Page 116 of Dangerous Encore
He slides one hand to my lower back and pulls my body into his. "Whataboutyou?"
"Huh?"
He chuckles. "Thinking about me bending you over a table at the reception and peeling your dress to yourwaist?"
Inod.
"Tying you to the caketable?"
"No, that's a newthought."
"Licking cake offyourtits?"
"That sounds unnecessarilymessy."
His next laugh is louder, lower. "I'd rather tie you to the bed in ourhotelroom."
"Here or inHawaii?"
"It doesn't matter, so long as the ocean is ourbackdrop."
"You'reromantic."
"That'snews?"
"Sorta." I sling my leg over his hip and nestle closer. "That soundsperfect."
"Every bitofit?"
"Yeah." But my voice is lacking certainty. I let my eyelids press together and I imagine myself standing under some beautiful flower-decked altar with Mal. He's in a grey suit. I'm in a breezy chiffon dress. The beach is behind us. The sun is high in the sky. "Let'sdoit."
"In the next twoweeks?"
"Everyone is here. Why not?" I want Ethan, Violet, Kit, Piper, Joel, and Bellathere.
But I also want Carriethere.
And Wren, my go-toproducer.
Andmydad.
I want himthere.
I want him to walk me down theaisle.
But he'll tell Mom and then… I haven't talked to her in twoyearsnow.
I like it that way. Even if I can't shake the guilt in my gut every time Mother's Day, Christmas, and her birthday rollaround.
I gave her a millionchances.
She wastedthemall.
I shouldn't feel guilty about cutting Mom out ofmylife.
So what if I'm gettingmarried?
Thatdoesn'tmean—
