“It’s pretty remarkable,” I replied wistfully as I looked at the flowers again.
“Let’s go get prettied up for our guys.” Eden’s smile was infectious, and I couldn’t stop myself from bursting out into delightful laughter. Everything was perfect, and I couldn’t wait to get to the church so I could be reunited with my man and spend the entire night in his arms.
His eyes never left me. The intensity of his gaze alone made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. The purple dress I wore fit my torso like a glove and fell to the floor in waves from my hips. Josh’s heated stare and smirk told me he liked what he saw. My eyes freely roamed over him, and I sighed as I walked down the aisle toward my tuxedo-wearing knight in shining armor. The thoughts I was having of him should have had me struck down, seeing I was in the house of the Lord. Forgive me, Father, for I am going to sin.
The ceremony was stunning. It was swamped with candlelight, and the aroma of sweet vanilla saturated the air. Eden looked like a princess in her custom-made ivory dress that shimmered with beading and a pearl-covered bodice. The emotion in Ky’s voice as he declared his lifelong love to Eden was awe-inspiring, and when he said the words “I was only half a man until I found you” he set the majority of female guests into fits of sobs, me included.
I was overcome with happiness and bursting at the seams with excitement at what the future held for them. As soon as the minister informed Ky that he could kiss the bride, Josh crossed the front of the church behind the happy couple and pulled me against his body. I fell into his arms and rested my head over his heart. My arms snaked around his waist, then I grabbed hold of the back of his midnight black tuxedo jacket and held him close.
“Prettiest girl in the world,” he whispered into my ear, saying exactly what he had written on his Facebook page all those months ago. “And all mine.”
“Thank you for my flowers,” I whispered, resting my chin on his chest and looking up at him.
“You never have to thank me for showing you what you mean to me.”
God, he kills me.
“Okay, love birds, move it along. We have a photographer waiting and a reception to get to.” Ky slapped Josh on the back in jest and shot me the sweetest smile. Josh linked his fingers with mine and we walked down the candle-lined aisle. I couldn’t stop myself from considering the possibility that one day this could be Josh and I. Would I be walking down the aisle beside him after becoming a Crawford? A delightful shiver ran down my spine, because that was exactly what I wanted.
Josh squeezed my hand and encouraged me to look at him.
“One day,” he said softly, as if he could read my mind. My cheeks flushed and I dropped my eyes to the floor, but I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Ashlyn Crawford has a great ring to it,” he continued, and I just about dissolved into a puddle of swoon right there in middle of the church.
White drapes hung from the ceiling, white and pink roses took pride of place on all of the guest tables, and the distinct scent of vanilla and lavender caressed the air at the reception house that overlooked the ocean. I sat at the bridal table, and my eyes traveled with Josh as he crossed the dance floor toward where Eden and Ky were dancing. I watched in fascination as Josh did the traditional tap on the other man’s shoulder to indicate he would like to dance with the girl. My cheeks ached from smiling as I watched Ky shake Josh’s hand before placing Eden’s hand in his.
Ky’s eyes hit mine as he made his way through the guests. When he reached me, he pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down before kissing my cheek tenderly. I rested my head on his shoulder, and we fell into silence as we watched Josh and Eden float around the dance floor.
“How’s he doing?” he asked softly.
During the worst week of my life, Ky had been my strength, along with Austin and Ben. Although it wasn’t lost on me that Ky’s fear of losing his brother was paramount. Witnessing Ky cry in that hospital room after Josh had just been taken into surgery was something I would never forget, and it cemented my love of my best friend. In the face of potential tragedy, our friendship had shown true strength.
I twisted on the seat to face him, and grabbed his hand. “Every day he heals a little more. He sleeps through the night now, and has started running again. There are times when it seems like he gets lost in his thoughts, but then he comes back to me. We are in a really amazing place right now.”
“I couldn’t wish for a better girl for my little brother, or a better guy for my best friend. All I have ever wanted was for you to get the happiness and love that someone as special as you deserves. My brother is the man for you. He will love you fiercely. It’s a Crawford thing. It’s what we do.”
“You’re going to make me cry.” I laughed.
Ky pulled me in close and we continued watching Josh and Eden. Josh and I had decided that if we found the perfect time during the night that we would tell Ky and Eden our news, as we wanted them and Austin to be the first to know. The words I’m pregnant were sitting on the tip of my tongue, and I could easily tell Ky, but I knew I would wait until Josh was by my side.
“Has he got his hand on my wife’s ass?” Ky asked incredulously. “My brother has no fucking idea what the word boundaries means.”
Sure enough, Josh had one of his hands resting suspiciously near Eden’s ass as they danced across the floor. I burst out laughing and grabbed my highly-alert best friend’s hand.
“Grab my boob. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”
Ky threw his head back and his riotous laughter echoed around the room as he chose not to grope me in the middle of his wedding. We continued watching Josh and Eden dance and, when the song changed, Josh’s gaze flashed to mine and the most delicate of smiles touched his lips.
“Should we go and dance?” Ky asked softly, holding out his hand.
I nodded and placed my hand in his, and then we crossed the floor until we were beside Eden and Josh. Josh shot me a wink before giving Ky a cheeky smirk as he twirled Eden around the dance floor.
“He is such a fucker,” Ky said with a laugh.
Ky and I danced to two songs before I found myself being swapped with Eden, and I was exactly where I wanted to be, back in Josh’s arms. His hands rested on my lower back, and mine linked behind his neck. As I pressed my body into his, I felt myself getting lost in his eyes, and he smiled down at me.
“How are my two favorite people doing? Are you feeling okay?” he asked as his Mr. Protective switch turned on. Ever since I told him about my pregnancy, he had been even more incredible then before. The morning after he found out, he went to the store and bought pregnancy magazines, vitamins, and special teas that the pharmacist told him I should drink daily. He would check in on me constantly while he was at work, and I was banned from lifting anything heavier than my laptop.
“We are a little tired, and we cannot wait to be back in bed and cuddled up with you tonight. But first I want to dance with my sexy boyfriend. Have I told you how incredibly hot you look in your tux?”
“Well, Ms. Hart, you look entirely fuckable in your dress, and I can’t wait to get you home so I can take it off of you. What kind of lingerie have you got on under there?”
“Who says I’m wearing any?”
“So, what you’re saying is that I could take you to any dark corner here and slide straight into your pussy without having to worry about the inconvenience of panties?”
His words caused a shiver to run down my spine. “I love your dirty mouth.”
“I love when my dirty mouth is on yours.”
He cupped my cheek and, as we stood in the middle of the dance floor, I lost all sense of reason. When he lowered his mouth to mine, my body reacted immediately. Reality ceased to exist, and the fact that his family surrounded us didn’t warrant a thought. I sighed in delight as he swept his tongue along the seam of my lips, and I opened willingly. My body swayed to the music that swirled around us as our tongues danced to their own tune. My body pressed against his, and my arms found their way up his back until they were resting around my shoulders.