Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
ALEC
“What’s going on?” I demanded as I reached Tally and Coral.
I’d been disappointed upon waking alone.
I’d wanted to make love to my new girlfriend.
Based on the fact she was sitting there with a yoga mat, she’d come out to exercise and think, and that lessened my irritation.
I could understand the need for space to work things through.
What I didn’t understand was the cheating bitch keeping her company.
Tally met my gaze. Her eyes were dry and she didn’t seem upset, which was something, at least. “Coral is apologizing.”
I narrowed my eyes at Coral. I could tell she was doing her best to appear adorable and harmless. Too bad for her I wasn’t like Thad; a pair of sad eyes did nothing for me if they were set in any face that didn’t belong to Tally.
“Just leave us alone.” I crossed my arms. “You’ve done enough to hurt Tally already. Surely it isn’t too much to ask for you to have the decency to keep your distance.”
Splotches of red blossomed on Coral’s face and she staggered to her feet and hurried away without another word.
“You didn’t have to be that rude.” Tally pushed herself upright and dusted sand off her hands. “Yes, I’m angry, and yes, she hurt me, but at least she’s trying to mend bridges.”
I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing. “There’s no fixing this. She fucked up, and now she has to live with it.”
Something regretful flashed in Tally’s eyes and she sighed. “I know, but it’s nice that she cares, even if it’s too little too late.”
“Just don’t let her walk all over you.” I unfolded my arms, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Now, do you mind telling me why you weren’t in my bed when I woke up?”
She studied her bare feet, which suddenly seemed to fascinate her. “I had to clear my mind.”
Even though I’d realized this, a hint of panic clawed at my insides.
“Are you having second thoughts?” I asked.
“What?” Her startled gaze met mine. “No. But everything happened so fast yesterday, and it was good—really good—but a little overwhelming.”
The clawing panic receded. I took her hand, raised it to my lips, and kissed the back of it.
“You still want to be with me?” I needed to hear the words.
“Yes.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist. “You make me happy.”
My heart skipped. “You make me happy too, cocobug.” I kissed her forehead. “Now, do you want to finish your routine?”
I’d happily sit and watch her or jog down the beach until she was done.
She shook her head. “No. I needed a little clarity, and I got it. Would you like some breakfast?”
“That sounds great.”
Kneeling, she rolled up the yoga mat and tucked it under her arm. “Come on then. I’ll get rid of this and we can visit the buffet.”
We started along the beach together. Birds cheeped from the trees and the waves whispered over the sand. The air was warm but not hot enough to be unpleasant, and the clear sky indicated it was going to be a beautiful day.
I reclaimed her free hand and intertwined our fingers. The wind stirred her hair, carrying the familiar scent of fruit—along with a hint of sex—toward me.
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect moment.
If I’d ever harbored even a sliver of doubt that Tally was the woman for me, it vanished as we strolled side-by-side along the sand and onto the path to the resort.
She was meant for me.
We passed by the shed and Tally returned the yoga mat, then we continued on to the waterfront restaurant, where the breakfast buffet was being served.
There were more people around than there had been the last couple of days, perhaps guests who’d arrived last minute for the wedding later this morning.
There was a small, two-person table in the corner near the restrooms. It wasn’t as pretty or romantic as the other spots, but it might be the only choice we had.
I gestured toward it. “I’ll save that table. You get food first.”
“Sure.”
I headed for the table and sat facing into the room. It wasn’t long before Tally appeared, her plate stacked with pastries, fresh fruit, and yoghurt. A cup of creamy-colored coffee was clasped in her other hand. She placed her plate and cup down and sank onto the other chair.
I went to put together a breakfast plate for myself.
There were a lot of tempting options, but I was supposed to be behaving, so I served myself eggs on whole wheat toast with a side of granola and Greek yoghurt.
Plenty of protein and a few complex carbohydrates.
Nowhere near as delicious as Tally’s fruit Danishes, but it’d have to do.
I poured a plain black coffee and rejoined Tally.
We didn’t talk much while we ate, although our gazes caught several times.
Once, I winked at her and the sweetest blush swept across her cheeks.
Another time, she smiled at me like I’d made her whole day just by existing, and my chest swelled with pride.
By the time we returned to our room, there was nothing I wanted more than to gather her in my arms and spend another day getting to know her in ways I’d never dreamed of.
Unfortunately, we had a wedding ceremony to prepare for.
That said, it wasn’t for an hour yet, and it would take me five minutes to put my suit on. Maybe ten if I attempted to style my hair too, although it was so short, there was hardly anything I could do with it.
I settled on the bed and surfed the channels on the TV until I found one showing the NHL’s All Stars weekend. I hadn’t been invited this year, but I had a feeling it was close. Hopefully next year would be my time. Dad had gone to All Stars on several occasions, and Uncle Wayne had once.
I’d get there too.
While I watched the TV, Tally retreated into the bathroom. The hum of the shower came through the door and a little later, it stopped again.
Time passed quickly and when she emerged forty minutes later, her face was fully made up and her hair was loosely curled and shone in the light filtering through the partially obscured window.
Her lips were even pinker than usual, her eyes bluer, and all of her features just seemed a little more.
Not to mention the fact she was naked with every one of her mouthwatering curves on display and that tempting spot between her thighs making me want to reconsider whether we actually needed to attend this wedding.
“You look amazing.” In fact, I had no idea how I was supposed to keep my hands off her.
“Thanks.” She grinned, pleased, and opened the closet where she’d hung some of her clothing earlier in the week. My gaze traveled down the slope of her back and over her ass, which jiggled enticingly each time she moved.
She pulled out the blue dress and laid it on the bed, then grabbed underwear, the white strappy sandals, the silver pendant necklace, and the white purse to go with the outfit.
I muted the TV, far more interested in the show she was putting on. She slid on a pair of panties and a strapless bra, then stepped into the dress and shimmied it up over her hips.
She turned. “Can you zip this up please?”
I leapt to my feet and rushed over. My fingers trembled as I clumsily took hold of the zipper and drew up the tab to the top, hiding the luminous skin of her back.
She passed me the necklace. “This too.”
The delicate clasp was small and I had to close my eyes and count to five to calm myself before sliding the necklace around her neck and fastening it.
Satisfaction pulsed through me. There was just something about dressing Tally in things I’d bought for her that really brought out my caveman impulses. I trailed my hands down her waist and rested them on her hips, taking a moment to kiss the side of her neck.
“Stunning,” I murmured.
She twisted toward me and pressed her lips to mine. Hers were slightly sticky and tasted of strawberries. I groaned deep in my chest and rested my hand around the base of her throat. She pulled away and blinked slowly, her eyes a little dazed.
“You’re going to smudge my makeup.” She didn’t sound too bothered by that.
I nuzzled the crook of her shoulder. “You’ll still be the sexiest woman here without it.”
Laughing, she pushed me away. “It isn’t long until the ceremony starts. We need to be ready.”
I huffed, knowing she was right. “Fine.”
Willing my libido to calm down, I found my suit and put it on, pleased with how the shade of blue complemented Tally’s dress. She’d donned her sandals and, based on the shininess of her lips, she must have reapplied whatever she’d had on before I kissed her.
I ducked into the bathroom to check my reflection and, once I was certain I was someone Tally could be proud to be with, I stuffed the key card and my phone into my pocket and held the door open for her.
“Mom asked if we could meet them in their room before we go down,” Tally said, tapping away at her phone.
“Are they ready?” I asked.
She nodded.
We headed to their room, where Mrs. Dufresne cooed over how gorgeous Tally looked. Her father didn’t say much, beyond remarking the dress suited her, but the paternal gleam in his eyes gave away far more than his words did.
The ceremony was being held on the beach, so we made our way through the resort and around the corner. About half the chairs were occupied and a handful of wedding guests hovered nearby, chatting in groups.
Chris stood with his groomsmen just in front of an arch draped with translucent white curtains.
Thick bouquets of white flowers in sturdy vases lined the aisle.
Chris was dressed all in white, while the groomsmen wore a shade that was almost pinkish but with brown undertones.
The color probably had some fancy name I’d never guess.
We sat in the back row and discussed our travel plans for tomorrow until the seats had filled and a celebrant stood in the front and asked us to rise.
Music played from hidden speakers and Shanna appeared on the edge of the beach, wearing a long dress the same pink-brown color as the groomsmens’ outfits.
Coral followed behind her, and once they stood in place, Lake glided along the sand, arm in arm with her father, her dress almost blindingly white in the sun with a long veil trailing in her wake.
Lake and her father reached the end of the aisle and she joined Chris and the rest of the wedding party while he sat with his wife. The celebrant instructed us to sit, and the ceremony began.
I didn’t pay much attention to what was being said as they recited their vows. Instead, I took Tally’s hand in mine and envisioned our future.
I could imagine doing this with her one day. Our ceremony would be quieter. I’d have Keysha prepare the most extravagant chocolate creation that Tally had ever seen. We’d exchange rings, kiss, and dance the night away.
There was a pang in my chest. I wanted that future. Badly.
When the ceremony ended, we waited our turn to congratulate Lake and Chris and then wound through the crowd to the makeshift bar while the photographer began ordering people around.
I asked for a glass of champagne for Tally and a sugar-free Coke for myself.
We wandered a little farther away, near a cluster of palm trees, and sipped our drinks as we watched the happy couple pose for one photo after another.
“Hey.”
I snapped around. Thad stood behind a tree nearby, dressed in board shorts and a T-shirt.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, recalling that Tally had said Coral had kicked him out.
He grinned sharkishly. “Oh, I just wondered whether you enjoyed your treats from the bakery yesterday. Neither of you finished eating, so I thought, perhaps you prefer fake, processed junk to high-quality baked goods.”
Beside me, Tally sucked in a sharp breath. She’d noticed the emphasis on the word “fake,” just as I had.
My brain worked quickly, flipping through yesterday’s events and reminding me that we’d been at the bakery when I’d told her I wanted to try a real relationship with her. Had he been there? And had I explicitly said that what we’d had so far was fake?
I couldn’t remember seeing him, but I’d been completely preoccupied by her. I couldn’t recall my exact wording either.
“What do you want?” Tally demanded, a tremor in her voice. “Why won’t you leave me alone? You’re the one who cheated on me. I don’t get why you won’t just go away.”
Thad’s expression darkened. “Because you ruined what I had with Coral, and I want you to make it right.”
“I didn’t ruin anything.” I stepped toward him, wanting more than ever to plant my fist right between his eyes. “You’re the cheating asshole out of the three of us. So fuck off.”
Thad rolled his eyes and walked away, but I had a sinking feeling that he wouldn’t stay gone for long.
“He knows.” Tally buried her face in my chest and whimpered. “Alec, he knows.”
“He can’t prove anything,” I assured her, really fucking hoping that was true. “He just wants to scare you.”
“Well, he succeeded.” She sniffled. “Do you think anyone heard?”
I looked around but no one seemed to be paying us any attention. “I don’t think so. Come on, why don’t we get out of here? I’d love to strip you out of that dress.”