Page 134 of Blitzing Emily

“That’s where I get my best ideas.” He wriggled his eyebrows in an attempt to look evil. Emily burst out laughing. He rolled her off him, and onto her back.

“I can’t wait till later to find out what you’ve discovered,” she said. “Fur-lined handcuffs?”

He pinned her wrists over her head with one hand, while he reached into the bedside table with the other.

“I never knew opera singers were so depraved.”

“Well, excuse me, Mr. MVP,” she said. “You just wait till later. I’m going to wear you out.”

“Those lessons on trash talking are evidently paying off.” He smirked. “I wonder if they’d miss us if we didn’t show up.”

He caught her mouth in a kiss that she could only describe as incendiary. Finally, though, he pushed himself off her, dropped the Tiffany box he held onto her belly, and said, “If you don’t get dressed, sugar, you can’t wear these.”

“Tease,” she shot back, but she dutifully sat up. She tugged at the white satin ribbon, pulled the robin’s-egg-blue box open, and let out a gasp. A strand of pearls, stud earrings, and a bracelet were nestled inside. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

“Almost as beautiful as you are.” His eyes twinkled. She threw herself onto him again, only to be escorted into the bathroom. “Shower time, young lady.”

“But I haven’t given you your gift yet,” Emily protested.

He flipped the shower taps on, lightly smacked her bottom with his open hand, and said, “Later.”

“I’ll—I’ll get you for that, bruiser.”

“Promise?” He laughed, and then left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Emily grinned to herself. He would pay for this, over and over again. In the meantime, she got in the shower.

She heard Brandon’s voice through the bathroom door a short time later as she wriggled into undergarments and thigh-high silk stockings. “Sugar?”

“Yes, lover man?”

She heard Amy’s laugh ring out somewhere in the background. She hoped her sister wasn’t monitoring their conversation.

“The moms and Amy are here. I’ll see you at the church.”

Emily grabbed a robe off the hook on the bathroom door and slipped it on as the door opened a crack.

“You just wait, you little minx,” he said in a low voice.

“Bring it.”

Brandon let out a snort, shutting the bathroom door as he walked away. Amy opened the door a few minutes later.

“Okay. The coast is clear. Wait till you see him,” her sister said.

“I’ve seen him in a tuxedo before—”

She cut Emily off. “Not like this. We helped him with the tie.”

“It’s not orange or powder blue, is it?”

“Uh, no. Let’s get you dressed and ready.” Amy pulled her out of the bathroom.

After what seemed like a never-ending amount of time getting hair and makeup done, Amy helped Emily into the wedding gown she bought during her Meg-and-Suzanne-mandated shopping trip. Even in February, it was perfect for a morning wedding. Brandon’s pearls went on last.

The moms stood in the doorway watching as Amy pinned the tiara and veil into Emily’s hair. Suzanne clutched their mom’s hand.

“She’s so beautiful, Meg.” Suzanne let out a loud sniffle, and pulled a lace-edged hanky out of her tiny evening purse.

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