“You are way too good at that,” I say.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as too good at that.”
He has a point. I reach for his belt, ready to reciprocate, and he catches my hand. “Not now, you have to get ready.”
“Are you sure?” I glance down to where I can see his erection obviously pressing against his jeans.
“I’ve lived with worse,” he chuckles. “I wanted you to relax, to feel good, not to stress you out because you’re going to be late.”
I pull his face to mine and kiss him, thanking him without words. He’s right, I would have been anxious to be late, even if the party is kind of a horror show. I make myself sit up get off the bed, though the thought of staying in bed with him is the more appealing one. “I want to come with you to the party,” Will says, as I start to dig around my closet for something to wear.
I freeze. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s everyone I know and everyone will be looking at me since I was engaged to this same guy six months ago.”
He smiles, and I try to ignore how natural he looks lounging on my bed. “All the more reason for someone to have your back.”
“I know I can’t lecture Laura on the speed of her engagement because of this,” I gesture in between us, “but I’m not sure adding a new husband to the mix is the best idea here.”
Will stands and closes the space between us, pressing me back against the wall so I can feel all of his body and how hard he still is. “You’re wrong,” he says. “Sure, people might react, but if we’re together, no one will be able to pity you, or look down at you, or say anything to you but congratulations.” He kisses me softly, then harder, and I melt into him.
I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re using my body against me.”
He smirks. “I do what I have to.”
“You still haven’t given me a straight answer about why you want this. Why you want this to work out so badly.”
“Maybe I’m in love with you,” he says lightly. Then he presses his hips into mine. “I’m definitely in lust with you. And the truth is somewhere in between. All I know is I’m not ready to let you go yet.”
“Fine,” I roll my eyes and ignore the fluttering in my chest at his words.
“I’ll meet you there. I can’t show up to your sister’s party in jeans.” He looks down, where my tank top has fallen off my shoulder and he has a perfect view of my cleavage. “And if I don’t leave now, I may change my mind about not making you late.”
He’s so close, so overwhelming, that I almost beg him to break that promise. But he steps away, taking my phone and adding his number to it. “Text me the address?”
“I will.”
He takes my hand and kisses it—I wonder if that will always be something he does—before he leaves. I pick up my phone after I hear the door click shut, and search it for brand new contacts. He didn’t add his name, simply one word: husband. My stomach does that little flip-flop, and there’s a quiet voice in my head that says this whole marriage thing may not be so bad.
7
I think I’m going to throw up and I haven’t even had anything to drink yet. I arrange some fruit on a plate and place it on the buffet table in the backyard. Laura and Wyatt are supposed to show up any second, and I can feel the ring burning a hole in my pocket. I need to give it back to him, I don’t want to keep it. I need closure, but I also really, really don’t want to see him. I’m torn what to do when it happens. Cry, ask him why, and grab one of the forks to stab his eyes out. It’s a fifty-fifty chance, really.
Guests are milling around and it’s been nothing but a parade of awkward hellos and sympathies and condolences and well wishes. No one really knows what to say to me, which I suppose really isn’t their fault. It’s awkward all around. I don’t even know what to say half the time.
My mother appears with the last plate of finger food and touches me on the arm. “You all right?”
I nod, subtly hiding my left hand from her. I thought about taking my new ring off before the party, but I didn’t want to. Having it there is comforting, like some kind of shield. Even if this goes badly, I know that Will is going to be behind me, ready to catch me. It’s a strange feeling, being able to rely on someone so quickly and so completely. With Wyatt, I always knew that I had to fend for myself.