She nodded, looking pained to admit it, but it wasn’t surprising. I feel it too, Kiera. Slipping my arms around her waist, I shoved that emotion to the back of my mind as I kissed her forehead. “I want you to loosen up and have a little fun with me. Can you do that?”

Because if you can’t, then I won’t be able to either. We might as well leave and go to my place, so we can sit in a dark room and spend the entire night crying in each other’s arms. And I don’t want to spend my last moments with you being sad. So, please, say yes to this memory I’m offering you.

Kiera’s beautiful ever-changing eyes studied me for long seconds, until finally, she broke eye contact with me and turned to Matt, who was busy manhandling Rachel. She tapped his shoulder, diverting his attention, then told him, “I’ll take something…sweet.” Matt grinned and gave her a hug. I had to laugh at my normally reserved guitarist…and the look on Kiera’s face as she gently patted his back.

“I’ll hook you up, Kiera!” he exclaimed, and then he was off to make her something that I knew would be exceptionally strong.

“Thank you,” I told her, kissing her neck.

She pursed her lips at me in answer, and then a scream broke out in the living room. Kiera and I angled ourselves to see that Evan had found Jenny; he’d hoisted the tiny girl onto his shoulder and was playfully smacking her ass. Which gave me a fabulous idea…

After waving a greeting to Evan, I shifted my eyes back to Kiera. She knew exactly what I was planning. “Don’t even think about it, Kyle.” She even stuck a finger in my chest, like that would somehow stop me. She seemed to realize that, and stepped back from me, into one of the dining room chairs. The girl there looked pretty hammered…and thoroughly finished with the game.

Grabbing Kiera’s shoulders, she made her sit down. “Here, I’m done. You play.”

As soon as Kiera was in the chair, Matt handed her a drink, and the girl next to her gave her the dice. And then made her drop them. They tumbled from her hand and landed on snake eyes. Oh…man. That sucks. That was pretty much the opposite of beginner’s luck. Kiera didn’t know what a pair of ones meant, but everyone else did, and the entire table groaned in sympathy for her. Matt patted her shoulder and told her he’d make another drink for her while I explained her fate.