Seduction - Chapter 21
Friday
“That’s what you’re wearing?” James asked, his eyes landing on my breasts.
Every day I had a harder time hiding my little baby bump.
So tonight I was embracing it. But I knew everyone else at this thing was going to be dressed sexy.
I knew I’d fit right in with my super low-cut dress and push-up bra.
I loved torturing my husband. “You don’t like it? ” I asked as I pulled on high heels.
He lowered his eyebrows. “Change. Now.”
I laughed.
“I’m serious, Penny.”
“I don’t fit in anything else. This dress is stretchy.”
“What about the dress you wore last weekend?”
I stared at him. “Exactly. I just wore it last weekend.”
He shook his head. “I’ll buy you a million stretchy dresses tomorrow.”
I loved when he was overprotective of me.
This jealous side of him made me want him all over again.
And we’d literally just had sex an hour ago.
I grabbed his face in my hands and tilted it down toward me.
“It’s just a silly bachelorette party. People do stuff at bachelorette parties they regret because they drink too much.
” I let go of his face and touched my stomach.
“I’m pregnant. So I won’t be partaking in that.
Which means you have nothing to worry about.
I’m the one that should be worried about you. ”
He smiled down at me. “Nothing could ever tempt me away from you.”
“Are there going to be strippers?”
He laughed. “Probably. It’s Rob.”
So true. If Rob went that over the top for the proposal and the bridal party-posal, he was definitely going to have strippers at his bachelor party. “See. I’m the one that should be nervous.”
“You don’t think there will be strippers at the bachelorette party too? You are adorably, na?ve, Penny.”
I laughed. “Daphne doesn’t seem like the stripper type.”
“Doesn’t Justin though?”
I pressed my lips together. He had a really good point there. “I still don’t know why Justin wanted to come to this. You’d think partying the night before the wedding would just make tomorrow more stressful. Aren’t there last-minute things he should be doing?”
“When I talked to Rob yesterday, he said everything was already set. They really pulled this shotgun wedding off.”
I laughed. “Daphne isn’t pregnant. They’re just in love.”
“Oh, she’s definitely pregnant.”
“No way. I’m winning that bet. Although…I said if you won that you’d have to use your charm to make her like me. And clearly she already likes me. So I get to change my terms.”
“I don’t know…”
I slapped his arm. “Yes I do. And I get to tell you what I want later, just like you do.”
“None of that matters. Because my soon-to-be sister-in-law is most definitely knocked up.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe so.” He pulled me in close. “I’m going to miss you tonight.”
I’m pretty sure the last night I spent alone without him was the night before our wedding a few months ago.
I’d had a little slumber party with my bridesmaids.
Daphne had so much fun at mine that she wanted to do it all over again.
So I wouldn’t get to sleep in my husband’s arms tonight.
“I’m going to miss you too. Maybe we can sneak away like we did the night before our wedding. ”
“Hmm…” he leaned down and placed a soft kiss against my lips. “Keep your phone on you. I’ll figure something out. But I have to get going…the limo is probably already downstairs.”
“You never told me what you planned for tonight,” I said as James pulled on his leather jacket. God, I loved that jacket. And I hated any woman who saw him in it tonight. He was droolworthy.
“That’s because I didn’t plan it.”
“But you’re the best man…”
“I know. But Justin called me and insisted he had the whole thing already planned out. He just said to get in the limo and the itinerary would be waiting for me.”
“Why the heck would Justin want to plan the bachelor party but attend the bachelorette party?”
James shrugged. “Because he likes male strippers.”
True . “Either way, it’s extra impressive that he was able to plan the wedding, the bachelor party, and the bachelorette party all in record time. I was a little worried since Alina isn’t as familiar with the city, but he took the bachelorette party right off her maid-of-honor plate.”
“That was nice of him.”
“Well, Justin is the best. Which is good. Since he’s throwing our baby shower.”
“He is?”
“Mhm. Part of my stellar negotiating skills that you’re mad jealous of.”
James laughed. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. “The limo is waiting. I’ll text you later if I can get away, okay?” He leaned down and kissed me. “And you should probably change,” he added before walking out of the bedroom.
I glanced at the clock. My friends would be here any minute. I didn’t have time to change. Besides, I was a bridesmaid tonight. And bridesmaids were supposed to dress like this. I walked over to the floor-length mirror. Hmm. Maybe it was a little too low-cut. I guess I could change real quick…
My phone started ringing.
Too late now.
***
I climbed into the limo. Justin was the only one inside so far. He downed his glass of champagne and then hugged me.
“Get ready for the night of your life!” he screamed.
Wow, he was already very drunk. “Shouldn’t you be saying that to Daphne?”
The limo pulled back into the NYC traffic.
“Penny.” He put his hand on his chest. “What do you take me for? Tonight will be each and every one of your favorite nights ever. I’m a party planner. And I’ve aced it. It’s the bachelorette party to end all bachelorette parties.”
I laughed. “Well, I can’t wait. What are we doing?”
“It’s a surprise, baby doll. Champagne?” He started pouring himself another glass.
“I’m pregnant.”
He laughed. “I thought you were allowed to drink a little on special occasions.”
“I’m not sure that’s a thing.”
“Well, darn. Don’t worry though. This will still be fun sober. I think. I don’t really know. It all came together last minute.”
“But you just said it was the bachelorette party to end all bachelorette parties.”
“Yeah. It should be. But there are so many moving pieces. And I had a whole bachelor party to plan too because James absolutely insisted on it.”
Did he though?
“And getting everyone super drunk was part of how I was pulling it all off. I’m running on empty. I have the biggest wedding of the season tomorrow and I haven’t slept in three days.”
“Justin…that’s…not good. Maybe you should take a nap?”
“Nonsense. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
I was starting to realize that Justin lived off of caffeine and champagne. And…stress. I didn’t know how he did it. I wanted a nap and I’d already taken one this afternoon.
We pulled to a stop in front of Bee’s place.
She was dressed just like I thought she’d be. A sparkly mini-dress with sky high heels. The kind of dress I would have 100% worn if I wasn’t pregnant.
She climbed into the limo. “Your tits look amazing,” she said to me. “And Justin, you look divine as always.”
Justin smiled. “I love you. You know that right? I’m obsessed. When do I get to plan your wedding to that handsome lover of yours?”
Bee laughed and plopped down on the seat between us. “I think we’ve had enough weddings this year. But I’ll keep you updated.”
“You better.” He handed her a glass of champagne.
“So what are we doing tonight?” Bee asked.
“It’s a surprise.” He tilted her drink up so that she’d have to take a sip. “Drink, drink, drink!”
Bee laughed.
If he was trying to get everyone shitfaced before we even arrived anywhere…I was starting to wonder if all Justin had planned was this limo ride.
Honestly that sounded kind of good to me.
The limo screeched to a stop at a red light.
I put my hand on my stomach. Sudden stops like that over the past few months had always made me nauseous.
But tonight…I felt fine. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I was really happy that I hadn’t had morning sickness all week.
It was like a wedding miracle. For a minute there, I’d been wondering how to hide a brown paper bag in a bouquet.
But now I had nothing to worry about. I hope.
The limo came to another stop in front of Daphne’s place. Two girls I didn’t recognize climbed into the limo.
“You must be Alina and Kristen,” I said and put out my hand. I didn’t know them, but I’d heard fun stories. Daphne had been friends with them in college. But I definitely didn’t know which one was which. Had Daphne said Kristen was the taller one?
And then it hit me. I’d been so consumed thinking about James, the baby, and the wedding, that I didn’t put it together that this was Kristen.
Kristen Kristen! Daphne’s friend that used to stalk my husband when they were all in college.
At least, that’s how James put it. He’d almost had to issue a restraining order against her.
And she’d been at James’ bachelor party at the Blue Parrot Resort too.
Where Rob and Daphne had met. Had she hit on my husband there too?
“It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Alina,” the blonde one said and shook my hand.
So that meant Kristen was the taller one with brown hair.
I thought about maybe saying something about Kristen’s silly crush from ages ago.
To just laugh off the whole situation right away so nothing would be awkward.
But maybe it was better if they didn’t know that I knew.
Right? I put out my hand for Kristen. “Nice to meet you.” Yup, this was a better way to handle it. Just pretend I didn’t know her.
Kristen high-fived me instead of shaking my hand. “Thank you so much, all of you, for helping our girl out like this at the last minute.”
“Speaking of our girl…where is Daphne?” Justin asked. “We’re already running late!”
Someone needed to take away his champagne.
Kristen laughed. “You know Daphne…she was having trouble deciding on an outfit.”
“I thought she only had trouble deciding on menu items,” Justin said.