Sarah glared at Gabe, determined to prove him wrong. Her stomach settled down and the music began.
She saw her cue, the joy of the song pushing everything else from her mind. Sarah belted out the lyrics, staring into Gabe’s incredibly handsome face, seeing the astonishment and, yes, pride growing there.
What made it even better was the envy she could see on Chloe’s face as the woman stopped next to him.
Hah! Take that, man-stealing bitch! Now that she’d started, Sarah was having a blast. The lyrics matched her mood perfectly. Sheer possessiveness put an extra swing into her hips as she sang. “’Cause I’ve made my mind up, you’re going to be mine.” She made sure she was leaning over for that part, challenging Gabe before turning away from him to sing to the rest of the audience. When the instrumental part started she danced before picking up with the lyrics once more. “When you’ve made your mind up forever to be mine, I’ll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind.” She turned, shimmying her ass right in Gabe’s face, ignoring the hands he held up. Nine fingers. Oh, shit. My ass is going to be sore. She threw her head back and laughed, finishing the song with a flourish before accepting his hand off the stage.
The soft tap to her ass made her jump, a reminder of what lay ahead. “Little mind?”
The affectionate teasing threading through his voice reassured her enough to have her tease him back.
“All things considered, I’d dare to call it tiny.”
“Ouch.” He patted her rear. “Fine, score one for you.”
“Yes!” She marked a point on an imaginary scoreboard with her finger. Gabe’s love tap on her ass was a little sharper, but he rubbed the sting away almost immediately. Sarah was left blinking, fighting her sudden arousal when they reached the table.
Emma was clapping. “Way to go, Sarah!”
“Not bad, Sare-bear!” Sheri gave her two thumbs-up. Adrian merely smiled and nodded, his attention almost immediately returning to Sheri.
Simon and Becky both looked like they’d taken a drink of water and gotten a mouthful of good wine instead, but both high-fived her. Max, for some obscure reason, looked and felt smug, like he’d known all along that she could do it.
Gabe helped her into her seat and settled her between his legs, the bench allowing him to cradle her between his thighs. She allowed it, the feel of his arms wrapping around her waist and the praise of her friends drugging her senses with sweet warmth. Almost as wonderful was the feeling of contentment she could feel pouring off Gabe, like everything he’d ever needed was right there in front of him. Hell, he was even purring. She looked over at Chloe to find the other woman watching them with a wistful expression and a sad smile. Sarah turned away, unwilling to analyze why she felt guilty about Gabe cuddling her in front of the other woman.
She almost missed Belle limping onto the stage, smiling sweetly as the opening strains of Jewel’s
“Hands” started up, startling them. Belle looked like an angel sitting in the light of the stage, her hair a golden halo around her head. She lifted the mic and Sarah sat back, prepared to watch the others get impressed.
Gasps sounded around the table as Belle’s strong, gentle voice floated over them. “Holy shit. She’s good.” Gabe shook his head. “Why didn’t we know that?”
Sarah tilted her head back, the top of her head brushing Gabe’s cheek. “Bimbo persona, remember?
Besides, Livia would have had a fit if she’d known Belle was good at something she wasn’t, so Belle hid it.” Stupid, but there it was. Belle had given Livia a loyalty the rogue hadn’t been worthy of and had wound up paying a price she hadn’t deserved.
“Well she’s certainly not hiding it now.” She would have bristled over the admiration in Gabe’s voice if it wasn’t for the fact that she could feel it. It had nothing to do with lust and everything to do with friendship.
The pride he’d felt when Sarah had sung had been mixed with a healthy dose of lust and…love? Sarah shook her head, not certain she’d felt what she thought she had. How could it be love? She just couldn’t trust her senses where Gabe was concerned. It was entirely possible she was reading something into his emotions that just weren’t there. Wishful thinking could wind up with her heart breaking all over again, and it had barely begun to mend.
Belle’s face tilted up, her eyes closing as she sang. Rick stood at the edge of the stage, a strange look on his face, utter disbelief mingled with astonished pride, his love singing across her senses. “Apparently Rick didn’t know either.”
“I guess.” Gabe picked up a drink and handed it to her. “Strawberry margarita.”
“When did you get this?”
“Just before your song started up. I thought you might be thirsty afterwards.”
“Thank you.” She took a sip just as Belle’s song ended to thunderous applause. When Belle went to get off the stage Rick stopped her, settling her back down on the stool. “Oh, this should be good.”
“Have you heard him sing?” Gabe began peppering kisses around the hickey he’d given her.
“Hmm?” The feel of Gabe’s mouth on her skin nearly turned off her brain. Rick, right. “Nope, but I bet he’s better than we expect.”
“Why?”
“He seems like the type of guy who wouldn’t put himself out there like that unless he was pretty sure he could rock it.”
“True.”
They turned to watch the big redhead take the mike. He nodded to the DJ, holding Belle’s hand in his.
Eric Clapton’s “Change the World” started to play. Belle smiled up at her mate as he crooned to her.
Sarah could feel the mood of the room as Rick sang, the women swaying into their dates as the big bad Wolf showed the world exactly how he felt about his Belle. The feelings swept over her, mellow and sweet, and Sarah swayed with them, lapping them up like a chocoholic in a Hershey’s factory.
Gabe’s hand began stroking her stomach in tender circles. He began to croon into her ear along with the song, distracting her from the emotions floating around her. Sarah licked her lips. Gabe’s voice was nowhere near as smooth as Rick’s, but it affected her much more deeply. She lowered her eyes and leaned back against Gabe, feeling his jolt of surprised joy when she did so, soaking in the sense of safety only being in his arms gave her. It was like the dreams, but so much better, knowing he was actually there behind her. She let her worries and fears drift away on the song in her ears and her heart.