by Emma Roman
“Shit, let me take a look.” He was already off to the maintenance area, tugging at his tie when she turned toward Colleen.
“What went wrong?” she asked her assistant and friend.
“I have no idea, and it’s killing me, Arianna. They were working, and then I went to turn them on to do one of your double checks and now they aren’t. It looks like a wiring issue according to one of the guys, but I think it’s too short notice to bring someone in.”
Arianna closed her eyes, her mind going through countless scenarios. “Okay, get candles. Lots of candles. We have them in the back since the B&G almost wanted to use them until the last minute.” And what a headache that was. “Then, go find lights to put up in the corners. They won’t be as pretty, but we can get the florist and our lace girl to help spruce them up.”
“On it.” Colleen was off and walking quickly.
Arianna made her way to the maintenance area where Harper was and prayed her friend could help.
“Tell me what we’ve got,” she said briskly, her nerves on edge.
Harper cursed and licked his thumb, his gaze meeting hers. “Someone or something fucked with the circuit breaker, baby. It could just be that it’s old, but it was shitty timing. Whatever happened just got the wires to the lighting you’re looking at, so everything else is fine, at least. I can rework one of the chandeliers, Ari, but that’s it. The others would require someone like Luc, who’s the Montgomery Inc. electrician. And he’s at another job site across town. It would take way more time and noise than you can give up at the moment to get him here.”
Relief that something could work and the smidge of despair that something was wrong in the first place hit her hard, and she nodded, her mind working on her new battle plan. “Okay, we can work with this. We’ll have some extra lighting and candles, and we’ll have one chandelier working. Which one is it?”
“The center one, thankfully,” he answered then winced. “If you can be thankful for it that is.”
Arianna let out a breath. “The center one is good. Real good. Okay, we can do this. It won’t be exactly what I planned, but the B&G wanted flowers over the chandeliers anyway. We went with the lighting this way at the last minute because of their family.” Even though they’d gone non-traditional because of the couple’s families, there had still been some issues. Hopefully, they wouldn’t care now, and know that the B&G were more important. Either way, though, Arianna would do her best to make sure everything else went off without a hitch.
She reached for Harper and squeezed his arm. The heat radiating from him shot down her system, and she released him, blinking hard. From the way Harper’s eyes darkened, he was not unaffected. Not that she could think about that right then. “Thank you, Harper.”
He met her gaze and nodded. “Told you, Ari. Anything. Remember that. Now, go make that B&G whatever smile and love you. I’ll be around to check on you soon.”
By the time the B&G were on the dance floor, cake cut, and toasts made, all Arianna wanted to do was take off her shoes, strip off her dress, and take a long bubble bath.
“They look like they’re they only two people in the world,” Harper whispered in her ear, and she shuddered, his warm breath tickling her skin.
She licked her lips, trying to remember that this was Harper touching her, running his hand over her hip. This was her best friend, not someone she should be thinking naughty things about.
And oh were they naughty.
“They look in love.”
Harper brushed a kiss against her temple, and she froze. “Dance with me.”
She blinked and then looked over her shoulder. “I’m the wedding planner. I can’t dance at the wedding.”
Harper shook his head, then took her hand, pulling her onto the dance floor anyway. “A dress like the one you’re wearing deserves to be shown off. Your job is done. Colleen and the minions you hired for the day are taking care of the rest of the event, and after you dance with me, you’re coming home and resting.”
She raised a brow, falling into his arms for a slow dance despite the fact that she’d refused. “You don’t get to dictate my actions.”
Harper grinned, unrepentant. The hand at the small of her back squeezed, and she pressed her body against his in tune to the music.
“Your crew dictated, Ari. They wanted to make sure that you actually relax after your hard work. You haven’t truly been resting even though you’re sleeping more than before you started this business, and now that you’ve gotten one wedding—one amazing wedding—under your belt, you can breathe. Let the people you’ve trained and trust finish up. Relax. If only for a night.”
What he was saying might be true, but that didn’t mean she could give up control so easily. “Harper…”
“Only for a night, Ari.”
One night. She could do that.
Harper twirled her on the dance floor, and she laughed, letting her head fall back, feeling giddy and a little drunk. Though she hadn’t had a drop of champagne. The man in front of her, her best friend, did that to her, and from the knowing gleam in his eyes, they both knew it.
By the time she’d said her goodbyes and ensured that her staff was ready to go—twice—Harper was practically dragging her to his truck. She’d left her car with Colleen so her friend could not only have a ride home but also have all of Arianna’s backup supplies in one place. Arianna had picked her friend up on the way to the site with Harper since they hadn’t wanted to take up too many parking spaces at the small winery.
Her shoes in hand, Arianna made her way up to her doorstep, Harper on her heels. She turned toward him, the moonlight glistening off his hair, the dark and promising look on his face making her stomach clench.
“Thank you for the ride…and the dance.”
Harper nodded then cupped her face. She blinked, knowing what he was going to do. She should have stopped him, should have pushed him away and reminded him that they were friends and nothing more. Their friendship was one of the most—if not the most—important things in her life. They couldn’t risk that for a simple kiss.
But their kiss was anything but simple.
His lips brushed hers, once, twice. She gasped, parting for him. His tongue swiped against hers, and she sank into him, letting the sweet taste of Harper, wedding cake, and cider mix and settle on her tongue.
He moved her head back, running his thumb under her jaw, and she wrapped her arms—shoes still dangling from her fingertips—around his waist. She moaned, wanting more, craving more, then sighed as he pulled back, leaving them both breathless, a heady anticipation hanging in the air.
“Why…why did you do that?” she whispered.
Harper shook his head and then met her gaze, his hands in his pockets as if he had to force himself not to touch her. “You know why I kissed you, Ari. I’m going to go home now before you kick me out.” He gave her a sad smile, and she reached out, grabbing his arm.
She didn’t know what she was going to say until the word slipped from her lips.
“Stay.”
His eyes widened, and she couldn’t blame him. She was just as surprised herself. “What?”
“Stay with me tonight. Just for one night.” She hastily added the last part, calling herself a fool for even suggesting it. “I…I want you. And I think you want me, too.”
“You know I do, Ari.” Harper let out a rough chuckle. “You have to know that by now.”
She licked her lips. “Then…then come inside and make love to me. Just for the night because I can’t think of more, Harper. Not now. Not with everything going on. I know that’s selfish. If you think so, you can leave and forget what I said.”
Harper cupped her face, a small smile on his lips even though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I want you, Ari. If that’s what you want, if just one night is what you need, then…then it’s what I need, too.” He kissed her softly, then pulled back, leaving her wanting. “Tonight. That I can do. That’s all I want. Just like you.”
&nb
sp; She met his gaze and thought she saw the lie in his eyes because she was sure as hell lying to him—and herself. With an inward sigh, she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and took his hand.
“Then come on inside.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Nervous, she let them both in the house and tried to think of what to do next. Should she get him a drink? Change into something more comfortable? What did one do when they were planning to have a one-night stand with their best friend?
“Harper—”
She wasn’t sure what she would have said next, and it wasn’t as if he’d given her an option anyway. One moment, she was fretting about what to do, the next, Harper was on her, his mouth on her neck, her jaw, her lips, his hands on her sides, her back, her thighs.
She buried her hands in his hair, her shoes long gone.
Harper licked and nibbled up her neck before walking her backward to the kitchen. Wait, the kitchen?”
“The bedroom is the other way,” she gasped, tugging at his shirt.
Harper moved back, stripping off his shirt and undershirt. She blinked, her gaze transfixed by the long lines of muscles on his arms, stomach, and those really sexy lines that went to his hips…Adonis lines or something.
Whatever the hell they were called, she wanted her tongue on them.
Now.
Not to mention the ink on his arms, sides, and hips. Dear Lord, she knew he had ink, had seen him shirtless countless times over the summers, but here in her kitchen? Holy hell, he looked sexier than ever.
“I’ll take you to the bedroom in a moment,” Harper said, his voice low, promising. “First, I want to get you out of that dress and then have my feast.”
She blinked, her gaze meeting his then blushed. “Feast?”
“Feast.”
He slowly, methodically, stripped her out of her dress. She hadn’t worn a bra with it since the dress had a built-in one, and that left her bare in her kitchen in nothing but her panties.
Harper groaned, his hand cupping a breast. She shivered as his thumb brushed along her nipple. “I knew you’d be beautiful, but right now? Holy shit, Ari. You’re magnificent.”
She lowered her head, blushing. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
Harper gave a rough chuckle, then kissed her again. Her nipples were hard little points against his chest, and she rubbed herself against him, wanting more.
She liked sex. Loved it. Sex with Harper? Oh, yeah, she had a feeling she would never get enough. And therein lie the problem, not that she was going to think about that at all. Not when Harper had his mouth on her breasts, biting and sucking on her nipple.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as he licked and teased, his other hand on her free breast, plucking, and molding. He lifted his head and then walked her backwards to the table. Before she could ask him what he was going to do, he had his hand on her ass and then her back was on the table.
“Harper!”
“I said I was going to feast, didn’t I?”
He hooked her panties around his thumbs and slid them down her legs. Her legs opened automatically, baring herself to him. Harper sucked in a breath, then went to his knees, tugging her to the edge of the table.
He traced her outer lips with his fingers, then blew cold air on her pussy. “So pink, so pretty.” Then he licked her up to her clit, grazing the hard nub with his teeth before sucking on her more, spearing her with his fingers.
She couldn’t feel self-conscious, not with Harper. Her hips lifted of their own accord, and she pressed herself against his face, wanting more. He growled, the sound vibrating against her clit. The sensation was too much for her and she came, her body warming, her nipples aching.
Her head felt like she’d had too much to drink, her body still coming down from her orgasm, as Harper lifted her up and carried her to her bedroom. He laid her on the bed and then stood back, stripping off his pants.
Ari leaned up on her forearms, swallowing hard. She’d never seen Harper naked before, and it was safe to say they’d officially moved out of the friend zone. With warmth tingling and shocking through her body, and the side of Harper’s cock bouncing off his belly, leaving a line of pre-cum in its wake, she didn’t care about the change.
They’d worry about that in the morning and deal.
Right then, she wanted Harper inside her. Now.
“Shit, I need a condom,” Harper said as he went to his pants.
“I have some in the nightstand,” she said back. She was attentive enough to know that even though she hadn’t used them in ages, they weren’t expired. Yet.
Harper quirked a grin, went to her nightstand, then donned the condom, sliding it over his length. Her gaze followed the movement, and she bit down on her lip. They wouldn’t have time for her to have a taste this first time, but maybe later that night…
He slid between her legs, his gaze on hers. “Ready?”
Always.
Not that she said that aloud. Instead, she nodded, spreading her legs wider. He rested on his forearms and slid inside, inch by agonizing inch.
They both groaned when he finally shoved to the hilt and then froze.
“Good?” he asked, his voice barely restrained.
He stretched her so fucking good, but it didn’t hurt. Far from it. “Hell, yes. Move. Please.”
He grinned down at her, then captured her lips in a heated kiss, pulling out then thrusting back in as he did so. As she raked her nails down his back, gripping his hips, his ass, anything she could get a hold of, he kissed her neck, her jaw, her breasts.
Sweat slicked both of them as he fucked her, their bodies heaving as they made love. His hand slid down her belly and flicked her clit, his gaze on hers. Her mouth parted, and she strained to keep her eyes open as she came. He groaned, whispering her name as he flexed his hips once more, coming deep inside her within the condom.
Harper rested his head against hers, both of them trying to catch their breaths. He met her gaze, and she knew they’d made a mistake. There would be no going back from this, no one night and wishing for the best.
Arianna had slept with her best friend, and though she should have been running for the door, she wasn’t. No, all she wanted to do was relish it and then do it again.
What the heck was she going to do?
6
Weddings were aplenty during this season, but considering it had only been two weeks since the first one, Arianna felt like they were picking up steam. In fact, she was already well on her way to completing the second wedding, considering the vows were to be taken in less than four hours. As it was, she was already on her fourth list of things that she needed to do, which needed to be checked off accordingly. Soon, she’d slip into her dress—this one a long, flowing, silver number with thin, gauzy leaves, and a princess-cut bust—and really kick things into gear.
She couldn’t wait to see what happened after this one. Since her first wedding in the old winery, she’d picked up numerous contacts who had either never heard of her or had found out that she’d left her family’s company. They’d wanted to work with her—not with merely her last name.
People were finding out what she was capable of on her own without the fancy wedding business looming over her. Not that she’d ever thought of it as looming before, but now that she’d seen her way out of it all, well, now, things were different.
Considering everything that had gone on in the past two weeks…things were really different.
Arianna licked her lips, trying to push all thoughts of what exactly had gone on far back in her head, but she couldn’t. Not really. Not when all she could think about was the way the scruff of Harper’s beard felt on the sensitive skin of her inner thighs or the way his throat worked when he took a drink to rehydrate after making love.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes, willing herself to put those naughty thoughts on the back burner for the moment. Though once she did, it only left the way open for more damaging and stressful thou
ghts such as what the heck she was doing.
She’d slept with her best friend.
And liked it.
Okay, that last part was a given considering it was Harper, and he was great at every freaking thing he did. Plus, he could move like no other, it was a no-brainer that he’d be fantastic in bed. It just surprised her how…hot they were together.
Their chemistry was off the charts, and yet she couldn’t quite believe it was still happening.
He’d been sleeping in her bed with those strong arms wrapped around her every night except for the nights she slept over at his place. What was supposed to be a one-night affair where they got everything out of their systems turned into a…a….
Relationship.
She was dating Harper Rosso.
Arianna took a deep breath, letting that sink in.
It wasn’t just something that happened at night in the privacy of their bedrooms—or kitchens, she thought with a blush. No, other people had noticed the shift in their actions, as well. Harper no longer seemed to hold himself back from her, and constantly touched her in small caresses and brushes of lips.
Other than that, though, they hadn’t really changed.
That, above all else, scared her.
They still ate out together, still worked together, still went grocery shopping together because it was easier to fit everything in his truck than her car when she had wedding equipment inside.
It was as if they’d been a couple all along and she’d never realized it.
She would have realized it, though, right?
Arianna shook her head again and officially pushed Harper, sex, and relationships beyond the current B&G out of her mind. Nope, she wasn’t going to think about that. Instead, she’d worry about the thousand white roses and azaleas for the outdoor ceremony.
Outdoors. In winter. In Colorado. Right before Valentine’s Day.
The bride wanted no color.
None.
None but the green of the stems that couldn’t be ignored.
There were white draperies, off-white bridesmaid dresses, three white cakes, including a white groom’s cake, and white tea lights on the tables for the reception afterward. All of the linens were white, and the china was white edged with silver.
