30

THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY for Josh and Taylor was, by Helen standards, a raging success. Of course, for that to be true, it only required that no blood was spilled. Still, Kelsey was feeling pretty good about it as she watched members of both families cautiously circle one another and the food like two wolf packs, uncertain about this whole idea of sharing a meal.

There was a warm, content feeling in her chest that made it easy for her to be on her best behavior. It could be from seeing her cousin happy, or it could be the possibility of peace due to her generation of Porters and Lipins being more levelheaded than their forebears. Most likely, though, it was due to the past month’s freedom. Freedom from worrying about her secret being revealed. Freedom from feeling guilty about what the feud did to innocent outsiders. And freedom to simply be with Ian. To be able to enjoy his company without creating elaborate excuses for their time together or why she got all giddy when he kissed her.

She didn’t even mind when Josh teased her about losing her edge. She had lost her edge, and she didn’t miss it. Ian calmed her prickly thoughts and occupied her sharp tongue with far more pleasurable activities than trash-talking. At least he did in private, or the relative privacy of someplace like this party where she could afford to let her walls down. She hadn’t spent years perfecting her drop-dead scowl to abandon it after a month of relationship bliss, after all. Life in Helen remained tumultuous, to put it nicely, and Kelsey remained on alert for the occasions when she had to kick some ass. That was just no longer her default state of mind.

“Happy?” The reason for this unexpected change in her life slipped his arms around her from behind, and Kelsey settled herself against Ian.

Officially, her stance would remain that she could take or leave tall men since almost everyone was taller than her, but there was definitely pleasure in being held by a guy whose body seemed capable of containing her own.

“I am.” She wiggled against him, knowing the effect it would have. Predictably, Ian’s grip on her stiffened.

It was a small group that had gathered, but they were the important ones—Josh and Taylor, naturally, Taylor’s sister Lydia, Kevin and Peter, Micah and Maggie, and a few other friends of the future bride and groom. A couple of the more courageous cousins on both sides had stopped by, too, and although he hadn’t attended, Frank had helped out with the catering. Even Nate had called earlier to offer his congratulations.

“Are you trying to tempt me?” Ian whispered in her ear.

“Always. Is it working?”

“Always.” He kissed the ear he’d been whispering in, causing shivers to run down her neck. “But patience. We shouldn’t be sneaking out to have sex by the brew tanks.”

Sex by the brew tanks. There was an idea. “It might help me develop more positive associations with beer.”

She’d tried the one Ian had made for her, and while it was drinkable, her taste buds weren’t excited about quaffing an entire glass’s worth. So for now, she was content to sip small amounts of the various beers he suggested, and they were slowly growing on her.

Ian smacked her ass, discreetly, but it was enough to make her determined to have revenge later. “I’m winning you over without any underhanded tricks. Admit it.”

She grinned. He was, but the idea was now set in her head. “Fine. Sex by the brew tanks can wait until after the party.”

“There are a lot of tanks. Just so you know.”

Kelsey raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that a problem?”

“Nope. But when I say tanks, you should know I’m referring to them as individual locations. In fact, I’ll be starting a new beer soon. So once we make it through these batches, we’ll have to start all over again.”

“This sounds like a plan that could take some time.”

He kissed her neck, tickling her and pulling her close. “A very long, never-ending time, I hope.”