They danced through the next catchy song about everyone getting together for a good time. Soon, she was laughing—and probably stumbling more than dancing, but gosh, she was having a blast.
As soon as the up-tempo tune ended, a Jason Mraz ballad sounded through the speakers and covered the patio. Some left the floor. Seth merely pulled her closer and pressed himself against her.
“Have you been thinking about our conversation the other day?”
“Almost nonstop,” she admitted.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call.”
And she’d thought every day about picking up the phone. “I waitressed and studied most of the weekend with an…outing on Sunday.”
His clenched jaw said he guessed she’d been with Beck and he wasn’t pleased. “Glad you got a day off.”
Even when she’d unwittingly upset him, he was kind. “This week, the hospital has been busy and school has been tough. Now…we’re here.”
“And now, you’re mine.”
They moved together to the music. The burn of his fingers seared her everywhere his hands touched, yet she felt ethereal as he led her across the dance floor so effortlessly she would have sworn she floated. Everyone else faded into the background until she saw only Seth, until she got lost in his eyes. Just him and this moment that belonged to only them existed.
She wasn’t even aware when they left the dance floor. One moment they were swaying together under the lights. The next he backed her against the wall and closed in, pressing palms
