Page 66 of New in Town

Brett and Laurel are starting down the aisle and now that everyone is standing, she’s lost her clear view of Grey. People are starting to file out from their seats, and she searches desperately for him. She spies Riley, Cooper, Gracie, but no Grey.

It’s as if he’s disappeared into thin air. Her shoulders slump along with her excitement. And then there’s a large, familiar hand pressed between her shoulder blades. The contact of his skin to hers sends electricity firing through all her nerve endings.

Turning, she comes face to face with Grey. Her heart somersaults, she has a fierce need to bury herself in his arms.

“You’re absolutely gorgeous, Maddie,” he says. She nearly swoons as she takes in the grit of his deep voice.

“And you’re unbelievably handsome, I want you to take that tie off and use it to do dirty things to me.”

His eyes heat at her response and his arms are around her in an instant, pulling her against him. She melts into his embrace, happiness and need flowing through her equally. She reaches up and takes his face between her hands.

Before she can say anything else, his mouth is on hers. His kiss cleanses away the fear and the doubt. She moans against his lips, warmth spreading low in her stomach.

Breaking the kiss, he looks at her with desperation in his eyes. “I need to know what you were going to say this morning. This may not be the time—”

“I needed to focus, with everything happening. And I’m finding that I have difficulty doing that when you are around. I didn’t want to mess things up for everyone because I can’t control my feelings.” She whispers the end like a secret she was hoping to still hold onto. A knot forms in her stomach at having shared them at all.

“What feelings are those?” he whispers in return, bringing his mouth back to hover against her lips.

“I want this, Grey; I want to be together.”

“No more rules or deals? No deadline?”

“None of that. Just us, a real relationship where we work together when things get hard.”

He kisses her again, his mouth pulling her in slower this time, savoring. It’s a kiss to get lost in and she swears that her legs actually go weak at the knees. She opens to him, indulging in his taste. As always, it’s like the world has fallen away and it’s just the two of them.

Breathless, Maddie leans back and looks up at him. “If that’s something you’d be interested in?” she asks.

He runs his hands up and down the space where her open back dress reveals her skin, the feeling of chills following his motion. The corner of his mouth kicks up. The look in his eyes is dark and wanting.

“Madelyn, I’m interested in all of it. You came into my life without warning and my heart was yours, rules or not. From the lively nights to the quiet moments, there’s nowhere I want to be that doesn’t have you with me. It hasalwaysbeen real for me.”

Her heart feels like it’s going to combust. His words shoot straight to her core. She loves this man. And maybe it’s another little flair of madness, but she’s eager for every second of the ride.

“It’s always been real for me, too. I never signed the contract,” she replies, reaching for her purse still resting on the seat beside them. She pulls the napkin contract from it and hands it to him

He scans the paper, a teasing grin forming on his lips. He looks back up at her and laughs as he rips the napkin in two. Holding the scraps in his hand, he says, “I would like to keep that last rule though, no seeing anyone else.”

“You’re the only one I want, Greyson James.”

He takes her chin in his hand and pulls her up into another kiss.

“Excuse me, we’ve taken everyone else back over. Are you two coming?” a shuttle driver calls to them.

She looks around, embarrassment creeping in. Everyone else is indeed gone. The shuttle is even empty. “Oh my gosh, you came back just for us!” she exclaims, covering her face with her hand.

Grey throws his head back in laughter. “Yes, we’re coming now,” he tells the driver. Then turning to Maddie, “let’s burn the breeze, sweetheart.” He takes her hand and leads her to the shuttle.

There’s no question in the corner of her brain this time, walking with their fingers laced together. They are truly together, and really always have been.

—

Laurel has impeccable taste.

Maddie stares in wonder as they approach the reception space. The smallest barn in the compound has been transformed into a dreamy venue. Rows of twinkling lights consume the rafters like a sky full of stars, spilling out to the grassy opening at the entrance to the barn. Black and white checkerboard flooring is laid down across the whole interior and one long wooden table runs down the middle. Wild and whimsical flower arrangements filled with red and pink blooms stretch down the length of the table, candelabras peppered along the way.

As Grey leads her to the outdoor bar, a large golden blonde horse crosses their path. He’s sporting red and pink floral garland and looking proud to be doing so. Grey reaches out and scratches the animal’s chest.

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