Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
Shaun’s fingers tightened around Kasey’s as he led her down the steps of the dais, releasing as soon as she was back on the main floor.
His touch was like an inferno on her skin, sending sparks along every inch of her straight to her middle, and she bit her lip as she squeezed her thighs tightly together against the onslaught of desire that coursed through her.
Kasey extended his elbow to her, and she hesitated only a heartbeat before she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, and then they made their way down the aisle to where Jodi and Free were waiting just outside the doors, locked in another heated embrace.
Fleeting, momentary sadness had crept in as she’d watched her sister and her new brother-in-law, so ridiculously in love it was sickening… in the best way, of course.
How could you not be outrageously happy when in the presence of soul mates of true love?
Kasey’s other hand came up and covered hers where it was clasped around his elbow, his long, strong fingers closing over hers with a gentle squeeze.
Taking a risk and raising her eyes to his, she had to admit that whatever she had been fighting against so adamantly was quickly beginning to crumble at her feet.
Especially with the way his fingers were caressing the back of her hand softly, and the way those gray-blue eyes of his stared into her own as if trying to read every single thought in her mind. Or the way he made her feel alive in her skin for the first time in ages…
She hated to admit it, but she had begun to love the witty banter that volleyed between them, and looked forward to it even. He drove her absolutely insane, but she certainly was never bored when he was around.
Okay… maybe he’s marginally tolerable… and certainly not bad to look at, she thought, letting her gaze rove over every nuance of his face; the strong, defined jaw, the lips that were slightly too thin but damn-it to hell did she want to know what they felt like against her own, the tapered, straight nose and those damn captivating storm cloud eyes that she could admittedly stare at for hours at a time and never get tired of them, to the dark blonde hair that looked clean and soft to the touch.
He looked absolutely mouthwatering in his black-on-black ensemble, though his tie was slightly crooked, as if he’d been fidgeting with it before the ceremony started.
He finally released her when they reached Jodi and Free, quickly followed by the rest of the bridal party behind them. Kasey stepped away from her and she felt an immediate sense of deep loss, which was ridiculous because he was still within reach.
Not that he was hers, anyway. Because she absolutely was not his.
She’d made a point of arguing that for over a year.
She reached out and embraced Jodi tightly, hugging her fiercely and kissing her cheek, whispering, “I’m so happy you found this, Jodi. You deserve all this happiness and more,” before turning to hug Free just as fiercely.
After a brief receiving line of the guests as they filed out of the ceremony space, the bridal party was ushered off for photos in the growing twilight, while the guests were shown to a separate, private hall where the reception would be held.
Shaun thought for sure she was going to die of overheating when Kasey’s hand settled low on her back as they stood for the photographer to take pictures.
When the rest of the party was preoccupied with being shifted from one set up to another, she was shocked her knees didn’t give out when she felt him lean close from behind her, and then his warm, whisky fragrant breath hit her ear as he whispered huskily, “God dammit, I promised I’d behave, but fuck I can’t stop thinking about the way your breasts looked last night, or how you looked wearing my shirt, darlin’.
” His hand slid around her waist, his fingers grazing the exposed skin of her ribcage and she sucked in her breath sharply, her mouth falling open as heat flooded her.
“You are stunning, Shaun. That idiot doesn’t deserve you. ”
And then he was gone, headed off to join the other groomsmen and Free as they lined up for photos of just the men. Shaun turned away from the group, taking long moments to pull herself together.
“You look like you need a drink.”
At the sound of Roxy’s heavy Texas twang, Shaun turned with a grimace. “That obvious?”
Roxy rolled her hazel eyes and shrugged. “You two should stop fighting it and just get it over with.”
“I don’t do casual sex, Roxy,” she murmured, fingering the petals of one of the roses in her bouquet in her hands.
Leaning close, Roxy muttered, “Doll, if he wanted casual, he could find it anywhere else, starting with that wedding coordinator that’s had her eyes on him since yesterday. He doesn’t want casual. He wants you.”
“Did he put you up to this?” Shaun muttered wryly, turning to look suspiciously at the redhead.
Roxy laughed out loud, causing several people to turn and look at them.
“Girl, the sexual tension between you two is thick enough to cut with a damn butter knife. I think your daddy is getting tired of the lustful looks Kasey’s been sending your way all weekend.
Better to hole up in a room and bang it out and save the rest of us from having to be a third party to it. ”
Shaun’s face flamed scarlet, and she couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her, earning her that baleful ‘Mom look’ from her mother for being too noisy.
Roxy nudged Shaun in the arm, and she glanced down, grinning when she saw a flask in her hand. Shaun took it, tipping it up to take a short pull, before making a face and breathing heavily through her mouth after the burning swallow. “Good lord, Roxy. What the fuck is that?”
“Moonshine,” Roxy chuckled.
Shaun shuddered, goosebumps erupting over her entire body, and shifted her arms to cover the peaks of her nipples through the bodice of her gown.
When she felt heat spread over her, she lifted her eyes to find Kasey’s hot gaze on her, and she knew he’d seen the evidence against the material of her dress.
When the photographer dismissed them, having gotten all of the shots requested, the small bridal party made their way toward the reception hall, where music and chatter could be heard through the closed double doors.
Kasey was several steps ahead of her, his head lowered slightly as the wedding coordinator said something close to his ear.
He grinned, that devilish smirk tilting up the corners of his mouth and revealing those damn near perfect white teeth, his eyes crinkling lightly in the corners.
His hand clasped lightly around the backside of her bicep, near her elbow, and the woman smiled up at him coyly.
Jealousy stampeded its way through Shaun, unbidden and unwelcome, but there nonetheless. Steeling her face into one of indifference as Kasey and the pretty blonde turned, she raised her chin slightly as his eyes met hers.
“Okay everybody! Please line up in couples in the order that you will enter the reception and be introduced by the emcee,” the coordinator said cheerily, and the group split, pairing up.
They made their way into a haphazard line, all of them chattering excitedly.
“I’ll enter first and tell the emcee we are ready. ”
Shaun didn’t glance over at Kasey as he took his place beside her, but watched out of the corner of her eye as he extended his hand to hers, palm up.
Hesitating for a long time, she finally reached out and slid her hand in his, trying her damndest to ignore the sparks that flew between them at the contact.
The doors opened and through them they could hear the emcee as he gathered the guests attention. The song playing on the speaker was Bruno Mars’ ‘Marry You’. The emcee called out, “It is my pleasure to present to you the bridal party! Please welcome the parents of the bride, Serenity and Levi!”
Shaun’s mouth tugged into a smile when her mom and dad entered the lavishly decorated space, her mother’s arm tucked into her father’s elbow.
The crowd cheered in welcome. Next, Fallon and Tristan were introduced, followed by Kit and Warren, and then Tessa and Roxy entered together, both women doing an extra little dance on their way in.
Shaun and Kasey stepped closer to the door, awaiting the emcee’s introduction. “Best Man Shane Thorp is unable to attend tonight, home with a brand-new baby! So I introduce you to Interim Best Man, Kasey and Maid of Honor, Shauntelle!”
They stepped forward together into the room to applause, and Kasey raised the hand that held hers captive, spinning her lithely beneath his outstretched arm, and she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her as she glanced up at him, her dress flowing around their feet.
His eyes, those beautiful storm cloud eyes, were gentle as he stared down at her, bringing her in close as he walked them toward their seats.
Her hand still clasped in his, she gasped audibly when he squeezed her fingers gently, then rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb slowly. Thankfully, the emcee’s voice boomed over the speakers at the same time as he said, “And may I present to you, for the first time, Freeman and Jodi Thorp!”
The guests erupted in applause, and Shaun disengaged her hand from Kasey’s to do the same as her sister and new brother-in-law came through the doors, hand in hand, brilliant smiles on both of their faces.
Free twirled Jodi under his arm, much the way Kasey had done to her, and when Freeman pulled Jodi back to him, he clasped her around the waist and kissed her to another eruption of cheers.
Kasey held her chair for her to sit, then moved to take his seat directly next to her as Freeman led Jodi to their sweetheart table.
She reached for the crystal water glass in front of her as his impossibly hard thigh brushed hers under the table, her hand trembling, making the ice clink in the glass as she brought it to her lips.
The next twenty minutes were a blur. She somehow stumbled through her maid of honor speech, managed to make the guests laugh and even drew a tear or two from her sister and mother.
She barely registered Kasey rising to his feet next to her as she sank shakily into her seat.
She purposely kept her eyes away from the tree trunks that were Kasey’s thighs encased in the black slacks of his suit, or the way they molded to the curves of his ass.
She heard none of his speech, just the low timbre of his voice as he spoke.
She was transfixed by the graceful way his hand moved as he spoke, the wide wrist that peeked out from the cuff of his suit, the wide band of his watch glinting in the candlelight on the table in front of them.
As Kasey resumed his seat beside her, the emcee announced dinner as the handsomely dressed wait staff appeared to serve the wedding guests.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked, leaning close to her, and she was intoxicated by his nearness and the scent of his cologne.
“Umm,” she mumbled lamely, staring into his face, her mind a jumbled mess. One corner of his mouth tilted up slightly and she bared her teeth in a snarl. The bastard knew what he was doing and was laughing at her! “I’m fine, thank you.”
“How about another sip of moonshine?” he murmured low, at the same time drawing one finger up the length of her exposed thigh.
Her mouth parted and all thought escaped her as goosebumps erupted over every inch of her.
The tip of his finger toyed with the flowy edge of her dress where it V’d open high on her thigh.
Hidden from view behind the black tablecloth, no one else would know that his fingers were sliding beneath the material to cup the soft flesh of the inside of her thigh.
His voice was a tortured groan when he spoke next. “I can’t stay away from you.”
And as she watched as he slowly pulled away from her to face forward once again, Shaun wasn’t so sure she wanted him to.