Page 31 of Wild Ever After
“Congrats. Marriage is amazing. Welcome to the club.” Mav slaps my back and pulls me in for a second hug, before turning with Dakota and heading to their room.
When I begin to take my seat, Jade stands. “Are you ready?”
I stare at her, unblinking.
For a man who thinks about sex an average amount of time per day (read: a lot), it’s just now hitting me that we’re going to be sharing a hotel room. Should I have booked my own room?
Nah.
Maybe?
Nah.
I clear my throat before attempting to speak. “Yeah.”
Ash snickers as I wave to him and Jack, then fall into step behind Jade. We ride the elevator up to the fifth floor in silence.
I start to sweat and the top button of my shirt feels like it’s trying to strangle me as I follow her down the hall. She pulls a keycard from her purse and swipes it in front of the pad, before pushing the door open.
Pausing in the doorway, I watch as she sets her purse on a table and then sits on the couch and unbuckles the clasp on one shoe, then the other.
“Should I…” My words trail off and I hitch a thumb toward the hallway.
“Relax.” She laughs lightly, then pads barefoot to the middle of the room and opens a door. “It’s a suite. Separate bedroom and the couch folds out.”
“Right.” I walk in and shut the door. My fingers fumble to undo the top two buttons of my shirt, so I can breathe.
Noise next door stops us both in our tracks. It takes a second for me to realize what I’m hearing. Maverick. Maverick talking dirty and making sex noises that have me wanting to pull a pillow over my head.
“Is that…?” Jade asks, taking a step closer to the wall and listening intently.
Dakota lets out a high-pitched squeal that makes Jade’s eyes widen.
I move straight to the mini fridge. Of-fucking-course Maverick would be in the room next door. Grabbing all the liquor bottles in one hand, I hold them up. “Drink?”
* * *
An hour later, I’ve figured out how to make this night less awkward. Alcohol. Lots of it. We went through the mini bar in record time and then popped the champagne that apparently came as part of the whole newlywed suite. The newlywed suite! There are freaking rose petals on the bed.
“Oh my gosh. Again?” Jade laughs as Mav and Dakota start up again next door. We’re sitting on the floor in the living room area of the suite. I don’t know why. This is where she sat, and it felt weird to be on the couch or chair with her down here.
She stands and gets the champagne bottle, walking back with it in one hand, her flute in the other. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or worried. Is Dakota going to be able to walk tomorrow?”
“I walked in on them at the reception,” I tell her.
“Really?” Her eyes light up with something like admiration. She stops in front of me and leans down to refill my glass. The movement puts me eye level with her cleavage. I’m too drunk to do the polite thing and look away. Besides, her boobs are really nice.
“I think they’re making up for lost time after the two of them lived apart for a year.”
She nods and sits down in front of me, then crosses one leg over the other. Her toenails are painted a light shade of pink that matches her fingers. She’s still in her dress, but the veil came out and her hair is now loose and hanging over her shoulders.
“Did you know that most couples don’t even have sex on their wedding night?”
“Why not?” I ask, then swallow down another long drink of the sweet, bubbly liquid.
“Most brides said they were too tired or the groom got too drunk.” She eyes the near-empty glass in my hand.
I set it down on the floor next to me. My jacket is long gone and my shirt is untucked. I’d like to kick off these shoes, but that feels…I don’t know, more intimate somehow. This whole thing is a trip.
