by AJ Nuest
She stepped up as the next in line to be accompanied by Kelly’s older brother, Sean, waiting as Julian primped the curls the stylist had secured to her head with several rhinestone-tipped pins.
“Ugh. Beautiful.” He patted her cheek, bussed air kisses around her face and turned toward Kelly’s russet-haired sister, Moira, checking she was all set to take Xander’s arm. “Spin for me, sweetie.”
Tanner snatched her bouquet of white roses off a nearby chair and took her spot by the door, glancing over her shoulder as Charlie rolled her eyes and then hiked up her boobs, nodding she was good to go with Ben.
Stepping back, Julian propped his elbow on his wrist, chin pinched between his thumb and index finger as he aimed a critical eye at the black-lace dress hugging Mocha’s curvy form. The plunging neckline was secured in place by a sheer mesh panel, leading to a strip of black silk that hid the Adam’s apple in Mocha’s throat. The tiered layers of his tulle mermaid skirt flared at the knees, adding the perfect balance to offset the slick bouffant up-do of his weave.
“You’re fabulous.” Julian flipped his hand to the side as if his work here was done. “The way you put this package together, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“You charmer, you.” Offering Eden his arm, Mocha snuck the wedding planner a sly wink, and Tanner couldn’t help but clear her throat against a knowing smile.
So, that just happened…
Eden slipped her fingers inside the crook of Mocha’s elbow and the two of them clasped hands. Her, the blushing bride. Him, the perfect embodiment of both mother—and father—who would be giving his baby girl away.
“All right, ladies, remember to smile. We’re happy and glowing. No lagging behind.” Angling his chin, Julian spoke into the mic clipped to his lapel. “The diamonds are leaving the mine. I repeat, the diamonds are leaving the mine.”
Good Lord. Tanner huffed a laugh. Though with the security Xander had in place, Julian most likely had no other choice. Since the moment she’d hit the premises, every agent assigned wedding duty had gotten a heads up if she so much as stepped outside the dressing room to go pee.
Her belly flipped a nervous somersault as they started down the long winding corridor, Julian’s hand poised in the air as he led them en masse toward the ballroom. Spaced at various intervals, a few of Byrne’s suited Feds lifted their brows as the group passed. One or two even acknowledged her with a smile, tracking her steps with a slow swivel of their heads.
Subtle, but nice. One hand holding her stomach, Tanner blew a slow breath to try and get her jitters under control. And much appreciated considering the man she was about to see.
As upset as she’d been after slamming the door of Ben’s truck, coming home to find his apology bouquet waiting outside her door had fired a direct hit right to her soft spot. God. Talk about hitting below the belt. She’d even chuckled when she’d read his irritating, goofy excuse of a note.
Up ahead, the guys mingled before the entrance to the ballroom, and she craned her neck to get a clear shot as they shuffled their feet and checked their red rose bud boutonnieres. Only problem was, Ben Archer usually ran so hot and cold, she honestly never knew what to expect.
He stood with his back to the hallway but, even from behind, Eden’s Paris runway taste came through in the striking silhouette of his tailored black suit, hands resting in the slash pocket of his sharply creased slacks, cut jacket emphasizing the width of his broad shoulders.
Facing forward, Sean, Xander and Ian wore the same identical suit, starched white dress shirts with narrow collars, matching silk ties that shimmered if caught in just the right light.
It would’ve been a big fat lie if Tanner didn’t admit their midnight text session had left her tumbling into bed nearly giddy with relief. For the first time ever, Ben had genuinely seemed like he was trying to make things easier between them. More relaxed. As if they’d somehow turned a corner in their professional relationship, and he wouldn’t try forcing his opinion down her throat every time she made a suggestion.
With her plans for Trey’s case looming in the very near future, his easing up couldn’t have come at a better time. And after spending five hours being fluffed and powdered by the experts, Tanner could only hope her appearance would add enough sugar to sweeten the pot. Maybe even help them along in the same friendly direction, so once he did find out what she had in mind the guy wouldn’t freak out and burst all the arteries in his brain.
Sean glanced their way and Tanner smirked as his jaw dropped. Xander followed his gaze and grinned as if Cupid had tossed his arrows over his shoulder and opted to crack Xander upside the head with his bow.
Pivoting on his heel, Ben wrenched to attention. His stare heated to the temperature of a blast furnace, and a thrill tingled along every inch of Tanner’s skin as his dark eyes scorched her from head to toe.
Well, fancy that. Apparently, he was pleased.
And good to know since, quite frankly, so was she.
Smoothing her palm down the front of her dress, she stopped behind Molly as Julian halted their procession. Another peek at Ben out of the corner of her eye, and her knees decided it was an excellent time to take on the consistency of cooked mush.
Double hot damn. He kept staring at her like that and Julian was gonna have to hose her down with a quick 9-1-1 to the closest fire department. She’d always guessed Ben would clean up nice, but never, in a million years, had she expected this.
Instead of his normally clean-shaven face, a day’s worth of dark stubble shadowed his jaw, trimmed at just the right angle to accent the deep hollows in his cheeks. Add in how that rough bristle framed his mouth, and she was tempted to break ranks so she could trace those soft lips with her tongue.
His usual no-nonsense haircut had been playfully mussed. Classy yet casual in a way that had her picturing him climbing out of bed…and then wondering if he wore boxers or briefs…and then seriously considering if approaching Ben would be worth pissing Julian off.
Going up on tiptoe would only take her a few seconds. She could bury her fingers in all that dark-blond hair and give it a good hard yank to test the strength and thickness of the strands.
Running her focus down to the thick muscles defining Ben’s thighs, she blew a heated breath before taking the slow journey back up. Good Lord. The guy did billionaire playboy with as much style as the relaxed sexy cop she’d spent time with in his truck.
Lips curled to the side, she fluttered her lashes. Not a beat later, his brows slammed down in such a fierce scowl, she frowned.
Aw crap, now what?
The fire in his gaze cooled to an angry simmer, and disappointment filtered through her chest. A muscle ticked near his temple, and she jerked her eyes forward as a crushing defeat landed like a loaded two-hundred-pound barbell on her shoulders.
God, she was dumb. So, so, so incredibly stupid. Clenching her bouquet, she set her teeth in an effort not to slump. She should’ve known better than to expect things to remain as effortless as they’d been last night. This was Ben Archer, and he was more confusing than a Rubick’s Cube times ten.
Xander took one long-legged stride toward Charlie, but Julian darted between them, holding his finger in the air. “Uh, uh, uh. No touching until after the bride and groom say I do.”
The planner waved a muttering Xander toward Moira, grabbed Sean’s shoulder, spun him to face the ballroom and shoved him into position beside Tanner. “Ten seconds ʼtil show time. Everyone take your spots like we practiced.”
“Damn, you ladies look hot.” Kelly’s older brother offered Tanner his arm.
Now see? Faking a smile, she grasped the inner bend of his elbow. What was so frickin’ hard about that?
“Thank you, Sean.” She spoke loudly enough to be overheard by the entire wedding party. “You look very handsome, too.”
A grunt came from two rows back, and she narrowed her gaze as warm satisfaction crept through her chest. Good. Let Ben grunt and complain all he wanted. The guy was a pain
in her ass, and what’s worse she’d fallen for his ridiculous attempt at an apology hook, line and sinker.
Her breath seized, and she squeezed her eyes shut against an internal groan.
No, no—dammit—what had she done?
But over and above any denial she tried to force feed herself, came the gut-sinking realization of how much she’d enjoyed that brief glimpse inside the real Ben Archer. Last night, the way he’d finally let down his defenses around her had made her feel special. For a few brief seconds, she’d actually let herself believe that he trusted her, was willing to set aside their differences and open up.
Another inner groan, and she blinked at the floor. And she’d bought into his act with nothing more than a few dumb texts.
Shit, how was it that losing out on even that small bit of closeness could depress her more than being an unwitting victim of his bait and switch?
“Ready, and…” Julian tossed open the doors and any thoughts of Ben or why his approval was so damn important skated out of her head quicker than a surfboard rode the pipeline of a hundred-foot rogue wave.
Holy shit. Eden had said she’d come up with a plan to make the space seem more intimate, but this went way beyond anything Tanner could’ve ever imagined.
Somewhere past the sheer white curtains cascading from the domed eighty-foot ceiling, the haunting strands of an Irish lullaby caressed the air from a string quartet. Molly and Ian disappeared through the wafting sheets like they were gliding toward the pearly gates and, stepping into the doorway, Tanner glanced up at what had to be a million white lights strung over every surface in the room.
“Close your mouth, love.” Julian tucked two fingers under her chin and clamped it shut. “Okay, we’re pausing and…go.”
A sweep of his hand, and she and Sean were off, the light edges of the fabric skimming her outer arm until they’d reached the center of the space. The ethereal wall parted, and Tanner’s brows shot up as they entered a concealed, private area stationed directly beneath the joined apex of the massive metal rafters.
At the head of the chairs, a robed judge waited under the latticed roof of a staged white trellis. Huge urns filled with overflowing sprays of long-stemmed red roses sat atop a curving row of ornate pedestals on either side. To the right, Kelly stood next to a fidgeting Trey, and while they sported the same black suits and white shirts as the rest of the guys, Tanner couldn’t help her grin at their matching red vests buttoned smartly over their deep red ties.
A second glance toward the ceiling, and she shook her head. Without question, the effect was dazzling. A breathtaking fairytale brought to life.
Sean started them down the aisle and she politely nodded as they passed the guests. Most were unfamiliar faces from Kelly’s side of the family, though Captain D’Avella was in attendance, seated beside an older gentleman Tanner assumed was her husband, the DeFrancos and several clients Eden had evidently grown close to over the years.
As she and Sean neared the trellis, Casper caught her eye, sitting solo near the front, and Tanner did her best to rally a genuine smile as he placed his hand over his heart and mouthed an enthusiastic, “Wow.”
Please. A blast of air shot from her nose. Releasing Sean’s arm, she strode over to Molly and faced the crowd. That playa was nothing but another letdown in a long list that never seemed to end. Not that she’d been ready to hop in the sack with the guy but, God.
Did he really think she was that naive? Or worse yet, that the girls hadn’t talked?
During the marathon countdown to get ready, Charlie had confirmed what Ben had already texted last night. Casually mentioning how Casper had never made it back to the manor after the bachelor party. That she’d been forced out of bed at the butt crack of dawn to find him standing on the front stoop, index finger holding down the doorbell until she’d slipped the lock to let him in.
After the way he’d flirted her up, had volunteered to help with Trey’s case and even gotten them started in the right direction, for Tanner to hear he’d hooked up with someone else had been more annoying than the constant dips she’d been forced to take into her dwindling savings.
No, she hadn’t been expecting him to confess his undying devotion. But she’d done enough time fooling around with cheap and easy, she wasn’t interested in getting involved with a hit it and quit it kind of guy.
Moira released Xander’s arm and walked toward Tanner. At the same moment, movement disrupted the curtains and Ben appeared near the back of the chairs with Charlie. His gaze snapped to hers, and Tanner rolled her eyes before looking away.
Wrong answer, dude.
Another peek at him, and she squinted in warning before directing her gaze toward the guests. If the man hoped to make it through the ceremony on two feet, he’d be better off redirecting his focus right now. He’d had his chance. Had it and blown it by greeting her with the same stoic anger he always did, throwing up an imaginary wall between them that didn’t need to exist.
Eden entered with Mocha and everyone stood, dabbing at their noses and cheeks as she met Kelly down the aisle. Taking her beaming groom’s arm, she stepped onto the trellis. Tanner turned toward the judge, and then gritted her teeth over the way Ben completely ignored them in favor of keeping his eyes riveted on her.
Enough. She shot him a sidelong glare and his lips hardened to a flat line. Much more, and he was going to ruin the moment. She fought the urge to march across the aisle and beat him over the head with her bouquet. She hadn’t done anything wrong, dammit. Today was about Eden and Kelly, and whatever mind games the stubborn, thick-necked detective was playing, from now on, he was on his own.
Breathing deep, Tanner concentrated on the bride and groom as they recited their vows, several sniffles coming from the guests behind her. Chuckling along with everyone else, she traded a smile with Moira as Kelly pivoted toward Trey for the ring, and then had to wait as Ben went down on one knee to help the kid search his pockets.
But she didn’t glance in his direction. Not once. Why would she when she already knew the stark judgment she would find?
What had to be no more than fifteen minutes later, the judge concluded the proceedings. Kelly scooped Eden into his arms and applause showered toward the ceiling as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
Joining in with a rowdy clap, Tanner turned as the whisper of fabric came from her right, and then was rocked back on her heels yet again as the curtains swung open to reveal a reception area on the north side of the room.
Dang. She lowered her arms to her sides. Ever since Eden had inherited a portion of Malcolm Smith’s estate, Tanner had suspected the woman was richer than El Dorado’s Mayan King. But the way Eden and Kelly had spared no expense ran circles around anything she could’ve ever begun to define.
Blindly accepting Sean’s arm, Tanner followed the path along with the rest of the bridal party, scoping out the scattered high-top cocktail tables and long, brass-tipped walnut bar standing center stage. Wedding guests streamed past and a crew of vested bartenders sprang into action, their backs facing the wall of windows showcasing a glittering nighttime view of the lake. Servers carrying silver trays stacked with champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres wove through the classical music being pumped from the PA and, in dire need of some alcohol, Tanner snagged the first glass within reach and brought it to her lips.
Thank God. She took a deep swallow and then slowly exhaled. Hopefully, one or two glasses would help. Sean left her side to get in some face time with Molly and Tanner gladly sent him on his way.
So far, she could’ve summed up the night in two words.
Men sucked. It didn’t matter what their age or occupation.
A set of dark-brown eyes drilled into her back, and she sighed. So help her God, if Ben decided now was the time and place to start in on her, she was gonna bust him over the head with her drin—
A warm palm met her bare lower back, and she flinched, champagne sloshing down the side of her glass as she spun around.
“Whoa.” Casper held up his hands in surrender. “I come in peace.”
Yeah, right. Tanner shook the droplets off her fingers before snatching an embossed napkin off a nearby table. Mr. I Got Trouble Keeping It In My Pants. He could just as easily be lumped in with the rest.
Draining her flute, she held up a finger to stop a passing waiter and exchanged the empty for a full glass on the tray. Too bad coming at him like a bitch on wheels would only do more harm than good.
“Not your fault. I just don’t like being put on display in front of a bunch of strangers.” If she wanted to position herself as his ally, she had to be careful. Play it cool. The guy hadn’t so much as asked her out, and if she stood a chance at getting to know him better, the safer option was to pretend like everything was fine.
Selecting a second glass, she handed it off to Casper and clinked the rims together with a wink. “So, Mr. Addison. Rumor has it you got yourself a little action last night.”
“Shit.” A grimace crumpled his face, and he scrubbed his thumb and index finger over the creases lining his lids. “God, Tanner, I’m sorry. I was hoping to be the one to tell you.” His hand hit his thigh with a slap. “What I got was drunk. So drunk, I embarrassed the hell out of myself and woke up passed out in the back of a cab with an empty wallet.” He rolled his eyes. “Not that I cared since, thank God, all my clothes were on.”
Oh. She squinted. Then shifted her eyes back and forth over the mingling guests. Well, that did a fine job of sticking her in the middle a lose-lose, didn’t it?
Bawling Casper out for doing something she kinda-sorta-maybe had flirted with once or twice would only set her up to every bit as judgy as Ben. Double-standards galore.
Pursing her lips, she gave Casper a dry once-over from under a calculating brow. On the other hand, the couple times she’d gotten smashed enough to wake up in a strange location had been way before she’d known better, and not because she’d been looking to get it on with some dude she’d just met.
“I acted like an asshole.” He captured her free hand and brought it to his chest, and she narrowed her gaze a second time as his green eyes softened with remorse. “A complete asshole who stepped way over the line.”