by Liwen Ho
On the far side of the room were two small camera crews with professional gear. They stood politely off to the side, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Evan scoffed when he saw the extra long lens attached to one of their cameras. No doubt People magazine was ready to capture every move the bride and groom made. Hopefully their attention would be focused so much on the happy couple that they wouldn’t even want to take pictures of the rest of the wedding party.
Darren gave him a gentle nudge as the set of doors at the back of the ballroom opened. “It’s time,” he whispered, directing Evan’s attention to the open doors.
Evan followed the crowd’s gaze as everyone turned in their white folding chairs to watch the bridesmaids walk in. The string quartet continued playing a soft, melodic tune. Wearing matching royal blue dresses, Brandon’s wife, Bria, led the procession. Behind her was Colin’s fiancée, Candy, then Darren’s girlfriend, Danica.
As the women traveled toward the front of the room, Evan held his breath, waiting for Emma’s appearance. He finally saw her dark red locks and fair complexion when she was half-way down the aisle. Nothing could’ve prepared him for how stunning Emma looked. Her hair was swept up, leaving a few wispy tendrils around her rosy cheeks. The bridesmaid dress suited her perfectly, as if it were made for her. The bodice, with its spaghetti straps and deep V-neckline, showed off her slender neck and bare shoulders. It also accentuated Emma’s curves, hugging her torso before flaring out at the waist into a lacy, asymmetrical skirt. She took careful, measured steps in a pair of three-inch nude strappy sandals.
He’d never seen Emma look more beautiful. Not that she needed a fancy dress or shimmery eye shadow and red lipstick to stand out. But he’d never seen her dressed up like this. Evan was used to Emma’s everyday outfits, such as jeans and a blouse, or a casual dress at the most. This dressed-up Emma, with her chin lifted high, was confident, composed, and—he gulped—completely sexy.
Emma strode to the front of the aisle and flashed a sweet smile in his direction before taking her place with the other bridesmaids.
Evan tensed, feeling his body temperature rising. He tugged at the collar of his shirt and made a conscious effort to keep his jaw clenched. If he wasn’t careful, his mouth would fall open in awe and wonder. Instead, he dropped his gaze to the burgundy carpet as he tried to gather his thoughts.
Every cell in his body wanted to scream at himself. Why had he gone and implemented that “no kissing rule” for their relationship? It was truly self-torture of the highest degree to see Emma like this and not be able to kiss her. Maybe they could share just one— No! He needed to get a hold of himself. There would be a time and place for physical intimacy one day, but for now, he had a different goal to stick to. The plan where they would save Emma’s job. There would be no kissing, not even hand-holding. With the paparazzi around, he and Emma had to keep their distance.
But honestly, distance was the last thing Evan wanted.
He lifted his head, immediately noticing Emma out of the corner of his eye. Her bright green eyes sparkled with interest as she bit her lower lip. He hardly registered a thing after that action. Everything around them—from the guests, to the cameras clicking away—blended into the background. All Evan felt was the pounding of his heart as he saw his girlfriend in a new light.
From the time the quartet began playing the wedding march to the moment the pastor announced the newly married couple, Evan couldn’t stop looking at Emma. Not even when she moved her gaze to focus on Abby and Aiden as they exchanged their vows. Nor when the crowd went wild as the newly married couple kissed. Only when Darren patted him on the shoulder and whispered, “Ev, it’s your turn,” did Evan finally snap out of his reverie.
Just as they’d practiced during the wedding rehearsal, Evan held out his arm as Emma stepped forward and took it. The sweet floral fragrance of her perfume filled his senses, giving him a heady sensation. But it was nothing compared to the way his body reacted to Emma’s closeness. Every inch of him was on high alert.
Emma tugged on his arm and gestured for them to follow their siblings. “It’s our turn to go.”
“Oh, right.” Somehow, Evan’s feet moved of their own accord down the aisle. He might as well have been floating on air, he felt so elated. Without thinking, he grasped Emma’s hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss.
“Evan!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice. “What are you doing?”
“Kissing the woman I love,” he replied proudly.
Emma’s cheeks reddened as her eyes darted to something ahead of them. Only when Evan saw a camera pointed in their faces did he realize the paparazzi were capturing their every move.
Chapter Four
Emma
Emma didn’t know what had overcome Evan. He was acting so strangely, sneaking glances at her with eyes like a lovesick puppy. Make that an adorable lovesick puppy. He even blushed when she looked his way down the rectangular table where the wedding party was seated for dinner. Abby, who was sitting beside her in the center of the head table, noticed Evan’s strange behavior, too.
“What’s going on with Evan? He’s acting like he hasn’t seen you in years,” Abby exclaimed. Her brows drew together as her expression turned serious. “Did you guys have a fight and he’s trying to get back in your good graces?”
“I’m not sure.” Emma took a sip of ice water from her gold-rimmed crystal goblet. One of the hotel servers set a plate of seared salmon and roasted vegetables before her. The delicious aroma jumpstarted her appetite, despite the nerves jumbling up her stomach. Ever since Evan had kissed her hand in front of the paparazzi, she’d been worried sick they’d publish the photos. Maybe Abby was right, and Evan was trying to make up for the slip-up? She took a bite of her fish and swallowed. “I think he might feel bad about kissing my hand earlier. That’s the only reason I can think of.”
Abby narrowed her eyes behind her glasses. “Or maybe he’s finally seeing you as the confident woman that’s been hiding inside you all these years. You have to admit, you look hot today.”
Emma’s cheeks warmed. She was glad the deejay had started playing a Heartland song with a loud bass beat. The music provided a good cover for her sister’s usually loud voice. “It doesn’t matter what I look like. It’s your big day. And you look absolutely beautiful.” Abby truly did, not just because her dark brown hair was in a fancy updo or she was wearing a gorgeous strapless wedding gown. There was a sparkle in her eyes that Aiden was responsible for. Emma couldn’t be happier for her sister.
“I clean up well,” Abby joked with a toothy grin as she cut into her prime rib. “We both do. Which is why you’ve got Evan all googly-eyed. I’ll bet you twenty bucks that he kisses you tonight!”
“Shh! Not so loud, Abs.” Emma ducked her head and looked around the room, wondering if anyone had heard Abby’s eager declaration. The ballroom where the ceremony had taken place had been turned into a reception area with dozens of round tables situated around a square dance floor. The wedding guests sat far away enough from the head table that they likely couldn’t hear their conversation, but they weren’t the ones Emma feared were eavesdropping. She felt like easy prey with the paparazzi still hanging around them like mosquitos on a hot summer evening. “They might hear you. Maybe those camera lenses have some sort of long range listening devices attached to them.”
Abby smirked. “Seriously, Em? You worry too much. The paps have to run everything they want to publish by Aiden and me first. It’s in the contract they signed. They know not to mess with us—or I should say me.”
Emma chuckled as Abby winked. Leave it to her sister to make sure she had the last word. If only she could have Abby fight her battles for her, too. That’d make life a whole lot easier. But there were things she needed to figure out herself, especially now that Abby was married. Her sister had her own family to think about. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t ask for some sisterly advice. “Do you think Evan even wants to, you know, kiss me?”
&
nbsp; “Emma Dearan, are you crazy? Of course he wants to kiss you. What hot-blooded young man wouldn’t?” Abby snuck a look to her right where Aiden sat beside her, with Evan on the other side of him. “If Evan is anything like Aiden—and I know he is—he’s likely been taking cold showers every night for the past year. It’s only a matter of time before he starts regretting his no-kissing rule. Honestly, you both are grown adults with good heads on your shoulders. You can handle a kiss now and then. He does it for work, right? I still don’t get why it’s such a big deal to him.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Evan talking to Aiden and Darren. He paused mid-sentence as if he sensed her watching, and turned toward her. A smile curved his lips as his gaze lingered on her, before his brothers drew his attention again.
She couldn’t get over how handsome he was in his tuxedo. Maybe clothes did make a man, because Evan had never looked more attractive. The look he’d given her was more alluring than any she’d ever seen. His eyes had lit up like those of a man in a desert discovering a glass of water. Or like a guy looking at the woman he couldn’t wait to kiss.
Emma brushed a lock of hair from her heated face. The thought of Evan wanting to kiss her started a fluttering sensation in her stomach. Along with that anticipation came an overwhelming feeling of relief. Relief that Evan desired to kiss her. She didn’t doubt that he cared for her, but the thought had crossed her mind whether there was something wrong with her. Was she not pretty enough? Did her lack of dating experience turn him off? All those doubts that liked to sink their claws into her mind, however, were starting to sting less. She only hoped she was reading Evan’s signals right.
“Evan’s just being Evan,” Emma replied matter-of-factly. “He wants to protect and respect me, and this is his way of doing that. I hope you’re right though. I was starting to wonder if he liked kissing his on-screen love interests more than he wants to kiss me. Especially since the last one he kissed thought he liked her.” Emma shuddered, feeling a shiver run down her back. She hated the idea of her boyfriend kissing anyone, but it stank even more to think Margot got to kiss him. Emma usually thought the best of people, but something about Margot rubbed her the wrong way.
Abby sighed as she waved her fork about. “I don’t know how you do it, Em. I’d be a hot mess if I knew Aiden was out there kissing other women. I wouldn’t care if it was for his job or not. That sweet mouth of his is reserved for me and me only.”
“I trust Evan. And anyway, it’s not a real kiss. It’s totally staged.”
“Unless there’s some CGI that I don’t know about going on behind the scenes, when two actors lock lips, it’s a real kiss.” Abby forced out a small smile. “It’s the two of you guys’s business. I know you’re old enough to handle your own life. But if it were me, I’d feel a lot happier if Evan had a no-kissing clause in his contract, too. Just saying.”
“I-I can’t ask him to do that.” No matter how much Emma wished she could, she had little say over Evan’s work decisions when they weren’t married. “This is his career we’re talking about.”
“I know, which is why I’m going to zip my mouth right now.” Abby stuck a forkful of veggies into her mouth. She then turned toward Aiden who had started talking to her.
Emma was left to chew her food in silence. The salmon that she had been chewing suddenly lost its flavor. She swallowed it down with a gulp of water, feeling the liquid push uncomfortably past her throat. She looked around the ballroom, taking in all the beautiful decor. The dim, warm lighting, along with each table’s centerpiece showcasing folded flowers made from sheet music, set the mood for love. She should’ve been happy and caught up in the warm fuzzies of the day, but all she could think about was Abby’s suggestion that Evan add a no-kissing clause to his contract.
The very idea made Emma want to laugh. Doing so would automatically kill Evan’s career as a teen heartthrob. He wouldn’t be able to continue on Edenvale if he didn’t kiss his coworkers. That was part of the draw of the show, the way he could charm women with a simple smile or wink. Fans loved his character, especially since the scriptwriters had recently turned him into a bit of a bad boy. There was no way she could even bring up the idea. She cared about Evan too much to put his job in jeopardy.
Just like he cared about her enough to want to safeguard her job.
Her shoulders relaxed at this thought. Evan really was an amazing guy. She didn’t know why God had blessed her with him, but she was so grateful. She snuck a glance his way and felt her heart skip a beat. There was no denying the love in his eyes. With Evan looking at her this way—like she was the only woman in the room—all of her concerns faded away. It was just her and Evan, the man she loved and trusted.
The mood of the room suddenly came alive as the deejay took to the microphone. The redheaded man, who was Abby’s radio cohost, announced the married couple’s first dance of the evening. “It’s time for our new couple to show us their moves on the dance floor. I, for one, have been waiting for this moment all evening,” he quipped. “Let’s give it up for Mr. and Mrs. Aiden and Abby Spark!”
Guests began trading their forks and knives for their phones, ready to take photos of Abby and Aiden, who were making their way to the dance floor. The room dimmed, and colorful spotlights located above the dance floor lit up the area. Aiden’s voice came over the speakers, as a record from his boy band days played, and the lights began moving in time to the music.
Emma watched in awe as Abby let Aiden take the lead. Her strong-minded sister stood with an expectant smile, waiting for her new husband to take her in his arms. The two of them swayed side to side with Abby’s cheek resting on Aiden’s broad chest. Their contented smiles were a beautiful sight to behold. The paparazzi seemed to think so, too, because they were coming alongside them to take photos. Abby and Aiden were so wrapped up in each other, they hardly noticed the extra attention.
During the ballad’s second verse, the deejay made another announcement, this time calling the rest of the wedding party to the stage. “Come on, all you bridesmaids and groomsmen. Give Aiden and Abby some moral support. It’s your turn to join the dance floor.”
Emma shielded her eyes as a spotlight shone toward the head table. She heard the chairs around her scrape the floor as the remaining Spark brothers rose from their seats. One by one, they approached the bridesmaids’ end of the table to meet their respective dance partners.
Evan reached Emma’s side just as she finished taking a sip of water. “Hey love, ready to dance?”
“Sure.” She quickly dabbed the corners of her mouth with her linen napkin, then placed it on her chair as she stood up. With a shy smile, she took his outstretched hand and followed him to the dance floor.
In a matter of seconds, Evan found an open spot for them, then pulled her flush against himself. He let go of her hand to place both of his on the small of her back. Emma immediately reached up and laced her fingers behind his neck. The warmth of his skin sent tingles along her hands all the way up her arms. Those tingles, however, were nothing compared to what was going on inside her body. Her stomach felt like it was dropping all the way down to her pink-painted toes. It was a wild sensation, one that made her feel like jello in Evan’s hands. She leaned into him for support as they moved to the beat.
“I’ve been waiting all day for this,” he murmured into her ear. “You look so beautiful. I honestly didn’t know how much longer I could wait to hold you.”
Emma couldn’t help blushing. The tone of his voice was so fervent and raw, it bordered on desperation. “You’re so sweet, Evan. I’ll have to thank Abby for choosing such a pretty gown for us. I’m so glad she didn’t choose a color like yellow that would’ve clashed with my hair.”
Evan pulled back to face her. A grin lit up his chiseled face. “It’s not the dress, Emma. It’s you. I could hardly keep my eyes off you all day. It’s only because I get to hold you now that I dare look anywhere else.”
“You really know how to make a girl feel sp
ecial.” Emma chewed her lower lip, slightly embarrassed to be receiving such gushing compliments. It was also the way Evan was looking at her that made her self-conscious. She couldn’t believe his dark brown eyes had yet to leave her face. What had she done to deserve his attention? “You’re making me blush.”
“I like it when you blush.”
“What’s gotten into you today?” she remarked, giggling. She liked seeing this romantic side of Evan, but she wasn’t used to it. He was usually focused and in control, nowhere near as emotional as she tended to be. Everything about him today though—the intensity of his gaze to the husky tone of his voice—was making her feel unusually hot. Make that hot and bothered. So this was why Abby had been talking about cold showers. She could really use one right about now.
“I’m happy, Em,” he simply replied. “You make me happy. Plus, this whole day has been giving me happiness vibes. Seeing Aiden and Abby say their vows made me realize something.”
“What?”
He tipped his head down to rest his forehead against hers. With hardly an inch between them, he nudged the tip of her nose with his. “I’m more than ready to say mine.”
Emma’s mouth fell open. Was Evan saying what she thought he was saying? Was he proposing to her?
Chapter Five
Evan
Evan paused, eagerly waiting for Emma’s response. The surprise on her face, however, made him second-guess his declaration. Perhaps it was too forward of him to talk about marriage already, but under the circumstances, it felt right to bring it up. He was ready to take the next step, to make the commitment of a lifetime. Why wasn’t Emma?