Bad Boy's Bridesmaid (27 page)

“But I’d like to
make my own toast,” she said. “There is one person I want to thank more than
anyone in this world. The one who stood by me. Indulged my every request. Told
me when I was being unreasonable but still tried to please me. The one who put
me first before anything else.”

Bryce grinned,
but Lindsey turned to me.

“My sister is
the greatest friend anyone could have. Thank you, Mandy. None of this could
have happened without you.”

Well, I couldn’t
run away
now
.

I hugged my
sister. Lindsey relished the applause, but she pulled back and crinkled her
nose.

“Now hurry up
with your toast. You have to help me go to the bathroom.”

Oh,
great
.

Lindsey and
Bryce held hands as I delivered a much abbreviated speech, wishing Lindsey a
lifetime of happiness and Bryce all the luck in the world. Rick stood, keeping
his short.

“To the
newlyweds—we’ve been friends our whole lives, and nothing makes me happier than
seeing everyone together. I wish us all the best in our new relationships. We
are very fortunate that our group is so strong, passionate, and above all else,
protective
…even to a fault.”

Rick touched his
cheek. Bryce laughed and earned a smack from Lindsey.

“But that just
means we love each other as friends, sisters, brothers, and, finally, couples.
Let’s never forget that.”

Glasses clinked,
and Rick pulled me into a warm hug. I peeked over his shoulder. Nate waited at
the bar, arms crossed. He had helped to tap the keg and serve the initial
drinks, but now he was free.

And so was I.

This was
really
it.

I made it two
steps before Lindsey dragged me to the bathroom.

Goddamn it. This
wasn’t happening. Why couldn’t I get two seconds alone with the father of my
unborn child?

Lindsey stuffed
herself in the bathroom, walking sideways to fit her dress through the door. I
held out the precut garbage bag, hoping the trick we found on Pinterest would
work.

All she had to
do was step inside and peel the garbage bag up to gather the layers of the
dress. Then she could do her deed quickly and effectively.

The guests might
not have had alcohol yet, but my sister sure had.

Lindsey stumbled
and pierced the plastic with her heel. She ripped the bag over her waist.  I
groaned, but she shredded it above her head with a roar.

“Mandy! I
gotta
pee!”

Flashbacks of
the bachelorette party blinked into my mind like images of ‘Nam. This was
exactly
what motherhood was going to be like…except I probably shouldn’t trap my kid
inside a plastic bag.

“Hold on, I have
to find another—”

“No! I have to
go
now
!”

Oh lord. This
was one of those moments that would redefine our relationship.

Lindsey didn’t
have to beg. Hopefully she’d drink enough tonight that she wouldn’t remember it
in the morning.

We both
struggled into the stall, and Lindsey pranced while I gathered the folds of her
dress. I looked away and let her grab a little too high on the back of my leg
to steady herself. The door couldn’t close, and my sister’s giggling fit
wouldn’t make this go any quicker
or
neater.

“We’re never
talking about this again,” I said.

Lindsey patted
my ass. “Deal. Did you find Nate yet?”

Oh lord, this
so
wasn’t the time.

“Why? You think
he’d do a better job at helping you pee than I am?”

“Ha, ha, very
funny.” Lindsey wobbled, but she hadn’t fallen yet. I gathered more of her
dress to keep her steady. “You know what your problem is?”

“That I’m
sharing a bathroom stall with you?”

“Well, that’s a
big one.”

She finished and
cleared her throat. Apparently her new wedding ring was too heavy to reach for
the toilet paper herself. I grappled with the dispenser and imagined this would
be good, billable time for the therapist who’d make a fortune off of my family.

I so didn’t sign
up for a tinkle tantrum when I agreed to be her Maid of Honor.

Lindsey did her
best. She looked at me for help.

“No way,” I
said.

She grumbled.
“Can’t count on you for anything.”

She eventually
worked it out and flushed. We popped out of the stall, and I helped to
rearrange her dress. She admired her ring while I ensured she was decent to
return to the party.

“Mandy…” My
sister washed her hands and watched me in the mirror. “I know you think that
love is something mysterious and destined by fate. Well, it isn’t. You and Nate
found each other. It’s as simple as that. Now you have the choice—take him or
leave him. And I really hope you take him.”

Easy for her to
say. She hooked her prince in high school.

“Is there ever a
sign that you’re making the right decision?” I asked.

“You want a
sign?” Lindsey grabbed her bouquet and tossed it at me. I caught it with a
gasp. “There’s a pretty big one.”

“Ominous,” I
said.

“Is it really?”

No.

It wasn’t.

Lindsey marched
me out of the bathroom and pointed me toward Nate.

“I think it’s
time you two talked…” She squeezed my shoulders. “And stop hiding behind the
wedding and the family. You deserve to be happy too, rat face.”

“Thanks, bubble butt.”

The dinner had finished,
and the DJ began his first set. The crowds moved from the taco bar and cookie
table and danced in the grass.

I stared only at
one man. He approached and took my hand.

“It’s time,” Nate
said.

“I know.” I
glanced over the party. “Where?”

“Follow me.”

The fellowship
hall was jammed with people. The dancing area crowded with Mom, Dad, the
Washingtons, and everyone else in their generation getting down to the best
hits of the 1970s. Our table giggled as the first round of beer went down in a
chugging contest. Rick served a second to the groomsmen.

Nate tugged my
hand and led me to the corner of the yard. We’d rented a photo booth as
something fun for the party. Luckily, no one was using it just yet. He pulled
back the curtain, and we tucked inside.

The darkness swelled.
A tiny black-and-white screen flickered before us, and I stared at Nate in the
dim light.

My heart beat a
little too fast. I wished I had been able to sip some champagne before tackling
this. But I didn’t feel scared or worried. I couldn’t, not around Nate.

I just had no
idea where to begin.

“I’m sorry,” I
said.

Nate spoke at the
same time I did. “You have no idea how sorry I am.”

I swallowed.
“You don’t have to be sorry.”

He interrupted
me. “Why are
you
sorry?”

“I never, ever
should have kept the baby a secret from you.” I pulled his hand to my chest.
“You were right. I was hiding behind the wedding and all the problems with my
family. I thought I was making it easier on myself to focus only on the party,
but it was all an excuse. I was…scared.”

“You had no
reason to be scared.”

“But I was. I
had no idea how you’d react. Hell, I had no idea how
I
felt about it. I
still don’t. I’ve kept the secret for so long, and it became just that—a
secret
.
It never felt like a baby. And then…that sonogram, and when we were together
two nights ago. It got real. It was…”

“Was what?” Nate
leaned close.

“I felt like we could
be a real family.”

“Not
could.
Will be.”

“What about
California?”

“What about it?”
Nate shrugged. “Since I was young, I planned to leave home and abandon the life
my father wanted for me. I rebelled against it. Hard. I never wanted a life of
commitments and relationships and family. But you know what I realized when I
finally had you?”

He tucked a lock
of hair behind my ear. His hand lingered on my cheek, and I smiled.

His voice
strengthened. “That life isn’t something to fear or refuse. I would be the
luckiest bastard in the world if I could just share a
moment
of that
with you.”

I swallowed. My
heart nearly burst, and I willed it to slow so I didn’t miss a single word.

“No,” he said.
“I’m not leaving. I’m not hunting for that miserable existence anymore. Not
when I can have a life with you, a life worth living and protecting.”

“What about the
baby?”

Nate nodded.
“What about the baby?”

“Are you
scared?”

“Of course I
am.” He grinned. “Hell, I’ve never been this terrified—and I don’t know what’s
got me more worried. Losing you…or winning you over and tackling this amazing
responsibility.” He brushed my lip with his thumb. “Don’t tell me you aren’t
excited.”

I nodded. “I
am.”

“About what?”

“Everything.
You. The baby. This change. It was sudden, and I didn’t expect it, but with
you…it doesn’t seem like anything to fear.”

“That’s because
it’s not. It will never be. I know you’ve watched a lot of relationships
crumble, but that’s not a reason to hide from one.” He leaned closer. “In fact,
it’s one of the reasons I’m so damn lucky. You know how precious our bond is.
You take it seriously.”

“Of course I do.
I don’t want to lose you.”

“You’re not
going to lose me. You can try your hardest, but nothing you do, nothing you
say, nothing that happens will
ever
push me away. I didn’t fall for
you, I surrendered to you. You are everything to me, Mandy, and I don’t deserve
you or the gift you’ve given me.”

His hand lowered,
brushing against my tummy. I cupped my hand over his.

“I’m in love
with you, Nate,” I whispered.

“I love you
too.”

His lips brushed
mine. I welcomed his kiss, closing my eyes as he nibbled against me.

The four quick
flashes blinded me. We jumped, but the damage was done. A crowd had formed
around the photo booth. We slipped out to a chorus of
awws
from Lindsey
and the rest of the bridesmaids. A few others cheered.

Rick handed me
the picture that printed from the booth. I covered my face in Nate’s shoulder
and peeked at the photo.

It wasn’t our
first kiss, but it felt like it.

I clutched the
photo series, four pictures capturing the exact moment when we confessed our
feelings for each other and kissed.

The caption
beneath the images read
I love you
.

It was true.

Nate grinned,
pulling me to his chest and teasing me for getting embarrassed.

“No sense hiding
it anymore,” he said. “I love you.”

And he kissed me
as our friends and family cheered.

The ocean lapped
at our feet, and the sand tickled between my toes. The sun glistened as it set
over the horizon. Pink and orange streaks of warmth stretched to the shore to where
I held Nate’s hand.

“I do,” I
whispered. My smile hadn’t faded, and he was lucky I hadn’t cried yet.

Nate’s grin
matched my own. He slipped the ring on my finger, and the gold band
complimented the beautiful garnet stone I used as an engagement ring—our
daughter’s birthstone.

Nate’s father
spoke, but I didn’t hear it. I hadn’t moved, hadn’t breathed. I wanted to
remember this moment forever, but everything blended into a haze of joy and
happiness.

Nate kissed me.

No.

My
husband
kissed me.

The small gathering
was everything I could have wanted—a destination wedding on the shores of Key
West. Mom and Dad made it down together, standing hand in hand as they watched
us pledge our vows. They weren’t wearing their wedding rings yet, but just that
bit of contact was a good step.

Our family applauded
as we embraced on the beach. Nate’s parents hugged us too. Rick wrapped his
arms over his new girlfriend. Lindsey grinned, waving my baby’s hand at me. She
and Bryce had hardly let Lily out of their grasp. She said they were practicing
for her own little bump’s arrival.

I took Lily and
cradled her. At six months, she was getting too rambunctious. She took after
her daddy.

Not that I was
complaining.

Nate leaned down
to kiss me and her, and that sneaky little smile proved he was up to no good.

Our surprise
vacation turned into a surprise wedding on the most beautiful beach in the
world.

I had no idea
what he planned next, but I couldn’t wait to find out.

The resort served
dinner by firelight on the beach—a tropical feast in four courses…five if I
counted the handful of sand Lily tried to eat. Nate held me close, delighting
me with bite after bite of fruit and sips of coconut water. I never pegged him
for a romantic, but Nate’s goal was to explore new and exciting ways to spoil
me and our daughter. Different ways to prove his love.

He said he was
lucky, but I was the lucky one.

I never expected
to be loved so much. Dad had been right. No relationship was perfect, but mine
was
so
close. I told Nate every day how grateful I was for him.

It only
encouraged him to try harder.

“To the happy
couple!” Rick held up his glass. “A long and happy marriage.”

Lindsey leaned
over to hug me. Lily slammed her bottle against the table, and I giggled,
toasting with the plastic pink mug. As far as I was concerned, her little bottle
meant more than any champagne flute from a fancy country club wedding ever
could.

We ate, laughed,
and when the fire died, we said goodnight. Nate led me to our room. He grinned
as I opened the door. Rose petals. Champagne. A stuffed teddy bear—one promptly
claimed for Lily.

“You’re pretty slick,”
I said.

“I bet you are
too.”

I laughed. “And
you’re as good a husband as you are a father.”

“You haven’t
seen anything yet.”

I lowered Lily
into the tiny bassinette, and Nate helped to tuck the blanket over her. The
suite he reserved overlooked the ocean, and he led me to the balcony, leaving
the screen door open so we could listen for the baby. Like Nate, she had been
perfect. She’d sleep through the night.

He pulled me
onto the soft chaise, and those green eyes mimicked the calm sea in the
moonlight. I didn’t know if it was possible to fall
more
in love with
this man, but every day I vowed to try.

So far, it had worked.

His kiss was
soft, gentle, and tender, everything I needed. I sighed as he held me close. He
nibbled the tender spot on my neck. I shivered as arms tightened over me, aiming
for the hem of my sundress.

“I want to make
you my wife.” His breath tickled my ear. Everything inside me clenched. “Right
here. Right now.”

The sun dress
cast off. I whispered, staring into his eyes.

“I am your wife
now.”

“Not yet…but
soon.”

The night air
caressed me like another set of hands. He cupped my breasts and layered kisses
from my throat down. His lips left a delicate trail to the budded tips, and I
arched to feel the skilled swirl of his tongue over my nipple.

I didn’t think
I’d ever grow accustomed to his touch. Every brush of his fingers was like the
first time, every excited nip of teeth or lap of his tongue as enthusiastic as
the secret nights we touched, kissed, and loved each other.

I gasped as his
fingers teased along the softness of my slit. I was ready for him, but his
touch only thrilled me more. I twitched, bucking as he savored my sweetest spot.

“You have no
idea how much I love you.” His words layered another caress over me. I never
thought the truth would be so
rewarding
. “I will always love you.
Everything I do is for you and Lily.”

“You’re my
everything.” I kissed him, moving over his hips. He knew what I wanted, and his
fingers worked quick to free his cock from his jeans. “You are the only man
I’ve ever loved. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you. I know we
didn’t mean to start this…”

Nate arched,
holding my hips as he guided me over him. I slid down, taking him completely,
filling myself with more than just his body.

I had his heart.

I had his soul.

And it was more
than I ever expected.

“I’m so grateful
we did.” Nate groaned as I moved against him. “I had no idea what I was doing
with my life until I found you.”

“I’d waited my
whole life for you…”

“No more
waiting.” Nate gripped me tighter, and I fell upon his chest, crippled with
passion and overwhelmed by his size. “Our life might have started a year ago,
but this is just the beginning. I promise I’ll make you happy.”

“You already
do.”

“I promise I’ll
give you pleasure.”

“Oh, that’s
not
a concern.”

“And I promise
I’ll be the greatest husband for you and father for our baby.”

“I know you are.”
I kissed him, groaning as his hips moved faster. “I love you so much.”

“I love you
too.”

My words
dissolved as every stroke drew a shared breath and ripple of pleasure. It built
deep within me, and I surrendered to the night, the ocean, his touch.

Nate tensed, and
I stared into his eyes as he arched to meet me.

We came
together, just as we always did, as powerfully and
beautifully
as we
always had. His heat caressed me from the inside, and I clenched, unraveling
over him as he guided me through the shredded pleasure that captured me within
his arms.

Nothing compared
to these moments.

We had snuck
around for so long in the past, and the secrets and fears that kept me from
loving him faded the instant we confessed our feelings. I had wasted three
months of our life before Lindsey’s wedding, but we had the rest of our days to
make up for what we lost.

I rested against
his chest, and he wove his fingers through my hair.

“I think I’m
going to like being married to you,” I whispered.

Nate smiled. “We’re
going to have a long, happy life together. I promise.”

He didn’t have
to promise anything.

Nothing in the
world would have torn us apart.

Love wasn’t
about courage or kindness or honesty or work.

It was this.

Us. Together.

It was
happiness.

And it was ours.

The End

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