As he hung up the phone, he noted that traffic in the lobby was picking up, caterers and wait staff and people in fancy dress crisscrossing the golden hardwood floors. He craned his neck, looking for Gavin and Lucas. They were supposed to be pouring whiskey down Chase’s throat right now and delivering bracing your life isn’t over speeches, but he’d had to duck out to deal with a herd of neurotic musicians.
A laugh as bright as sunshine cut through the din, and Nate stilled. He’d know Ellie’s laughter anywhere. Drawn like a magnet to its other half, he followed the sound into the large hall where the ceremony was going to take place.
Ellie stood at the front of the room, doing something with a large swath of purple ribbons. Her hair was drawn up and away from her face in a neat style that made him want to pull out pins and mess it up. She was wearing far more makeup than usual, smoky shadows that made her eyes look even bluer, and something painted on her skin that made it smooth like ivory. She had her contacts in again, and as always, he missed the thick plastic frames that usually sat on the bridge of her nose.
The amethyst colored silk clung to her ample curves as she moved, and Nate stood, transfixed. She didn’t look quite like his Ellie, all glammed up like this, but she still looked lovely.
“If you’re good with doing the ribbons, I’ll go get the rest of the bouquets.” A man’s voice cut through Nate’s trance. His hands clenched into fists as Harry stepped into his line of sight, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he hauled a large cardboard box.
“Sounds good.” Ellie smiled up at the other man, and they exchanged words that Nate couldn’t make out, though he could hear the rise and fall of voices. When Harry threw back his head and laughed, then touched Ellie flirtatiously on the shoulder, jealousy was an electric green flood that threatened to pull him under.
Before he could think it through, he’d entered the hall, loosening his tie. He must have made some sound, because both Harry and Ellie looked up at his approach.
“Right.” Harry looked from Ellie to Nate, then back to Ellie again, disapproval written in his slight frown. “I guess I’ll be going, then. If you’re sure you’re all right, Ellie?”
“I’ll be fine.” It should have felt good, the fact that all of Ellie’s attention had snapped straight to him the second he’d entered the room, but even at this distance he could detect a hint of wariness in her eyes.
She still wasn’t fully on board with this—with them. It crushed him even as it sent steel resolve into his spine.
He hadn’t become rich and successful by backing down when the going got rough. No, he always got what he wanted, and this time what he wanted was more important than anything else in the world.
“You look beautiful.” He closed the space between them, barely noticing when Harry banged through a side exit. Ellie shuddered, a deep breath that drew his attention to the exposed flesh of her breasts. He wanted to reach out and touch, but reminded himself of his mission for the day.
He had to prove to her that she meant something to him besides sex. Which, looking at her in that dress, just might be the death of him.
“Nuh-uh.” Ellie cast him that flirtatious grin, the one he’d realized she brought out when she wanted to distance herself from him, to bring things back to a simply sexual state. “No touching before the ceremony. I just paid a fortune to get my hair and makeup done. You’re not getting it all messed up.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Nate savoured the uncertainty that crept into her eyes at his words.
“What?” Ellie’s spine straightened, her fingers twisting nervously in the skirt of the dress. “I—don’t I—I mean, don’t you like the dress?”
“I’ve told you before, Ellie. I don’t care about the dress. I care about getting you out of it.” He moved a little bit closer, close enough that she could hear the words that he’d pitched low. She sucked in a breath when he dipped his head to whisper into her ear. “What I don’t like is the way other men are going to look at you tonight.”
Ellie trembled, turning her head to look over his shoulder. “That’s not fair. You can’t say things like that to me unless…”
Her voice trailed off, and Nate wanted to shout with frustration. Why couldn’t she just say it? Damn it, why couldn’t he?
“You’re the one who wanted this to be what it is,” he reminded her, shifting so that their bodies just barely brushed. He ground his teeth together when his suddenly solid cock brushed against the soft warmth of her belly. “But you also know that I’ll be stripping you out of this dress tonight. You know that I’m going to have you stretched across the bed, my mouth between your legs. And until that happens, I get to be protective of what’s mine.”
“Nate.”
Against him, Ellie stiffened, but the heat radiating from her skin told him that she was loving every minute of his dirty talk.
“How the hell am I supposed to go walk down the aisle now?” she asked on soft whisper.
“Not my problem, Blondie.” He grinned down at her, smirking at the sparks of temper flickering over her face. “Just know that with every step you take, I’ll be picturing you naked, on your knees and screaming my name.”
“You’re an asshole.” He’d pushed her, that was easy to see, but she was also aroused as hell. Her skin was flushed the pink of a seashell, and her chest trembled as she inhaled.
Well, in for a penny.
“You’ve got a dirty mouth for such a sweet looking girl.” He smiled again, slow, deliberate. Even a bit cruel. A sadistic streak inside of him enjoyed the fact that his expression sent her a step back. “Later tonight, I’ll find a better use for that mouth than swearing at me. But right now I think you need a lesson. You need to remember who you belong to.”
“Who I belong to?” The words came out on an indignant squeak. “Oh, I don’t think so—”
“You’re the one who assured me that this is what you want.” He felt his heart thump as he spoke. In that moment, with their eyes locked solely on each other, he craved nothing more than to bend her over the nearest chair, to take her hard and fast so that when she walked down that aisle she felt him with every step.
But this wasn’t all about sex. He needed to throw her off of her game. Even if that meant throwing him off of his own, in the process.
“Lift your skirt.” Ellie gaped at him, and he merely arched a brow. “Unless you have other plans for tonight, lift your skirt. I want to see what’s mine.”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. He expected her to protest, even to storm out. If she had, it might have made things easier for them both.
Instead, she inhaled deeply, tangling her fingers in the skirt of her dress. Under his stare, he could almost see the submission soften her flesh, making her melt into his command.
He watched, transfixed, as she slowly inched the silk up, up the creamy expanse of her thighs. Finally the skirt was at her waist, revealing her centre, the place he wanted to live in.
A small triangle of lavender lace teased more than it covered. Thin ribbons ran from the cloth, over the creases that divided her legs from her stomach, to her hips where they were tied in neat little bows. A pretty present, just waiting for him to unwrap.
The thong was so skimpy that he became very painfully aware of the fact that sometime between this morning and now she’d been waxed. The smooth pink skin beckoned, made his fingers itch to touch.
“Mine.” He had so much he wanted to say, needed to say, but the words kept getting stuck inside. His gaze raked her face, praying that he would see some of the same intensity that he felt reflected there. “You’re mine.”
A shadow fell over her delicate features, and she let her skirt drop, hiding her centre once again. Her breath rasped in and out, or maybe that was his—standing this close to her, so wrapped up in her, he wanted to grab her and kiss her and never let her go.
He knew her well enough to read her expression, though, and the panic he saw there was a giant fist squeezing his
heart. But she didn’t run, she didn’t cry, she simply looked him in the eye and inclined her chin—a princess acknowledging her power for the first time.
Chapter Thirteen
A final glance in the mirror before the ceremony told Ellie that her mask was in place—she looked completely composed, calm and ready to celebrate the happiest moment of her brother’s life.
Inside, though? That was a completely different story. Inside, a hollow ache had settled in the place where her heart usually resided.
Neither of them had said the words, but she wasn’t an idiot. This thing between her and Nate, she wasn’t the only one who didn’t want it to end. And while part of her wanted to go running straight into his arms, the rest of her—the sane, rational part—kept reminding her that was a very bad idea.
No matter his feelings for her now, Nate lived the lifestyle of the rich and the famous. They might have a connection. But would those feelings last once they were away from the intimacy of this weekend? Once they’d left the nostalgia of their pasts behind and entered the real world? His world?
She’d deliberately avoided him before the ceremony, knowing he’d try to pin her down and get inside her head, and she just… she needed some time to think.
Ellie tried to push Nate from her mind as she watched her brother and Meredith exchange vows in front of family and friends. Her brother, who had once been completely against everything that marriage stood for, had happiness radiating from every cell of his body.
Ellie was so delighted for them that it hurt. At least, that was what she told herself the pain was. It certainly couldn’t have been because she wanted the same thing—and wanted it with the one man who would never be able to give it to her.
As Chase and Meredith were pronounced husband and wife, and Chase dipped the redhead low for a kiss, Ellie dared to sneak a peek at Nate. To her dismay, he wasn’t looking at her, but rather scanning the crowd, and her heart quickly thudded to the floor.
The loud honk of an instrument jolted her from her mood. Startled, she looked out over the crowd to find a young man in a tuxedo standing, a… was that a trombone? Yes, a trombone to his mouth. Ellie had forgotten all about Nate’s gift for the bride and groom. She hadn’t really processed what he’d been explaining to Chase earlier.
Eyes wide, Ellie glanced at Meredith. The event planner was no bridezilla, but she was a bit of a control freak, and this was definitely not what the schedule had pencilled in for recessional music.
A woman with long curly red hair and a saxophone joined the trombone player. Then another woman with a flute. Ellie couldn’t hold back her gasp when the electric guitar kicked in and she realized that they were playing a Beatles song—recreating a scene from the movie Love Actually, which was one of Meredith’s favorites. A full band, a vocalist, a choir, recreated the movie scene in every detail.
All this, just for his best friend and bride. Ellie knew that the money wouldn’t even factor into the notion, but the whole idea—it was so awesomely Nate. The man he rarely let anyone see.
Tearing her stare away from Meredith, who was gasping delightedly in the middle of the aisle, Ellie dared take a look at Nate. This time he was looking right back at her, and the expression on his face made her heart swell.
He mouthed something to her, and she squinted to make it out—she’d never been able to see as well with her contacts as with her glasses. When she finally understood, she felt that strange flip in her belly again.
“Tell me what you want.”
His stare held hers until the moment they had to walk back down the aisle, Harper with Nate, Ellie with Gavin and Kate with Lucas. But as she pasted a smile on her face for photos, she knew, with complete clarity, what she wanted, or rather who.
She wanted more than just this weekend with Nate. The question was, was she brave enough to reach out with both hands? And, if she did, would she get what she wanted?
Or would she end the weekend picking up the pieces of her broken heart?
* * *
Nate knew that he hadn’t misunderstood the longing that crossed Ellie’s face just before the bridal party was shepherded back down the aisle. He also knew just what the nerves that quickly followed meant.
They’d had a magical couple of days, but even though she trusted him with her body, she was still leery of him with her heart. The fact that she was nowhere to be found by the time he and Harper finished their walk had him clenching his jaw in frustration.
Damn it. His past, how he’d been raised, and the dating life he’d chosen up until now, was not the sum total of who he was. Why couldn’t she see that?
“Not that I’m in the habit of insulting a pretty face, but you might want to try smiling.” Kate, the bridesmaid with the blue streak in her hair, took a place against the wall beside him, straightening the strap of her dress, which was the same amethyst as Ellie’s. “You’re going to scare the guests.”
“Aren’t you a sweet talker.” He eyed the woman beside him warily. She hadn’t made a move on him all weekend, but since he’d acquired his fortune, well, he’d learned that women could be sneaky.
“Relax, cowboy. I’m not after whatever it is you’ve got in those pants of yours.” Her fingers tucked a stray strand of blue behind her ear. “Though I’m sure that it’s mighty fine. At least, Ellie thinks so, doesn’t she?”
Nate grunted, automatically looking around for Chase. Truth be told, he would have been happy to shout his feelings for Ellie to the world. She, however, would have been less than pleased to have her brother informed of the down and dirty sex that she’d been having with Nate. Especially on his wedding day.
“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” Kate grinned, then reached for Nate’s hand. She slapped a key card into it. “But you might be interested in knowing that your little blonde is currently upstairs decorating the honeymoon suite. The bride and groom won’t be up there for hours.”
“Why are you doing this?” Nate eyed the card suspiciously. In his world, people didn’t do favors for nothing.
“Well, she seemed like she was in an awful hurry to get away from you. And I like to stir the pot.” Kate smirked, shrugging a shoulder covered with dancing swirls of bright ink. “I also really don’t want to decorate the honeymoon suite.” Nate couldn’t help it; he barked out a laugh. For just once, he decided to take a gift at face value.
“Thank you.” But Kate was already gone, winding through the crowd on her way to… Gavin. And the ex-soldier was watching her approach with a curious mixture of terror and delight on his face.
Well, that would be interesting. Almost interesting enough to make Nate want to stick around and watch the fireworks.
But then he thought of Ellie, her shoulders bared in that pretty silk dress, her eyes shadowed with something smoky, making them look even more passionate than usual as he brought her to climax.
His no-sex promise to himself was clearly giving her way too much time to think. Overthink, in fact. So for his next plan of attack?
He couldn’t make her say all she wanted was him. But he wouldn’t go down without a good fight. And even if it was all for nothing, he’d make damn sure that when Ellie looked back on this weekend, she’d never forget Nate Archer.
Chapter Fourteen
Red rose petals were scattered over the soft duvet. Long-stemmed roses in the same shade were artfully arranged in a modern blown glass vase on one of the artisan wooden bedside tables. A bottle of sparkling wine was chilling in a silver bucket of ice, and beside it on the small dining table, also on ice, was a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries.
Ellie had just put the finishing touches on a gift basket that she and the other bridesmaids had put together, all little things that the happy couple might want or need on their wedding night or the morning after—coconut water, aspirin, even a small bottle of massage oil, though she didn’t much care to think of Chase using that.
The honeymoon suite was all set for a big night of romance. And lookin
g around, Ellie could do nothing but feel her heart ache.
She didn’t want to get married right this second or anything. Hell, before this weekend, she hadn’t been certain that she wanted to get married at all. But it just went to show that when the right person was involved, all previous notions went right out the window.
Ellie had first felt that spark between her and Nate when they were little more than children, and now…
While this weekend had started with him helping her prove a point, that she was a desirable woman, she’d broken the rules. Hell, had she ever had a chance? A man who would arrange such a sweet romantic gesture for his friends—it melted the steely reserves that she’d so desperately tried to shore up.
She’d be lying to herself if she said that she wanted anything other than Nate to tell her that he wanted her forever. But even if he did, no matter how hot the flame between them burned, she knew, she just knew, that out in the real world, away from their home town, it would be extinguished with one small gust of a supermodel.
It wasn’t low self-esteem saying that, nor was it pessimism. It was just a fact. His dates were featured in the tabloids. He was one of America’s most eligible bachelors.
And she? She was an optometrist from his childhood. Pretty on good days, but still lacking that sparkle he couldn’t resist. The math wasn’t hard.
So all that was left was to decide how to handle their final encounter—and she knew there would be one. She’d never make it hard for him to walk away. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t gorge herself on every last drop of him before he left.
She wasn’t even surprised to hear the electronic beep that signalled someone using their key card to enter the room. She’d seen the determination in Nate’s eyes before she slipped upstairs. He hadn’t gotten where he was in life by giving up.
And ninety per cent of her was thrilled to have that kind of drive focused on her. The other ten percent, though? It was absolutely, completely terrified.
Never Say Love (Never Say Never #1) Page 13