Fighting for Flight JB Salsbury (room on the broom read aloud .TXT) 📖

knowing smile on her face. “Anyone up for a twirl on the dance floor?” Her eyes rake across the available dance partners. “Come on, Blake.”

“Shit, woman. I just got off the dance floor. Give a guy a second to reboot.” Blake kicks back, resting his feet on the bar.

Eve’s face lights with a wicked smile. “Ah, yes. That’s right. Most guys can’t go all night long. The weak ones lack, ahem, stamina.” She looks at me. “How about you, Jonah? You look like the kind of guy who—”

“That’s for shit.” Blake jumps to his feet. “I got way more stamina than he does.” He motions to me with a thumb over his shoulder. “Dance floor now, woman.”

Eve winks at Raven and takes off with Blake.

I turn Raven to me and pull her in for a hug, chest to chest. The guys redirect their attention to the TV. I run my finger along her bare shoulder and up to her neck, pushing her long hair to her back. “These earrings your mom gave you look amazing. They’re almost the same color as your eyes.” I kiss her neck at my spot.

She touches the diamond and aquamarine studs. “She told me they were my grandmother’s. I love them. They’re perfect. This whole day has been perfect.” She smiles. “I still can’t believe we got married by Liberace.”

“Hey, you chose him. We could have had the Asian Elvis, or the Marilyn Monroe drag queen.”

She laughs and leans into me. I wrap my arm around her and kiss her head.

“It was the rhinestone suit that got him the job. Every single inch of that thing was covered.”

“Only in Vegas.”

“Did you see Guy dancing with my mom? I think he’s got the hots for her.” She scrunches up her nose in an adorable way.

“It was nice of him to give you away today. He’s a good man. Milena could do worse.”

Her huge blue-green eyes look up at me. “You don’t think . . .”

I shrug, my lips twitching. “They’d make a cute couple.”

“Eww. That’d be like—”

“Like your mom and your dad hooking up.”

Now it’s her turn to shrug. “Good point.”

“Did you save me a dance, Mrs. Slade?” My whispered words in her ear cause her to tremble. I trail a line of kisses down her neck.

“Um, sure.” She tilts her head, opening up for me. “But it’s five.”

I pull back and lock eyes on her. “So?”

She looks to the sixty-inch flat screen hanging on the wall behind me. Her forehead drops a fraction, and she looks up at me from beneath her batting eyelashes.

“Even on your wedding day?” I cross my arms over my chest. I have every intention of giving this girl anything she wants as long as we both shall live. But I do enjoy watching her squirm.

“Hey, you’ve been watching ESPN. Same difference.” She finishes with her hand on her sexy hip.

I lean in and kiss her forehead at my new spot. The slight scar that slashes through her eyebrow does nothing to mar her gorgeous face. “You win.”

With a flip of the remote, I switch ESPN to her show. She kisses each of my dimples and finishes at my lips.

“Overhaulin’? Fuck yeah! Coolest wedding reception ever.” Caleb rounds the bar for a better view.

“Oh wow.” Raven sips the last of her champagne. “It’s a ’66 Ford Fairlane GT.” She doesn’t take her eyes from the screen.

Overhaulin’ on her wedding day makes her giddy. So easy to please.

I wrap my hands around her waist and hoist her up to sit on the counter. She kicks her white, Chuck Taylor clad feet back and forth.

Owen leans in, his head resting on his hand, eyes to the TV. “Who’s this Chip Foose guy?”

My lips fight a smile as Raven goes into a detailed biography of the automotive designer. I hand her a fresh glass of champagne and a piece of wedding cake the waitstaff passed out earlier.

“Ooh, yum.” She takes the glass and a bite of wedding cake. “Thanks, honey.”

I groan at her calling me honey and kiss the frosting from her lips. She started doing that after the night at the cabin. I thought nothing could sound as good as my name from her lips. I was wrong. “You’re welcome, baby.”

“Uncle Jonah,” Eric and Aiden call in unison from the pool. The six-year-old twin boys jumped in about an hour ago.

I leave Raven to her show and walk to the pool’s edge. “What’s up, rug rats?”

“Come swimming with us,” Aiden says before disappearing underwater.

“Yeah, do that thing where you throw us across the pool to the deep end.” Eric spins in a circle, making speedboat sounds.

“Boys, your uncle can’t swim tonight. He has guests to entertain,” my sister calls, walking toward me.

“Your mom’s right, guys. But I promise I’ll swim with you all day tomorrow. Deal?”

“Deal,” they answer before swimming off to the other side of the pool.

Beth leans into my side and I throw my arm around her shoulder.

“I’m really happy for you, big brother. I gotta say I never thought you’d settle down.”

I laugh and give her a squeeze. “You’re not the only one.”

“She’s really special, Joey. I’ve only known her for two days and I’m in love with her.”

“She has that effect on people.” I kiss her head. “I’m glad you guys are here. I know it was short notice.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She sips her drink. “I will say it was a rather short engagement.”

I nod. “When God hands you a gift, you don’t push it away and tell him ‘later’.”

She smiles up at me. “Dad would be proud of you. You’ve grown into an amazing man. Just like him.”

Emotion burns my eyes. I swallow hard, absorbing the weight of her words and let the silence speak for me.

“I’m going to go find my husband and make him dance with me.” She breaks the silence, and with a quick hug, she walks away.

I turn back to watching my girl from a distance. She laughs in the center