Chapter 3 #2
Sweet. She was so damned sweet. And when he angled his head, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue, she opened for him, pressing closer, as they both took the kiss deeper.
Her hum of pleasure shot straight to his groin.
Even as he fought not to drag her straight into his lap, she was shifting to straddle him.
The weight of her against his erection almost had his eyes rolling back into his head.
Christ, she was going to kill him. And if she didn’t, her brother surely would.
That reminder of the reasons he shouldn’t be doing this provided a fresh injection of sanity. This was Logan’s sister. The sister who didn’t live here. Who he shouldn’t—couldn’t—pursue.
It took everything he had to gentle the kiss rather than gripping her hips and grinding against her. He eased them back, ending with short, nibbling kisses at each corner of her mouth before resting his brow against hers.
His breath was ragged. “Did that satisfy your curiosity?”
Laurel’s voice, when she answered, was surprisingly steady. “Pretty sure it only gave me more questions.”
Searching for some humor to lighten the mood, he pulled back to look at her. “Curiosity killed the cat.”
“But satisfaction brought it back.”
“What?” he laughed.
“That’s the rest of that proverb. Everybody gets it wrong. So from my perspective, a healthy curiosity is a good thing.”
As she grinned up at him, unabashed, Sebastian decided it was a damned good thing she was only here for the wedding because she was a temptation and a half. And one he couldn’t afford to indulge in any further.
Thank God for waterproof mascara.
From her position at the end of the line of bridesmaids, Laurel couldn’t see Athena past all the standing guests.
But the look on her brother’s face as he caught the first glimpse of his bride had tears welling.
He was rapt, eyes shining with more than simply joy.
His throat worked, and the edges of his smile looked a little strained as he struggled to control his emotions.
She hoped the photographer captured this moment so that Athena could remember it for the rest of their forever.
What would it be like to have someone look at her like that? Like she was the sun, moon, and stars. It would be easy to get drunk on that kind of adoration.
Athena reached the front of the aisle, radiant, as all brides ought to be.
She wore no veil, and her long, golden brown hair was loose and curled, adorned only with some jeweled combs on either side.
The simple column dress suited her down to the ground, as did the bouquet of calla lilies and greenery she carried.
Beside Laurel, Ari was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
On her other side, Pru was already crying, with an equally wide smile on her face as Athena paused, bending to kiss the cheek of her father, in his wheelchair at the head of the bride’s side, before stepping to the altar and taking Logan’s hand.
He radiated happiness and contentment. A part of Laurel envied that.
He’d bucked family tradition, gone his own way, and he was legitimately content with the life he’d built in a way very few people were.
Everything about what he’d chosen was different than the life they’d led growing up.
Different from what their parents had expected.
What they’d been groomed for. How much of his happiness was rooted in defiance of all those implicit and explicit expectations?
As she stood in the sanctuary of the little church, listening to her brother make his vows to the woman who’d turned out to be his perfect match, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more for her.
Something else. Because she couldn’t escape the probability that if she continued on her current path, she wouldn’t find this.
She wouldn’t have time to because she’d be working as hard or harder to make partner as she had to maintain her academic standing in law school.
Doing it for a few years was one thing, but for life?
That didn’t feel like an acceptable trade off.
Her gaze slid over to Sebastian, looking very 007 in his tux.
Broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist, he stood perfectly still and balanced.
No fidgeting, no shifting. Was that stillness something he’d honed in the Army or was it simply him?
He hadn’t told her he was former military, but Logan had mentioned it when he first took Sebastian on.
She’d cared more about the fact that Logan was getting horses on the farm, but now she wondered about what had made Sebastian get out.
If he felt her watching, he gave no sign.
His focus remained on Athena and Logan, his expression appropriately serious.
Laurel hadn’t seen him this morning. She wasn’t sure if that was by his design or just because she’d been tied up with hair and makeup and pictures. There’d been no chance to talk to him alone. What would she even say? Some variation of “Please, kiss me again?”
Yeah, she could go for that. She could go for a lot more than that.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
The minister’s words sent her brain right back to the barn last night, and oh mercy, what a kiss that had been.
Taking the lead was totally unlike her. And okay, maybe a little bit of it was to avoid talking about law school and the job thing because she’d been afraid to really consider her answer.
But more, she’d been wondering what he’d taste like and whether that sizzle she felt every time he touched her would translate to a kiss.
Boy had it. And it might have led to more if Sebastian hadn’t slowed them down.
He pulled her out of her head, out of herself, and that was both exhilarating and dangerous.
Better one of them had some good sense, she supposed.
But it was hard not to feel a little regret.
If last night had done anything, it was to shine a light on the total lack of closeness and intimacy in her life.
She’d been reduced to little more than the robot Devon had accused her of being.
She’d more than enjoyed the reminder that she was still a flesh and blood woman.
Blinking, Sebastian’s face came into focus.
Realizing he was waiting for her at the center of the aisle to escort her for the recessional, she propelled herself into motion, taking the few steps to close the distance and slipping her hand through the crook in his arm.
His biceps strained beneath the tux jacket, and it took all of her self restraint not to run her hands up and down the glory of his arms. Every step beside him was a pleasure, as she soaked in his nearness and heat.
All too soon, they reached the end of the aisle and got caught up in post-wedding chaos. They separated, each moving to perform their respective tasks. Laurel paused at the window, looking out the front of the church as Logan and Athena got into the car they’d take to the reception back at the inn.
Ari squeezed in beside her and heaved a gusty sigh. “Don’t you just love weddings?”
It was hard to be anything but amused at the girl’s open romanticism. “I like this one. I’m happy Logan’s happy.”
“And just think. We’re all here today because they hooked up at Kennedy and Xander’s wedding.”
Laurel choked on a laugh. “What? I thought they got together last spring.”
“Well they did. But they had a fling at Kennedy and Xander’s wedding first.” Ari shot her a significant look. “Weddings are good for that.”
Heat flamed in Laurel’s cheeks. She knew the girl was waiting for her to look at Sebastian, who was somewhere across the vestibule, but she didn’t give in to the urge. “You’re incorrigible.”
That irrepressible grin flashed. “So my mother often says. Doesn’t mean I’m not right.”
Someone called Ari’s name.
“Coming!”
As she disappeared, Laurel was left flummoxed and irritated. Because, of course, now she was thinking about a wedding fling.
Did she want Sebastian? Without question.
She wouldn’t have kissed him, wouldn’t have taken it as far as she had if she didn’t.
They had explosive chemistry, and he was far from indifferent to her.
She had a feeling that if he hadn’t been interested, he wouldn’t have had a problem shutting her down. No, the want was not in question.
But would one night be enough for her?
She wanted it to be. Wanted to be a little wild and crazy for once, to have that experience to pull out and dream about when she went back to her normal life. But she knew she’d be lying to herself. One night with him would just make her want more, and she was supposed to leave in the morning.
Before she’d come, she’d been glad it would be a quick trip.
Less time around her parents to stress. But now…
The whole idea of leaving was depressing.
The entire family was meant to reconvene at the farm for Christmas, when Athena and Logan got back from their honeymoon.
But that would be just another opportunity for Dad to put his thumbscrews to use on her about the job.
She wished she just had more time at the farm.
Interactions with her parents aside, she’d been more relaxed since she’d come to Eden’s Ridge than she had in months back in Nashville.
Here in the cool mountain air, she thought maybe she could finally decompress a little.
Was it so wrong to want to breathe for a bit?
To have a taste of the life that suited her brother so well?
As she began to gather up flowers to take back to the reception, an idea began to percolate. Maybe, just maybe, Logan could give her exactly what she needed. She just had to corner him and his bride at the reception.