“We’re organizing a watch party for your first Kinship episode at Decked Out,” Kayla announced. “The whole town is so excited.”
“Hey, boss!” Elton, Sy’s right-hand man, ducked down and gave Maggie a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Nice to see you outside of work for once.”
“My brother is gonna kick your skinny ass for hitting on his girl,” Nirina sang.
Elton grinned at her. “Worth it! Save me a dance, Nichols.”
He disappeared into the crowd, and Dean reappeared expertly juggling four drinks. “White wine for Kayla. Club soda with lime for Mama to Be. And beers for the Dream Team,” he said, setting a beer in front of Maggie.
“Kayla and Niri were just telling me they’re organizing a watch party Monday night for the first episode,” Maggie filled him in.
“Did you prepare Silas for his impending fame?” Dean asked. “Viewers are going to eat him up.”
“I think Silas is used to being appreciated for his looks and charm,” she said wryly. “He’ll handle it just fine.”
“I appreciate your faith in me, Mags.” Sy’s voice was unexpected and so close that it had her jumping in her chair. She looked up, and there he was. All six-feet-plus of that boyish charm and hard body. His hair was wet on the ends, and she could smell some magical, manly shower gel that did strange things to her.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said, unable to control the smile she felt spreading across her face.
He took the chair next to her and held his fingers to his ear. “What’s that?”
The man had heard her just fine. But she didn’t mind moving in a little closer to repeat the words.
He brushed her hair back so he could lean in and whisper back, “Didn’t think I’d miss a chance to show off my dance moves for you, did you?”
His lips brushed against her earlobe, and it sent a delicious shiver up her spine.
“You’re crashing Ladies’ Night,” she told him.
“So’s Dean. And Niri’s husband will be here in twenty minutes. You look real pretty tonight, Maggie.”
Was there a woman out there who could face Silas Wright’s charm and walk away unscathed?
“Thank you,” she said. “You look…” She let her gaze trail over him, from the tousled angelic curls to that light layer of stubble covering his jaw. Then lower to the T-shirt that hugged all of that ropey muscle. She didn’t dare go any lower. Delicious. Sinful. Indecently sexy. “Good,” she decided finally.
“Thank you, darlin’。”
She could spend a very long time just staring at his mouth and stay completely entertained, she decided, watching as those firm lips of his curved with amusement.
She realized that Nirina and Kayla were watching them smugly and got the distinct feeling that she’d been played. Ladies’ Night, her ass.
“Hey, guys.” Michael appeared behind Silas, holding a glass of red wine.
“You made it! Have a seat,” Nirina said, pointing at the empty chair next to Dean.
Hmm. It looked like they’d both been played. But with Sy’s arm on the back of her chair, and his thumb stroking lazy circles over her shirt, she couldn’t quite work up to being annoyed.
“I was talking to the dads,” Michael said, clearing his throat and looking away from Dean. He pointed toward the bar, where Maggie spotted Morris, her first aid hero, next to a man she guessed had to be Sy’s father. He was just as tall but on the rangier side. Where Sy’s hair went to blond, his father’s was a few shades darker. But there was no mistaking the same gray eyes. The men raised their glasses at them, and everyone around the table echoed the gesture.
“Mama B’s playing tonight,” Nirina explained to Maggie and Dean. “And my husband better get here quick if he wants to escape her wrath.”
“And by wrath, she means disappointment,” Kayla said.
“That’s Mama B,” Silas said, pointing to the stage.
Breonna Wright had the presence for a stage. She strutted across it in strappy gold stilettos, skinny pants that stopped a few inches above her ankles, and a billowing blouse in reds and golds and oranges. Her skin was dark. Her hair was high. Her smile was a beacon.
The crowd broke into spontaneous applause, and all she’d done was walk onstage.
Maggie glanced around the table and saw nothing but unadulterated adoration directed at the woman.
“It’s impossible not to love her,” Silas said in Maggie’s ear.