Page 122 of Puck and Prejudice

His smooth voice is like a balm to my soul.

We didn’t interact much today, and during our dance practice, we managed to keep things platonic. I regret the lie, but with all the running around and stress of the wedding, there hasn’t been a moment to come clean.

“Yours? Always.” I smile.

Instead of taking a seat on the chair next to mine, he sits next to me. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just taking a breather,” I lie. I don’t want to tell Jackson about Gavin and cause more trouble.

“Izzie… I saw Wickham talking to you just now. What did that weasel say?”

Shit.

“You saw that, huh?” I look into his eyes.

He cups my cheek, making me melt. “Yeah. I was on my way to drag him out, but you left before I could reach you.”

“He just told me what I already knew. He’s only here with Caroline to piss you off.”

There’s no need to tell Jackson about Gavin’s flirtation. Jackson is already coiled tight. It won’t take much for him to sucker punch that douche canoe.

“He’s a bastard. Let’s not allow him to ruin the weekend.”

Suddenly, I want to throw myself at him and kiss him until I can’t breathe. But we’re in plain view. I stand up and offer him my hand. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“Where?”

“How about the beach?”

His handsome face splits into the widest smile. “Lead the way, my lady.”

* * *

JACKSON

Izzie leans back, but I trap her face between my hands. “One more before we head back.”

“Jacks… you’ve kissed me plenty.”

“Not nearly enough to satisfy my hunger for you.” I slant my mouth over hers, coaxing her lips open.

She’s not wrong—all we’ve done since we got to the beach was kiss as if we were teenagers. It’s her fault for being so damn addictive. I can’t get enough of the taste of her, of the sound of her laughter. And her eyes—her warm and beautiful brown eyes—they captivated me from the beginning.

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect evening. The sky is clear, and the soft breeze coming from the ocean is calming and alluring. I wish we could stay here and watch the sunrise, but this weekend isn’t about us. It’s about Chad and Jane, and Izzie and I have jobs to do.

I pull back before I lose the fight against all the emotions swirling in my chest. Love and lust are a powerful combo. Izzie’s lips are now bee-stung, and her eyes are hooded. Such temptation. “You’re breathtaking.”

“Andyouare naughty.”

I chuckle. “Me? How about you?”

“Fine. We both are. Let’s get back to the party before they come looking for us.”

I grab her hand, lacing our fingers together. “Can we tell everyone now? I’m done with pretending.”

Her lips curl upward. “I suppose so. I don’t think I can come up with a good excuse to explain what we were doing on the beach at this hour.”

Relief washes over me. “Thank God. I was afraid you’d say no.”

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