Wasn’t it a cliché for the maid of honor and the best man to hook up?
In this case, Rose didn’t really care. It had been a long time since she’d met a man like Gray. On second thought, she’d never met a man so open and forthright about wanting her. Even now, she saw the simmering desire in his eyes. She’d seen it the second he walked in and they caught each other’s attention.
She liked a man who knew what he wanted and went after it. Especially when she was the object of his desire.
Gray casually looked at Maggie, then faced Rose again and spoke to Maggie while staring at Rose. “I’m all yours for the week.”
She really liked the way this man flirted.
Marc tapped Gray on the shoulder. “I know you went all out for my bachelor party.”
Gray eyed Marc. “You’ll get exactly whatyouwanted.”
Marc gave Gray a knowing look. Gray’s less-than-enthusiastic response didn’t faze Marc in the least.
Rose refrained from rolling her eyes at Marc’s lascivious look. She wondered if these two seemingly different men would be friends if they weren’t family, because Gray didn’t seem quite as enthusiastic about whatever Marc had asked him to plan for the bachelor party.
Maggie touched her hand. “Please tell me you didn’t get a cop stripper for the bachelorette party.”
Rose scoffed. “Please. Everyone knows firemen are the hottest strippers.”
Maggie’s cheeks blazed pink. “I’m not getting a lap dance from some half-naked guy.”
Rose deadpanned. “I’ll take one for the team.”
Gray burst out laughing.
Rose couldn’t help but smile at him before she turned back to Maggie. “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. We’re going to have a great time.”
“You more than anyone,” Marc teased about the lap dance.
Maggie wasn’t as outgoing or daring as Rose. That’s why she needed Rose to nudge her out of her comfort zone once in a while.
Rose had planned the perfect bachelorette party for Maggie, so thatshe’dhave fun.
But Marc’s comment deserved an answer. “I like to have a good time, so long as no one gets hurt.” Like his ex-girlfriend if she found out about his cheating last year.
Maggie winced at the high-pitched scream the newest karaoke singer belted out. No one should attempt Whitney Houston unless they were a trained professional. Even then, they should think twice. “No matter what, we’re all going to have fun this week.” She turned to Marc. “And next Saturday, we’re going to be husband and wife and we’ll officially move in together and be happy the rest of our lives.”
“That we will,” Marc assured Maggie, kissing her sweetly.
Gray eyed Marc, then took a sip of his drink, catching Rose watching him over the rim. What looked like disapproval for Marc quickly turned to something deeper when he held her gaze. Some silent acknowledgment that their initial spark of attraction ignited a flame of desire even he couldn’t stop or ignore. She felt the pull to get closer to that flame. To him.
They’d be together most of the week.
She hoped whatever it was growing between them didn’t burn her.
She was intrigued by his offer to help with an interview, but the man held a lot more appeal.
With Maggie getting married and starting a new chapter of her life, Rose had done some soul searching and discovered that even with her past she believed love and happiness and forever with someone was possible.
And maybe a gorgeous guy who liked numbers and flirted at a level ten and a programmer with a head full of code who needed a strong, confident, kind man who knew how to pay her a genuine compliment instead of pointing out all her faults added up to something that made sense.
Gray picked up her drink and handed it to her. “You’re thinking too much. I like it better when you’re smiling at me.”
Those sweet words brought on the grin he wanted to see and she couldn’t stop because he made her want to smile. “Tell me, Mr. CFO, what do you like to do for fun?”
“He watches cooking shows,” Marc answered for him.