“I’m not.”
“You’re kidding!” she shrieked, the reality setting in. It was immediately followed by white-hot rage. Suddenly a punch to the face seemed entirely reasonable and she kicked off her shoe so she could pummel him with it. “You said you couldn’t wait to be my husband. You pushed… We have three hundred people eating shrimp and hundred-dollar-an-ounce caviar downstairs. Imported from Russia. Are you fucking kidding me?”
Strong arms circled her waist as the tears started to fall, as Stephen stepped backward onto an elevator car she hadn’t seen him call. Those arms turned her around and held her against an even stronger, warmer chest as she started to sob, and carried her into the suite when she finally sagged against him in defeat.
Logan carried her straight past her sisters, holding her curled against his body, so she only had to hear their shocked and sympathetic whispers, and didn’t have to see their faces. He set her on her bed, then stepped back outside for a minute.
She heard him murmur something about telling her father, who could make a general announcement, and then he was back, curving around her where she’d slumped sideways on the bed.
The hiccups came after a while. She was all sobbed out, but every time she tried to start talking—because there was stuff to do. Three hundred guests. Oh my God—her chest would seize up and her diaphragm would stutter, and Logan would make a shushing sound in her ear.
“I want out of this dress,” she finally managed.
“I’ll get one of your sisters,” he murmured in her ear.
“No, you can do it.” She sniffled and shoved herself up to a sitting position. “I’m fully covered underneath, it’s some horrid corset thing that I thought would be sexy, but it’s really just a torture device. Can you grab me a t-shirt from that suitcase there?”
He hesitated behind her, then agreed in a rough voice.
“There’s a big one, I think. One of yours, from a fun run you did a few years ago. I’ll take that.”
He came around in front of her and handed her the navy blue t-shirt, worn and soft from many wearings. Stephen had always side-eyed that she wore Logan’s t-shirts, but when she asked him for one of his to sleep in instead, he’d rolled his eyes and said it didn’t matter.
And see? It hadn’t. Because she’d been ready to become his wife today, and he’d…
And he’d…
Her breathing hitched as another round of sobs tried to get started again in her chest, and Logan got right in front of her face.
Logan.
She gave him a weak smile and he returned it. His wasn’t weak at all, though. His crooked smile was full of rueful knowledge, steady and understanding.
“You never liked him.”
“Nobody will ever be good enough for my Tori.”
“I think that’s supposed to be my dad’s line.”
He snorted.
Yeah, exactly. Her father had just been thrilled that Stephen and Tori had footed the bill for the wedding. What a waste of money. Suddenly the lace and satin she was still bound in felt like iron chains.
“Dress off, now.” She tugged the t-shirt over her head, sliding her arms into it before turning around. “If you just loosen the ribbons, I can get out of the rest of it.”
Another hesitation, then Logan’s hands pressed against her back. “Where do you…Oh. Down here.” He untied the bow, but the carefully laced up back didn’t give.
She wiggled a bit, and one of his hands landed on her hip.
“Stop moving,” he said, his voice strained.
She closed her eyes. “Sorry,” she whispered.
Stupid girl clothes. Stupid wedding.
Stupid Tori for thinking any of this was something she deserved.
Logan finally figured it out, his fingers tugging at the ribbon, loosening it up her back until the bodice finally gave way. She held the front of the dress against her breasts and nodded. “Thank you.”
“What about…the…um…underneath stuff?”
She smiled despite herself at the awkward hitch in his voice. The things he did for her. She owed him big time. “The lingerie is pretty easy to get out of. I can manage that myself, don’t worry.”
“Great. I’ll just…wait outside.”
Three
In the living room of the suite, Logan found Tori’s sisters, Elspeth and Caroline, waiting nervously. He should have come to look for them before he agreed to undress the bride. If he wasn’t so God damned upset for Tori right now, he’d be sporting an embarrassing erection. Even thinking about the slices of creamy skin he felt as he tucked his fingers behind the white ribbon and loosened her confining dress…
Damn it.
He crossed to the bar and poured himself a drink.
The wordless twins followed.