“It’ll be beautiful.” I knew whatever she had planned would be.
“I can’t believe I’m getting married.” Her face flushed with a pink hue. “I was never like you,” she continued, “I didn’t dream of falling in love and getting married, and yet here I am.”
“Things change,” I commented.
“They do,” she agreed.
I ate another slice of pizza and drew my knees up to my chest. “What kind of dress do you think you want?” I asked, already brainstorming in my head.
“Simple,” she said, and then laughed. “Can you tell that’s my thing?” Sighing, she tapped a finger against her lips. “I want it to be lightweight. It’s still going to be blazing hot in September, so I don’t want it to be heavy. Maybe something with a thin strap,” she suggested, “my boobs are too big to go strapless, I’d be afraid they might pop out.”
I laughed at her, making a mental note of the things she’d said. “I’ll get to work on some designs. We don’t have much time.”
She clapped her hands together, vibrating with giddiness. When we were younger Emma was always quiet and guarded, once she met Maddox she really came out of her shell. It was nice to see her so vibrant and living life, instead of hiding behind the pages of a book.
“You know,” she sobered, draping her arm along the back of the couch, “for a while I was scared to get married. I know Maddox has wanted us to get married for a while, but I thought it might change things—put more pressure on our relationship,” she shrugged. With a wistful smile she added, “But it hasn’t. In fact, I think I’ve fallen more in love with him through this whole process and I can’t wait to have him be my husband.”
I smiled, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. “I’m glad. You deserve all the happiness in the world.” And that was the truth. Emma had been through a lot at a young age and having a drunken asshole for a father had made her untrusting of guys. But Maddox had barreled into her life, breaking down all the walls she’d built around herself.
She tilted her head, a small smile gracing her lips. “So do you.”
I sighed. I should’ve known she’d find a way to circle back to my happiness, or lack thereof, eventually.
“I’ll find my happiness again,” I muttered, picking at a loose thread on the couch. “Things are just…rough right now.”
The breakup with Braden had taken a lot out of me. Even though I knew in my heart I’d never really loved him, I’d still spent two years with the guy, and there’d been fondness there. Throw on top of that the stress of running my store, and then skirting around my feelings for Ezra, and I was exhausted. Maybe things would get better in the Ezra department now that we had our agreement, but it was doubtful. I just hoped it didn’t make things worse.
“You know what you need?” She grinned, leaning towards me. “A vacation!”
I snorted. “I don’t have time for a vacation. I can’t leave the store.”
She shook her head rapidly. “You had a two-week honeymoon planned, Sadie. I think you can take a week off and go on a vacation.”
“By myself?” I hissed.
“No,” she shook her head, “we’ll all go. The guys, Remy, me and you.”
“I don’t know about this…” I trailed off. A vacation sounded nice, but…
“Please, oh please.” She held her hands beneath her chin and pouted her bottom lip. “We can get a beach house somewhere. I’ll plan the whole thing…okay, that’s a lie, I can’t plan very well so I’ll get Maddox to do it, but you won’t be bothered with any of it. I promise.”
“Do you think the others will agree?”
She pointed to her face and pouted again. “No one can say no to this face.”
I smiled, feeling myself grow a little excited. “Let’s do it!”
“Yay!” She stood up and started dancing around. Pulling her phone out of the pocket of her shorts she pressed a button and music flooded the small space.
Laughing, I stood up too and joined her crazy dancing.
Our laughter filled the air as we tripped over our own feet.
I’d been reluctant to agree to this sleepover, but it was proving to be exactly what I had needed.
HIS LIPS MOLDED to my neck and my fingers tangled in his silky soft hair.
It was safe to say I had an obsession with Ezra’s hair.
Actually, I had an obsession with the man himself. It was completely unfair how amazing he was. Inside and out.
His fingers skimmed down the sides of my bare torso and my body arched at the sensation.
His touch electrified me.
His hips rocked against mine and my nails raked his back.
I was so close.
He sat up suddenly, pulling me with him so that we never separated. I let out a long moan at the new sensation. I rolled my hips and he cursed.
He grasped the nape of my neck and pulled my lips to his, kissing me deeply. Our lips parted and I panted from the lack of oxygen.
I closed my eyes, tightening my hold on his shoulders. “I’m coming,” I warned.
“Fuck, I’m close too,” he breathed, his lips skimming mine when he spoke.
Our chests pressed together, adding even more friction.
I moved faster and his own thrusts sped up.
I tipped over the edge, and my cry filled the room. With a groan he came too and we fell back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs.
My chest rose sharply as I struggled to get enough air.
I didn’t think it was possible, but it got better every single time.
I didn’t know how I was ever going to give this up, but I knew eventually our arrangement would have to come to an end.
He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his body, tenderly kissing the crook of my neck.
My eyes closed as a happy sigh escaped me. The gesture had been so sweet, something a real boyfriend would do, but I had to remind myself that we weren’t really a couple.
All too soon he pulled away and rolled out of bed. He put on his boxers and stuck his hands on his narrow hips.
“We better get ready.”
I glanced at the clock on his nightstand. He was right. It was a little past noon, but the guys were playing at a local festival later this afternoon. Even though the guys were a big deal now they still made an effort to perform local gigs. I thought it was nice that they still appreciated their roots.
I sat up and began gathering my clothes strewn about his room. With them clutched in my arms I mumbled that I was going to take a shower.
He nodded, already distracted by something on his phone.
After my shower I dried and curled my hair. Instead of putting on a pair of shorts I opted to wear a dress. It was new and I hadn’t had a chance to wear it yet. I wasn’t dressing up for Ezra, though. Nope, definitely not.
I slipped the dress on and admired my reflection in the mirror above the dresser in my bedroom.
It was white and hugged my body. It had an open design in the middle that exposed parts of my stomach and the design continued at the bottom of the dress. The back was low cut, and my tattoo was on full display. It was a dream catcher that started between my shoulder blades with the feathers extending down my back. I got it a while ago, straight out of high school. Ezra had been with me when I got it, since I didn’t want to go alone. I’d gotten it, because at the time my dreams had seemed so far out of reach and I wanted something to remind me that I could go after them and, well catch them.
Satisfied with the dress I put on a pair of strappy gold flats and added a flowered headband to my hair.
“You look beautiful,” Ezra commented, appearing in the doorway.
“Thanks,” I smiled at him.
He was dressed simply in a pair of khaki shorts and a white t-shirt.
“I thought we’d head on over now,” he looked at the large watch on his wrist, “and have some time to do a few things before the show.”
My brows rose. That sounded suspiciously date-like to me, but I wasn’t going to say anything.