Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Chris stepped into the hotel’s second-floor bar and scanned the crowd already gathered.
She recognized a few of Cass’s and Stefan’s friends and his family.
Her mom, Lorna, chatted with the groom-to-be’s parents, John and Stina Lundquist, at one of the tables.
She’d arrived at the hotel yesterday to help the bride and groom with last-minute details.
Chris and Cass’s father, Hugh, had died of a heart attack at the age of thirty-nine, and she’d never remarried.
Although she dated a few men after her daughters were grown, none of them had lasted long.
She always said that Hugh was the love of her life.
No other man could ever compare, and she refused to settle for anything less.
Chris regretted not following her mother’s philosophy—she’d accepted less than she deserved and paid for it with years of unhappiness.
It wasn’t love that kept her with Randy—it was fear.
Fear of being alone. Of starting over. Therapy had forced her to face that truth, raw and uncomfortable as it was.
She came to understand that being respected should be the baseline of a relationship—not a bonus.
If that meant being alone until the right man came along, then so be it.
She’d learned the hard way—solitude was better than surrendering her worth.
She spotted Cass and Alyssa Hawthorne standing beside a high-top table and headed for them.
Alyssa was in her early twenties and attended nursing school with Cass.
She was also the adopted sister of Boomer Michaels, one of the original Trident Security guys.
Chris didn’t know the full story, only that Boomer’s parents took Alyssa in at seventeen after her parents died and later officially adopted her, even though she was already an adult.
Chris had met her a few times in Tampa and genuinely liked her.
“Christine, I love that dress! Oh, my God! It looks fantastic on you,” Alyssa gushed.
“I swear,” Cass said, “Chris would look fantastic in a burlap sack.”
“That’s because I take after my gorgeous older sister.
” She kissed Cass’s cheek, gave Alyssa a quick hug, and then gestured to the dress they were admiring.
The white, sleeveless sheath dress, dotted with a playful cherry print, featured a sweetheart neckline and clung to her in all the right places, highlighting her generous curves.
The hem stopped just above her knees, and she paired it with red heels and a ruby necklace and earrings.
“Believe it or not, I found it in a thrift store and thought it would be perfect for this weekend.”
“It’s adorable. I love the print.” Cass winked at her. “I may have to borrow it sometime after you move to Tampa.”
Alyssa’s eyes widened. “You’re moving to Tampa? Really?”
She held up a hand in a slow-down gesture.
“It’s not definite yet. I’ll need to get my Florida real estate license first, since Massachusetts doesn’t have reciprocity.
That means I have to apply for a waiver.
If they approve it, I just have to pass the Florida exam.
If they don’t, then I have to retake a few classes before taking the exam, which is a pain in the butt.
The good thing is that my agency has an office in Tampa and another in St. Petersburg, so I can transfer to one of them. ”
“What about your mom? Is she going to move too?”
Cass nodded. “She said if Chris moves, she will too.” She wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulders and gave her a side hug. “It’ll be great to have my whole family down there soon.”
“This isn’t happening overnight,” she reminded Cass.
“Even if all goes well, it will still be at least six months before we move. Mom and I both want our own apartments down there, and we have a lot of downsizing and packing to do.” When Chris finally filed for divorce, she initially stayed with a friend, but then moved back into her childhood home with her mother while taking her real estate license classes.
“But first, I have to find out if I can get the waiver or not. I’m filling out the paperwork and sending it in next week.
I was too excited about the wedding to concentrate on anything else. ”
Her sister said something in response, but Chris missed every word.
Her eyes had suddenly locked onto Josh as he strode toward her, and her brain promptly short-circuited.
She could only hope she didn’t look like a cartoon character—eyes bulging, jaw slack, and imaginary drool hitting the floor.
Looking even more handsome than when she had met him earlier, he wore black dress pants and a maroon polo shirt that hugged his torso, showcasing his fine physique.
But what really caught her attention was the alpha confidence in his stride and posture, and how he didn’t seem to notice anyone else in the room but her.
“I see you finally met Josh,” Cass whispered in her ear. “Go for it—he’s a great guy. Good luck!”
“Huh?” She forced herself to look away from the drop-dead gorgeous man just in time to catch Cass and Alyssa give her knowing grins as they scurried off, leaving her standing there alone. She shook her head at them before returning her attention to Josh, who stopped in front of her.
“Hi,” he said, his eyes sweeping over her slowly from head to toe and back again, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. “You look stunning.”
Her gaze dropped to his sculpted chest as she felt a blush bloom across her cheeks. Butterflies stirred in her stomach. It had been a long time since a man sparked this kind of nervous yet excited energy—and if she was honest, maybe no one ever had. Not even Randy. “Thanks.”
He placed two fingertips under her chin and lifted until their eyes met. “Did my compliment embarrass you? Hard to believe a woman as beautiful as you doesn’t hear that from men all the time.”
Her heart raced. “No! I mean, I’m not embarrassed, just a bit.
..um...flustered, I guess.” And she had no clue why.
What was it about this man that made the air crackle around them?
They’d only spoken for about ten minutes earlier, yet since then, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.
More than that, she felt something new and unexpected stirring deep inside her—a connection she couldn’t explain but didn’t want to ignore.
“I do get compliments, but most of the time, I’m not interested in the men giving them. ”
His smile grew, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Does that mean you’re interested in me? Because, if so, I’ll honestly admit the feeling is mutual.”
“Good. That’s good, because I...uh...I’m definitely interested.” Her neck and ears flushed with warmth as her blush spread.
Josh stared intensely at her for a few moments—which made her panties wet—before dropping his hand. “As much as I would like to kiss you and sweep you off your feet right now, I think I should get you that drink I promised. C’mon.”
He took her hand and led her to the bar where he ordered a Woo Woo cocktail, after double-checking that’s what she wanted, and a beer for himself.
While he spoke to the bartender, Chris nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced around.
Stefan stood a short distance away, talking to the Sawyer brothers, Ian and Devon, and he caught her eye.
His gaze shifted from her to Josh’s back and then to her again.
He smiled and gave a single nod, as if silently signaling that if she and Josh ended up together, they’d have his blessing.
In addition to being her future husband, Stefan was also Cass’s Dom in the BDSM lifestyle.
After learning about that during a visit to Tampa, Chris educated herself on the dynamics of their relationship, wanting to ensure it was a healthy one for her sister.
She sensed that Stefan’s approval of her and Josh possibly hooking up was meant more to protect her than his friend.
Since Stefan already treated her like a sister, she was confident he genuinely had her best interests at heart.
She mouthed, “Thanks,” to him before turning back to Josh to find him watching her.
He shot a quick look at Stefan over his shoulder, then flashed her a grin. “So, did I get the green light?”
Her nervousness didn’t vanish completely, but its grip loosened—just enough for that long-buried, flirtier version of herself to resurface.
She hadn’t let her guard down like this in ages, and she wasn’t sure what surprised her more—that she wanted to, or that it felt incredible.
She smirked, tilting her head. “Are you asking because you care… or because you're scared of him?”
He shot her a sly grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he chuckled softly.
“Oh, definitely scared—but don’t tell him I said that,” he teased, clearly enjoying their banter.
He handed her the mixed drink the bartender had set down and then tapped his beer bottle against her glass in a silent toast. After they both took a sip, he gestured to an unoccupied high-top table. “Shall we sit?”
Nodding, she led the way, her heart skipping a beat when he smoothly pulled out the chair for her.
It was a simple gesture—nothing flashy—but it caught her off guard.
The kind of thoughtful move that felt rare, especially from someone she barely knew.
And somehow, that made it seem even more meaningful. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He took the seat beside her.
Feeling as if something special was building between them, she said, “I have to be honest—I’m not used to this.”
His brow furrowed. “Used to what?”