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“Not that,” I said quickly. “I was hoping to spend some time with you.”

“I know,” she said with a laugh. “Me too.” She hugged my arm, and I was acutely aware of the swell of her breast. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“Good. But we’d better hurry. Kara will kill me if we’re late.”

Chapter 8

The Swan House actually had a person whose job was to coordinate weddings. She was a prim and immaculate thirty-something woman.

Mark and I chatted while she organized the wedding party. Tessa’s brother and the Virginia cousin stood nearby. Our job as ushers was fairly simple: friends of the bride on the left, of the groom on the right. We also had to seat family in the first three rows, but that was about it.

When the coordinator guided us into place for the processional, I learned that I had a bigger role than I’d thought. Elizabeth and I officially started the ceremony. Well, she did. I was just her escort.

“Are you ready for this?” I asked as we marched down the aisle at a stately pace.

“I hope so.”

“You’ll do fine,” I said. “You’re the most important woman here. Well, after Kara.”

“You’re such a dear.” She glanced at me sidelong. “You and Gina seem to be getting on well.”

“Don’t plan our wedding just yet,” I said with a laugh.

“God, no! Let us get through this one first.”

“That’s the spirit.” We reached the first row. “This is where I leave you.”

She sat and crossed her legs.

I gave her a wink and finished my circuit around the left. My job was done.

We ran through the whole ceremony twice, from beginning to end.

Afterward the coordinator made sure everyone knew where and when to

arrive. (The bridal party had to arrive before noon. I only had to be there two hours early, at two o’clock.)

Gina appeared beside me. “Do you mind if I ride with you to dinner?”

“Um… sure. Lemme just find Erin.”

“Oh, she’s riding with Leah and Mark.”

“Ah. Gotcha.”

We joined the crowd heading to the cars.

“So,” I said, “how’ve you been?” I felt like an idiot, but didn’t know where else to start.

“Good. Busy with school. My classes are a lot harder now.”

Tell me about it.”

“How about you?”

“The same. Projects. Deadlines. Studying for exams. You know how it is.”

“Yeah. I’ve already started studying for the MCAT. They say it’s brutal.”

“So you still like pre-med?”

“Definitely. I’ve been talking to Kara a lot. It’s a lot of work, but she enjoys it.” She glanced at me. “What about you? You still love architecture.”

“Gee, what was your first clue?”

“Oh, I dunno. I think it was when you gushed for an hour up in the house.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I told you, I like seeing things through your eyes.”

I opened the Cruiser’s door and helped her climb in. She smoothed her dress out of the way, and my eyes fell on her dark, slim ankles. She was wearing silver high heels, and I wondered if Christy had a pair like them.

Gina gave me a curious look.

“Just admiring your legs.”

Her lips pursed with a smile.

I shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side. I started the engine and shifted into gear. “So, you still like LA?”

“I do. The weather’s amazing. We can go to the beach almost year-round.”

“So you still have tan lines?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” she laughed.

“Well, I have to file a report. You could lose your nudist’s license.”

“You don’t say?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Well then, I’d better hope they make an exception.”

“They might. You’ll have to undergo a thorough examination, though.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. It’s policy, I’m afraid.”

“In that case I’d better get it over with.” She turned in her seat and ran a finger along the neckline of her dress. Then she moistened her lips and gave me a suggestive look. “Do we need to go somewhere private?”

“Okay, now you’re messing with me.”

She broke into laughter. “What gave it away?”

“It sounded like a porn movie.”

“Oh my God, Paul! You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been asked to do porn.”

I blinked at the change of subject. “Seriously?”

“Yes! Sometimes it seems like everyone in LA is in the porn business.

They’re all over the Valley. And I see flyers on campus all the time for

‘Models Wanted’ or ‘Movie Auditions.’ You can’t wear a bikini on the beach without some guy telling you how beautiful you are and saying you should do a ‘photo test.’ It’s ridiculous.”

“So you never thought about doing it?”

“Thought about it? Sure. But I never would. Too many people would find out. And it’d ruin any chance I have to become a doctor.” She looked at me.

“Wait. Are you asking…?”

“No. I was just curious if you’d ever—”

“Paul, it’s one thing to take off my clothes at camp, or for a special person. But do you really think I’d do it for money?”

“Not really. I guess…”

“What?”

“I guess I was thinking about it and got a little carried away.”

“Thinking about what, exactly?”

“Not you doing porn. Mostly…” I shot her a grin. “Well, you know what I was thinking.”

Her eyebrows rose.

“Hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“No, I guess not,” she said at last.

“Sorry.”

She looked at me from under long, dark lashes. “I didn’t say I was upset.”

I almost missed the turn for the restaurant.

She laughed. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“Keep thinking that. Especially if I kill us both.”

“Don’t. Kara would never forgive me.”

“Or me.” I pulled into a parking space and turned off the engine. “Gimme a sec,” I said, and hopped out. I went around and opened Gina’s door for her.

She lowered a foot to the ground. Her dress wasn’t particularly short, but I still had a tantalizing view from ankle to mid-thigh.

I took her hand and met her eyes.

She grinned. “Still wondering…?”

“About what?”

“My tan lines.”

“Sort of.”

She arched an eyebrow.

I stepped close. I could feel her body mere inches away, could smell her flowery scent. I brought my lips to her ear.

“I was thinking,” I whispered, “about how beautiful you are.”

She held very still.

“And how much I want to…”

She swallowed. “To what?”

I waited a moment and then pulled back.

Her dark eyes searched mine.

I let a slow grin spread across my face.

“You aren’t going to tell me?”

“We’d better head inside.”

She looked at me with a mixture of disbelief and surprise.

I put a hand on the small of her back and gently propelled her toward the restaurant. I walked beside her and slid my palm down.

She jumped but didn’t pull away.

I grinned to myself and patted her bottom.

Dinner passed in the blink of an eye. We were supposed to get to know Victor’s family better, but Gina and I were in our own little world.

I told her about the backyard at the rancher and the other houses in

Atlanta. She told me about smog and traffic and life in Los Angeles. I talked about the beautiful houses in Fort Sanders and the project for Professor Joska.

She talked about her friends in the sorority and how she volunteered at a women’s clinic. We laughed about several awful dates Regan had been on. I told her about Wren’s matchmaking antics.

“You didn’t sleep with any of her friends?” Gina said, incredulous.