Chapter 8 Mark #2
“The best man shows up with a black eye and cut at his jaw. I thought there had been some kind of accident, and before I could stop to ask what was happening, he ran straight to the bride’s room… where she gets ready.”
“Right.”
“He kicks everyone out. I mean the mother of the bride, the bridesmaids, and the flower girls. Everyone! And they talk. I’m standing outside the room and can’t hear what they’re saying, until she opens the door, her face so pale, as if she’d seen a ghost, and she looks at me and tells me the wedding’s off. Just like that.”
“What?”
“No explanation or anything.”
“Shit.”
“I thought she was in shock. Just as her parents come over to ask what she meant that the wedding was off, the best man picks up the bride, who is still in her big, beautiful wedding dress, and drags her out. Just runs off with her like she weighs nothing.”
“What?” That wasn’t what I’d expected to hear.
“Yeah, she was so heartbroken…” She shrugged.
“Turned out the groom was caught with her best friend in the limo that was waiting after dropping off the bride. The best man caught them. The groom and best man fought. The groom told him to keep his mouth shut, and he told him to go to hell before heading straight to her with the truth and just swooped in. Saved her from embarrassment, I guess.” She shrugged.
“Damn. I can see why that was stressful.”
“Oh!” Her eyes softened. “That’s not why. The family wanted their deposits and money returned, but it was too late for all that.” She sighed. “It was a huge headache to deal with afterwards. But one I would take if it meant someone was saved from entering a love-less marriage.”
“I can imagine,” I mumbled, staring at her. I couldn’t get over how pretty she was. How she was the epitome of femininity. Sexy and beautiful. Stunning, really. Hazel eyes and a smile that made my heart go wonky. How mine she felt. When you know, you know.
“When you get married, would you want to plan your own wedding?” I asked, and she blinked.
“My own wedding?”
“You’ve never thought about it?”
“Honestly…” She licked her lips, leaving the plump pillows of flesh shiny like a beacon of hope and desire that shot straight to my groin. “Kind of. Sort of? I’m not a big dater. I’ve never… done much.”
“Much? Like a serious relationship?” Something inside me started to pay even closer attention to her.
“I guess you could say that.” She nodded. “Have you had a serious relationship?” I swallowed.
“Yeah. I have.”
“Oh.” Was that disappointment flickering in her eyes? “I was with someone for five years,” I explained. “We never lived together. Never talked about getting married.”
“Really? Five years and… you never talked about it?” I could tell she didn’t believe me. I shrugged.
“We were both building our careers,” I explained. It sounded stupid even in my own ears. “She traveled a lot for work, and I was busy with my job. By the time we came to an end, neither of us was really surprised. I think we stayed together because it was easy. Convenient.”
“Oh.” She made a face.
“Have you ever been married?” I asked.
“No.” Her lips twitched. “Have you ever been engaged?”
“No. You?” She laughed, shoulder bumping mine.
“I just told you I’ve never had a boyfriend or dated anyone. Ever.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but how is that even possible, Abby?” My voice sounded raspy. “How is it possible a girl like you has never…”
“No one’s ever asked me out.”
“Wait… you’re telling me you’ve never been on a date?”
“Nope.”
“But you’ve…” I paused, trying to be a gentleman and let her explain without me being crude. Suddenly, she pulled away from my touch.
“I know. I sound like a freak, right?” Embarrassment or self-consciousness tinged her cheeks. “I should probably go see if anyone inside needs—“ She started to pull the blanket off her lap, but I caught her wrist and pulled her back down. “What are you—“
“You’re not a freak. Not even close,” I rasped, unable to stop my hand from rising to stroke her face.
“I mean, I could be. I just… I don’t know.
” She blushed beautifully. A twenty-eight-year-old virgin?
How the hell was this possible? “I don’t know,” she huffed, making me realize I’d just said the words out loud.
“No one in high school really called my attention, and then… I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do and…” She shrugged. “It never happened.”
“Hmm,” I mumbled, brushing my nose against hers.
This changed nothing and everything all at the same time.
I’d be the only one to give her every single first imaginable.
I’d spend the rest of my life, to my dying breath, to make her happy and feel pleasure like no one else ever had. She was my new temple of worship.
“Has anyone ever kissed you, little girl?” She gasped, and her hand clutched the blanket on my lap.
“Mark,” she whimpered.
“Have you been kissed? And I don’t mean little kid shit. I mean really kissed? The passionate breathtaking kind of kiss.”
“No,” she answered. Her exhale tickled my mouth.
“Good,” I groaned. My lips skated over hers so fucking close our breaths mingled but not actually close enough to kiss her. “Lucky me,” I whispered.
“You?” She slowly pulled back just enough for our eyes to connect.
“Yeah,” I said with confidence. My hand dropped, and I cleared my throat.
No matter how much I wanted to kiss her right then and there, I knew the moment our lips touched would be explosive.
I’d be damned that when it happened, we’d have an audience.
Or for it be in someone else’s backyard.
I’d never thought of myself as a possessive man, but in the last couple of hours, I’d come to realize a lot about myself.
Things Abby had brough to life with one damn look.
“Dessert?” I asked, clearing my throat.
“Yeah, that sounds good.” She smiled politely, blinking the disappointment out of her eyes. I know, baby girl. I want to kiss you, too. Soon. I bent forward and reached for the huge plate that held several slices of pie and had two spoons and brought it between us.
“So… what’s your favorite?” I asked. My dark gaze connected with her more green than brown one, and she blinked before I watched her beautiful face transform into this stunning sight as her smile grew wide and bright. Just the sight of it took the last chunk of my heart.