Page 56 of No Rings Attached
“Hello! I’m looking for my sister—Ellie! Holy crap, is that you?”
I shuddered in Drew’s arms, and not because of an orgasm.
Damnit.
Couldn’t she have taken five more minutes to get here?
“Eleanor, get down off that railing. What will the neighbors think?” My mother yelled in her all-too-familiar disapproving tone she reserved mostly for me.
Drew held me tight to his chest, so I didn’t immediately have to turn around. “That she’s with the right guy,” he called down to her. “One that finds her so desirable he can’t keep his hands off of her and feels lucky every day that she took a chance on him.”
“Well! I never!” My mother said something else but my pulse was thrumming too loudly in my ears to make it out.
I tapped his chest. I could barely breathe, squished into him like this, but I was so cozy and feeling so—desirable,to use his word—that I regretted even having to move.
“Don’t lay it on so thick,” I mumbled so only he could hear.
He slapped my ass.
“Drew!” I yelped.
Apparently, I wasn’t supposed to question his choice of words about me.
The silence behind me spoke a thousand words as I realized neither of them knew what to say.
And I’d bet a million dollars my mother was shooting us the glare she’d perfected over the years. It was the perfect blend of,I’m disappointed in youandthis behavior is atrocious.
When I couldn’t avoid them any longer, I turned to face them with Drew’s arms still holding me tight around my waist and put as much cheer into my voice as I could muster. My sister stood next to the car, and our mother still sat in the backseat with the window down.
“Hi, Mom. Celia.” I forced a grin so they wouldn’t see how they affected me. “You’re both going toloveRuby River. This will be so much fun, planning the wedding here.”
Celia rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but when she caught sight of the cameramen filming her, she flashed her million-dollar smile before saying, “It’ssucha cute town. I know my followers will love itsomuch. They did vote for a country-chic wedding.”
Only because I knew her so well was I able to tell that the smile plastered on her face was forced. And it made me wonder why she’d even given her fans country-chic as an option.
Celia wasanythingbut country-chic.
“Eleanor, we need help with our luggage. Come down here!” My mother held up her phone and put up the window to take a call.
Had my mother’s voice always sounded so grating?
“Nope.” Drew picked me up again and settled me into one of the Adirondack chairs on the porch. “That’s why you have me here.”
“You don’t have to—” I was still so shocked he could pick me up and put me down as easily as he did. A small part of me loved how he placed me where he wanted me.
He kissed me again. “I’m beginning to think you’re doing that to shut me up,” I mumbled, knowing that I was doing a poor job of hiding my grin.
“Me? I’d never.” He winked and left me to stare after him as he bounded down the front steps to the two cars in the B&B’s driveway.
Without even bothering to grab anything except her purse, Celia ascended the steps and strode over to me. I held in my laughter when she gingerly sunk into the chair beside me.
“It’s not going to break,” I teased her.
She gave me a disgusted look. “I’m not worried about that. When was the last time this thing was cleaned?”
The chairs were fine. My sister just needed something to complain about.
“So … your boyfriend reallydoesexist.” Celia’s eyes raked over Drew as he grabbed two bags and two suitcases. “He’s pretty yummy-looking. How did you two meet again?”
