ONE
AARON
Watching the love of my life walk down the aisle isn’t on my bucket list. Things like driving a Lamborghini at 200 mph along a deserted road, joining the mile-high club, and going skydiving are on that list, and no mushy, lovey-dovey romance crap.
Yet here I am, stupidly shifting from one foot to the other with a racing heart like some lovesick puppy. My eyes fix on the most beautiful woman here today. Fuck, she’s the most beautiful woman almost everywhere, and the wedding dress she’s wearing, along with her gorgeous smile, makes her look even more attractive.
Too bad she’s not my bride, but my brother’s. So Amy’s not walking toward me. My brother, Ben, is the lucky bastard she directs her sexy smile at. He’s the one who gets to hold her, kiss her, fuck her, and I could hate him for it.
But of course, I don’t. He’s my big brother, and although we don’t get along too well most times, we’ve been through tough shit together, and I can count on him whenever I need him.
Also, getting emotionally attached to someone always comes with the fear of losing them. I lost my best friend a few years ago, and that was my lesson not to get attached anymore. So saying that Amy is the love of my life might be a tad exaggerated. I don’t do love, but if I did, she’d be the closest to holding my heart.
“Mommy!” A screech tears me out of my gloomy daydreams. My one-year-old niece, Bella, squirms in my arms, stretching her tiny hands out toward Amy.
Yes, they even have a kid and another one on the way, so fat chance that Amy and I will ever be any kind of thing, so it’s time to get over that fucking crush.
“Yes, baby girl,” I whisper to Bella, “there’s your mommy. But now we have to be quiet. Shh.”
Bella giggles, mimicking me as I place my finger on my lips. I pass her over to my dad, who sits in the front row so I can fulfill my duty as my brother’s best man. I endure the wedding ceremony without rolling my eyes when Ben and Amy declare their undying love for each other. With a smile, I hand Ben the wedding bands and even congratulate the newlyweds with a heartfelt hug.
Great, now that this part is done, it’s time for alcohol. I grab a champagne flute from one of the servers’ trays and empty it in one gulp. I mingle with the crowd, talk to people I know, and drink more champagne.
This would be a splendid party, but I can’t bring myself to enjoy the festivities. When Ben and Amy cut the wedding cake, I wash down my piece with more champagne before sitting down to relish some time alone with my drink.
“Hey, Aaron.”
I turn to the voice that called my name and smile when Lauren approaches. She hands me a margarita glass and clinks it with the one she holds in her other hand. I’m always happy to have more alcohol, so my grin widens as I take a sip. But it falters immediately when I realize the woman with the sweet and innocent smile wants to poison me. “What the fuck? Lauren! You forgot to put the alcohol in this one.”
She occupies the chair next to mine and laughs off my glare. “Honey, haven’t you had enough for today? It’s only three p.m. Getting wasted on your brother’s wedding day isn’t the best idea.”
I swat at the air. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Yes, I know. But maybe you could use a friend.”
I narrow my eyes at her, trying to figure out what she’s hinting at. “What are you talking about?”
With a frown, she leans closer and pats my hand. “Look, I’m the maid of honor and Amy’s best friend. That means my job is to make sure things run smoothly today. I’ve been watching you, Aaron. I saw the longing looks you directed at her.” She tilts her head toward the dance floor, where Ben and Amy get ready to perform their wedding dance.
My eyes dart to the woman in question, and I rub my chest with furrowed brows.
Lauren sighs. “Aaron, are you still hung up on Amy?”
I return my gaze to Lauren and snort. “What stupid insinuation is that?”
“Well, are you?”
“Of course not. She’s my sister-in-law, and I couldn’t be happier for my brother.”
Lauren bites her lips, studying me. “I just wanted to check up on you. I don’t want you to get drunk and cause trouble.”
I grunt. “Who do you think I am? I’d never ruin my brother’s big day.”
She narrows her eyes at me and nods. “Okay. But if you need to talk, I’m here for you. And please, don’t take this the wrong way.”
“Don’t worry. It’s all good. Thanks, Lauren.”
She rises from the chair and leaves a peck on my cheek. “Go easy on the champagne, all right?”
Because I actually like Lauren, I hold back the eye-roll. “Yes, ma’am.”
Once she’s gone, my eyes scan the wedding party. Everyone gathers around the dance floor. One bridesmaid stands by herself, watching Ben and Amy perform their first dance. I grab two glasses of sparkling wine and join her. “Hello, beautiful,” I say as I hold out the drink in front of her. “I see you’re all out of drinks. Champagne?” I flash her a charming smile, and her cheeks flush .
She suppresses a grin when she accepts the glass from me. “Thanks,” she says.
Great, this should be easy. “Why are you standing here all alone? Your boyfriend has no manners.” I know it’s the lamest trick in the book, but it works every time.
“Oh,” she responds with a laugh. “There’s no boyfriend you need to worry about.” She winks at me before emptying her glass in one go. “Hi, I’m Michelle.” She holds out her hand.
I stare at her, momentarily stunned to silence. I thought she was the shy and quiet type, but I was wrong. Taking her hand, I place a quick kiss on her knuckles. “Nice to meet you, Michelle. I’m Aaron.”
She nods and leans closer. “I know. You’re Ben’s brother.”
For a split second, I wonder if I’ve already met her; she’s a bridesmaid, after all, and I might have run into her at the rehearsal dinner or one of the other wedding-related events where my attendance was required. But I conclude that I haven’t; I would have remembered that nice rack. “Yes, I am,” I respond.
She gives me another smile before directing her gaze to the dance floor. “Amy looks stunning, doesn’t she?” she says with a sigh.
“A white wedding dress makes every woman shine,” I tell her. “I, on the other hand … prefer lavender.”
I smirk as she looks down at her dress that is—correct—lavender. She lifts her eyes to me, and when she gives me the smile, I know she’s mine for the rest of the day. I move closer. “You wanna go for a little walk along the beach? ”
Hey, why not use the location to my advantage? We’re in the Hamptons, after all. Henry, one of Ben’s friends and Lauren’s boyfriend, convinced his parents to let Ben and Amy use their property for the wedding. And it’s perfect: a beachfront home with a garden overlooking the ocean.
So when Michelle nods, I grab her hand and pull her away from the crowd that is still watching the newlyweds dance.
We walk along the beach until we can’t hear or see any more of the party. “Okay, Michelle,” I say. “Tell me about yourself.”
She shrugs. “There’s not much to tell. I just finished my second to last year of college. Around this time next year, I’m hoping to get my business degree. What about you? What do you do?”
“I’m head of security at the Kingston Bar.”
Her eyes widen. “The Kingston Bar? That upscale place in Midtown?”
“Yeah.”
She turns to me. “I’ve always wanted to go there. Well, now that I know it’s your workplace, I have a reason,” she says with an increasingly seductive smile.
I laugh. “How come I haven’t met you before during the wedding preparations? I don’t remember seeing you at any of the rehearsal stuff.”
“I filled in for my sister. She was supposed to be a bridesmaid, but she broke her leg yesterday when she fell down some stairs. Luckily, we’re the same size, so I saved Amy from cardiac arrest,” she says with a laugh.
“Oh, I hope your sister is okay under those circumstances.” When she nods, I ask, “And how did you know I’m Ben’s brother?” I lean in a little as I tuck a stray strand of hair that escaped her plait behind her ear.
Even though she displays a confident smile, a slight blush suffuses her cheeks. She’s moments away from succumbing to my advances. “I picked up my sister after the rehearsal dinner on Thursday,” she explains, “and you caught my eye. So I asked about you.”
Wow, I like her forwardness. I raise one eyebrow. “You asked about me? What a coincidence then that you caught my eye today.” I take a quick look around, and when I’m sure there’s no one near, I cup her face and tilt her head up to crash my lips to hers. As I expected, she returns the kiss, and when our tongues meet, she eagerly presses her body against mine.
After exploring her mouth, I pull her over to a pavilion a few feet away with a bench and—more importantly—a small table, which I lift her onto. When I step in between her legs, her dress rides up, and I stroke the bare skin on her thighs. She moans as she pulls me closer so we can continue the intoxicating kiss.
“Where are you staying?” I ask her when we come up for air.
She leans back with a frown. “My sister booked a room at this inn close to here, but as I don’t really know anyone, I planned to return to New York tonight.”
“Stay with me then.”
When she smiles and wraps her arms around my neck to kiss me again, I have my answer.
**** *
When we return to the party an hour and a little make-out session later, we run into my brother, and of course, Ben notices the smile Michelle gives me before excusing herself to the restroom.
He turns to me with a glare. “You fucked one of the bridesmaids?”
“I haven’t fucked her.” With a snort, I flick my gaze to the ceiling and mutter to myself, “Yet.”
Ben groans. “Dammit, Aaron! You can’t be serious.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t see how this is any of your business, but I intend to take her to my room tonight.”
“To your room?” my brother scoffs. “Where will you sneak off to in the middle of the night as you usually do?”
“Fuck you, Ben. What’s wrong with having a little fun? Don’t act like a moralizer now that you’re the responsible adult out of the two of us, being married and all.”
He lets out a long, frustrated sigh. “Are you ever gonna change?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Don’t hold your breath.”
We glare at each other, unmoving. I don’t get what his problem is. But after drawing in a deep breath, I realize it’s my turn to take a step toward him. “I’m sorry,” I say. “I don’t want to fight with you today. I promise I won’t cause worry for either you or Amy. I’ll behave.”
Ben lets out a heavy sigh, but finally, that massive frown on his forehead disappears. “Okay. I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Come on; we need to find Dad and remind him to take his medication.”
I nod and smile at him before we go looking for our father. See? I can be a responsible adult too. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have more champagne now and a hot bridesmaid for dessert later.