29
“God, I’ve missed you,” Corey said in her ear as they swayed to the slow melody of the music. He’d been on the road for eight days, and when he got back, she was in Massachusetts with Jessica Walters. By the time Taran returned to Jersey, Corey was on the road again with the Metros.
They’d both flown into Miami that afternoon. But they hadn’t even seen each other before the start of the ceremony because they’d gotten ready in separate hotel rooms. Although Taran thought it was a bit much, Corey assured her it wasn’t. Everyone was on high alert for this wedding, and he was being followed when he wasn’t with the team because the paparazzi assumed since he and Mel always claimed to be friends, he’d be invited. He said he was going to have to jump through hoops to get to the ceremony and he didn’t want her to have to deal with it.
So far, she’d escaped the chaos because she’d been busy finishing Jessica’s piece and setting up the following month’s. She’d hardly seen Corey. The soccer star, Edgar DeLeon, had finally gotten back to her, and after her nephew Noah’s rodeo this week, she was heading down to Guatemala to start work on him for her August column.
“I’ve missed you too. I feel like we haven’t seen each other in forever,” Taran agreed.
“Because we haven’t. Our schedules suck,” he pouted.
It was funny how much pouting the grown man had been doing in the last three weeks.
His hand ran along her hip, brushing over her ass. “I want to ditch this party and go back to my room.”
His two-tone brown eyes turned liquid with his declaration.
“Basic wedding etiquette says we can’t leave before the bride and groom cut the cake,” Taran reminded him.
“Forget the rules—I need my girl.” Corey’s growl made her shiver. “I want to be wrapped up in all this soft skin.” His thumb brushed along the open back of her dress. “And because I’m the best boyfriend in the world, I even pulled the I’m famous and need special satin sheets card.”
She smiled as she rested her cheek against his white dress shirt. He was more than she would have ever expected. While she was busy with work, he’d made time to play Diablo with her family. He had all the Evanses call and check in on her when he was out of town. And during every interview, he managed to drop in the word chipmunk with a wink so that she’d know he was thinking of her. It was all swoony until she thought about her September article.
In the last three weeks, neither she nor Sean had gotten anywhere with getting Corey out of the article, and it was looking like she’d have to write it. Telling Corey was becoming more and more important, and she was feeling more like a dick every day she didn’t. But it wasn’t a conversation they could have on the phone. Nor did she think she could tell him in the middle of his very famous ex-girlfriend’s wedding.
Mel and Hunter had done a fabulous job keeping the press away. The elegant mansion the couple had rented on the beach had been turned into a lush garden of green vines and white lilies. It belonged in a movie. Or a wedding for the movie stars. It was unbelievable to her that she was in a tent at the moment.
“No comment about the best boyfriend?” Corey asked. “Not even willing to let me own the title yet?”
“I agreed to the label last week, Cor.”
“And I told you it doesn’t count until you say the words.” For one brief second, she heard the unusual vulnerability in his voice, and it cut at her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be together. It just didn’t feel fair to label them until they had the conversation about the article. But she couldn’t leave him feeling unworthy, because he was more than deserving.
She turned her head and let her lips press lightly against his neck. “My boyfriend looks hot in his navy-blue suit. Best looking guy in the room.” Her breath bounced off his skin and brushed back against her lips.
He growled and pulled her tight, letting her feel his erection against her hip. “My girlfriend better be careful with that hot mouth of hers, or I might embarrass us both.”
“I swear—why do you have to wreck every single wedding we go to?” the annoyingly high-pitched voice snapped from behind her.
The start of a growl rumbled in Corey’s chest. Taran glanced up, but his face seemed impassive as he watched the couple over the top of her head.
“Come on, Genni.” Will’s voice was lower than his girlfriend’s, but they were close enough for Taran to hear him. “I’m not wrecking anything. I’m just not any more ready to propose now than I was in April. It’s only been three months, for shit’s sake.”
“Well, maybe I should find someone who is,” Genni snapped before Taran heard the tap of her heels walking off the dance floor.
“Maybe it’s me who needs to find someone else.” Taran barely heard Will before he brushed past them, heading straight to the bar.
“He does,” Corey said.
“What?” Taran asked.
“That girl is a placeholder, and I think everyone but Will knows it.” Corey pulled them off to the side of the dance floor, away from the crowd. He stood so he could watch his friend at the bar. “She’s no one he’s ever going to settle down with, and for whatever reason, Will has never felt like he wanted the dream.”
“The dream?” Taran asked as she turned her head to watch Will talking to the bartender.
“You know, wife, kids, house.” The statement was made without thinking, Taran could tell, but it shocked her.
“You dream about that?” she asked. Her attention jumped back to Corey.