“Sweet Jesus.”

“A little help here?”

“No,” he says, biting his lip. “I’m good.”

“Come on!”

“What time did you say we have to be at the church?”

“I didn’t say anything. You said ten.”

He frowns. “We can be late.”

“No, we can’t. It’s your brother’s wedding.”

“He’s an asshole.”

“And you’re the best man.”

“I’m not feeling like being the best right now.” He moves across the room and shoots a decidedly dirty glance between my legs. “I’m feeling—”

“I can see what you’re feeling,” I say, staring pointedly at the tent in his boxers. “But I’m stuck in this dress, and we need to get moving.”

“Just one kiss.” He bends a knee, locks his fingers onto my hips, and pulls me toward him. Gently, ever so gently, he runs his fingers over me and, even though I’m wedged in a dress, I can’t help but suck in a hard breath.

“There’s time,” he murmurs. “We managed it yesterday.”

It takes everything in my power to grind out a sound that conveys the word no.

“Fine,” he says. “Then I’ll leave you with this…”

His lips press to the outside of the lace, and I shudder. It’s a whisper of friction, but plenty erotic to leave me wanting more. I push my arms through the dress using sheer willpower, and then my hands find his hair, weave into it, and pull his head up toward me.

“You’re welcome.” He laughs, sending warm puffs of air against my skin. After pressing one last kiss against the fabric, he stands and runs a finger up my skin. A cocky grin has appeared on his face. “You wanted help getting unstuck, didn’t you? Well, you’re in your dress.”

Glancing down, I see that sure enough, the dress is all but perfectly situated over my body. I give a noncommittal harrumph of frustration. “Thanks, I guess.”

He laughs louder, pulls me closer, and brushes the damp hair from my neck. “Let me remind you that you’re the one who said there was no time for fun.”

I reach down, stick my hand on his tent pole, and watch as his eyes roll toward the ceiling. “Two can play this game,” I tell him.

It’s his turn to groan as I return to the bathroom to style my hair into some semblance of an up-do. When I’m ready, I open the door and find Ryan waiting on the other side.

He blinks once. His hand moves slowly, subconsciously to his throat, where he straightens an invisible tie. “You look…insanely beautiful. Stunning, Andi.”

The way his voice is soft, almost unsure, makes me look down. No man has ever complimented me in such a sincere, almost reverent way. I’ve seen it before in movies, in those truly lucky couples, like my father and mother’s relationship, but never in my own.

With a tender kiss, he grabs my hand. “Are you ready to go?”

Squeezing tight, I nod and follow him out of the house. The church is only a few miles away from the house, and we arrive exactly four minutes late.

“I thought we’d lost the two of you,” Mrs. Pierce says as we arrive. The photographer is setting up behind her. “Did you have a nice time last night? You look rested.”

Ryan hugs me close. “Took her to the river.”

She stares at him. “You never take anyone to the river.”

The surprise on her face registers deep in my belly, and I’m suddenly reeling with the thought that this is real. No longer are we playing some fantastical game. What we have is real and new and exciting.

“It was special,” I agree. Ryan shows his own agreement by sliding his hand low on my back. I clear my throat, all too aware that Mrs. Pierce is standing right in front of us. “Anyway, how are Lawrence and Lilia doing?”

“Actually, Lawrence told me to send you back as soon as you arrived.”

“What does he want?” Ryan pulls me closer. “I’ll head back there now.”

Mrs. Pierce reaches out, rests her fingers on her son’s arm. “Not you. He wants to see Andi.”

Ryan freezes. “Why?”

“He didn’t say.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ryan says, turning to me. “See what he—”

“No, just Andi will be fine. Ryan, come help with some chairs,” his mother says firmly.

“But—”

“It’s okay,” I say, offering a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

Ryan pauses, and then realizes that between me and his mother, he’s fighting a losing battle. “I’ll be waiting out here…with the chairs. Come back soon, or I’ll find you.”

I make my way through the beautiful old church, the stained-glass windows giving off a colorful sheen on the white walls, the carpeting red beneath my feet. I let soft footsteps carry me to the area behind the altar where Mrs. Pierce directed me.

“Andi.” Lawrence sees me before I can reach him. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“The church is beautiful,” I say as he pulls me away from the small crowd of men in suits around him. “I can’t wait to see Lilia.”

He pulls me to the last pew in the side section and sits down next to me. “Listen, I need to apologize.”

I shake my head. “No, of course not.”

“I had too much to drink, and as I’m sure my brother told you, I can be an asshole now and again.”

“I really didn’t think—”

“You don’t have to stick up for me,” he says. “I can admit when I screwed up, and I did. I’m sorry I said any of that at dinner.”

“Really, it’s okay. I’m over it.”

He has similar brown eyes to Ryan, and staring into them is almost eerie. “I didn’t realize how serious the two of you are.”

“We weren’t all that serious,” I say, struggling to explain. “It’s new, and you couldn’t have known. It was an honest mistake.”

“He really likes you, Andi,” Lawrence says. “I’ve never seen him act like this with a girl before.”

“I really like him too.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m apologizing.” He offers a smile, and in it, I see the charm that Lilia must see too. “I’m trying not to be a jerk, but I fuck up now and again. I just wanted to say, well, welcome to the family.”

I swallow over a lump in my throat. “You didn’t have to apologize, but…thank you.”

He opens his arms, a bit timid, and I laugh.

“Friends?” he asks. “Please? Lilia would kill me if she knew I didn’t apologize to you. She likes you too.”

I open my arms and give him a quick hug, pulling away with a smile of my own. “So that’s the only reason you apologized, huh? To keep Lilia happy?”

He looks alarmed at first, but my voice is teasing, and so is my grin.

“You’re good.” He points at me, a broad grin on his face as he shakes his finger. “You know what they say: happy wife, happy life. Now, let’s go get me married to the most beautiful woman on earth!”

I’m giddy watching Lawrence stride back through the church, clasping hands with his groomsmen as he passes. I’m so occupied watching the reunion that I don’t realize Ryan has sat down next to me until he eases his hand into mine.

His face is unreadable. “Everything all right?”

“It’s perfect,” I say, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Lawrence isn’t so bad.”

Ryan looks surprised, sits back against the pew. “He apologized?”

“Let’s just say, I think we’re friends now.”

“I didn’t think he had it in him.”

“Get up there.” I playfully smack Ryan’s butt. “Be the best man you can be.”

“And then later…” He leans over, his lips pressed to my ear. “I’ll make you feel the best you’ve ever felt.”

I shiver as he walks away, goose bumps on my skin despite the warm summer day.

When the wedding bells chime, I stand with the rest of the congregation, the world a bright and sunny place, at least for today. Then Ryan waves at me from his place on the altar, and my heart stutters, racing at the thought that finally, I’ve found what my dad was talking about.

CHAPTER 43

Ryan

“May I have this dance?” I whisper in Andi’s ear, my hand on the bare skin of her back.

She startles, halfway into reaching for one of those miniature hot dog appetizer things. They’re good, I know—I ate about ten of them.