nd we all do the same. “To the couple who are tying the knot in…” He checks his watch. “Oh wow, less than five hours.”
We all drink to that and Jules throws her arms around Rider and hugs him. The public display of affection is sweet—like a toothache. I groan. But seriously I’m so happy for them.
“What’s the matter buddy?” Rider asks me. He obviously heard me groan.
I lift my glass and take a sip. “Nothing, I’m happy for you guys.”
Cole pats me on the back. “Your turn is coming, my friend. Just wait and see.”
“Nope, not happening,” I say.
“Well I hope I catch the bouquet,” Lindsay, Jules’s best friend says, and smirks at Kane. They’ve been together for a long time now and that guy had better make his move soon. She’s a great catch.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if Kinsley caught it,” Emily pipes in giggling.
Kinsley stiffens beside me.
“Why do you say that?” I ask.
Emily giggles some more, the champagne obviously getting to her. “After what her ex did, she’s anti-marriage.”
Kinsley chuckles uneasily, and I sense it’s not something she wants every member of this wedding party to know. Jules reaches out and puts her hand on Kinsley’s arm, giving it a little squeeze. “You can sit it out, Kins,” Jules says, her eyes sympathetic. She obviously knows what happened between Kinsley and her ex. I remember when they broke up. It was right around the time she left Harvard and changed her outward appearance. The way she looks now much better suits her personality. But I didn’t ask questions about her personal life or school. None of it was my business, and clearly something she wasn’t interested in discussing.
“Come on, this is a party. So let’s party,” Kinsley says and takes another big drink. The mood switches back to a happy one.
“You okay?” I ask quietly as she turns to look out over the strip, her knuckles white on the hand gripping the basket.
“Embarrassed, maybe. I love Emily but sometimes she says things before engaging her brain. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, and didn’t mean to embarrass me, but…”
“Your ex did a number on you, huh?”
She snorts, and shakes her head. “Let’s just say I’m better off where I am.”
“I agree,” I say, and she smiles up at me, this time it reaches her eyes.
“You want me to take care of him for you,” I joke, slamming my fist into my palm.
“It’s okay. I’m so over him.”
I go quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry he hurt you, Kins. I never really knew. If I’d known—”
“Would you have taken me out for ice cream?”
“Yeah, sure if that’s something that would have made you feel better.”
“Let’s just say, last night was the only thing that has made me feel good in a long time.”
“There’s more where that came from,” I tease, and move closer. Heat arcs between us and I glance around. Can the others feel this intense attraction growing between us? I hope not. My friends would be all over that, and Kins is a good friend. I’m not going to get involved any deeper, only for her to end up hurt because I can’t seem to open myself up or say the right things.
“There’s the Bellagio fountains,” she says and points downward. “So pretty from up here.”
“Then you are having fun,” I tease.
“It’s okay, I guess.” She smirks at me, and maybe she doesn’t want to admit it, maybe she wants to have her way with me tonight after the evening wedding ceremony.
Game on.
For the rest of the ride we all drink champagne, smack talk each other, and just relax and have fun. Most of the women are tipsy when we pile back into the party bus, and I make room for Kinsley to sit by me. She’s smiling and happy, pushed through her fears, and ended up having a good time. I’m glad I could help with that. I spread my legs, until our thighs are touching and her little intake of breath doesn’t go unnoticed. Her body is warm and soft next to mine, and my dick twitches, wanting a better viewing.