Page 75 of Take A Number
“No, why would we be texting?” I ask, my brows furrowed.
“Because you’re in a relationship, and that’s what people in a relationship do. They check in on each other. I’ve texted Josh twenty times in the last hour.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s because he’s chasing around the flower girl, and you’re worried she’s going to ruin her dress.”
“She just needs to make it down the aisle and then I don’t care what she does to that dress.” Lynsey adjusts her own dress and looks behind us. “I hope Josh is okay with her by himself. There’s a lot of nature out here for Jules to make a mess in.”
Just then the event organizer calls over to us. “Would someone please get the bride out of that tire swing? It’s time for you all to take your places.”
The extraction process goes a lot easier, and everyone sighs with relief to see there are no tire smudges on Kate’s white dress. The organizer whisks Kate down a hidden path to avoid the guests while the rest of us make our way to where everyone is being seated.
As I follow the group, I nearly trip mid-stride when I see Norah delicately walking in her strappy heels over to the white chairs all lined up at the outdoor altar.
My eyes do a double take because she’s…breathtaking.
She’s wearing a slim black dress that hits below her knees with a slit up to the middle of her thigh. The bodice is a low-cut V-neck with scalloped lace trim over her flesh. Is that part of the dress or some of her sexy lingerie peeking out of the top? I shake that thought away before it gets out of control.
Her blond hair is curled softly, barely brushing her collarbone, and a small section is pinned back by a black feather, showing off her fresh and dewy face. Natural, just like her.
Fucking hell, tonight is going to be harder than I thought.
“Oh my God, is that Norah?” Lynsey gasps from beside me.
I clear my throat and manage a nod because I can’t form any coherent words right now. My heart is in my throat, and my dick is threatening to burst through my slacks just before I have to walk down the aisle. I can’t tear my gaze away from her as she checks in with Kate’s brother. He loops his arm in hers and ushers her to a seat on the bride’s side.
We make our way over to where Norah was, and I swear I can smell her scent. Is that possible? We’re outside. Surely her scent wouldn’t linger here. Does the human brain have some sort of memory trigger where you can access someone’s scent when you’re stupidly desperate for it?
Because I am stupidly desperate for it. And desperate for her.
I’ve missed Norah this week. I’ve missed her more than I’ve ever missed any human in my entire life. I’ve never missed my parents, they pretty much suck. If I don’t see or hear from them, that’s a good thing. I’ve missed Kate and Lynsey lately since they’ve been busy with their own lives, but I prefer them in small doses, so it hasn’t been as intense of a feeling.
But Norah…I have been aching for her all damn week. I would close my eyes and picture her face without even trying. Then at my house all I could do was picture her next to me, in my bed, naked on my beanbag chair. Her cake-covered face in my kitchen. My entire townhouse was hammering me with annoying memories of the seriously short time we spent together. And that’s the kicker.
It’s only been a couple of weeks. Who misses someone they’ve only been with for a couple of weeks? What the fuck is wrong with me that I had to force myself to hide from her because I couldn’t stop thinking about her? I hated lying to her about being out of town but it was survival mode. I had to find some space to get control of myself and make our last night as a fake couple somewhat bearable.
However, seeing her right now, in that little black dress with those big blue eyes…my control is fleeting.
The sun is beginning to set as Dean walks with Miles’s sister down the aisle to an acoustic guitar playing “Baby I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton. As great as the guitar sounds and as pretty as Maggie is with her dark hair and light blue eyes, I can’t tear my eyes from Dean.
That man can wear a suit.
A nearly black-purple velvet tuxedo jacket is not something many men can pull off…but Dean does it and does it well. He’s trimmed his beard down to just the whiskers again, and his dark-rimmed glasses complete his unique style. He’s seriously the most handsome man here today. Maybe the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe it’s been a week since I’ve seen him. It feels like longer and shorter all at the same time.
He takes his place next to Lynsey as Josh lowers Julianna down to the ground to begin her own march as the flower girl. She toddles down a white-lined aisle in a fluffy flower-girl dress. Her short brown hair is curled and a little wild as she walks and trips several times, forgetting all about the autumn leaves she’s supposed to be dropping. She finally reaches her mommy and squeals with delight as Lynsey bends over to scoop her up.
Julianna’s smile disappears when she notices Dean standing beside them. She frowns at his jacket, and her chubby little finger reaches out to touch the alluring texture. Dean smiles fondly at her and Lynsey, and when he reaches up and gives her his finger to squeeze, I feel something strange clench in my body as a little knot forms in my throat.
The music changes, and the minister tells everyone to rise as Kate makes her way down the aisle. Tears run freely down her cheeks, and I turn to see Miles’s reaction to his bride-to-be. Miles looks stoic and happy, and when I shift my smiling eyes to Dean, I inhale sharply.
I assumed his eyes would be fixed on his best friend walking down the aisle, but they’re not. They are locked on mine, and the intense cocoa smoldering behind his dark-rimmed glasses causes my entire body to flush.
Dean has watched me in the bakery many times before. He’s made my dreaded lip sweat creep up without trying. It’s why I had to make a rule for him not to look at me too much when we started this fake-dating situation in the first place.
But this isn’t just him watching me.
He’s…consuming me.
And the look in his eyes is not causing lip sweat. It’s causing all the blood in my veins to boil with need.
