The Wedding Contract

Chapter 19





When the big white hotel comes into view, it’s glowing golden against the night sky. I stop for a second and take in the view. I loved this place so much and now it’s tarnished with these horrible memories.

When I get to the house, there’s no sight of Nick. I smooth my hair and head to the elevator, very self-conscious of my free-swinging state and the sheer fabric of my dress. Mr. Stevens walks up beside me and presses the up button. “It’s so good to see you again, Skylar.” He fumbles my name when he finally takes a good look at me. My hair is a mess, I’m flushed, and I’m pretty sure my high beams are on and very visible.

I stare straight ahead and act like nothing is abnormal. “Thank you. It’s nice to see you, too.”

The elevator door opens and a few guys from the wedding party walk out. Their eyes dart straight to my nipples. They smirk like they know what I was doing and would be happy to do me again. One winks as he passes, but makes certain no one else can see. He acts like he’s holding the elevator door for me, but leans in and whispers, “Room 207.”

I don’t respond. Mr. Stevens can’t avoid the cramped space without making it look as if he doesn’t want to be near me. So instead of excusing himself, or answering a non-existent call, he steps into the box with me and presses the number for his floor. The old guy stares straight ahead, only asking, “Which floor?” I tell him and he punches the button.

The doors close and silence ensues. There is no music to cover my horror or to make the ride seem shorter. We both stare straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge that anything is amiss.

Finally, Mr. Stevens says, “Nice weather we’re having.”

I nod way too much and practically throw myself through the doors when they open. “Yes, have a good night.” I say over my shoulder as I exit. Then I make a horrible mistake. When he starts to talk, I stop and turn toward him.

The older man fumbles his words and looks everywhere but at me. His hands are gripped tightly as his gaze darts all over the place. “Well, you too. Well, I mean, have a fun, uh,” he stares straight at me with a deer in the headlights look, “well, have a nice night. Be good.” The doors slip shut and save us from further agony.

I’m never going to be able to talk to Sophie’s father-in-law again, ever. Holidays are going to suck. He’s going to be like, remember the time I saw your breasts, but I didn’t look? And I’m going to be like yeah, Mr. Stevens, those were good times.

Someone shoot me. Please. This can’t get worse, it just can’t.

When I arrive at our room out of breath, Nick looks up from the bed, where he’s grabbing his gear. The man straightens and tilts his head to the side and tut-tuts me. “Sky, you can’t bang the entire groomsmen party. Well, at least not all on the same night. Save some for tomorrow. Damn, woman.”


I snap. I mean, it’s not like I can take a lot of teasing to start with, but I usually maintain my composure. I can’t stand it when people get the better of me and I never ever show it, but something about Nick makes me crazy. I do idiotic things when he’s around and so I act on my feelings by raising my hands over my head and charging him while growling so low it sounds like there’s a bear living in my stomach.

I launch myself at him, my hands aiming for his neck. I bounce across the bed like a Gummy Bear and knock the man to the floor. Nick doesn’t think I’ll do it, he expects me to stop, but I don’t. I plow right into him and down he goes, shocked expression and all. Straddling him I take my pointer finger and jab it to the tip of his nose, pressing up until it can’t move another inch.

That’s when I hiss, “If you do one more thing, just one more thing, I swear to God I’ll rip your lungs out of your body through your nose!”

For a second he says nothing. The expression on his face doesn’t change, he just watches me with those cool blue eyes. My anger settles and it’s like he senses it. Nick reaches for my wrist and pulls my hand away. Our eyes are locked the entire time and my heart won’t slow down. It thumps and races until I’m deaf. I don’t know how much time passes like that, but I feel myself being drawn to him. It’s like there’s a line there, one that no one can see, tugging me to his chest—to his lips.

I want his arms to wrap around me and never let go. We gaze at each other much too long, before I break it and look down at his hand on my wrist. Deegan’s touch felt nice, but Nick’s is incomparable. His grip is firm, so I know he’s strong, but there’s a softness in the way he holds me that is unlike Deegan. It’s unlike anyone who’s ever held me. Nick watches me as my gaze dips to his hand. A second later he releases me. I don’t move. I meant to beat him up, I really did, but now I can’t.

Insults are swirling in my mind, but that’s not what comes out of my mouth. “You really would have watched?” Nick is so still, like a gazelle that knows it’s been spotted by a lion. Is he that kind of guy? It shouldn’t matter to me, but for some reason it does. I want him to say no. I want him to be the man I see under all the polish and charm. That guy wouldn’t watch.

“It’s difficult not to watch you.” His gaze darts away from mine, making my heart beat harder. “I admit I handled it wrong. I didn’t mean to invade your private life like that. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Nick takes my arms and shifts so that I’m sitting on the floor and not straddling his legs.

My jaw is hanging open. He likes me? I blurt out the words before I can stop myself, “I don’t understand.”

Nick looks at me out of the corner of his eye as he reaches for his camera. While placing the strap around his neck, he replies, “You don’t understand what?”

“Why? Why are you putting me out of business?” I get to my feet and walk over to him, but he won’t look at me. He fumbles the lens cap and it drops to the floor. The piece of plastic rolls under the bed and we both go to grab it at the same time. Our fingers brush, inciting a warm surge of something unknown to flow through me. His touch is electric; it’s pure energy, addictive and warm.

I pick up the cap and hold it out for him. He looks at it and that smirk returns. Game over. I’m not going to get another piece of truth from those lips tonight. When he starts to speak, I press my finger to his lips and say, “Don’t. You’re better than that. And by the way, if you tell anyone that I jumped at you like a rabid rabbit, I’ll deny it.” My mask is up and my smile is hiding every feeling I have. I grab my gear bag and I turn toward the door, but I pause as I feel his fingers wrap around my wrist one by one. I look back at him.

His smile falters and fades. “Don’t.”

Something is different than it was before. My gear bag slips off my shoulder as Nick reaches for my chin. He gently slides a finger beneath it and lifts my face toward his, eyes watching my mouth as he does it. I can barely breathe. My heart pounds violently and I shiver at his touch. Parts of me awaken and respond, parts I didn’t know were there. The pull between us is intense, unstoppable. It’s ensnared both of us and with each second, our lips move closer and closer. Images of bare, slick skin enter my mind. I picture our bodies tangled together. My breath catches in my throat and the distance between us closes.

Just as his beautiful, full lips brush against mine, a phone chirps. The spell breaks and we dart apart.

Nick runs his hand over the back of his neck, unable to look at me. “See you down there.” He opens the door and walks out.

“Yeah,” I answer without looking at him or asking for an explanation of where ‘down there’ is exactly. I pace the floor, trying to breathe and holding onto my heart. It’s ready to jump if he snaps his fingers. Oh God, I want him to snap his fingers. I almost want to lose the bet just so I can be with him.

I stare at the wall until I come down from my lusty high and then put on clean clothes from my suitcase. After I’m respectably dressed again, I bend down, grab my gear bag, reach for the doorknob and twist—it comes off in my hand.