She snorted. “It was never about him, trust me.”
“But it’s not you. Is it?”
Her eyes flared with surprise. “No. Not really.”
“I want a wedding that’s everything you want. That’s about us.”
“You do?”
Nodding, I said, “Just the two of us without all the baggage.”
“I’d love that, too.”
“Good. So can we get out of here?”
Grinning, she bobbed her head and let me drag her out the doors. “Drea, where are you going?” Bianca called after us.
We stopped to let her catch up. With a wicked grin, Drea replied, “That’s none of your business. See you at the reception.”
“What about the photographer?”
“They can go on to the Ritz Carlton.”
Bianca threw a glance between us. “I’ll be waiting outside to fix your makeup should it need it.”
With a wink, I said, “You know, I knew I liked you.”
While a bodyguard waited at the decorated JUST MARRIED Rolls Royce, I steered Drea over to an SUV. At her questioning look, I said, “We’re going to need tinted windows.”
“You’re not serious,” she countered.
“Totally. I mean, I just got to have you, and now I’m about to go to a reception where for hours I can barely look at you, least of all touch you, so we can keep up the lie that we barely know each other.”
She swept her hands to the waist of her satin dress. “If you think I’m going to have our first time as man and wife in the back of an SUV, you’ve lost your mind.”
“While I didn’t mean our first time fucking, I’m not taking giving you your first orgasm from me off the table.”
Drea teasingly rolled her eyes. “Our first time fucking? You’re so romantic, Leo.”
“I’ve got a lot to learn. Will you teach me?”
“I can try.”
“I’m your fresh canvas. Do with me what you will,” I mused.
“You have no idea what you’re in for.”
“Let’s go.”
The waiting bodyguard helped her and her massive dress inside. “We’re going to the Ritz Carlton, but take the long way.” At the realization of having Drea all alone, I added, “In fact, just keep driving around until I tell you to stop.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once he closed the door, we collapsed back against the seat. When I turned to gaze at her beside me, my heart overflowed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
After falling into a heap on the leather, I suddenly fought to catch my breath. The last half hour had finally taken its toll on me. I’d stood at an altar where my groom-to-be was shot by my father only to have the man I love sweep in at the end and save the day.