Then the moment came. Nick stood and reached out his hand. He smiled when she placed her hand in his. Plenty of other couples filled the dance floor, so they had to find a spot on the outer rim. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. "Put your arms around my neck."
His whisper sent tingles through her entire body. She bit her lip and did what he asked, her gaze leveled at the knot on his tie. Her body pressed to his and with each turn, she felt the muscles in his abdomen and chest. His body heat soaked through her dress, making her nipples harden. Slowly his hands slid to her back, resting just above her butt.
What would it be like to kiss him? Instinctively, she tilted her head back and looked at him. Her breath caught at the desire in his eyes. Was she brave enough to let this go further?
He leaned forward, stopping when his lips almost touched hers. She could almost feel the softness of his lips, and her eyes fluttered closed. Want and need entwined in her chest.
Something icy spilled down the back of her dress. She gasped in shock, and Nick glanced over her shoulder and frowned.
"Oh, I didn't see you there." Stella's voice rose above the music.
Victoria spun around and narrowed her eyes. Stella watched her with a satisfied smile, a hand on her hip. The other hand held her now empty wine glass. Stella glanced around the room and saw that most of the other guests watched them.
Nick grabbed Victoria's elbow and pulled her to him. He didn't seem to care that the back of her dress wet the front of his shirt. "Stella, you have serious fucking issues."
Before Stella could snap out a reply, the bride appeared at their side. "Stella, you need to leave. I won't have you starting stuff at my wedding. You won't ruin this night just because you weren't woman enough to satisfy Nick. Now, get your skanky ass out of here. I don't want to see you for the rest of the night. In fact, I don't want to see you ever again."
"Nicola, you don't understand. She bumped into me--"
"Shut up." Stella's mouth snapped shut in surprise. "If you don't leave right now, and I have to beat your ass in my wedding dress, not even the guys will be able to pull me off." Nicola cocked her head to the side.
Victoria saw Nicola's lean and muscled arms. From the way she talked, Gerritt must've met her through the MMA circuit. Stella obviously knew this because she glared for a minute longer before leaving the reception.
"Now, sweetie, come with me. I have a few extra dresses packed for my honeymoon. You can borrow one." Nicola waved her hand to Victoria.
"You don't have to do that." Victoria shook her head. "I don't want to put you through any trouble on your wedding night."
"There's no use in arguing with her. Nicola is one of the most hardheaded women I've ever met." Nick gently pushed Victoria in Nicola's direction.
Without another choice, Victoria followed the bride through the crowd. Nora joined them, waddling inside behind them. They walked into the bride's dressing room. It was small, but beautiful, decorated in whites and deep red. Nicola dug through the suitcase and Nora settled into a chair and sighed.
"I'm sorry about this." Victoria told Nicola.
Nicola held out a lavender sundress. "You have no reason to apologize. I don't know why I invited her. Pity, I guess."
Victoria removed her wet dress and laid it on the back of a chair. She'd been a cheerleader in high school and had two sisters, so she wasn't shy about undressing in front of other women.
"So, I need the juicy details. How did you meet Nick?" Nora asked. "I need to live through someone who's starting a relationship. I've been married for two years. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but sometimes it's nice to hear about the beginning. All the hormones, the adrenaline, the rush of first love."
Victoria let Nicola zip the back of the dress up. "There's no beginning. No relationship." She slipped her shoes back on. "He needed someone to bring as a date. I was available."
Nora smiled. "You don't see the way he looks at you."
"Yeah, I've never seen him look at a woman like that before." Nicola led them back out to the crowd. "And he's never, I mean never, dated a woman with kids. It's like he has a phobia of them."
Victoria thought about what they said while she and Nora walked back to the table to meet the guys. Nick grinned and handed her a mixed drink. "Thought you could use one of these."
"Thanks." She couldn’t resist smiling back, even with the worry about him and kids settling in her mind.
"You look great." Nick said sheepishly. "Bet that wasn't what you had in mind for tonight."
"No, but it'll make for a memorable one." She wanted to hint to him that Stella hadn't ruined the night, but would that make her seem easy or too enthusiastic?
He didn't leave her side for the rest of the night. When he fed her a piece of his cake from his fingertips, she wanted to suggest that they leave early. For once in her life she wanted to throw caution to the wind and do something impulsive. Take him home and let him ravish her. But they didn't leave early, waiting instead for Gerritt and Nicola to leave. She swapped numbers with Nora, making her promise to call if she had any questions, or if she just wanted to talk. Victoria had a feeling that she'd hear from Nora soon.
On the way back to Sanctuary Bay, Nick was uncharacteristically silent. He looked deep in thought, tapping a thumb on the steering wheel periodically. She'd had so much fun that she just realized maybe she'd read all his signals wrong. Maybe he didn't have any fun. Maybe Colin joking about Nick dating a woman with kids finally set in. Maybe he really wanted to leave with Stella and thought it would be rude to leave Victoria there.
Her brain started to hurt from all the questions circling. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Addie told her all the time that she over analyzed everything. Was she doing that now? She prayed that the drive would hurry and she could disappear into her house. Maybe if she didn't have him near her she could forget this night even happened.
Even as she thought that, she knew that even if he moved to another country, she'd never forget this night. Never forget how he'd made her feel, the craving he'd woken in her.
He pulled into her driveway, still silent. His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
She waited a second, wondering if he was just going to leave.
"Good night, Victoria." He said it quietly, without looking over at her. He continued to stare out the windshield.
She blinked. He was really going to do this? After all that, chasing her down to be his date, he was going to leave? Not even try for a goodnight kiss? She didn't respond to him as she slid out of his truck, wet dress in hand. He wasted no time in reversing his truck and taking off down the street.
For a minute she stood there. Her stomach clenched. She'd never felt so completely…rejected.
Crossing the Line
Part Two
Now Available
About the Author:
I'm a multitasking mom of four. When not writing/doing laundry/changing diapers, I like to catch up on episodes of Supernatural and Castle. If you can't find me in front of the computer, I'm most likely watching my DVR.
I've been writing since the first grade, where I wrote a one page story titled "If I was an Indian". My warrior husband was going to be the best hunter, I was going to live in the best teepee and apparently, I was having an affair with the Chief. Racy, I know.
Of the things I'm addicted to sweet tea, movies, and books top the list. My favorite authors include Nora Roberts, Lauren Kate, Kresley Cole, and Gena Showalter. Few of many I love.
Thanks so much for reading!
Sam :)
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For other books by this author visit her Smashwords Page.
Coming in Summer 2014
Addie and Finn's story
Taking the Heat
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Crossing the Line Part One (A Novella) Page 8