Chapter 20
“How much longer is this bachelorette party going to last?” Ramzi asked, his voice low and just slightly impatient.
Tabitha leaned to the side, peeking past his shoulder toward the couple cuddled up in a booth near the back of the bar. She smirked. “I think the bachelorette party ended the moment you and John walked in.”
Ramzi turned slightly, just enough to catch sight of Stacy curled up next to John, her attention fixed solely on her fiancé. Around the bar, the rest of the bridal party had splintered off—some dancing, others chatting in little groups, the mood winding down.
Stacy approached just then, smiling brightly as she pulled Tabitha into a hug. “We’re heading out,” she said, lacing her fingers with John’s like it was the most natural thing in the world. “See you bright and early tomorrow?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Tabitha replied with a warm laugh, hugging her best friend tightly.
“I know you didn’t want to be in the bridal party,” Stacy added, her voice a bit more serious, “but I want you with me when I’m getting ready. Okay?”
Tabitha softened. “Of course. I’ll be there.”
“Be good tonight,” Stacy called over her shoulder, already being tugged away by John.
“I won’t!” Tabitha shouted back, laughing.
As the door closed behind the couple, Ramzi shifted closer, his presence sending a spark up her spine. “You’re coming back to my hotel with me, right?” he asked, voice dipped in that deep, gravelly tone that made her knees feel unreliable.
Tabitha hesitated, tilting her head as her practical side warred with the thrill in her chest. “I can’t go in through the front door,” she said at last, biting back a smile. “Ms. Weatherby would be scandalized.”
“Ms. Weatherby?” he asked with mock curiosity.
“She owns the quaint little bed and breakfast where you're staying,” Tabitha explained, adopting an exaggeratedly proper tone. “She likes to sit in the front pew on Sundays and judge everyone’s sins during the sermon.”
Ramzi leaned in, brushing her hair back as he whispered into her ear, “Ms. Weatherby spikes her morning coffee with whiskey and smokes pot out back after sunset when she thinks no one’s watching.”
Tabitha burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth. “No way!”
“Way,” he replied, his expression absolutely deadpan as he nodded. “My security knows everything. They even have photos.”
Her eyes widened. “What else do they know?”
He grinned, pulling her close so she could feel the heat of his body. “If you want to find out,” he murmured, “you’ll have to come back with me.”
For one electrified moment, they just stared at each other. The noise of the bar faded, the warmth of his hand around hers pulsing like a heartbeat.
Then she made her decision.
“Let’s go,” she whispered, her voice barely audible—but full of intent.
She didn’t bother finishing her beer or saying goodbye. She simply laced her fingers through his and led him out the door, never once looking back.