by Layla Hagen
Luna called while I was applying makeup, so I put my phone on loudspeaker, placing it on the shelf under the bathroom mirror while I leaned in as close as possible. I was trying not to poke myself in the eye with the eyeliner. I had no idea what had possessed me to try a smoky eye, but I bore a striking resemblance to a panda, so I wiped it all off and started from scratch. Just mascara, and a smidge of color on my eyelids, cheeks, and lips.
Meanwhile, Luna was grilling me. “A friend? You did not just say that. So let me get this straight. You turned down the Lackeroy guy, and you’re going with the hot detective to the wedding as friends?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re basically dateless and sexless?”
“Jeez, way to make a girl feel better.” But my friend had a point. I’d said I wanted to date more. So why had I told Will he could be a good friend?
“Do you want me to set you up with someone?” Luna asked.
“Umm... no thanks.”
I still had scars from the last time Luna had tried that. My friend meant well, but... “good intentioned” was the best I could come up with to describe that fiasco.
“Well, have fun at the wedding.”
“I will.”
After disconnecting the call, I assessed my work. Makeup was decent. My hair was up in an elegant bun. The dress was perfect. I paired it with black flats and a small black clutch bag. I wanted to knock Will’s socks off. Because I was too nervous to wait inside, I headed outside, waiting for Will in the shade of a large tree in the inner courtyard. A black car pulled in a few minutes later, and Will climbed out from the passenger seat.
My mouth watered as I took him in. Today he was dressed to the nines. Charcoal suit and tie, white shirt.
“How long have you been waiting? I would have picked you up from your door.”
“Not long. I just wanted some fresh air. How come you’re not driving?”
“Lori insisted on arranging transportation for everyone so we wouldn’t have to worry about drinking and driving.”
He opened the car door for me. I was surprised at the pang of disappointment when Will didn’t check me out. He kept his gaze firmly on my face.
“Great day for a wedding,” I said once we were in the back of the car. It was sunny, even if a little too hot for my liking.
“It’s gonna be great. We’re going directly to the church. We’re meeting everyone there.”
“Sounds good. Do you like the guy? Does he have the family’s stamp of approval? Come on, give me some dirt.”
“We like the guy. He’s great to my sister and her son.”
“But?”
“I didn’t say but.”
“It’s in your tone.”
“You’re very curious.”
I leaned in closer, whispering, “And you’re hiding something.”
“Not hiding anything. Just adjusting to the new dynamics. I used to do a lot of activities with my nephew before, even attended school events.”
Whatever I had expected him to say, it wasn’t this.
“How come?”
“His biological dad was a scumbag. Took off before he was born, so he didn’t have a father figure. I tried to fill in that role, so to speak. I spent a lot of time with him.”
Will Connor had many layers, and I wanted to discover every single one of them. We made small talk until we entered Pasadena, and the car dropped us off right in front of the church.
There was a crowd gathered already, and someone was handing out corsages. Will and I each took one, and he pulled me a little away from the entrance.
He took care of me first, pinning it on my left side, just under my shoulder. Was it just me, or was his hand lingering longer than needed? His thumb feathered just above my clavicle, where it had no business being. Despite the burning sun, a shiver slithered down my spine. I was dying to know... was I here just as a friend? Or perhaps a date? Sure, I’d been the one to bring up the word friend first, but Will hadn’t corrected me. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted this to be. Well, I knew what I wanted, I just wasn’t sure if it was wise.
When my turn came to pin the corsage to his lapel, I took an inordinate amount of time. I was using the opportunity to study him up close. He must have shaved this morning because I smelled the clean scent of aftershave on him. His cheek looked so smooth that I barely refrained from touching it. As I finished securing the corsage, I had no reason to linger... but I didn’t want to step away either.
“Just in time,” a gorgeous brunette interrupted, approaching us. She was wearing a floor-length dark blue silk dress, but I still spotted her shoes. If I wasn’t mistaken, those were Louboutins.
“My sister, Hailey. Hailey, this is Paige,” Will said.
Hailey kissed my cheek. “Pleasure to meet you. Will’s announcement caused quite a stir. We’ll have to wait until he’s not around before I start dishing dirt about him, or he’ll fight me on every word.”
I didn’t think I’d ever liked anyone instantly the way I liked Hailey. I loved everything from her impeccable shoe choice to her humor.
“I’ll make sure to take notes,” I replied. Will glared at his sister.
“Can you at least wait until after the ceremony to give me shit?”
Hailey chuckled. “Absolutely not. Wait until the rest—oh, look, here’s Jace.”
I jerked my head back when Jace climbed the stairs.
“Jace Connor, the soccer god, is your brother?” I whispered.
Will nodded, watching me intently.
“And this must be the lovely Paige,” Jace said when he reached us. He flashed a smile that bore a little resemblance to Will’s, then shook my hand.
“Dad used to take us kids to the Lords’ games. Obviously you weren’t on the team then, but I’m a Lords fan through and through.”
Jace grinned, looking between me and Will. “Brother, if she’s a Lords fan, you’ve hit the jackpot.”
“Oh, he selected me based on that criteria.” I was fighting to keep a straight face.
Another woman joined us. She was a little taller than Hailey. Her dark brown hair was tied up in an elegant bun, and her deep green dress matched her eyes. “Okay, Lori is in the car. Will, you should wait at the foot of the staircase. Graham is already inside. And you must be Paige. I’m Valentina, but everyone calls me Val. We should all go inside, except Will.”
Will was giving his sister away? He hadn’t mentioned that. I said goodbye to Will, then walked inside with Val and Hailey, sitting with them. I saved the seat next to me for Will. When he stepped inside the church with the bride, I saw yet another side of him. Pure emotion was reflected on his features, and he kissed his sister’s forehead before stepping away from her and the groom. He sat next to me, and on pure impulse, I wrapped an arm around his. He stiffened at first, as if he hadn’t been expecting it, but then he squeezed it lightly.
After the ceremony, a photographer took group pictures in front of the church.
While we waited for the cars that would take us to the restaurant, I was introduced to Landon, the oldest brother, and his wife, Maddie. Landon was carrying a toddler who seemed intent on performing gymnastics in her father’s arms. Jace rode with Landon and Maddie. Will and I slid into the next available car with Val and Hailey. Because Will was a mountain of a man, we asked him to sit in the front while we girls crammed in the back, careful not to sit on each other’s dresses.
“I think Landon’s a bit jealous that Lori wanted you to give her away,” Val said as the car lurched forward.
“Well, Landon can walk Val and me,” Hailey said.
Val waved her hand. “Speak for yourself, sis. My chances at spinsterhood are looking better and better.”
“Ah, this is the second wedding in the family, right?” I asked.
Val nodded. “If you don’t count our extended family, yes.”
I patted her shoulder, then held up three fingers. “Three in mine already. One brother, two sisters. Just putting it out there, bu
t by the third one, you’ll be wondering if it’s time for life-altering choices.”
The girls laughed, then Val took out a mirror, and each of us checked our makeup. When the car came to a stop, Will opened the door, and all three of us filtered out.
“What’s that smile about?” he asked me.
“I’m glad I’m here. This is a fun day.”
The restaurant was in a renovated Victorian house, on the ground level. The space outside had also been decorated for the wedding, with tall white bar tables where one could relax with a drink. I was happy the reception was taking place inside though, where there was air-conditioning. Two hostesses were directing the guests around. I became acutely aware that Will’s hand was on my lower back. I looked up. Will’s gaze was on my lips. Heat coiled low in my belly, at the tips of my breasts. Holy shit.
“Paige, you look incredible.” He was so close. And he sounded... delicious.
Somehow, I found my voice. “Thank you.”
One of the hostesses came to lead us inside. Will offered me his arm, and I took it. I felt more aware of him than before. The point where our arms interlaced pulsed. The occasional brush of our thighs as we moved sent tingles up my leg. I was relieved when he went to bring us both drinks. I needed a break from all that squirming.
Chapter Eight
Paige
I sat down at our table and took in the room. It was a dreamy setup. The strings of lights and white linens had been arranged discreetly so that they complemented the building’s character rather than obscured it.
Eat. Dance. Repeat. I lived by those words the whole evening. Boy was I happy I’d chosen to wear flats. Otherwise I would already have had blisters. I’d learned that the hard way. At my first sister’s wedding, I’d taken my shoes off to cool my soles on the bathroom floor after a few hours. My feet had been so swollen that I’d barely managed to wedge them back inside the shoes. At the second wedding, I changed from high heels to flats after a while, but the damage had been done. I couldn’t wear anything other than flip-flops for the next two days.
I danced with Will and Jace, as well as some other guests, and did a girls-only dance with Val and Hailey.
“You all have dancing in your blood, I swear,” I said in a brief moment of reprieve. Val was excellent. I felt like a chipmunk on the dance floor next to her.
Val nodded happily as we stood in a corner, catching our breath. “We do.”
We chatted about each other’s jobs. Val owned a perfume and cosmetics company; Hailey worked at a PR agency.
“And Landon had a software company, but he sold it and now runs an investment fund,” Val finished.
“So Will’s the only one on the police force.”
“Yep. Keeps us all on our toes,” Val said, then fell silent as Will approached. By his narrowed eyes, he’d clearly heard the last part.
He was expertly carrying four glasses of champagne, and we relieved him of three.
“That’s why you sent me for drinks? So you could bad-mouth me?”
Hailey batted her eyelashes. “No one was bad-mouthing you. We’re just concerned, but that’s because we love you so much.”
Will shook his head. “You always say that because you know I can’t get mad at you.”
“Precisely. The tactic works, so I’m going to keep using it.”
Val shifted her weight from one leg to the other. “I have to sit down. I need a longer break this time.”
“I’ll come with you,” Hailey said. As the sisters walked away, Will came closer. Too close. I was on my third glass of champagne, and the alcohol was doing a number on me.
“So, from one member of a large family to another, how do you deal?” he asked.
“Don’t be so harsh with your sisters. I know where they’re coming from.”
“You do?”
“Dad was in the Army. We worried about him until he retired. So, yes.”
I sipped my champagne, feeling Will’s gaze on me. Damn, here I was starting to squirm again.
“Want to go out for some fresh air?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s getting stuffy in here, even with the AC.”
We walked side by side, and when we stepped in the yard, the wind, though warm, made me shudder. Will put an arm around my shoulders. The heat of that strong, muscled body was making my knees weak. I felt like we’d been engaging in daylong foreplay.
There were quite a few guests outside, gathered along the round bar tables. We headed toward the nearest one that was unoccupied. It was all the way to the right, near the corner of the building. We stopped along the way at a table where a knockout blonde was scolding two identical-looking girls.
“Ah, Paige, meet Pippa Bennett-Callahan. My dearest cousin, and my nieces,” Will said.
The little girls stretched out their hands, introducing themselves as Mia and Elena. I shook Pippa’s hand last. Her name tugged at a memory, and then I remembered.
“You’re the matchmaking cousin, right?” I asked. Will groaned. I ignored him.
“That’s right. Though Will doesn’t need my skills, clearly.”
Awww. Will was almost puffing out his chest next to me. Didn’t the man know that pride was a sin? I could have kept my mouth shut, but oh, how I liked to push his buttons. And this one was begging to be pushed.
“Oh, he just brought me as his protector. My job is to save him from you.”
Will expelled a harsh breath. We turned to look at each other at the same time. The side of my left breast was pressed against his chest. Will’s next breath landed above my upper lip. The hand resting on my shoulder gripped me tighter. Holy hell, my knees buckled from the intensity of his attention. I focused on Pippa again, who was laughing, looking between us.
“Will, I think you have your hands full even without my meddling.”
“That’s the first time you’ve showed me mercy, cousin. I’ll take it.”
“Girls, let’s go inside and find your dad and uncle Jace. He does need our help.”
Pippa moved past us, and Will nudged me forward until we reached the table we’d been eyeing from the start.
“You are something,” Will declared. Those dark eyes held fire. And I wanted more fire still. The champagne had made me bold, and Will’s proximity was fueling my blood with adrenaline.
“I have a tendency to misbehave, Detective. What are you gonna do about it, arrest me?” I held my palms in front of me playfully. I realized what was going to happen a second before it did. Will did cuff both my wrists... with his bare hands. Then he moved us around the corner, where it was dark and there were no guests. He lowered my wrists behind my back, still keeping them prisoner in his hands, and then he kissed me. His mouth moved over mine urgently, his lips wreaking havoc. He tasted like champagne too, and when I opened up for him, he stroked my tongue with his. My body reacted to every stroke as if he wasn’t kissing just my mouth. My nipples hardened. The muscles low in my belly clenched. We had full frontal contact now. I wanted my hands free to roam those shoulders and chest, but Will wasn’t relenting. He had complete control over the kiss, and it made everything about a million times hotter. He was going to explore me until he had his fill of me, and I wasn’t sure my body wasn’t going to spontaneously combust in the meantime. He stopped only to tug with his teeth at my lower lip, then the upper one. Then he ran the tip of his tongue along both before kissing me again. I became slick between my legs.
His thumbs were pressing on my pulse points. His grip was gentle, and yet strong enough that I couldn’t move my hands. He slid a thigh between my legs, lowering our entwined hands to the middle of my ass. The fingers that weren’t cuffing my wrists were pressing into my ass cheeks. He was pushing me up on him, and I was practically straddling his thigh. He had me at his mercy, and it felt as if with every stroke of his tongue he was showing me that I was his to ravish and explore, that he was laying claim on me.
He groaned against my mouth before pulling back a notch. I was dissolving in his arms.
“Don’t dance with anyone else tonight, Paige. No one but me.”
I was still lost in the magic of the kiss, but that seemed like a great idea. Why would I even dance with anyone else? Will was so.... I had no words, but he was what I needed.
***
Will had been holding out on me. We’d danced before the kiss, but not like this. I especially loved it when other guys approached to ask me for a dance. Will threw them one look, and they scurried away. When the wedding reception was approaching the end, Lori announced that she was going to throw the bouquet and asked all the single girls to gather in the center of the dance floor.
I made to head to our table, but Will caught my arm. “You’re not participating?”
Before I had a chance to answer, the groom announced that he’d throw the garter after the bride threw the bouquet. Will scrunched up his nose. I saw my opportunity for some more button pushing.
“I’ll go with the girls for the bouquet if you line up for the garter later.”
“No. That’s my sister. Catching that garter... no.”
“Who cares? Every single man is supposed to line up.”
Will pierced me with those sharp eyes, leaning in until I felt his breath on my cheek. “No.”
I wanted to come up with a smart reply, but damn... the way he watched me made me lose my train of thought. I was still feeling those hot lips on mine as if we’d kissed a few minutes ago, not a few hours.
Before I had a chance to give it more thought, the Connor girls appeared at my side. Val got my right hand, Hailey my left one, and they practically dragged me to the center of the dance floor.
Will was laughing, the bastard. I’d plot my revenge on him later on, preferably without looking in those gorgeous eyes. They robbed me of thought and willpower.
The crowd of single ladies was so large that I didn’t worry I’d catch the bouquet. I didn’t have anything against it in particular, but I wasn’t one to put much stock in such traditions.
I was standing between the Connor girls, smack dab in the middle of the crowd. I had to admit, it was fun. I clapped and whistled along with the others, and watched as Lori threw the bouquet with a beautiful arch. Unfortunately, she threw it so high that it hit the ceiling... and then fell smack dab on my head. I didn’t have time to duck or even brace myself. The bouquet fell straight on the middle of my head, hitting me so hard that I nearly lost my balance. On pure instinct, I held my hands in front of me, catching it. The poor thing was missing a quarter of its petals. I suspected I was wearing them in my hair. The hit also seemed to have messed with my senses, because I wasn’t hearing anything. But then my ears made a little pop, and I became aware of laughter.