“Think she planned that?” I ask him.
“If she did, I sort of don’t care. Like I said, it’s my favorite.” He shoves another forkful in his mouth.
I laugh and try it, already knowing it’s going to be dense yet fluffy, and absolutely delicious. “It’s amazing,” I tell him.
“You’re amazing,” he says, his eyes positively glowing as he takes me in.
That look is all for me, and my stomach flutters.
“No, you are.” I tease him.
“You’re both amazing, okay? Jeez,” his grandmother grumbles, and we start laughing all over again.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so complete.
Later, when we’re back at Theo’s place and we’re lying in his bed, both of us completely naked and sweaty after a vigorous tangle in the sheets, I turn to him, ready to confess I’ve been interviewing for two jobs out of state when he says something first.
“Jessica told me she regrets breaking off our engagement.”
All thoughts of my plans to confess all are gone and instead, I gape at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. “When did she tell you that?”
“Yesterday, when I picked up my tux.”
“You saw her there?”
“Yeah. She just showed up. We talked.”
“And you never mentioned it to me?” Worry clutches at my heart, and I tell myself to relax.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal that she talked to me, but now I realize…you should know. What she said to me. She also said she wanted to talk to me tonight too, but I avoided her. It’s the night before her wedding, for God’s sake. Besides, I don’t care what she has to say. I’m not interested.” He grabs hold of my hand and drops a light kiss to my knuckles. “I only care about you.”
The tension slowly eases from my muscles, and I loosen the sheet around me so I can go to him, pressing my naked body to his. “Theo…”
“It might be too soon to say this, but fuck it. I’m in love with you, Kels. I think I have been for a while. I just didn’t realize it until I saw Jess.”
I part my lips to speak, but he presses his index finger against my mouth, silencing me. “I know that might sound a little messed up, but I had to see my past in order to really visualize my future, and when I do, all I see is you in it.”
My chest tightens. I feel like I could cry, and I never cry over this sort of thing.
Of course, I’ve never had a man tell me he loves me before either, so how would I know how I might react?
“Oh—”
He cuts me off. “And you don’t have to tell me you love me yet if you’re not ready. I know you haven’t had the best experiences with men. Or with life in general. And yeah, sometimes I can act like a jealous asshole because you’re so damn beautiful and I don’t want anyone to try and make a play at you. I realized a while ago you have no interest in anyone else.”
“You’re right. I don’t,” I say softly. I’ve shared a few tidbits about my past with him. Given him a few stories about my relationship with my mother. But not much. I need to share more. I can trust him.
He won’t hurt me.
“I’m in love with you,” he says almost vehemently. “My family loves you too. I can tell. And whenever you’re ready—”
I silence him with my lips, kissing him thoroughly, pushing my hands against his chest so he rolls over on his back and I climb on top of him. I pull away from his delicious mouth and sit up, straddling him, his suddenly erect cock brushing against my backside. “I love you too.”
His brows lower as he reaches for me, resting his hands on my hips. “What did you just say?”
“I said I love you too.” The words fall from my lips slowly, and he grins. Like he can’t help himself, and it is the cutest thing. “You kept interrupting me when I tried to answer, so I did the same to you.”
“You love me.”
I nod. “And you love me.”
His hands squeeze my hips before they curve around to stroke my ass. Everything inside me goes liquid at his sensual touch, and I lean down, my breasts brushing against his chest when our lips meet. The kiss is pure fire, our tongues tangling, soft sounds coming from both of us. I feel his fingers dip into me from behind and I wiggle my butt, wanting more.
So he gives it to me.
His grips the base of his cock and I lift up, taking him deep inside, our mouths never parting. His tongue strokes my mouth in the same rhythm as his cock stroking my body. Slow and purposeful. I clench around him, my fingers gripping his shoulders, my hips working up and down, trying to increase the speed.
But he won’t have it. He keeps the pace nice and slow, his hands at my waist, guiding me. Driving me out of my mind with lust.
And love.
Lots of love.
I moan his name as I slip closer and closer to the edge. My entire body tingles, as if I’m one giant live wire, ready to spark and explode. He continues to drive into me, his thrusts coming faster, his movements growing out of control.
“Fuck, I can’t hold back,” he mutters against my lips before he pumps inside me quickly, pushing me right over that edge, sending the sparks flying. Until I’m coming. Clutching him tight, knowing he’s the only one who can make me feel like this.
The only one.
Twenty-Three
Theo
From the moment I arrive at the hotel, the ceremony preparations have been a complete shit show. The biggest problem?
We don’t know where the groom is.
All the men participating in the ceremony are in a suite, so we can prepare for the wedding together, and when I first arrive, Craig is a no show. Despite the texts and calls from his father and friends, he doesn’t respond. Not knowing what else to do, we continue getting ready, figuring he’ll show up eventually.
The suite is at least fully stocked. There’s an industrial-sized steam iron that any of us can use if we need to get out the extra wrinkles from our suits. There’s even a stylist on hand to trim our hair if need be, and a temporary bar was brought in featuring just about every bottle of hard liquor you can imagine, plus a variety of beer, including my favorite IPA. Since I’m staying at one of the rooms reserved for all of us in the bridal party tonight, I decide I can go ahead and have a beer, though I pace myself. Don’t need to go stumbling down the aisle with my grandmother and cause her to break a hip.
Finally, Craig shows up. Completely hungover.
“Stayed out too late last night,” he announces when he enters the room, bleary eyed and unshaven. “Had to celebrate my last hours of freedom, you know?”
Not the sort of thing he should be thinking of his impending marriage, but I wisely keep my mouth shut.
“Craig, we spent a lot of money on this,” his father tells him, waving his hand around to indicate the suite and everything inside of it. “Get your ass ready. The ceremony is in less than two hours.”
The still-drunk groom forgot his bow tie and cummerbund, so his brother Rick leaves to go fetch it from his apartment. Craig’s father quietly fumes when Craig asks one of his friends to make him a Bloody Mary.
“It’ll sober me up,” he explains when his father glares.
Again I remain quiet. Instead I send texts to Kelsey, offering her a play by play on everything as it unfolds.
Kelsey: Sounds like a complete fiasco.
Me: It is. Get me out of here.
Kelsey: Only 90 minutes until the ceremony!
I can’t stop the grin that forms from her sassy response. She’s just reminding me of the torture I still have to endure, and I’m sure she’s doing it on purpose.
Me: Only 90 minutes until I get to see you.
Kelsey: Wait until you see my dress.
Me: Can’t wait to tear it off you later. Hope it wasn’t expensive.
Kelsey: It was, but I got it on sale. You’ll have to be careful with it, though. I love it and don’t want it ruined.
Me: Don’t be so damn tempting, and then I won’t want to rip it off your body
.
“Who you texting? Jess?”
I glance up to find Craig standing there, sneering at me, a little wobbly on his feet. Jesus. “What the hell, Craig? Why would I be texting your future bride?”
“Because I hear you’re still in love with her,” he says fiercely.
Craig’s father groans. “Jesus Christ.”
I rise to my feet, finding myself in Craig’s face. I’m a hair taller, but I don’t feel like it’s an advantage. Craig is the unpredictable one in this situation. God knows what he might do. “I’m in love with someone else.”
“But she told me that you’re in love with her,” he says, baring his teeth like he wants to take a bite out of me. “That you said so at the tuxedo fitting when you showed up late.”
If I weren’t so pissed, I’d laugh. This is some straight up bullshit right now. Confessions at the Men’s Wearhouse? More like Jess was the one confessing, not me. I won’t tell him that thought. What’s the point?
“I’m with Kelsey,” I tell him. “You saw her last night, right? I couldn’t keep my eyes or hands off of her. I’m in love with her. Not your bride.”
Craig just stares, and this close, I can see his eyes are bloodshot, and he appears—worried. I almost feel sorry for him.
Almost.
“I don’t know about this, man,” he mutters with a shake of his head.
“Know about what? Would you like to see who I’m texting?” I’m about to thrust my phone in his face when my phone dings. Another text from Kelsey.
Kelsey: Let’s compromise. You can rip my panties off.
Kelsey: With your teeth.
Followed by a bunch of winking emojis.
Nope. Can’t share that with Craig. I shove my phone back into my pocket.
“Nah. I believe you. I’d hang on to her too. That new girlfriend of yours is a total smoke show.” Craig collapses on the very loveseat I was sitting on, and I have no choice but to join him. Clearly he wants to keep talking.
“Uh, thanks,” I tell him when he doesn’t say anything. Just keeps sipping on that Bloody Mary he’s clutching.
“I just don’t know if I should marry Jess.”
His announcement strikes fear in my heart. Only because I don’t want to witness the aftermath of his declaration if he follows through.
“What are you talking about?” I lower my voice so no one else can hear us, and I wish like hell Rick were here. Craig listens to his brother, who can reason with him. A talent I’ve never been able to master.
“This entire wedding has been a pain in my ass since we started planning it. It’s cost us and our families a fortune. All for what—so I can prove to everyone I nabbed her? We haven’t been that happy lately either. We fight a lot. The sex has gotten totally boring.” Craig shakes his head. “I think I’m over her.”
“Come on. You can’t be over her. You’re marrying her. You want to put a ring on it,” I remind him, trying to talk in his language, though I’m pretty sure I sound like a complete moron.
“I guess I do, but I don’t know. It sucks. She nags my ass all the time. Always bossing me around and telling me what to do. I hate it,” he says morosely.
“The stress of the wedding has to be getting to her too.” I can’t believe I’m defending Jessica, when she’s the one who’s saying I came on to her instead of the truth. She came on to me. But I can’t tell Craig that. Not when we’re only minutes away from his wedding ceremony.
“You think so?” There’s a hopeful twinkle in Craig’s eyes, and I decide to continue that route.
“Definitely,” I say with a firm nod. “This kind of thing is stressful. This is the biggest day of your lives, and a lot goes into planning an event like this. More so on the brides most of the time.” I’m pretty positive Craig hasn’t done dick to help her.
“She says that all the time, how I never help her and she has so much to do. You’re probably right. God, I can’t wait for this shit to be over.” He takes a gulp from his drink, leaving a red rim along his top lip. He looks like a little kid. I can’t believe Jess is marrying this guy. “Where the hell is Rick anyway?”
“He went to pick up the stuff you left behind, remember?” I don’t know how he forgot it. Everything was bagged up together when Lindy the Men’s Wearhouse employee handed it over to me.
“Right. Right. I hope he gets back soon. Damn, I need to chill.” A ragged exhale leaves him, and he bounces his knee nervously. “Thanks, man.”
“Thanks for what?”
“For giving me a pep talk and standing up for me, even though I stole your girl. Looks like you found someone else, though. Good for you.” Craig reaches out and socks me on the arm, and of course he does it hard enough to hurt. The fucker. “She’s gorgeous.”
The heat that spreads across my chest when I think of Kelsey reminds me that everything happens for a reason. At the time, I was so damn heartbroken over Jessica’s betrayal, I thought I would never survive it. Figured I’d be a lonely man for the rest of my life. I firmly believed that.
And now look at me.
There’s a knock at the partially open door of the suite and then a man enters the room with a pleasant smile pasted on his face. It’s Alexander Wilder. Owner of the entire damn hotel and Kelsey’s boss.
“Where’s the groom?” he asks as he glances around.
Craig rises unsteadily to his feet and holds up his hand. “Right here.”
Alex makes his way over to us and I stand as well, nodding at him when he spots me. “Just wanted to stop by and check on everything. Is the suite to your liking?”
“It’s fucking fabulous, man. Thank you.” Craig reaches out and claps Alex on the shoulder.
Alex winces for only a second before his expression smooths out once more. He turns his attention to me. “Theo. Good to see you. How are you doing?”
“Well, thanks. How about you?” We shake each other’s hand.
“A little disappointed to be losing Kelsey, but otherwise I’m fine.” He smiles. Tips his head when I just stare at him in complete shock. “She did tell you about her job offers, correct?”
Job offers? No. No, she did not.
“Right. Her job offers.” I nod. Chuckle. Trying my best to play it off. “Yes, she’s been very nervous about them.”
“Which one do you think she’ll take?” Alex asks.
I feel like an absolute fool since I didn’t even know about Kelsey’s job offers in the first place. What the hell is Alex talking about?
“My bet is she’ll choose London. It’s a magical city,” he continues when I haven’t said anything. “Have you ever been there?”
“Once. Right after college,” I say, my voice gruff, my thoughts chaotic. What in the fuck is going on? She’s taking a job in London? In another fucking country? After she told me she loved me last night?
What sort of sick game is this woman playing?
“If she takes the job, you should definitely go visit her and check it out, which I’m sure you will. The city has changed over the years, but it’s still beautiful.” Alex shoots me a smile before he turns his attention back to Craig. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. Please don’t hesitate to text or call if you’re having any problems.” Alex presses his business card in Craig’s palm before glancing over at me. “Hope to see you soon, Theo.”
“Yeah. Same,” I tell him distractedly as Alex turns and leaves the suite.
“How do you know that baller?” Craig asks me once he’s gone.
“He’s Kelsey’s boss,” I tell him, my mind awhirl with too many questions.
When did she interview for this position? Or positions? And when was she going to tell me?
Was she ever going to tell me?
And why did she keep this a secret? Why did she keep me in the dark? Does she not trust me still?
I’ve been betrayed before, in the worst way possible, and I thought that was the most painful experience I’ve ever gone through in my life.
But thi
s? Discovering Kelsey has plans to leave the area for a new job, and she never mentioned one word about it, yet declared her love for me only last night?
This betrayal cuts like a knife.
Sinking right into the middle of my heart.
Twenty-Four
Kelsey
I arrive at the ceremony a few minutes before it starts, running late thanks to having a difficult time getting out of bed this morning, which screwed me up. I just feel so lethargic. And a little sick to my stomach, though once I ate some whole-wheat toast and chugged a bunch of water, I felt much better. I’ve had to forego my usual cups of coffee the last few mornings, only because the mere thought of drinking it makes me want to throw up.
It’s like I know what’s going on but don’t want to confront it. Not yet. I have other things to worry about first. Like getting through a wedding I don’t want to attend. Telling Alex I won’t be taking either of those job offers after all. Will he be disappointed? Or grateful I’m staying with him after all?
What I really need to do is buy a pregnancy test, but I can’t do that alone. I need the support of a good friend with me before I go down that road. I’m not about to take the test with Theo either. Talk about making me nervous. And what if I am pregnant? What will Theo say? Will he be upset? Will he want to keep it, or will he suggest I have an abortion?
If this had happened with any other man I’ve had sex with—and thank God it hasn’t—I would’ve gone the abortion route, no question. I probably would’ve never told the guy either. I can’t imagine bringing a baby into this world on my own, or with any of those previous men I’ve been with.
But Theo…I can imagine us talking about it. And him being excited. I think his entire family would be excited. It would be the first grandchild for Jim and Patti, and they’d probably spoil that baby rotten. So would Theo. He’d offer to marry me too, I just know it. Not that I need marriage. It’s just he’s old fashioned in that way, and I kind of like that about him…
“Kelsey! Oh my goodness, you’re absolutely stunning in that dress.” Patti makes her way to me as I approach the rows of seats set out for the ceremony and wraps me up in a warm hug. “Look at you, trying to upstage the bride,” she murmurs close to my ear before she releases me.
Wedding Date (Dating Series Book 6) Page 19