After a few minutes of deliberation and roping Trystan in for help, he settles on a raven-haired beauty over by the bar. He saunters off over to her, working up his mojo along the way ashe loosens his tie. It never ceases to amaze me how this goes. He slides up next to her, signaling the bartender with a finger before doing the shy double take, like he “just” noticed her. She peers across her bare shoulder, looking up at him with her doe eyes and smiles. He returns it with the panty dropper grin. Every. Damn. Time. Okay, ninety-five percent of the time. He’s at least leaving with a number.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ava’s squint and hear an audible snarl.What?!I turn my attention fully her way. She’s sitting at the main table to my left nursing a glass of white wine and glaring at someone. I follow her gaze, looking for the source of her disdain. I’m not really surprised when it lands on the spicy devil himself. Damn, these two, they fucking live to hate each other. I snort my amusement before waltzing over to Trystan. He’s talking to a few of Mark and I’s college friends that decided to make the trip. It also doesn’t surprise me when I catch the fact he has a perfect view of Brynleigh dancing from where he stands, and he coughs into his arm after choking on his drink when he sees that I notice him watching. He knows that if I’ve noticed, it’s available for anyone to notice, especially that specific someone flirting at the bar.
The first beats of Ying Yang TwinsSalt Shakersound throughout the room, and I hear Jane holler Sydney’s name across the room. I chuckle as I see her running for her as she hollers for Ava to get her ass up and on the floor. Jane grabs my bride’s hand, pulling her away from her mother and stepfather toward the middle of the floor. Holly whoops as she gives Syd’s mom, Diane, a hug and follows. Bryn is already out there and squeals when they all congregate, a collection of “I love this song!, This is my jam!, and others I don’t catch because the song is like a freaking magnet for all the chicks. Really. All of them. I make my way over to Diane and Jim, smiling when I realize my own parents are behind them chatting.
“There’s my boy!” My dad stands and claps my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug.
“Sorry I haven’t had the chance to chat much,” I state, feeling a bit bad that I really haven’t gotten to sit and chat with them for very long. Their flight got in late the night before rehearsal, so it’s kind of been a whirlwind. Dad waves my apology off.
“There’s never enough time to fit everyone in on the big day. Don’t worry about it. We all get it because we’ve been there. Today’s about you. If someone really needs to talk to you, they’ll find you. Have fun, enjoy your bride. That’s what really matters.”
I bend down to give my mom a kiss on the cheek, and she sighs happily before telling me she loves me. I leave them to chat and enjoy getting to know each other more. They all met over Christmas, and I’m so glad they hit it off.
I take my father’s advice and make my way to the dance floor. Sydney’s glowing with joy, having a blast and is nicely buzzed. I need to remember to slip her a water when she comes off the floor. Mark and the chick from the bar, along with Garrett and Trystan, make their way out to us as well. We spend the next couple of hours dancing and doing shots. It’s seriously one of the best nights of life, and the night’s still young. In an hour or so, things will start slowing down. Then I can whisk my wife off to bed.Wife.It’s like Sydney has a radar for when she’s on my mind because she pulls away from her friends and dances the two feet over into my arms. She wraps an arm around the back of my neck as she yanks my tie with her other hand to pull my lips down for a steamy kiss that is full of promises for later.
An Hour Later…
Mark
Sitting at a table with a few old college buddies, laughing about the good old days, I look around and notice the crowd thinning out. Several people have snagged Colin and Sydney off the dance floor and are showering them with hugs, goodbyes, and their final congratulations. The newlyweds cannot keep their hands off each other, but I’ve never seen Colin so happy. I was pretty hesitant about how fast things had moved between them at first, but now, I realize that they were just brave enough to acknowledge what they knew in their hearts to be true and didn’t waste a damn minute on the bullshit. I’m really happy for them.
I look down into my nearly empty drink and decide maybe I’m not drunk enough. I’m glad the venue is directly next to our hotel. I can get as drunk as I want. I’d had a solid lead on that dark-haired beauty earlier, and I even got her number,but…things just didn’t really pan out. I could’ve just pulled myusual crap. I mean, it was working fantastically, but fuckingAvajust had to keep staring at me. She really hates my guts. I don’t blame her though. I made her feel insignificant. That’s on me. I haven’t done a whole lot to redeem myself either. Anyway, her staring got the busty beauty’s attention and scared her off. Hell, I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with the potential drama if I were her. She was just here for a good time.
Over the past sixish months, I had hoped things would get better. That Ava and I would at least learn to tolerate each other. I snort into the last of my drink just before I swallow it down. Yup, definitely not drunk enough. Making my way to the bar, I signal for the bartender and grab my last one for the night. Wouldn’t you know, the she- devil herself just so happens to be right here getting her own drink as well. At least she was smart enough to grab some water.
“Did your conquest for the evening run off to powder her nose, or did you epically fuck something up again?” Ava practically sneers.
If I didn’t know better, she almost sounded jealous. Oh, but I do know better. She loathes me. The feeling is basically mutual.
“Green doesn’t suit you, Ava,” I toy with her, knowing damn well it gets under her skin. She guffaws, turning those big brown eyes toward me, and I have to blink twice.Fuck, I’m more drunk than I thought.
“You think I’m jealous? Of some twit? Get over yourself.”
“Jealous I’m at least capable of getting laid.”
“Fuck you,” Ava grits quietly between her clenched teeth.
“No, thank you,” I grit back, standing from the place I’d been leaning against, crowding her space.
The fire in her eyes is a sight to behold, and I decide to walk away before I do something stupid like suck that bottom lipshe just dropped to the floor in between my teeth and drag her off to an empty room.
Say what? Where the hell did that come from?I shake my head, dispelling that stupid, fucking idea, and walk back to the table with the guys. I plop down into my chair and work my tie off, loosely draping it around the back of my neck. That’s better. Ava spares me one more glare before stomping off toward her spot about fifteen feet away with a water and her refilled glass of wine.
I unbutton the cuffs of my sleeves and roll them up to my elbows, not giving a damn if they look stylish. I’m flipping burning up in here. I lean back in my chair to attempt being more comfortable and unbutton the top button of my shirt as well, huffing as I look over at the woman who’s got me on the fucking edge of… I don’t even know what.Insanity. That’s the best word for it.
I notice her watching me closely from between Holly and Jane leaning toward each other discussing something with such enthusiasm I could get dizzy watching their fingers and lips fluttering about. Our eyes lock, and she rolls her eyes, taking a big long sip from her straw. The movement of her lips rounding around the tip of the straw weirdly piques my interest. I sit up a little straighter, darting my eyes back to the guys and whatever it is they’re discussing. I lost track before I went to get my drink, and haven’t much been interested in the logistics of whatever corporate bullshit they’re still jabbering about.
My eyes peek back over at the girls and watch as Ava rests her cheek against her palm, twirling her straw around in circles within the glass. Her dainty fingers slide up and down the straw, the sight automatically shooting my brain into dark corners it has no business taking Ava into. She leans down to suck up another sip, and I have to look away, but not before our eyes catch again for a millisecond.
I am walking along a very fine and dangerous edge. It’s just the fucking alcohol.Sure, keep telling yourself that.When I glance back, I notice her looking at my forearms while I’m adjusting the cuffs I just folded a couple minutes ago. She’s watching too hard for my liking. I don’t know what to think about it.
I hear a throat clear and look to see several pairs of eyes watching me expectantly as if they are waiting for an answer from me.Shit. Did they ask me something?
“I’m sorry, what was the question?”
“Where’d that hottie you were chatting up earlier go?” the guy next to my old friend Brian asks. For the life of me, I can’t remember his name.
“Ehhh… I don’t think either of us was feeling it.”