Chapter 7
LAYNE
I’m learning a lot this weekend about reading people and working on an assignment.
But learning how to control my lust around Mack is unbelievably difficult. The way I feel in his arms is so confusing I’d need a month and four notebooks to sort it all out.
Brunch is mostly uneventful. There's a series of family toasts, plus plenty of jokes about everyone seeing the bride before the ceremony, but that’s fine because “they're not traditional”.
It’s a bit hard not to snort at that. Everything about this family wedding is incredibly traditional.
The light pink and white flowers, buttercream ribbons, and crystal candle holders.
White tablecloths and bridesmaids wearing pink barrettes in their hair that match the flowers.
Gentlemen in light gray jackets over crisp white shirts, that strange business casual look that just works for brunch.
It's all very beautiful and stylish, and thankfully there are no surprises.
The bride and groom disappear as soon as brunch is over, so they can get ready and have some photos taken. The rest of the family mingles for another hour, killing time until we need to go change.
I sip my second cup of decaf, listening as Mack speaks with one of the uncles about the latest investment trends. His large, warm palm settles on my thigh now and then, stroking my leg for a moment, reigniting the heat across my chest and through my lower hips.
That moment we shared on the hotel room bed is burned into my mind. I can’t stop thinking about it. I want more of him.
I want…everything.
And who better for a woman’s first time than a man who already seems to know exactly what her body wants?
I survey the other women in the room in an effort to hold myself together and keep my cheeks from flaming.
It's wonderful to be dressed as nicely as everyone around me for once in my life.
From my glossy rich hair to the heavy ring on my finger, I feel…
upgraded. Still myself, just the classiest, most polished version of myself.
I know for a fact that Mack would not have spent this much money on a male security guard. I see the invoices that come for specific outfits for staff to blend into an event, or replacements for anything that gets destroyed in the field. But a whole new makeup kit?
Mack has been spoiling me since the moment he laid eyes on me. It's a wild feeling, knowing that he appeared to be into me from the moment he sat in my booth at the diner. Before he even knew me.
My brain sputters. Logically, I know that attraction is usually visual first, then emotional. I just hope he thinks of me…or can come to think of me…as the entire package.
My gaze drifts around the room. Not one of these nice people looks like a thief. Especially not one who would steal from family. That's insane.
Oh! Maybe that's it. Who has the potential to be a bit crazy?
I survey the room methodically. There are couples arguing but putting on a bright face whenever anyone else comes by their table. Other couples ignoring each other. Bridesmaids and groomsmen flirting shamelessly, but that’s almost to be expected.
There's one couple in particular that catches my eye, where an older woman is glaring at her husband.
She has close-set eyes and gray hair pulled back in a severe bun.
He is a bit loud, wearing a beige plaid shirt, and looks a little drunk even though it's barely past noon.
If I recall correctly, that's Ron's uncle Neil and aunt Lenore.
She sneaks a quick look around, then wraps some cookies in a napkin and stuffs them into her huge purse. Neil doesn't notice, yammering at length to the man beside him.
"Be right back," I murmur to Mack, heading straight for the bar. Most people are only drinking coffee and tea, but some are enjoying mimosas.
Luckily, Caleb, the same bartender as last night, is working. "Hello again," he says warmly. "Did you want a glass of your special wine?"
I lean in, keeping my voice low. “Plaid shirt guy."
He glances over. "Yeah, I think someone called him Neil a few minutes ago."
“Does he seem loaded to you?"
Caleb smirks. "I saw how hard he went last night. So like you said, I started cutting his booze right away this morning."
He nods to a row of bottles beside him, each with a gold star sticker. "For some of the guests who’ve had a bit much, I'm telling them it's the premium champagne. Actually, it's one-third regular, two-thirds of your…" his eyebrow raises. "Special stuff."
“Fabulous.” I look back to see Mack’s eyes locked on me with a hunger that sends a shiver through me. Swallowing hard, I turn back to Caleb. “So how much has he had?"
He looks over at the row of glasses on the table in front of Neil. "All in, over the past two hours, probably two glasses of actual wine."
"Really? He seems kind of…" I see-saw my hand back and forth.
"Yeah. I see that a lot. People walk into a bar and barely have two sips of a drink, but start acting drunk because they're around their friends who are loaded."
I grin, giving him a thumbs up. "Thank you. We really appreciate this."
I get back to Mack just as the investment guys are leaving. His arm immediately wraps around me. "Is everything okay, gorgeous?"
"Yes. Neil is acting a bit boisterous, but it's fake drunk."
Mack nods. "I've seen it before. That's perfect, actually. It means people aren’t noticing the fake booze."
“His wife is stealing cookies, though, which is weird."
He laughs. "I've seen that many times as well. Hoarding behavior at hotels, anywhere with free food. Maybe they're on a budget and can't afford the good cookies at home."
I don't mention that it wasn't just the food itself, it was the way she was hiding it from her husband that I found odd.
We chat a bit about the rest of the guests, then leave just before it might look strange that we're the last people in the room. A quick stroll around the hotel lobby and grounds shows nothing out of order.
"If there's no theft, is Ron going to be annoyed that he hired us?" I ask as we get into the elevator.
"Nah." Mack pokes the button, then runs a hand through his thick hair. “He’ll just be relieved that everything went smoothly."
"Good."
As we exit the elevator and walk toward our room, I realize we have more than enough time to get ready for the ceremony. All morning, Mack has been showing me how much he wants me.
Maybe it’s time for me to show him how much I want him.