I hope she didn’t see the disappointment in my eyes at her announcement; I’m happy for her, truly, but selfishly, I want her here, with me…for good.
I curl into Andi, her hand dangerously high on my thigh. I press a kiss to her head, liking where this moment is going. I roll into her, slipping my hand down to pull her closer, my fingers lingering on the curve of her back, toying with the edge of her panties, until—
She snores.
It’s a cute, light snore that sounds like a baby puppy.
I examine her more closely and find that, sure enough, her breathing is steady and her eyes are closed. She’s asleep.
Tucking her into me, I wrap the blanket around her body as she sleeps. The stars blink down on us, and the moon washes the dark of the world away, leaving a sparkle behind.
Before I met Andi, the world never sparkled.
Now, there’s no going back.
CHAPTER 42
Andi
The lazy, warm fingers of sunlight wash over my face, the scent of summer pulling me from a soft, comfortable slumber. I sigh, filled with delight, and pull the fluffy comforter closer to me, resisting the urge to open my eyes.
I roll over, and before I can fall back to sleep, something touches my face…a light wisp of something, almost like air. I raise a hand and press it to my cheek, feeling the item crumple beneath my fingers.
It’s familiar: a leaf.
“Shit!” I fly into a sitting position, slowly realizing that my whereabouts are not my bedroom, as I first thought, but the back of an old pickup truck. Glancing at the figure next to me, I fall silent, watching him sleep.
When those enchanting chocolate eyes of Ryan’s are closed, he has enough boyish charm to make my heart ache. Curly locks droop over his forehead, and as I reach over to push them away, his lips curve upward in a sleepy smile.
“Ryan,” I whisper while looking for my phone. “I think we have to go.”
“Mmmm.” He lets out a groan, turning so his butt is pressed against my legs. “Sleep.”
I can’t even remember falling asleep the night before. We were talking and cuddling, the stars winking overhead, and I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I slipped into unconsciousness. The whole thing was a blur of warmth, pleasure, and the sensation of utter safety while nestled in his arms.
“Ryan,” I say, finally locating my phone. “It’s nine o’clock! What time do we have to be at the church?”
“Church?”
“Wedding. Your brother, Lawrence,” I say. “He’s marrying Lilia…”
“Lilia—” Ryan’s eyes shoot open. “Shit!”
“What time?”
“Ten!”
“That’s plenty of time.” I’m not at all convinced, but he’s got this wild-eyed, still-in-a-nightmare expression on his face. “Let’s get moving.”
We’re like two of the Three Stooges trying to get everything in order. He climbs over me, I accidentally elbow him in the cheek, he forgets to call my name before tossing me the pillow, and it catches me in the gut.
By the time we’re in the cab of the truck, we’re spending equal amounts of time laughing, gasping for air, and cussing out the slowest drivers in the state of Minnesota for not knowing we have a wedding party waiting on us.
We reach Casa Pierce before nine thirty, are showered in the next ten minutes, and dress next to each other in his childhood bedroom. It’s almost comforting, this ritual. It’s not as if we’ve had much practice with the whole sleepover thing, but it seems we’re naturals at it.
I’m pulling my dress over my head, realizing too late that I forgot to undo the zipper. I’m stuck. “Oh no.”
Ryan doesn’t respond. Peeking through an armhole in the dress, however, I see him watching. He’s got his eyes focused on my thong, and the lack coverage it provides.
“Sweet Jesus.”
“A little help here?”
“No,” he says, biting his lip. “I’m good.”
“Come on!”
“What time did you say we have to be at the church?”
“I didn’t say anything. You said ten.”
He frowns. “We can be late.”
“No, we can’t. It’s your brother’s wedding.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“And you’re the best man.”
“I’m not feeling like being the best right now.” He moves across the room and shoots a decidedly dirty glance between my legs. “I’m feeling—”
“I can see what you’re feeling,” I say, staring pointedly at the tent in his boxers. “But I’m stuck in this dress, and we need to get moving.”
“Just one kiss.” He bends a knee, locks his fingers onto my hips, and pulls me toward him. Gently, ever so gently, he runs his fingers over me and, even though I’m wedged in a dress, I can’t help but suck in a hard breath.
“There’s time,” he murmurs. “We managed it yesterday.”
It takes everything in my power to grind out a sound that conveys the word no.
“Fine,” he says. “Then I’ll leave you with this…”
His lips press to the outside of the lace, and I shudder. It’s a whisper of friction, but plenty erotic to leave me wanting more. I push my arms through the dress using sheer willpower, and then my hands find his hair, weave into it, and pull his head up toward me.
“You’re welcome.” He laughs, sending warm puffs of air against my skin. After pressing one last kiss against the fabric, he stands and runs a finger up my skin. A cocky grin has appeared on his face. “You wanted help getting unstuck, didn’t you? Well, you’re in your dress.”
Glancing down, I see that sure enough, the dress is all but perfectly situated over my body. I give a noncommittal harrumph of frustration. “Thanks, I guess.”
He laughs louder, pulls me closer, and brushes the damp hair from my neck. “Let me remind you that you’re the one who said there was no time for fun.”
I reach down, stick my hand on his tent pole, and watch as his eyes roll toward the ceiling. “Two can play this game,” I tell him.
It’s his turn to groan as I return to the bathroom to style my hair into some semblance of an up-do. When I’m ready, I open the door and find Ryan waiting on the other side.
He blinks once. His hand moves slowly, subconsciously to his throat, where he straightens an invisible tie. “You look…insanely beautiful. Stunning, Andi.”
The way his voice is soft, almost unsure, makes me look down. No man has ever complimented me in such a sincere, almost reverent way. I’ve seen it before in movies, in those truly lucky couples, like my father and mother’s relationship, but never in my own.
With a tender kiss, he grabs my hand. “Are you ready to go?”
Squeezing tight, I nod and follow him out of the house. The church is only a few miles away from the house, and we arrive exactly four minutes late.
“I thought we’d lost the two of you,” Mrs. Pierce says as we arrive. The photographer is setting up behind her. “Did you have a nice time last night? You look rested.”
Ryan hugs me close. “Took her to the river.”
She stares at him. “You never take anyone to the river.”