Chapter 14
JILL
True to his word, I’m standing between both of my soon-to-be brother-in-law’s sisters with wet panties.
It’s not exactly my arousal that has the lace thong plastered to my pussy, but rather the obscene amount of cum that’s been soaking into it since the moment I slipped them on earlier.
It’s impossible not to look out at the cluster of family and friends watching as my sister reads her vows to her fiancé and search for him.
Amongst the smiling, crying faces, there he is, staring boldly at me while I blush, smiling softly.
My sister’s bouquet is heavy in my hands, full of the most perfect sunflowers that I’ve ever seen. I think if I were to get married, I’d choose the same. They’re timeless, and considering that’s what a marriage is supposed to be, they seem like a good choice.
Marriage . . . oof. Kate was always going to be the first to snag herself a husband.
Not only is she three years older than I am, but she and Vince are high school sweethearts.
She didn’t have to date around to find the one; rather, he got dumped in her lap.
Literally. He tripped over the leg of her desk and actually collapsed into her lap in the tenth grade.
Lucky girl.
Myself, on the other hand, I’ve kissed quite a few frogs. Toads, more like.
After James, I decided to let loose a bit.
I indulged in several one-night stands and entertained a few too many eager men who offered to buy me dinners and smother me with cheap supermarket flowers.
But hey, one of the only benefits of being a woman is accepting free fancy dinners for the sake of enjoying a night out.
Sometimes they led to a second shot, or others, I said goodbye and deleted their number after.
I wasn’t a serial dater, but I won’t lie and say I didn’t spend quite a few nights a week out with different men.
I’m only twenty-five. The last few years have been my time to explore and learn what I do and don’t want when it comes to the opposite sex.
Obviously, a lot of good all of that exploration did.
After everything I did, I wound up here, with a man who’s been here from nearly the beginning of my fruitless dating journey.
I tighten my grip on the flower stems and roll a finger around the bow around the centre of them. Grayson hasn’t taken his eyes off me, and that realization has shivers rolling up and down my body. The sun is hot above us, but my skin is goosebumped, my hairs standing up.
There are still questions I have about us and what we’re going to do next.
Like if we’re going to wait to tell the office, and if that includes secrecy from Ivy.
My best friend is going to be able to notice something’s different immediately.
I don’t think I’ll want to lie to her if she figures it out on her own.
The rest of the office can wait if that’s what he thinks would be best. I know there isn’t any weird power exchange between us, but that doesn’t mean Grayson’s boss won’t.
He’s high up on the Snowbell Ridge town office food chain, but he doesn’t make the rules.
Not that I think there’s some intense “do not date your employee” rule written in a big dusty book.
I wouldn’t care if there were.
I’m starting to realize that I’m pretty crazy about this guy. Much more than I could have anticipated a week ago.
“You may now kiss the bride,” the minister announces.
I turn to face my sister and her husband and begin to clap. The guests rise and cheer, and Vince’s niece runs down the aisle, throwing flower petals into the air. My laugh is instant, real, true happiness expanding in my chest until I’m worried I’ll start to float.
It’s a mix of a bunch of things that have me feeling this way, but as I take a step down from the altar and spin on one heeled foot, the deep brown eyes waiting for me belong to the main culprit.
I only wait until my sister and Vince have made it halfway down the aisle before I rush toward Grayson. He’s there, ready to catch me the moment I reach him. Strong arms curl around my middle and lift before we’re spinning, my feet kicking up behind me.
Neither of us speaks. Once our lips meet, there’s no need.
“I like when you wear these,” I murmur, tipping my head back and tapping the arm of Grayson’s glasses.
“Mm, so that’s why you insisted I wear them today?”
My lips quirk as I run my hand up his back and continue swaying to the music playing around us. “Obviously.”
The dance floor has been busy since the DJ announced that it was open to everyone but has thinned a bit.
My sister’s currently off to the side of the ballroom, eating the cake she and Vince took turns smashing into each other’s faces.
It made for a great photo moment, and honestly, it was just nice to see her so blissfully happy.
She deserves it. My sister has always been my protector, and I can’t help but feel guilty that I’ve let such a great distance grow between us. It wasn’t on purpose. Life is just . . . not always easy to navigate, especially when we share the parents we do.
As if reading my mind, Grayson sweeps my hair over my shoulder and nods toward the cake table. “Do you want to go talk to her?”
“Today isn’t about me or us. She’s happy. I want it to stay that way.”
“You care fiercely about those you love, sweetheart.”
“Not enough sometimes. I shouldn’t have let Vince’s sisters weasel their way into my spot.”
It’s bitter, but fuck it. That’s the truth.
The stem of my frustration. While I’ve let us drift apart, his sisters have taken my absence as an invitation.
The realistic part of my brain knows that it wasn’t vindictive, but the other hates that someone else thinks they can take my place in her life, regardless of how often I left it vacant.
His lips brush my temple as he spins us, our bodies completely in sync. “They might be her extended family, but you’re blood. As long as you put the effort in, there’s no beating that bond.”
“I know,” I agree heavily. “I just don’t want to put a damper on her wedding with apologies.”
“You don’t have to. It can wait, Jill. I’m sure having you here has done wonders. You two had quite the giggle fest earlier.”
I smile, nodding as I think back to the family photos we took before the reception started.
It was just a stupid, dirty joke about all of the wood we were surrounded by in the forest, but that was all it took to have me and Kate folding over ourselves, howling in laughter.
One minute, we were posing for a photo, and the next, I was collapsing against the trunk of a tree while she grabbed my arms, her own knees shaking.
It had been years since we’d laughed like that, and I’ll admit that I’ve been riding that high ever since.
“It felt like we were kids again,” I admit, resting my cheek against Grayson’s dress shirt. “When’s the last time you saw your sister?”
“A few weeks ago. There was no giggling between us, though.”
“Dang, that’s a shame.”
His chuckle gets lost in my hair. He holds me close, cupping my waist possessively. “Your mom is coming over here.”
“What?” I stiffen.
“She’s smiling.”
I pull back and arch a brow up at him, avoiding looking behind me. “Is it a nice smile or one that should have us making a beeline out the door?”
“It’s not unpleasant.”
“Gee, that’s descriptive.” I snort and reach up to kiss his cheek. “I’ll go talk to her, then—”
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I just need to steal my daughter for a moment, Grayson,” Mom drawls.
I twist in the arms that haven’t released me yet and meet Mom’s gaze. He was right about her not looking entirely unpleasant. There isn’t a beaming smile on her face or anything, but she isn’t scowling.
“Yeah, sure,” I say.
It takes an insane amount of effort to pry myself out of Grayson’s arms, but once I’m able to move again, I leave him with a brush of fingers up his arm. Mom starts toward the cleared buffet table and then takes my hand.
“I’m sorry for insisting that James attend the wedding. It wasn’t my place.”
I pause, letting that sink in. Mom flushes as I stay silent, her weathered hands smoothing the front of her pretty dress. Clearly, she’s feeling embarrassed, although I’m confused why. She’s not one to admit her faults easily, let alone like this.
“Well . . . thank you,” I reply, swallowing.
“I don’t want this to have damaged our relationship.
Your sister brought up some excellent points to me after brunch this morning that I should have thought about prior to forcing that man on you.
It was never my intention to make you uncomfortable or to feel like your decisions didn’t matter to me. ”
My mind focuses on one specific point. “You talked to Kate about this?”
“Yes. She is your big sister, Jillian. When I fail to think about what’s best for you, she doesn’t. We both love you very much, even if I don’t always show it in the best way.”
“I appreciate that, Mom. James just—he wasn’t—”
“The one. Yes, I know. I’ve pieced that together now. Your boyfriend made that very clear to us all when he had him leave this morning.”
I tongue my cheek before saying, “You heard about that?”
“Oh, yes. James wasn’t particularly quiet when he left. Again, that was an oversight on my part. He always was the worst kind of ass kisser.”
“Mom!” I choke, pressing the back of my hand to my lips.
She rolls her eyes. “What? I do know my fair share of swear words.”
“Yes, but you never use them. Like ever.”
“They slip out when the situation calls for one. Don’t fixate on it, Jill,” she blusters, waving it off.
Kate’s voice joins us, making my grin spread. “What are you doing over here? You’re gossiping, I can tell.”
“Mom’s started swearing like a sailor.”
“No I have not!” Mom argues.
“You’re having far too much fun not to include me. Tell me that we’re gossiping about Jill’s boyfriend. He’s been watching you two since you stole her away, Mom.”
I immediately search for him. He’s not in the spot I left him, but has wandered to the bar. There’s a glass of amber liquid in his hand that he takes a slow sip of. The slight curl of his lip over the rim gives him away. He has been watching.
“I like him, Jillian,” Mom declares in her no-bullshit tone.
Kate pulls me in for a side hug. “So do I. He’s very mature.”
“You’ve hardly even spoken to him,” I tell the both of them.
“Well, is your sister wrong?”
“No.”
“If you’re planning on keeping him around for a while, I’ll have plenty of time to talk to him. Maybe he could join you the next time you come for supper. I’m sure Vince would love the chance to have a guy around,” Kate suggests, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
I nod, leaning into her embrace. “I’d like that.”
“What about Easter? We need to start planning, girls. I have another mouth to feed now, after all. Surely, Grayson can come, Jill?” Mom asks, her mind already running laps.
She’s still speaking when I look back over at him. Still leaning against the bar, he lifts a brow and holds my stare. I nod, answering a question he didn’t have to speak aloud.
Yes, I’m okay. More than.