Seven Years Bad Sex: The sexiest romantic comedy of finding your perfect partner

Chapter One Sailing the Seas of Love

~ Casey ~

‘I’m scared. Am I doing the right thing, marrying Alex? I’m worried that marriage will change us.’

Casey stared at herself in the mirror while Sasha brushed her hair and wound it into long loops. Her bridesmaid had an array of hairpins clamped between her teeth that she was inserting into what would be Casey’s princess-style up-do for her Big Day.

‘I mean, I love him to bits. I really do. You know I do. I couldn’t imagine life without him. And not only because we’re in the band together. Just’ — she shrugged — ‘just because I couldn’t. He’s my everything. But still, I’m frightened.’

Sasha locked eyes with Casey via the mirror, her baby blues as piercing as ever. ‘Not to mention he’s sexy as hell.’

‘Sasha!’

‘What? He’s sex on legs, you can’t deny it.’

‘That’s not an appropriate way to talk to the bride about her future husband!’

‘Is it not?’ Sasha was unperturbed. ‘You could’ve fooled me. I’d have thought it was the only way to talk to the bride about her future husband.’ She grinned. ‘You are marrying him for his body, aren’t you?’

Casey felt herself blushing. ‘Of course not, you clown. You know I love him for who he is. It’s not just about the sex. But . . . he is hot, isn’t he?’

‘“Hot” doesn’t quite capture it.’ Sasha grinned. ‘Those liquid eyes, that voice, those strong arms and that six pack that’s always on show . . .’

‘You’re getting me worried here . . .’

Sasha tsk’d. ‘You’ve nothing to worry about from me, you know full well he’s not my type. But he does have all the girls lusting after him. And that Liza has a massive crush on him, I’m sure. Though you’re the lucky one who’s getting hitched.’ Sasha placed more pins into Casey’s hair, and the diamanté flowers glittered prettily.

Casey smiled happily, bypassing the Liza comment. She wasn’t worried about Liza.

‘I am, aren’t I? A lucky girl.’

Sasha merely nodded and added more pins. Casey was getting restless with excitement, but she resisted the urge to move her head.

‘Thank you for doing my hair and make-up, Sasha. I couldn’t have done with some airy-fairy hairdresser and make-up artist.’

Sasha grunted and finally relinquished her mouth-hold on the last few pins. ‘I hope I won’t let you down. I may be a rock-star wedding planner, but hair arranging is not my forte.’

‘It’s looking fantastic,’ Casey assured her. ‘It’s utterly perfect.’ After a moment’s pause, she giggled. ‘Rock-star wedding planner. Who’d have thought?’

‘Indeed. I can’t believe you guys signed that record deal two months ago. It’s all going to happen for Blue Heart. The press would be all over your wedding if Emily had let them anywhere near this boat.’

‘Ha.’ Casey snorted wryly. ‘Emily is a fabulous publicist, and we’re very grateful that the label has hired her. As for the record deal . . . it’s fantastic, of course, but whether it’ll amount to anything remains to be seen.’

‘You pessimist,’ Sasha chided softly.

‘Not pessimist, realist. The rock industry is littered with examples of bands who never quite made it, “big deal” or not. And also with bands who barely made a living even after their “big deal.” We’re not counting our chickens as yet. Nothing is certain.’

‘Don’t go there,’ Sasha interrupted brusquely. She smiled as if to soften her utterance and made a show of examining her handiwork, fussing here and there over a few strands of Casey’s hair. ‘You’re merely having the jitters. It’s quite normal. You’ve planned this wedding for so long, and you’ve come such a long way . . . but you know you’re doing the right thing.’

‘I do.’ Casey sighed. ‘Only—’

Sasha crouched down and looked Casey squarely in the eyes. ‘Listen up. You and Alex are made for each other. Everyone can see that. Everyone had figured that out long before the two of you even got round to going out together. Gosh, the years of angst everyone went through while you two tiptoed around each other!’ She gripped Casey’s hands firmly. ‘You courted forever, you’ve been going out “officially” for two years, and you’ve been engaged for one. You’ve lived on a shoestring together and made it work where other people would have long given up and taken regular full-time jobs. The future is most definitely yours. You deserve this. And that’s enough of the heavy stuff. This is your happy day!’ Sasha patted Casey’s finished up-do and gave a satisfied grin. ‘Hair’s done. Turn around, princess, it’s make-up next.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Casey swivelled in her chair. ‘Are you sure I shouldn’t get into the dress first?’

‘Positive. I don’t want any make-up calamity on your gown. I’ll get you into it safely when you’re ready. Trust me.’

Casey closed her eyes while Sasha set to work. The mild swell of the yacht that was to be the scene of her wedding, combined with Sasha’s gentle ministrations, eased her mind. Casey enjoyed the sense of languid contentment, the quiet before the storm. In her mind she went over the final preparations for the day and the sequence of events that she knew — hoped — was about to unfold.

The yacht was anchored in St Tropez harbour. She and Alex had spent months researching and locating the perfect yacht-for-hire after she had confessed to her husband-to-be that she had always dreamed of getting married by the sea. ‘Why stop at “by” the sea?’ Alex had laughed. ‘Why not get married “on” the sea?’

Casey smiled at the recollection. Alex wasn’t just an ace drummer and “sex on legs”, as Sasha had so exquisitely described him, he was also a hopeless romantic. He had spent weeks planning the perfect proposal, waiting for just the right kind of sunny day, and then proposing to her on bended knee in a rowing boat on the Serpentine, with champagne, truffles, and a stunning diamond ring. He’d very nearly capsized them, and she could still hear his elated laughter while he had steadied the boat after she had said yes.

Thus their crazy idea of getting married “on a boat” had been practically hardwired into proceedings, and detailed plans had taken shape, courtesy of many a credit card and the promise of a financial windfall in the near future if the record deal delivered.

And at last the big day was here. She was actually living it. Casey sighed with anticipation. Alex would be on his way by now, having spent his last night as a bachelor on shore in a hotel with his best man, family, friends, and the rest of the guests, while she had taken up residence on the yacht with Sasha.

She, Casey, hadn’t actually left her cabin this morning yet, and she had no real idea of what was going on above decks or below. ‘Last minute detail is my job,’ Sasha had insisted, passed Casey a flute of champagne, and ran her a big bubble bath. ‘You chill, I organise, and then I’ll get you dressed.’

Sasha had returned to Casey’s cabin a little later with a full report. The minister who would marry her and Alex had arrived very early and was busy preparing — whatever that meant — the upper outside deck at the bow, where the ceremony would take place. The crew had set out chairs for the guests, created an aisle for Casey to walk down with her father, and arranged the wedding stage according to her and Alex’s specifications. The caterers were setting out food below decks, ready to be taken up to various inside and outside decks for the wedding breakfast after the ceremony. The DJ was going to arrive a little later to run the evening disco.

Casey gave a little jiggle on her chair. There would be dancing under the open skies by the light of myriads of twinkly little fairy lights and candles. It would be magical. It would be the pinnacle of romance. It would be her very own happy ending and fairy-tale new beginning.

A knock interrupted her musings, and the cabin door opened. Casey saw the smiling image of her dad in the mirror as he tentatively entered the room.

‘Wow,’ he exclaimed. His eyes shone with adoration. ‘My baby girl . . . don’t you look gorgeous! Are you ready?’

* * *

~ Alex ~

‘You’ve really gone to town on this one, haven’t you?’ Myles, Alex’s best man, long-standing best friend, and guitarist of Blue Heart, elbowed Alex sharply in the side. He stood and shielded his eyes against the sun.

Alex stood too. They were on the upper deck near the altar while guests were taking their seats. Together they admired the lavish decorations of flowers, bunting, and hundreds of coloured fairy lights which twinkled cheerfully even against the glare of the sun. Just minutes before the ceremony, the decks were a hive of activity, and the sound of laughter and shouted instructions heightened the sense of excitement. The yacht had raised anchor and was now heading out into the open seas.

‘He hasn’t gone so much to town as to sea,’ Liza chimed in from Alex’s other side. ‘It’s all very romantic, this yacht malarkey, but not very you. Or is it?’ She grinned at Alex coyly, her green eyes narrowed like a cat’s, and Alex suppressed a glimmer of unease. He was dimly aware that Liza should probably be sitting down somewhere, and he hoped that Myles would send her in the right direction at the opportune moment; after all, that was his job as best man. He, Alex, didn’t have the heart to rebuff her right then.

Liza had been his band’s bassist and a close friend since the very beginning of Blue Heart. They’d come through some very tough times together, but lately, he had wondered what was going on with her. Ever since he had started seeing Casey, Liza had been edgy, often ready with a barbed comment, and things seemed to have got worse in the run-up to his wedding. Casey didn’t know any different and assumed Liza’s behaviour was her normal spiky self, but Alex knew better. Except he didn’t know what exactly was eating Liza these days.

‘You guys!’ he said mock reproachfully, striking a deliberately cheerful tone. ‘Just because we’re supposedly rock stars doesn’t mean we can’t be hardcore romantics!’

‘Of course not,’ Myles replied quickly. ‘I’m simply surprised by the sight of it all, and a little blown away. It’s like something out of a movie.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’ Alex grinned. ‘We’re only going to do this once, so we thought we’d really push the boat out.’ He nudged Liza on the arm as he spoke.

Liza exploded with laughter. Her whole face lit up, and she tossed her long black-and-blue streaked hair exuberantly. The tension seemed to desert her, and the funny, caring Liza of old was back. ‘Good one, Alex Morgan,’ she said with a giggle. ‘“Really pushed the boat out”. And that’s why you’re in charge of lyrics.’

‘Are you ready?’ Myles enquired softly.

‘I’m ready,’ Alex confirmed. ‘I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.’

‘That’s good. Because if you have second thoughts, I’ll have her.’

Alex did a double take. Had his friend really said that?

‘Just kidding, you fool.’ Myles grinned broadly and shook his head. ‘You’re so nervous, you’ll believe anything.’

‘You got me there, almost,’ Alex confessed.

‘More fool you. As if I would!’ Myles protested. He tugged at the sleeve of Alex’s light blue linen jacket. ‘And don’t you look the part! Smart, but ever the rock star.’

Alex laughed. As wedding outfits went, his was somewhat untraditional. In deference to the climate, he was wearing a loose-fitting — some might say casual — linen suit. But he had donned an elaborate white dress shirt and a tie to match the colour of his suit, and a white pocket square with Blue Heart’s logo embroidered discreetly in the top right-hand corner. The top button of his shirt was undone, and he had already loosened his tie even though proceedings hadn’t yet got under way. Some things he couldn’t tolerate even for Casey, and a tight collar around his neck was one of them. His feet were clad in dark blue Doc Marten’s polished to a fine shine. Smart, but ever the rock star, as Myles had said.

‘You’re not so bad yourself,’ Alex replied at length, gesturing at Myles’s similar outfit. ‘As for Liza, you’re simply stunning.’

Liza gave a theatrical bow and smoothed down the folds of her tight-fitting short red dress. ‘Thank you. Although I fear I may regret the heels before too long.’

‘Never. You were born in stilettos, and you shall go to your grave in stilettos. A day on a yacht is going to be a breeze for you in those shoes.’

‘And here we are,’ Myles announced. ‘The guests are in position, and there’s the minister coming up the aisle. Liza, you better sit down now.’ He flashed Liza an apologetic grin, and she rolled her eyes.

‘Okay, okay. I know where I’m not wanted. I’m out of your way. Good luck, Alex.’

‘Thank you,’ Alex replied automatically.

And there she was. Casey.

Escorted by her father, his bride was slowly walking up the aisle towards him, a vision in silk and organza. She was always beautiful, but today she seemed otherworldly to him. The bodice of her startling white dress was tailored and bedecked with sequins that reflected the sunlight like a thousand little mirrors. The long, flowing skirt fanned out around her, and when the breeze caught the fabric it literally seemed as though Casey was levitating.

And then, of course, there was Casey herself. She was simply radiant. She had done something astounding to her hair, which was richly decorated with diamond flowers and cascading in playful curls from some kind of elaborate knot near the top of her head. The overall effect was — well, Casey had transformed into a bona fide princess. His princess. And he was about to marry her.

* * *

~ Casey ~

‘I will.’

Alex’s voice rang out confident and clear, and a rush of excitement made Casey tremble. It was her turn.

‘And will you, Casey Megan Naight . . .’

Casey felt cold despite the tremendous heat. She swallowed hard. Would she even be able to move her lips?

Alex looked amazing. Extraordinary, perhaps, and she had no doubt that her parents would be somewhat outraged by his non-traditional attire, but then the very extravagance of her nuptials had given them endless cause for distress ever since the idea had grown wings. They had been supportive but quietly dismayed and would have preferred their only daughter to get married in a church with a nice Church of England vicar, guests in full morning gear, and a lovely, landlocked hotel for the reception afterwards. Still, they were here, and they hadn’t said a cross word. They had even taken on part of the exorbitant bill. Bless them. She smiled to herself.

And Alex. Her Alex. Alex, who had pulled her from the brink after the Marcus fiasco. Who had given her time and space and had eventually restored her confidence. How could she ever have had a touch of the jitters? He was her north and south. Her best friend, her soulmate, her breath-taking, earthshattering lover. He was everything.

The minister’s voice faded away, and Casey became aware that everyone was waiting for her response.

‘I will,’ she offered confidently. ‘I really, really will. Always. And forever.’

Oops.Trust her to modify the vows ever so slightly.

Alex grinned at her and winked. ‘I love you so much,’ he mouthed.

The minister’s microphone picked up the whispered words and amplified them manifold. Alex and Casey’s friends and family gave an amused laugh.

‘Good job, Alex,’ Myles heckled amiably, and the guests laughed some more.

The minister cleared his throat. ‘Always good to see a couple so madly in love,’ he joined in the general merriment. ‘And this is when I get to say, “You may now kiss the bride.”’

The guests clapped and cheered encouragingly and, for Casey, time stood still. Alex’s blue eyes bore into hers, and he took a small step towards her in readiness for The Kiss. Casey’s heart beat hard and fast. It’s only a kiss, her head said. But it’s the most important kiss of all, her heart insisted.

Alex took Casey’s hands and drew her slowly towards him. Gently, carefully, he touched his lips to hers. The very heat of his skin seared her like an electric shock, and she grew dizzy. Forsaking all thoughts of guests and decorum, she responded to Alex’s kiss eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and teasing his mouth with her tongue. Blood roared in her ears, and she had no idea how long they locked in their intimate public embrace. The sensation, the passion, the promise of this exquisite kiss was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and my goodness, they had tried some unusual practices in their time!

I will worship thy body, for better or worse, she promised giddily, silently, in an improvised, secret amendment to her wedding vows. Her breath caught in her throat as Alex pulled her closer still. And then, gradually, she became aware of external noises once more. Shouts, and clapping, and wolf whistles.

The minister leaned in and stage whispered to them. ‘I think you’ve convinced them of your undying love and devotion to each other. Perhaps we might continue with the service?’

Casey was certain her heat was showing in her face, but she resisted the urge to fan herself with her hands. ‘Absolutely,’ she said breezily. ‘Let’s carry on.’

The minister turned to the guests. ‘Will you, the families and friends of Casey and Alex support and uphold them in their marriage now and in years to come?’

‘We will,’ came the resounding response.

‘Excellent.’ The minister beamed. ‘We will now sing our next hymn.’

Somehow, Casey sang and spoke her way through the rest of her wedding. The time-honoured words and rituals of the marriage service seemed a little incongruous in their exotic setting, but that was what she liked about it: a larger-than-life life in full technicolour. She hoped it was a good omen for the years ahead.

Suddenly, the service was over, and she was a properly married woman. The minister stood back to allow for photographs to be taken, and Casey found herself grinning like the Cheshire cat. At length, Sasha intervened to instruct the wedding party to move to the aft deck for the formal photo session, and the guests obligingly moved towards the back of the yacht.

Alex and Casey remained behind for a heartbeat to share a brief moment of peace and quiet.

‘Hello, husband.’ Casey smiled.

‘Hello, wife.’

‘That was quite extraordinary. We certainly gave them something to talk about.’

‘Isn’t that the point of a good wedding?’ Alex lightly touched a finger to Casey’s nose. ‘You look amazing. I can’t get over how radiant you are.’

‘I’m happy,’ Casey said simply. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my entire life.’

‘Nor me.’ Alex hugged his wife briefly before confessing, ‘It’s all quite unreal, though, don’t you think?’

‘Unreal, but perfect. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I only wish this day could last forever.’

‘We will make it last, and we will always remember. But for now, what’s next?’

‘Photos, I’m sure. Lots and lots of them. And then food and speeches. Sasha has a full programme planned.’

Alex grinned. ‘I bet she has. Bring it on, I say!’

* * *

‘Hold on, everybody, hold on! One more toast, just a short one.’

Casey laughed happily as Sasha tapped her champagne glass to get everyone’s attention.

‘I know it’s slightly unorthodox,’ Sasha continued. ‘We’ve already toasted the bride and groom, and the speeches are technically over. We’ve heard from Casey’s dad, who’s bravely given his only daughter over to the Morgan family. We’ve heard from Alex how Casey opened his eyes to love.’

The guests gave a collective ‘awwww’ at being reminded of Alex’s very emotional speech. Sasha nodded and waited for the murmur to subside.

‘We’ve heard from Myles some very . . . shall we say, intriguing anecdotes about Alex’s youth and previous lovers, and of course his courtship of Casey. We’ve even heard from Alex’s dad, somewhat improvised, how delighted he is to welcome Casey to the Morgan clan.’

She paused and took a sip from her glass. ‘After all that, I couldn’t not say something. I’ve been Casey’s best friend since kindergarten. Words can’t express how happy I am to see her getting hitched here today, resplendent in a fabulous gown that is exactly like we always dreamed it would be even when we were little girls. Getting married to Alex, a man who’s every bit as gorgeous and sexy as we always dreamed when we were . . .’ she paused for a moment ‘. . . well, let’s say, not so little girls.’

The wedding party cheered, and Sasha hiccupped, much to everyone’s amusement.

‘Lightweight!’ Alex raised his glass to the slightly drunk bridesmaid and grinned.

‘Sorry.’ Sasha smiled disarmingly, obviously not sorry at all. ‘It’s the bubbles, you see. There’s so many of them. I’m not used to quaffing champers, unlike some people.’

She grinned at Casey and tilted her glass just so. This was a private joke between the two of them. Sasha was the only person who knew how close Casey had come to utter despair after her last boyfriend had unceremoniously dumped her for another man, and how many gallons of bubbles it had taken to numb the pain.

Casey hugged herself inwardly while Sasha continued speaking. It wasn’t the ‘other man’ bit that had nearly sent her over the edge, but the fact that one morning Marcus had talked about a future with kids, and by the same evening he had packed up his things, removed the keys to their shared flat from his key ring, and shacked up with Roger. Roger, indeed. ‘It’s not you, you see. It’s me,’ had been his predictable parting shot.

Casey’s heart had remained frozen and bruised until the gorgeous, delicious, and extremely talented Alex Morgan crashed into her life with his blue eyes, dark curls, and passion for rock music. Actually, considering how they met, it would probably be more accurate to say that Casey had crashed into Alex’s life. Slightly inebriated and egged on by Sasha’s taunts, Casey had literally flung herself on stage in a crowded London pub where an unknown rock band was pulling a covers gig. She wrenched the microphone out of the vocalist’s hands, challenged the band — who she knew nothing about at that point — to play a classic rock number, and proceeded to sing her heart out. She brought the house down.

As it turned out, her now-husband Alex drummed and wrote songs for that rock band, and after her unsolicited live audition, he also recruited her to be Blue Heart’s lead singer. The rest, as they say, was history, and it had taken them to this beautiful yacht on this glorious day in May.

‘. . . and the rest, as they say, is history.’ Sasha’s voice echoed Casey’s exact thoughts, and Casey shivered. She wondered what revelations about herself she had missed, but from the look on the faces of her husband and guests, Sasha hadn’t dropped any bombshells.

‘So, one more time, to the bride and groom,’ Sasha concluded, raising her glass and a rousing chorus of voices picked up the toast.

To the bride and groom!

Casey turned to look at Alex. His eyes were bluer than ever, and they were dancing with laughter and love. On the horizon behind him, Casey could make out the hills of the French Riviera gliding by in the distance, a hazy blue-green outline shimmering in the heat of the midday sun. The sea breeze ruffled her hair, and she tucked an errant lock behind her ear.

She looked around, taking in the view of all her wedding guests, friends, family, band members. There were about forty of them all told. It was a small wedding by some people’s standards, but it was a glamorous one for sure. With all the shimmer and sparkle bouncing off the sea, Casey’s wedding could have been a movie set. Her life had definitely turned from the ridiculous to the sublime, and she couldn’t quite believe that her dream was really happening.

‘I love you, MrsMorgan,’ Alex whispered and raised his glass to meet hers.

‘I love you too, MrMorgan,’ Casey replied and lifted her glass so they could clink. But before they made contact, there came a ‘bang bang’, like fireworks going off, and a gleeful screech shattered the moment.

‘Oh, at last! Casey and Alex, look. Wow!’

Casey instinctively turned to look at Sasha, who was staring into the sky. Casey shielded her eyes with her free hand and let her gaze wander upwards until she caught sight of several red flares streaking the sky.

There was a faint ‘ting’ as Alex touched his glass to hers, but Casey’s eyes were still on the sky, and she lifted her drink to take a sip whilst marvelling at the spectacle unfolding before them. A little plane had appeared, trailing a banner behind it. Casey tilted back in her seat to get a better view. Alex put out a steadying hand and pulled her into a half-embrace.

‘Careful now,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘We don’t want you toppling over backwards.’

Casey didn’t reply. She was too busy making sense of the surprise in the sky.

Congratulations Casey and Alex, the plane’s banner proclaimed with bold red lettering on a white background. Casey’s heart thumped with excitement as the pilot launched into a loop-the-loop, then turned on his smoke trail and created a perfect love heart against the bright blue canvas of the cloudless sky.

Casey took another sip of her champagne. ‘Oh, wow,’ she whispered. ‘This is so beautiful.’

‘Isn’t it just?’ Alex concurred. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’

‘Me neither. Sasha must have dreamed this up. We must thank her properly later.’

Casey snuggled into her husband’s embrace as deeply as was possible whilst they were both sitting on separate chairs, and her eyes remained trained on the sky. She sensed more than she saw that Alex was taking a drink from his glass, and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

‘To us,’ she whispered.

‘To us,’ he replied.

For the briefest moment the earth shook, and there was a deep, growling sound like thunder from within the sea. Lightning flashed across the sky, and the yacht shuddered and listed briefly to starboard as it crested an enormous wave that came out of nowhere. Four dozen champagne glasses were saved from certain destruction only by virtue of being clasped in people’s hands, but a few bottles toppled and rolled off tables. There was a collective half-scream, half-laugh as guests responded to the unexpected phenomenon. Some people stood and pointed at the sky, others held on tightly to their chairs for protection, and then it was all over. Excited chatter rose all around as people righted bottles and settled plates and cutlery back into place.

Casey held on tight to Alex. She shook her head as if to clear a sudden fog. Right at that moment, the sea delivered another, lesser growl-and-jitter combo. Casey nearly jumped out of her skin and grabbed hold of Alex’s shoulder.

‘What was that?’ She could hear the tremor in her own voice.

‘I’ve no idea. Some freak weather condition, perhaps.’ Alex squeezed her arm and surreptitiously examined the other guests. ‘It seems to be over and the crew seem calm. Maybe this kind of thing just happens sometimes.’

Casey snorted. ‘What? An unexplained mini tsunami and thunderstorm out of the blue in the middle of the Med, and that’s normal?’

‘I don’t know.’ Alex shrugged. ‘It was so quick. Maybe it was the wake of some massive boat way out there. You sometimes read about how that slipstream carries on and on until it hits land.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ Casey protested, but already she could feel uncertainty lapping at the edges of her mind. ‘This was significant. And a wake doesn’t make for flashes of lightning.’

‘But the water is calm now, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky,’ Alex reasoned. ‘There are no more bottles rolling off tables. Everyone else is back to normal.’

‘Then they’re probably drunk and blissfully ignorant,’ Casey protested. ‘All the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It was scary. I’m really scared.’

‘You should be,’ Liza hollered across the table, startling Casey almost as much as the weird phenomenon itself had. ‘This is a bad omen, mark my words. You’re doomed.’

‘Rubbish,’ Alex threw back at her before Casey could even react. ‘You and your superstitious mind! You see bad portents in a soggy teabag. This was . . . I know!’ He grinned wickedly and made a comical ‘come hither’ face at Casey. ‘It was a tremor of love! Or of lust, even. Because someone up there knows I can’t wait to ravish my brand new wife.’

He tilted his head and looked at Casey longingly. Casey’s heart rate notched up again, and despite her fright and Liza’s ominous words, a warm fuzzy feeling stirred in her stomach. Mmmh, sex with her husband. She couldn’t wait, especially not after that first kiss they had shared.

Alex set down his glass and cupped her face in his hands. Gently, so very gently, he brought his face to hers until their lips touched. Casey swooned. Their relationship would never get old. She felt as aroused by Alex today as she had been on their very first date.

‘Now, now,’ Sasha’s voice chirruped behind them. ‘I believe you’ve got an exquisite cabin downstairs for you-know-what, but that’ll have to wait. It’s dancing next! Your guests are waiting.’

Alex gave an impatient growl.

‘All right then,’ he murmured, his lips still close to Casey’s mouth. She could feel his warm exhalation as he spoke. ‘Let’s open the dancing. But I’m telling you, you better be ready for some bedroom fireworks tonight.’