--
The next day, Nick had been treated out to his friends to the best steak house in town. He had not wanted an overly extravagant bachelor’s party with strippers – especially not after his argument with Hannah the other day.
And so, they had decided to kick back with beers and booze to celebrate his last days of being single.
Samantha had arranged the entire thing for him and he was grateful for it. In her, he saw an old friend and did not see why Hannah was trying to make it into something that it clearly was not.
Samantha walked over to him with another bottle of beer in her hands, “Chilled to the max, just like you like them,” she said laughing as she handed the bottle over to him.
He grinned and took it from her, “Thanks for this, really,” he said, not referring to the bottle but for the entire evening, “you planned it perfectly. I knew the guys would have just taken me to some sleazy strip club but I’m glad that you put a lot of thought into this.”
Samantha waved her hand in the air to dismiss him, “Please! There’s no need to thank me; we’re friends,” she said, “Besides, you deserved this. After all, you’re officially going to get off the market.”
Nick smiled, “Yeah. Just ten days now.”
Samantha looked at him intensely for a second and then sort of just shook her head, “You know,” she started, “it is still so surreal to me that you of all people is going to get married!”
“Why is it surreal?” Nick countered, “If anything, it should be exact opposite. I feel that has always been my end goal with Hannah,” he admitted.
“Yes, but,” Samantha bit down her lip, “I always thought you two would not last.”
Nick raised an eyebrow at her, “Why?”
“I don’t know, just,” Samantha sighed, “Every time I came back home after my travels, I would expect that maybe this time I will get to hear the news that they have split but it just never happened and now look at you, you are getting married to her.”
“Why would you want to hear about us getting split up, Sam?” Nick asked, confused now.
Samantha was quiet for a moment. “Maybe because,” she said slowly, “maybe because I always thought that it would give us a chance to try out us again.”
Nick was shocked to hear her say that – he did not expect her to admit this to him and he thought her feelings for him had long been gone. “That was in the past,” he said firmly.
“I know,” Samantha said with a look of wistfulness in her eyes, “But sometimes I feel as though she does not deserve somebody like you.”
Nick drank in her words – he could not believe that Samantha was sitting here talking badly about his wife to be. It did not make sense as Hannah had been nothing but cordial to her all these years – even now, she was perfectly okay was his friendship with her and had only lashed out about it once when they last fought. Nick thought this harsh assessment of Hannah from Samantha’s side was more than a little unfair.
When she noticed that Nick had been quiet for a long while after her words, she spoke up again, “I am sorry – I did not mean to overstep. It is just that I feel that way sometimes and I wanted you to know because, we are, you know – friends,” but even as she said the word friend’s, it felt as though she was forcing it out of her throat.
Nick shook his, “It’s okay but honestly, I feel like you’re wrong. It’s quite the opposite – she is an amazing woman and I feel like I am the one who doesn’t deserve her at times,” he admitted.
Samantha seemed to look hurt by this comment – perhaps she had expected him to agree with her and then maybe, she could have convinced her to give them a shot one last time even if it was for one night.
Samantha could not help it – she felt that Nick was the one who got away from her. All her life, she had boys chase her and she would be the one to dump them. But with Nick, he felt so unattainable because he was so devoted to Hannah and that made her want him more than ever.
Truth be told, the reason she had come back was to see if she could start something up with Nick but right now, it seemed to be very hard.
Quietly, she resigned with a sigh, “Let’s just drink another beer,” she offered and then they popped open more bottles.
Chapter 7
No text or call from Nick for 48 hours left a bitter feeling in the back of Hannah’s throat and so far, she had found that there was only one thing to wash down that taste. And so she had proceeded to get progressively drunk throughout the entire evening.
Right now, all Hannah could see were blobs in front of her, moving about and talking in the voice of her friends. Hayley and Kim had arranged for a few male strippers to come over to their hotel room and give the bride to be a little show.
At first, Hannah had not been so excited but when the music started playing and the clothes started to come off, she knew that it was just best to let loose and enjoy herself, as she chugged down another glass of alcohol.
“Shame such a pretty lady such as yourself is going to be wed away,” one of the strippers whose name she did not know whispered in her ear as he grinded onto her to the sound of the music.
At first, the party had started off innocent enough but soon, Hayley and Kim had both picked their favorites and were busy in their own corners getting down with them and Hannah had no choice but a pick her own.
He was handsome – in the strictly manly sense of the word with his rock hard chiseled abs and right now, he was entertaining her just fine. But mostly, she had picked him because in the back of her mind, his unruly curls reminded her of someone.
Someone who she had been waiting on, that someone who she was going to marry. It was sort of pathetic that Hannah was thinking of Nick even when this guy was grinding all up onto her, but she could not help it. But then, another thought crossed her mind as she began to think about how Nick must be in the company of Samantha right and obviously, Hannah was not on his mind, and else he would have called.
The thought made her mad again but this time, she just responded to the anger by hastily chugging down another glass. At this point, she was hammered out of her brain.
“I w-want to lick your abs,” she giggled as she looked at the unnamed gentlemen in front of her, “Ca-can I?” her speech was slurred but he had no trouble understanding her words as he picked her up from the sides, slowly sliding her body over his.
“The bride gets what the bride wants,” he whispered into her ear again and she felt his hot breath fan across her favorite spot on her neck.
Hannah giggled as she dipped her head downwards and ran her tongue across his bare chest, enjoying the sensation. She did not know half of what she was doing - only that it felt good to let loose and get Nick off her mind for once.
But then, the guy picked her up and carried her over in his arms to the bedroom, pushing her against the wall to once bring down his lips to meet hers. She resisted at first but then the sensation felt so good – she could not help but kiss him back.
Soon, one thing led to another and he was peeling off her shirt from her body as he bent down over her on the bed. She was giggling the entire time.
“You’re r-really hot,” she told him in between giggles, “God, w-why are you s-so hot?”
“I am flattered, senorita,” he said to her with a wink, “but it’s going to get a lot hotter in here now.”
Before she knew, his hands were everywhere and she could not help but sit back and let it happen. He was being incredibly convincing and for a brief moment, Nick did not exist in her world.
So, when she reached up to do the same to him as he was doing to her, he was quick to discard his last remaining piece of clothing to her. And then, she felt him pushing into her and she could hardly complain. With the inhibitions lowered by alcohol and her sense of perception heightened, her body rocked with pleasure as he worked his magic on her. She could hardly believe this stranger was making her feel so good and she was letting it happen.
Blame it alcohol or call it her fr
ee pass on her bachelorette party, whatever it was, it was wild and she felt her world shake. But in the heat of the moment, none of them realized that they had no bothered to use any protection.
Chapter 8
Hannah woke up the next morning with a raging hangover. Fumbling in her sheets, she turned around to find a piece of paper neatly folded up beside her pillow. Rubbing her temples, she groggily picked it up.
Onto marriage with a bang! ;) Hope you had a great time – call me up if ever he doesn’t treat you well xox
At first, she read over the note in confusion as to what it might have been referring to but then, as she broke away from the haze of sleepiness more, it suddenly hit her.
The note was left for her by her companion last night. Horror and shock washed over her as she realized what she had done in her drunken stupor last night, as her eyes wildly raked the room for signs of her sins – her clothing was strewn about all across the room.
She had slept with one of the strippers last night. The mere realization of it made her sick to her stomach, as she scrambled out of bed to go to the bathroom. Once inside, she kneeled on the floor and retched out the contents of her stomach in the porcelain bowl.
She felt pathetic – her hangover had made her head feel like as though it would explode any second but even more than that, she felt an ever growing sense of guilt forming inside of her.
Last night, she had only intended to have a little fun with the entertainers. She had never intended for things to do this far, but there was no denying it now. She knew she had done the deed and there was nothing that could be done about it.
Slowly, she got up from her place on the bathroom floor and went back to the room. She careful avoided looking at her own reflection in the mirror as she was afraid she might see someone she did not want to.
Slowly, she grabbed her phone that was hanging on the lower edge of the bed and unlocked it.
She had new messages from Nick:
Nick: Hey. Just wanted to see how you are. We haven’t spoken in a few days and I miss you. Love you, be back soon.
Reading the message made her heart twist – yesterday, she had been so eagerly waiting for this very message but today when she finally received it, she felt her insides turn out and an overwhelming sense of guilt take over her. She did not understand the enormity of her actions. She had done the exact thing she had told Nick not to.
Finally, when it became too hard to breathe in that room, she decided she needed to make her departure. She could not keep it in her anymore – she had to go see Nick now and she had to come clean.
Tiptoeing with her bag, she hastily threw on some clothes and then noticed her girlfriends were still passed out on the sofa outside. Biting her lip, she shot them one last look. They would have to forgive her for leaving without her but this was urgent.
--
Hannah had gone straight to the airport from the hotel and took the first flight back home. Now, as she stepped out of her cab onto the familiar cobbled street she knew led to home, she had to take in a deep breath to calm herself.
She tried to remind herself of Nick and how he would understand – he would have to, for they were going to get married soon. Bracing herself, she headed straight in.
Nick heard the door close and came out to see who it was. His initial shock only lasted a second though as he quickly recovered and raced forward to wrap Hannah into a hug.
“You’re back early,” he said to her as she buried her head down in his shoulder.
She nodded, closing her eyes to enjoy the familiar warmth of his presence around her, “Yeah, I,” she said before racking her brains for the right words to say, “I had to see you.”
“I am so glad you’re back,” he said, still not loosening his grip onto her, “I missed you so much.”
“I need to talk to you!” they said to each other at the same time but Nick was quicker as he took her hand and decided to go first.
“Listen, I know we sort of left off on a bad edge the last time I saw you,” he started, “and I want you to know that I am sorry – I had time to think it over and now I realize that I really should have asked you before giving Samantha the permission to do that.”
Hannah just stared back to him, unable to speak.
“I should have understood where you were coming from instead or arguing with you,” Nick lamented, “but listen to me, I need you to know one thing – she is not the love of my life, you are. I chose you and I will continue to choose you every single day of my life. Please know that, nothing happened between us,” he said sincerely.
Hearing these words broke Hannah’s heart as tears started to appear and pour down her cheeks. She felt as though she had been stabbed in the heart with a knife – Nick was here being so sweet to her and she had gone off on him behind his back. She felt disgusted by herself but she could not bring herself to say the words out loud to him.
Nick, however, felt that this was in response to his speech and just hugged her tighter, whispering words of love in her ear.
On the surface, everything seemed to have gotten back to normal in their life but inside, Hannah felt as though she was breaking apart by the weight of her secret.
--
“Why did you run off that day?” Hayley asked her best friend a few days later over coffee. Her and Kim had woken up to find Hannah nowhere in sight.
Hannah pursed her lips and looked back at her, “I just,” she did not know whether to tell her the entire details of the night, “I just had to see Nick.”
“Oh you guys made up again?” she asked.
Hannah nodded, “Yeah, we are good now.”
Hayley seemed to be happy to hear that but got distracted back again with her coffee.
Hannah sighed, she felt so guilty still and she had no told nick. But perhaps it was now time to tell someone else.
“Hails?” she called out, “What do you think happened that night after you guys passed out drunk?” she asked biting down her lower lip.
“I don’t know,” Hayley laughed, “I just know I hooked up with the hot escort and got so drunk, I started seeing stars.”
Hannah was quiet for another moment, “I cheated on Nick with the guy from the bachelorette party.”
“You did what?” Hayley spurt out.
“It just – happened,” Hannah replied, panicking, “I was so drunk and I did not know what I was doing and one thing just led to another thing and I just – oh god what do I do now?”
“Okay, first of all, you need to calm down,” Hayley told her, “It was unintentional and it was your bachelorette party.”
“Yes but that does not excuse it!” Hannah cried out.
“Did you tell him?” Hayley deadpanned.
Hannah gulped loudly and shook her head, “I didn’t,” she whimpered, “I don’t even know how to start,” she sounded extremely frustrated.
“You need to help me!” she called out to her best friend, “Please.”
“Maybe,” Hayley started to say, “Maybe it is a good idea if you do not tell him altogether.”
“What?” Hannah asked incuriously, “I cannot just do that!”
“Listen but it was just a one-time thing so technically it does not even count as cheating,” Hayley justified, “I mean, you probably did not even know the guy’s name!”
Hannah nodded, “Honestly, I barely even remember what he looked like,” she said and then threw her hands into her hands.
“You need to listen to me,” Hayley said, “This is insignificant and you should not spoil your wedding week by telling him this now. You should forget that it ever happened.”
Hannah found the advice hard to reason with but she then thought that perhaps it would be nice to just forget about the whole thing ever happening. After all, she did not mean anything by it and it was just a drunken mistake.
Nodding, she looked up back at Hayley, “Maybe you’re right.”
--
It was finally time for their wedding. They ha
d flown out to Las Vegas once again, including their closest friends and family. The evening had finally arrived and Nick found himself standing at the altar as the band played the song to which the bride marched down the aisle.
Hannah felt nervous. Her dress was long and flowing and she clutched onto her bouquet of flowers tightly as she made her descent down the aisle finally.
Seeing her, Nick’s breath got hitched in his throat as he saw her looking absolutely breathtaking, knocking the wind out of his system.
Their eyes interlocked and Nick could not help but grin ear to ear. Finally, she reached the altar and the priest began to sound out their vows.
“Hannah, you are the love of my life. I promise to laugh with you, cry with you, and grow with you. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart. I promise to support your dreams and to respect our differences, and to love you and be by your side through all the days and nights of our lives. I choose you.”
Hannah looked back at Nick, taken by his sweet words. Looking back at him, she cleared her own throat.
“And I, Hannah, take you to be the companion of my house, the friend of my life. We shall bear together whatever trouble and sorrow life may lay upon us, and we shall share together whatever good and joyful things life may bring us. With these words, and all the words of my heart, I marry you and bind my life to yours.”
“Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedding husband?” the priest asked Hannah.
“I do.”
“And do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Nick said with a grin.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Nick took her in his arms to kiss her and she smiled through the kiss.
They had finally made it – they were finally married.
--
After the ceremony, they had stuck around for the after party for a small while but then a car came to pick them up to take them to the airport so they could jet off to their honeymoon.
Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything Page 49
