Page 96 of Because You Loved Me

“Never say never, Ryan. It could be your turn next.”

He threw back his head in laughter. “I’ll leave all this mushy stuff to the two of you.”

“Your loss,” Noa said. “But I do need to steal Asher away for a minute, if you don’t mind?”

“Not even a little.”

Ryan waved them away, and before Asher could ask her where they were going, Noa took him by the hand and led him out the door behind the bar into the corridor.

* * *

“Do you remember the last time we were here?”

“In the hallway?” Asher looked around; confusion lined his handsome face. “Umm…”

“You were rescuing me,” she said. “And now, it’s my turn to rescue you.” With his hand still in hers, she started to walk down the hall toward the door she’d arranged and then double-checked earlier.

“Rescuing you from—oh!” He laughed the moment he remembered. “From the wedding party and that toilet paper dress.”

She turned. “I knew you’d remember.”

“I did like that dress.” Asher wiggled his eyebrows. “But not as much as this one.” He reached for her and let his hand trail down her side, sending all sorts of sparks directly to her core.

Noa had to force herself to pull away, intent on her mission.

With a groan of frustration she could relate to, Asher followed her. “Did I look like I needed rescuing from Ryan?”

“Maybe a little,” she said over her shoulder, before opening the door she’d left ajar earlier.

“What are we…that door is supposed to be locked. I’m going to have to?—”

Noa spun and pressed a finger to his lips. “You’re not going to have to do anything, because you’re on a sabbatical, remember?” She winked. “Besides, I organized it with Penny and Gwen. Come on.”

Before he could protest further, she dragged Asher into the kitchen. “Remember when you were trying to convince me that weddings weren’t so bad?”

“That was before I knew we were talking aboutyourwedding. I think I would have had a very different approach had I known that.”

“Even then?”

She slipped her hands to his waist.

“Even then,” he said without hesitation. “I don’t think I knew exactly what it was, or what it would turn into, but I knew you were special.”

He kissed her, long and slow, and she melted into his embrace. Exactly where she wanted to be in that moment.

“Is that what I think it is?” Asher looked over her shoulder when he finally dragged his lips away from hers.

“Of course.” Noa turned and picked up the plate with the piece of cake on it. “After all, you did say it was the best part of weddings.” She used the fork to feed him a piece. “Or in this case, vow renewals.”

He took the fork from her and fed her a piece, before setting the plate behind them on the counter. “I think I was wrong,” he said after a moment.

“You were wrong?”

Asher nodded. “The best part of weddings isn’t the cake.”

Noa tilted her head. “It’s not?”

“Nope.” He pulled her close so their bodies were pressed together and stroked one finger down her cheek. “The best part of weddings is the feeling they give you.”

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