Chapter 14
Being with the guys that night made it easy to separate my guilt and everything else.
They were kind and doting and funny. They all stole kisses and held me, but they didn’t push me.
Warren even acted like a complete gentleman after walking me to my room later.
With a sweet kiss and a promise to see me the next day, he left.
I managed to keep that guilt away because I was able to fall asleep in a cloud of happiness.
Just getting to finally confront them about everything in our past made me feel lighter.
While I still wasn’t sure whether or not I believed them fully about why they’d been mean to me, I was sure that they weren’t the same people.
It was also easy to just be with them. It didn’t feel taboo or freaky. It just felt nice.
I slept so good that night and woke up early, feeling better than I had in forever.
It was menu sampling and cake testing day with Macy and the bridesmaids, so I had a full day planned, but I felt carefree.
I dressed in a pretty dress that I’d bought on our shopping day and sang while I curled my hair.
I was a bird away from being Snow White.
It seemed like I hadn’t even known the weight I was carrying about what the triplets had put me through.
Feeling it slip away, though, had been cathartic.
And I knew it made me a terrible person that only a little bit of the guilt came back when I sat down next to Macy in the dining room that afternoon, but that was the truth.
She had a dazed, happy look to her, too, and I grinned.
It seemed the lingerie hadn’t made it to the wedding night.
Looking over at me, she blinked like she hadn’t noticed me sit down, and then laughed.
“We’re going back to that shop before we leave.
They put something in the fabric there that turns Jason into a mad man. We missed the movie last night.”
I laughed. “You look like you’ve been thoroughly pleasured. That’s way better than a movie.”
She looked up at the ceiling and laughed again. “I think he broke me. I’ve never had so many orgasms in my life.”
Megan slipped into the seat next to Macy and looked us both over. “I want what y’all are having.”
I pretended I didn’t hear her and gasped when Macy’s wedding planner strolled into the room. She was wearing a giant, plumed hat, and she was carrying a large leather folder.
Macy hid a giggle. “Isn’t she wild?”
I agreed. Quickly, we were swept into cocktail hour options and then dinner options.
Everything was delicious, but Macy seemed to know what she wanted.
Then came the cake testing. I was only slightly sad that I wasn’t making my best friend’s wedding cake, but she’d done it for me.
She didn’t want me worrying about cake when it was my vacation.
When the resort baker rolled out a tray of tasting cakes, however, I felt a tinge of jealousy.
The cake tasting was tainted for me because I couldn’t stop thinking about what I would’ve done differently. I had a million ideas for Macy’s wedding cake and nothing to do with them.
We’d spent hours tasting food and desserts by the time it wrapped up.
More and more of Macy’s family had trickled in and the quiet hum that had been the past week in the resort had turned into a louder, more hectic buzz.
Macy’s post-orgasm bliss faded before my eyes as she watched her family stumble in, out of the cold, shouting over the sounds of coats being shed at each other.
I loved Macy’s family, but they were chaotic. Which was why as soon as I could, I slipped away. There was an actual welcome dance that night and I wanted to look my best for the guys. For them, or at their expense, I wanted to look stunning.
Megan came with me, walking with me towards our rooms. “I’m so excited for the dance. I haven’t been to one since college.”
“I know. I was afraid the planner was losing it a little at first, but I’m so excited now. She was right.”
“Not about that hat, though.”
I giggled conspiratorially and stopped at my door. “At the risk of sounding like a teenager, have you already picked out your dress?”
Megan grabbed my hands and nodded. “I went a little dramatic. I don’t get to dress up very often, so I’m taking this chance to have my own Cinderella moment.”
“I spent three hundred dollars on a dress for tonight. Why? I have no clue. I’m an adult with bills, but when I heard dance and formal, I saw stars.”
After a few more minutes talking about our dresses, I slipped into my room while Megan left for hers. I closed the door and turned around, just to find Andrew sitting on my bed with a smile on his face. I jumped about a foot in the air and gasped.
“Oh, my god! What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me!” Grasping my chest, I walked towards him and into his arms without thinking. I hugged his head to my chest, wrapping my arms around his neck and groaning. “I think you just kicked five years off of my life.”
Andrew grabbed my hips and easily lifted me onto his lap. Once I was straddling him, he grinned up at me, all sunshine and happiness again. “Look at you.”
I stroked my hands through his hair and realized I’d never done that before. Doing it again, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. I was in such a good mood. “Look at me why?”
He tipped his head back, his lip caught between his teeth. “That feels good.”
I kissed him and smiled against his lips. “You’re in my room unexpected. To what do I owe this visit?”
“We’ll get there. Let’s go back to the part where you greeted me with a hug and a kiss.” He stroked his hands up and down my back. “I could get used to that.”
My heart fluttered, but I ignored it. “I want to get to the part where you broke and entered.”
“I have a key.”
I scoffed. “How?”
His grin was wicked. “I politely asked for one. That’s how.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Fine. I bribed a few people and spent some money, but it’s worth it.”
Laughing, I tugged at his hair. “I should go have my room key changed, just to mess with you.”
“You should know that I’m headstrong. I’d just keep bribing people.” He kissed my throat and groaned. “Sorry, I’m not here to get distracted. I brought you a gift. I wanted to be here when you got it.”
“You got me a gift?”
“I remembered you liked gifts.” He stood up and put me down on the bed. “In the closet.”
I hurried over to the closet and threw open the door. Inside hung the most beautiful red dress. Long, silk, and delicate looking with lace insets, it was stunning. I touched it and pulled it to my face, inhaling the expensive scent. My dress was immediately forgotten. “You bought me a dress?”
Andrew wrapped his arms around me from behind and made a noise of agreement. “I didn’t know if you had something already. If you do, you don’t have to wear this tonight. You can—”
“Are you kidding? If I fit in this, I’m never going to take it off. It’s so beautiful, Andrew. Thank you.” I looked down at saw a pair of expensive heels sitting below the dress. “You bought shoes, too?”
His hands idly stroked my stomach, slowly driving me insane. “I got excited to buy for you. I picked it all out myself.”
I pressed my hips back into his and let out a happy little breath. “You didn’t need to do this at all, but I’m not doing that thing where I pretend I don’t want it and push it back at you to not seem greedy. I’m greedy. I can’t wait to slip my feet into those.”
“Go ahead.”
I laughed and grabbed the shoes. I kicked my sandals off and stepped into the heels.
Six-inch stilettos in black with a sexy little strap at the ankle.
I bent over to do the buckle and then straightened.
Walking over to the mirror, I twisted back and forth and admired them. “These are amazing. Thank you so much.”
He walked up behind me again and lifted my hair off my neck. Pressing his lips there, he almost distracted me from the sensation of something cold slipping across my wrist.
I looked down in the mirror and saw that he was fastening a stunning diamond bracelet on my arm. I gaped at it, at the rows of diamonds and how beautiful it truly was. “Andrew...”
He turned me to face him and gently kissed me. “Be greedy. We owed you an apology, and I know this doesn’t make it all better, but I hope it shows you—”
I basically tackled him. I flung myself into his arms hard enough to knock him off balance, and we both went down. Andrew took the brunt of it, but judging by his laugh, he was fine. I kissed his lips, his chin, down his throat and back up to his lips. “I love it. I love it so much.”
He rolled us over and pinned me with a deep kiss. “Wear it tonight?”
I nodded. “I’ll wear it all.”
“I like spoiling you. You deserve it.” He kissed me again and then lifted us both. “Get ready. I have to go, unfortunately. I have to do the welcome-wagon bullshit for the family. Warren and Lucas are already there, and I’m sure they’re pissed that I’m not.”
I walked him towards the door and hugged him again. “Thank you.”
“I’ll see you soon. Save me a dance.”
My smile slipped slightly. “Do you think—”
“That it would be weird for a groomsman to dance with a bridesmaid? Not at all.” He pulled me in for one more kiss and then left.
I walked back to the closet and pulled the dress out.
I couldn’t wait to put it on. Laying it across the bed, I rushed into the bathroom to take another shower.
I wanted to be perfect when I put on the dress.
Shaving, shampooing, exfoliating, and then lotion preceded hair and makeup.
Then, finally, I stepped into the dress and held my breath before looking at myself in the mirror.
My heart might’ve stopped. The woman in front of me was sexy and confident. She was strong and in control. I wanted to be her. I stepped into the shoes quickly and buckled them. Then, going back to the mirror, I stared at my reflection again and let out a happy little sound.
The dress clung to my breasts, cutting low enough to be dangerous, and then trailed down to the floor.
There was a slit up the side that flashed my thigh when I moved, an extra detail that made me feel like I was everything and more.
The front had a cutout filled with delicate lace in the same shade of red.
Everything about it was so perfect. It fell on my body like it was made for me.
I couldn’t help spinning around in the mirror a few times.
I was in awe. My makeup was smoky and I’d pinned my curls up, but after looking at the dress, I pulled a few pieces down.
I looked like sex. My heart hammered at the idea of going to the dance and being in front of everyone, but I couldn’t not do it.
I’d never looked better, and I wanted to show Andrew, Warren, and Lucas.
The only hesitation I truly felt was the fact that I couldn’t wear underwear of any sort with the silky material.
Everything I tried on showed through. I was going to be braless and panty-less in a room full of Macy’s family.
After staring into the mirror for a while longer, I decided that I could get away with it.
The way the fabric moved against my body, there was a haze that didn’t allow the small details to show through.
Feeling like I was going to be walking into a feeding frenzy from the guys, I opened my door and walked straight into Mark.