“Come on, we’re going to be late.” Jackson gestured toward me. “You’re not even dressed yet. All the guys are going to grab a quick breakfast before the festivities start.”
“Yeah, I’ll be ready in a second. Let me hop through the shower first. I’ll meet you down there.”
“Oh, and Mark is at the dentist getting his tooth fixed,” Jackson told me. “He’s going to meet us later.”
I cringed at the memory of yesterday morning when I’d accidentally whacked my best friend in the face with my backswing. “I’m glad he found someone to take care of it. That was fast.”
“Dentists know dentists,” Jackson said with a shrug.
I nodded and then grabbed a towel, heading for the shower. All I could seem to think about, however, was the fact that I’d be seeing Emma again in only a few hours.
And then tonight? We were going back to her list.
Chapter Five
Emma
“Who are we missing?” Elise turned to look at me from where she was seated in the hair stylist’s chair next to mine. We had arrived at the salon earlier than our original appointment, so we were just sitting and waiting for the stylists to come grab us when they were ready.
I glanced around at the other bridesmaids who had been slowly trickling in over the last few minutes. “I think just Sandy and Rylee.”
“Rylee just walked in,” Elise informed me, pointing to her college roommate. The beautiful raven-haired woman waltzed over to us.
“Hi, Emma. Good to see you again.” Rylee reached over and gave me a one-armed hug.
“You, too,” I replied, although things had always felt a bit tense between us.
Being that Rylee was Elise’s best friend, my guess is that she thought she’d be given the maid of honor role. However, Elise asked me, and ever since then Rylee has been a little distant. I tried not to let it bother me, because after all, she was Elise’s friend and not originally mine. Plus, we were always able to be cordial and kind to one another, so that was fine by me.
A few more minutes went by before the hair stylists started ushering all of the wedding party into different chairs and began to get to work.
I pulled out my phone to text Sandy, our cousin, and ask her what her arrival time would be. Elise was clearly getting anxious that the entire party wasn’t ready to go yet.
My phone buzzed and I glanced back down at it just as the hair stylist was pulling out my pony tail and beginning to run her fingers through my hair.
Oops! I just woke up! Sorry, I had a late night with my new guy.
I furrowed my brow, instantly annoyed by her theatrics. First, Sandy had missed the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner yesterday because her flight was getting in too late, and now she was missing this because of some tryst with her date?
Had we even been given plus ones? My invitation was directed to me and only me.
“Were we supposed to bring dates to the wedding?” I asked my sister in a hushed tone, leaning over to be closer to her.
She looked at me with wide eyes. “No. I didn’t give out plus ones to anyone except those in long-term relationships or marriages.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
Elise grabbed my arm. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know for sure but it would appear Sandy flew here with a man? Not sure if she thinks he’s coming to the wedding or not.”
Elise ran a hand over her face. “Oh my God. Can you ask her right now? I’d have to completely rearrange the seating chart now. Also, when is she getting here?”
“Let me ask.”
I opened my phone back up and pulled up my text messages to Sandy. Is this new guy coming with you to the wedding? Elise said we didn’t have plus ones.
Three bubbles appeared beside her name, showing she was typing. Then it went away, but no text came through.
Elise’s phone buzzed. “Ugh, it’s Sandy.”
“She texted you instead of responding to my text?” I was beyond annoyed already. This wasn’t unexpected with my cousin as she was well-known for loving drama. She was our only first cousin, so my aunt had played hardball with Elise to get her to be a bridesmaid. Elise had reluctantly agreed, mostly because she was the type of person to want to please others.
Me, however? When I eventually got married, I was going to elope.
“Apparently she’ll be here in thirty minutes, and she is bringing a date tonight.” Elise looked up at me, her mouth open in horror. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
“Don’t worry about any of this,” I told her. “I’m going to contact the wedding coordinator now and have her squeeze an extra chair onto the table Sandy is at. It’ll all be fine. This isn’t something you need to worry about right now. Just get pampered.”
Elise nodded and sighed, then handed her phone over to me. “Here. The wedding coordinator’s number is listed in my favorites. Thank you, Emma.”
“Not a problem,” I assured my sister. Politely, I asked my hair stylist to give me a quick break so I could go outside and make some phone calls.
Thankfully, it didn’t take very long and about the time I had finished arranging everything with the coordinator, Sandy was walking up to the front door of the salon.
“Hey! We’re all inside,” I told her, holding the door open for her.
She smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thanks. I’m just so exhausted.”
“Yeah, it was a late night for all of us,” I replied, referring to the rehearsal dinner, even though I’d actually been up much later rolling around in the sheets with Dylan.
“Oh, I wish I had been at the dinner,” she replied, following me over to the chairs where all the bridesmaids were currently being worked on. “But you know that new love feeling. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in it. We just want to spend all of our time around each other.”
She was beaming, but there was something in her tone I didn’t like. Hell, I didn’t like anything about what she had just said. Sure, new love was distractible, but enough to put off your obligations to other people? Frankly, I was pissed off for my sister.
“Uh, well, your seat is here. I’ll be over on the other side. Your stylist already knows how we’re all doing our hair.” I gave her a small wave and was about to walk away when Sandy pulled a few magazines out of her purse.
“I actually brought some ideas with me, so I’ll run them past the stylist and see what works best on me.” Sandy began pulling open the magazines.
I frowned. “Actually, Elise wanted us all to have our hair the same way. For the pictures, you know?”
Sandy glanced up at me, then waved me off. “I’m sure she won’t mind.”
I faltered, unsure of what to say or do. This wasn’t my wedding, but I also wanted it to be perfect for my sister. At the same time, I certainly didn’t want to stress her out with my cousin’s behavior when she should be focusing on herself.
“Let’s just do it the way Elise wants, okay? It’s her big day,” I asked Sandy.
She didn’t even bother to look at me this time, still scanning the magazines. “Sure, sure. No problem.”
I clenched my teeth and inhaled slowly before turning and walking back toward my station.
“How’d it go?” Elise asked as I sat down and the stylist returned to work on my hair.
I placed a fake smile on and turned to her. “Fantastic. She’s very sorry she was late.”
Elise nodded. “Good. I hope she doesn’t cause any drama today like usual.”
“I’m sure she will be on her best behavior,” I replied—or lied, technically.
I didn’t want to focus on frustrating family right now. What I wanted to focus on was getting to see Dylan again tonight...and then later tonight, getting to see Dylan.
Pulling out my phone, I fired off a quick text to him. How’s the preparations going for the guys?
He texted me back almost immediately. Is that really what you want to ask me?
I frown
ed, unsure of what he meant. Uh...yes? Is there something else I’m supposed to ask?
You could start with...how much longer before I’m buried between your legs?
I blushed at his response and glanced around, making sure no one else can see what I’m texting. There’s a large mirror in front of me and I can see my hair stylist’s reflection from where she is standing behind me. She has a secretive smile on her face, and I can guess that she was probably reading over my shoulder.
I blushed harder.
You are terrible, I texted him, this time trying to hold my phone at an angle where no one could see it.
You know what’s really terrible? How much I miss you…
My eyes widened at his admission. He missed me? I’d never had a one-night stand before, or even a several night stand/quick fling. I had been under the impression that these kinds of things often remained emotion free—attachment free. He wasn’t supposed to miss me. Hell, he wasn’t even supposed to think of me when I wasn’t right there touching him. We were just fulfilling a need for one another, and that was it.
Right?
I swallowed, knowing I was lying to myself if I thought that’s what we were doing. God knows I’d been thinking about him all day and counting down the moments until I’d be able to see him tonight. That certainly didn’t sound like a fling to me.
Before I could change my mind, I opened my phone again and typed back a reply. I miss you, too. A lot, actually.
See you soon...
Chapter Six
Dylan
I don’t know why I texted her that.
I’ve never really been known as a touchy-feely guy, and I’ve gotten the complaint from past girlfriends that I don’t open up about my emotions enough.
If that’s the case, why did I text Emma that I miss her? I honestly don’t know what I was thinking, and I keep staring at my phone trying to figure it out. The truth is...I do miss her. Which is even stranger. I’ve known the woman for two days, and I’ve been in full years-long relationships where I haven’t felt that way after a few hours apart. But with her?
Things feel...different.
Maybe it’s the way she sleeps curled into my side, her lashes curved against her cheek as she snores ever so slightly. It’s more like loud breathing, rather than snoring, but it’s incredibly cute either way and I’d spent a surprising amount of time this morning just watching her sleep. It could also be the way she laughs at all of her own jokes, long before anyone else gets the chance to react themselves. Or maybe it’s the way she takes care of her sister, doing everything in her power to make sure her sister has the perfect wedding day. She thinks she doesn’t and she beats herself up—talking about herself as if she is unreliable, but she’s not. Everything her sister has needed this weekend, I’ve watched Emma step up and take care of it.
Whatever it is going on between us...I know I’m biting off more than I can chew.
I need to put on the brakes. I need to slow myself down—not just with how I am talking to Emma, but also how I’m feeling about her. I don’t live here and long-distance certainly isn’t something I’ve ever done before, nor ever been interested in doing. Plus, I was honest with her the first night we were together—I’m not ready for a relationship.
Right?
“Dylan, I’m going to need you to get off your phone and join in the festivities,” Jackson called out to me, rousing me from my thoughts.
I glanced up at him. “What?”
“Dude. Have a drink and join in.” Jackson walked over to the bar cart in the hotel room we had all congregated in before the wedding was to begin in just a few hours. He poured a brown liquor from an unlabeled glass bottle into a cup with ice, then handed it to me.
I sipped at it, wincing slightly at the burn I felt in my throat as the liquid slid down. “Sorry, man. Just got a lot on my mind right now.”
“Don’t tell me you’re already pussy-whipped by the MOH?” He laughed lightly and slapped me on the back. “You always did fall fast and hard.”
I furrowed my brows. “Who, me? I do not.”
“Oh, really? Tell me why you stuck with Crazy Candy for the last few years when you knew from the get go that you two weren’t compatible.”
My ex-girlfriend and I had definitely not been a good match, but I’d been pretty blinded to that in the beginning. It had taken a while to really see who she was and why our relationship wouldn’t work.
“Once you’re all in with a girl, you’re all in,” Jackson continued. “You couldn’t make a one-night stand work for your life.”
I scoffed at his assessment of me. “I’ll have you know I’ve had quite a few one night stands over the course of my life.”
“Yeah, and how many of them did you either end up dating or keep as friends?”
I tried to think back on it, but he honestly wasn’t far off. The women I hooked up with for just-sex were often friends I had known for a while and there was comfort in taking that next step. The few women I had met off a dating app for things like that also ended up being friends, or at least people I kept in contact with occasionally to make sure they were doing well.
Swiping through Tinder before coming to Mark’s wedding had been a bit of an unusual move for me. I’d told myself that I just wanted company while I was out of town, but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if that was true.
Besides Jackson—who was destined to be single for life—I was one of the last remaining men in my groups of friends who hadn’t gotten married. I’d thought, for a little while, that my ex-girlfriend and I were going that route, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. If I was being truly honest with myself, I had been feeling particularly lonely in the coming days before traveling here for the wedding.
But was I just trying to fill a void in my life, or was I really finding myself infatuated with Emma?
I honestly didn’t know the answer to that.
What I did know is that I wanted to talk to Emma. I wanted to find out how she was feeling and whether or not I was alone in this.
Tonight at the wedding, that is exactly what I would do.
Chapter Seven
Emma
“Can you go check on the guys and make sure they’re ready?” Elise looked up at me, panic in her eyes. “We only have a few minutes until they should be out in the chapel.”
I put my hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her. She looked stunning in her wedding dress and veil. Her hair and makeup were perfectly done, and I just knew Mark was going to lose his mind when he saw her. “I’ll check,” I assured her. “But last time I heard from them, everyone was ready to go.”
“They said that, but you never really know with guys. Their version of ready and ours—two different things.”
I laughed but nodded my head. “I will get visual confirmation and be right back.”
After verifying that all the bridesmaids were indeed ready—all except Sandy who had wandered off somewhere and I would need to track down—I headed for the other side of the church to where the groom and groomsmen were waiting.
“Hello?” I knocked on the door and slowly opened it, not wanting to walk in on something weird or naked.
“Come in,” Mark called out. He was seated on a bench, tying his shoes. “Hey, Emma. Elise send you to check in on us?”
I grinned. “Possibly. Everyone ready?”
Dylan looked up at me from where he was leaning against a wall on the opposite side of the room. I tried to ignore his gaze, pretending he wasn’t even on my mind, but I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back at him every few moments.
“We’re ready,” Mark confirmed. “The ushers are seating guests now, so it shouldn’t be much longer.”
“About fifteen minutes,” I reminded him. “I’ll let Elise know we’re good to go.”
“Thanks, Emma!” Mark waved me off and I slipped back out into the hallway to head back to the bridal room.
“Emma,” a voice called for me.
I turned back around to see Dylan exiting the room I’d just been in. He closed the door firmly behind him and approached me quickly. Grabbing my hand, he led me over to an alcove that was out of sight to anyone walking through the hallway.
“What are you doing?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “I need to get back to Elise.”
“She can spare you for a minute.” His hands slid down the sides of my arms and then anchored at my waist, pulling me closer to him.
His lips pressed against mine slowly at first, and then full of hunger and desire. I melted forward, leaning in to his chest and wrapping my arms around his neck as we devoured one another. Slowly and painfully, I pushed away from him.
“I have to get going. I still have a bridesmaid to track down.”
He kissed me one more time. “Later, I want to talk to you.”
I raised one brow. “That sounds ominous.”
Dylan laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s not. I promise. I just...well, I was thinking about my flight home tomorrow and maybe extending my stay here a little longer.”
“Really?” I asked, running my hands down his chest. “For how long?”
He shrugged. “Haven’t really thought it through much yet. I guess I’m wondering...if that is something you’d be interested in?”
“If you’re asking if I want to be with you longer than a three-day weekend?” I placed a soft kiss on his lips, then leaned back. “The answer is yes.”
A smile lifted the corners of his lips and his eyes darkened. “I’ll change my flight then.”
“Okay then,” I replied, kissing him one more time and then stepping back out into the hallway. I didn’t turn back to look at him, but I could feel his eyes on me the entire time I was walking away.
My phone buzzed in my pocket—yes, my bridesmaid dress had pockets and I was so thrilled when my sister picked this particular design out. I pulled it out and glanced at the notification on the screen.
One Night Stand: An Erotic Serial: Episode Two Page 3
