Page 20 of The Engagement
“I can tell when you’re thinking about it. Don’t. Please. It’s behind us.”
I swear she can read my mind. I tuck her silky dark strands behind her ear. “I was just thinking about how pretty you are.” I pick her up and set her on a nearby worktable. “And how sweet you are.”
She smiles.
“And how irresistible.” I push her skirt up to the tops of her thighs so I can step between her legs. When I drag her forward so that she’s sitting on the edge of the table, we’re so close she can feel my erection pressing against the fabric of my trousers.
Her blush deepens as she gazes nervously at the storeroom door. “Mack!” she whispers. “Someone could come in.”
I lean in to nuzzle her behind one ear. “Tonight, we’re celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?” she asks breathlessly.
I drag my lips across her cheek to her mouth, and I kiss her until she’s breathless. “It’s official. We have our wedding date.”
While we were having lunch earlier, Erin and Beth poured over a calendar and decided on a date six weeks from now.
In six short weeks, I’ll be Erin’s husband. “I’m counting the days until you’re officially mine.”
Suddenly, a muffled voice comes through the closed door. “Does anyone know where Erin is?” It sounds like Sandra, one of the employees.
I step back and help Erin hop off the table.
“I’m in here!” she calls back.
Sandra pokes her head into the storeroom and smiles apologetically. “Sorry, Erin, but you’re needed at the checkout counter.”
“I’ll be right there,” she says as she nervously runs hands down her skirt.
“Tonight,” I remind her as I follow her out the door. “We’re celebrating.”
Chapter 8 – Erin
On Saturday, we go dress shopping. And bywe, I mean the entire bridal party—myself, Beth, Layla, Jasmine, and of course, Haley. Jason comes along to accompany Layla, and naturally Sam is with us because of Beth.
I invited our friend Ruby, too, but she very gently declined the offer. I wasn’t surprised or even offended by that. Ruby suffers from a severe case of agoraphobia, and I didn’t actually expect her to join my bridal party. I just didn’t want her to feel excluded.
Ruby has made a lot of progress since she moved in with her boyfriend, Miguel Rodriguez, who lives in our apartment building. Miguel has been helping Ruby. She occasionally leaves their apartment, which is just down the hall from ours, to visit the rest of us. She’s even left the building a few times to go grocery shopping with Miguel.
And she promised she’dtryto come to our wedding. If she does, it will be a huge step for her.
Beth’s driver, Joe Rucker, pulls up in front of our apartment building in a big black Cadillac limousine hired especially for the day. I told Beth I didn’t need a limo to go try on dresses, but she insisted.
Joe, looking very handsome in a dark suit, gets out of the limo and comes around to open the rear door for us.
Haley is already here at the apartment with us. Mack picked her up earlier this morning. Along with Layla and Jasmine, we climb into the limo and take our seats. The interior has two padded leather benches facing each other. There’s also a bar holding an ice bucket with a bottle of something pink and bubbly.
As soon as we all take our seats, Sam gives Joe the signal to pull away, and we’re off.
“I brought a little something to celebrate with,” Beth says. As Sam pulls the bottle of pink bubbly out of the ice bucket and pops the cap, she says, “It’s nonalcoholic strawberry sparkling juice. Nonalcoholic so Haley can participate, too, as she’s under the drinking age.”
What Beth doesn’t mention is the fact that I have never had any alcohol since the night of the assault. My attacker drugged me that night by putting Rohypnol in my drink at the hotel bar where my friends and I were celebrating. I haven’t touched the stuff since. I’ll probably never have alcohol again as long as I live.
Sam grabs a champagne glass and begins to pour. He hands the first glass to me, and I take a sip. Bubbles rush up into my nose, and I nearly sneeze as the carbonation tickles my sinuses. It’s sweet and tastes just like strawberries.
Sam pours everyone a glass.
“To Erin,” Beth says as she holds up her glass for a toast. “To a much-anticipated wedding for a beautiful young woman. When I met you, Erin, I had no idea how important you would become to me—to all of us. But especially to Mack.”
