lean-muscled frame and shaggy dirty-blond hair.
“He took off his shirt again,” Noah sighed. “I’m starting to hate that calendar.”
Owen couldn’t stop laughing. He leaned over the bar and gripped his brother’s wrist. “This is insane, Seamus. Who came up with this?”
Stephen pressed in next to Owen and grinned. “Who do you think?”
It was easy enough to guess. “ Tasha ? You let Tasha plan my bachelor party and Jeremy’s? That’s too much power for one woman to have. Especially that woman.”
Seamus disagreed. “Are you willing to tell the bedridden senator’s wife carrying my nieces and/or nephews that she can’t have anything she wants? Because I’m not.”
“I’m definitely not,” Stephen spoke over the music, frowning as he looked down at his phone. “She said I’m not allowed home for another hour, but Jen’s been sending me text updates and I have Trick on standby in case she needs anything.”
Seamus frowned. “You should have invited him to the party, Stephen. Especially since Declan couldn’t come.”
“Shit.” Stephen paled. “You’re right.”
“Relax, Stephen.” Owen put his arm around Stephen’s shoulders and squeezed. “He knows you’re distracted. You can buy him a drink later, and before you know it you’ll be holding two new Finns in your arms and Tasha will be causing more trouble than you can handle.”
“I can’t wait.” If Owen hadn’t been staring at him he would have missed the words. Stephen was a mess. Since Tasha had been diagnosed with preeclampsia, he’d been doing everything in his power to keep her spirits up and her body in bed. Tasha was really going stir-crazy if this mob of strippers was any indication.
If she’d done this for him, what the hell was she doing for Jeremy?
“Owen! You’re missing the show,” Rory called, already grinding between two muscular men wearing little more than thongs and big yellow boots. From the surprised expressions on their faces, they’d been expecting women to be sliding bills into their pants. But neither one of them was moving away. They couldn’t take their eyes off his attractive cousin.
Rory had clearly picked his next victims.
Owen waved him away with his free hand, gave Stephen’s back a firm, comforting pat and excused himself. He needed a minute before he could go back in and be the smiling guest of honor they deserved.
He pulled out his own phone and his fingers were texting before he could stop himself.
A bar full of naked cops and firemen. Top that.
The response came less than thirty seconds later.
Are your cousins drunk again or is it the strippers?
How did you know there were strippers? What did she get you?
We’re just talking here. Clothes on. And eating cakes shaped like my penis.
Owen snorted, moving toward the back door to the alley where he’d demanded Jeremy get on his knees. He’d done it for him again after Owen had proposed. Damn, he wished he were here now. Your penis specifically?
She made the mold years ago. I forgot but she kept it. Top that.
Can’t top it, but I want to taste it. Bring it to me now.
Jeremy responded by sending a picture of Jen and Tanaka taking comically erotic bites of their penis cakes. Hungry?
Cake tease.
Owen sent him the picture he’d taken earlier of the beer Seamus made. This is good but it doesn’t taste as delicious as the real thing. I miss you.
I’m a beer and a cake now? Miss you too. Enjoy the strippers.
As long as you don’t.
I can’t. Tasha sent them all to you so you couldn’t complain.
A silver lining. I’ll call you when I get home.
Owen slid his phone back in his jacket pocket and chafed his hands. He should be inside enjoying the show. What was wrong with him?
“Were you surprised? Your sister-in-law went all out.”
Owen whirled in the alley and saw the tip of a cigarette burn red before it fell to the ground, snuffed out by his cousin. “Hey, James. I thought you quit.”
“I did.” The graveled
Blake Crouch, Douglas Walker