“But not all of those girls are girls I’ve gotten naked with.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll have you know,” he said. “That I did makeup and hair for not one but two Miss Louisiana Teens.” He shrugged. “One was a past winner and was going back for an award ceremony, but I still did her hair and makeup.”
Tori realized that she hadn’t blinked for several seconds. “Excuse me?” she finally managed.
He grinned. “My sister was a beauty pageant contestant for years. Mom is a past beauty queen. So when Kennedy was little and Mom was working, she taught me and Sawyer to do it all so we could help out. And it took both of us,” he said, shaking his head. “She loved the competitions, but she hated getting her hair done. One of us would hold her and the other would do her hair. We got really good at being really fast. The girl was a biter.”
Tori choked out a laugh. She didn’t know which thing surprised, or delighted, her most. “Kennedy was into beauty pageants?” She thought about Kennedy’s dark eye makeup and lipstick, her tattoos and piercings, and most of all, her I’ve-got-my-own-rules-for-everything attitude.
“’Til she was thirteen,” Josh said with a nod. “When she decided she’d had enough of all the bullshit and decided to take her hair and makeup skills, and her love of making an impression, in a new feminist direction.”
Tori had to admit that Kennedy’s look was very polished and clearly deliberate. It probably did take mad makeup skills to get all of that right. “Did she win any pageants?”
“Oh yeah,” he said with a nod. “She’s competitive as fuck.”
“Wow.” Tori looked at him thoughtfully. “So you really know what to do with a makeup brush, huh?”
“And a hairbrush.”
She shrugged. “Go for it.”
Having him working on her face and hair required him to stand really close to her. Which was great. She loved it in fact. His body heat, his scent, his confident but gentle touch, his hard chest and abs…it was all very good. His absolute focus and attention to the job at hand and not even letting one finger drift anywhere it wasn’t supposed to wasn’t as good.
She was completely horny and frustrated by the time he finished lining her eyes with the stupid liquid liner. As if it was the easiest thing in the world.
“Stop wiggling,” he told her.
“Can’t.”
“And stop looking at me like that,” he said, his gaze on her eyebrows as he shaped them.
He was shaping her eyebrows. She blew out a breath. “Like what?”
“Like you’re imagining me hiking up this robe and sliding deep right here on the counter.”
Her body flushed and her lungs stopped working for a second. “You don’t even have to kiss me and mess up my makeup.”
He huffed out a short laugh. “I’m not fucking you without kissing you.”
“Why not?” That seemed like an unnecessarily restrictive rule.
“Because I really like kissing you.”
“But the fucking—”
“Don’t say fucking.” Now he was frowning.
“Why not?”
“Because that makes me think about it. And how I couldn’t do it facing you. You’d put your cheek against mine or something at some point. Or I’d forget myself and grab your hair. But that if I put you on your feet and turned you to face the mirror, I could fuck you without touching your face or hair and I’d get to see your face when you come.”
She got hot and wet and…pissed…instantly. “That’s really mean,” she said, breathless in spite of being annoyed. “I can’t walk down that aisle all wet and achy, knowing it’s going to be hours before we can—”
He pulled her off the counter and turned her swiftly. Yes. She braced her hands on the counter as she watched him pull a condom from his pocket, push his jeans down, and roll it onto his big, hard cock.
He reached for the tie on her robe and met her eyes in the mirror. “You’ve got a point.” Her robe fell away, revealing her naked body to him.
She smirked at him. “Yeah, I do.”
“I still need to finish your hair,” he said.
“Then you’d better hurry up with this.”
He bent his knees and thrust into her, making her gasp and grip the edge of the sink. He pulled out and then thrust again. Hard, deep, and fast.
She pressed back into him, arching her back, and they both groaned as he went even deeper, hitting that magic spot inside her. They hadn’t done it with him behind until now and, man, they’d been missing out.
“Josh, yes,” she managed to get out between gasps.
“So. Fucking. Sweet.” He held her hips tightly as he pounded into her.
She was so close, so fast. Then he reached around and found her clit and she went soaring. He was right behind her, growling deeply, and coming hard, holding her to him.
13
They didn’t have a lot of time for recovery, and Tori could swear she could still feel the bolts of hot lightning shooting through her as she made her way down the staircase in her bridesmaid’s dress, her hair and makeup perfect, with three minutes to spare.
It might have been the sex on the counter. It might have been the way Josh looked her over once he’d zipped up her dress and said, “Holy shit, Tori. You’re fucking gorgeous.” It might have also been the way he’d leaned in a whispered, “If you think there’s any way that you’re not getting hay all over that dress later, you’re crazy.”
She swallowed and stepped off the bottom step. She just had to get through photos, a wedding ceremony, and the first half of the reception. After the customary dances and toasts and cake cutting, surely they could duck out.
But that was going to be hours from now. Of course he’d be at the ceremony and reception with her, but she had at least a few duties left ahead of her. And even looking at him in a suit after last night and that morning might just make it impossible to get through the rest of the day without pulling him into a storage closet or something.
“Tori, you’re finally here,” Paisley greeted her. She inspected Tori’s makeup and hair, making sure to push a couple of the bobby pins in a little tighter. Tori winced and told herself that bobby pins in the head were better than actual pins in a voodoo doll. Then Paisley gave her a nod that clearly said, “Fine, you’re passable but I’m still annoyed with you.”
Tori sighed and joined the group near the rose bushes. At least all of her horny thoughts about Josh had been overridden.
The wedding pictures took forever, and twice Andrew had pulled Tori to the side only to get interrupted by the photographer or Paisley. Obviously the groom was needed in most of the photos, so finally Tori promised they’d talk as soon as the photo session was over. He had an earnest, restless look about him and Tori found herself concerned as the session drug on.
Of course, before they could get a second alone afterward, someone dragged him off for something else.
Tori sighed. She was going to be doing that a lot today, she suspected. Okay, so she needed to get through the ceremony, half of the reception, and a conversation with Andrew before she could be with Josh alone again. Fine. She could do that. It would all be great.
And she kept thinking that.
Right up until she’d walked down the aisle. She’d caught Josh’s eye in one of the near-the-back pews, gotten a quick wink, paused at the end of the silk runner lining the aisle to give Andrew a smile, and pivoted to take her place several feet down from the center to make room for the long line of bridesmaids to come.
But she felt a hand on her elbow before she could take a step toward her position. She turned back, stunned to find that Andrew had grabbed her arm.
“Tori, we have to talk.”
She felt her eyebrows rise nearly to her hairline. “What are you doing?”
“I have something I have to say.”
She glanced quickly at the congregation, then at the minister, then back to Andrew. “Now?”
/> “Yes. Now. No, actually last night. But you weren’t answering the phone. And then this morning. But you still weren’t answering your phone. But then—” He sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, I should have said this a long time ago. A long time ago. But I didn’t know… I never realized. And then—”
Tori forgot about everyone around them. Andrew looked like he was about to hyperventilate. She put her hand on top of his on her arm. “Breathe,” she told him softly. “It’s okay. We’ll talk right after.”
But he was shaking his head before she finished. “No. It can’t wait. It has to be now. Or never.” He looked physically pained.
She frowned. This was her best friend. The one person who’d always had her back. She hadn’t cared who was looking on when she’d brought a dog, a pig, and cupcakes to school for Marcus Turner. She sure didn’t care about the pews full of strangers that were watching this.
Which was a good thing because the organ had stopped playing and the other bridesmaids were clustered at the back of the church, watching, as if hesitant to come any closer to…whatever this was.
Tori took a deep breath. “Okay. Tell me.”
“I’m in love with you.”
Tori froze.
The entire church was completely quiet. Silent. Not even a gasp.
She felt her eyes widening as Andrew stared at her.
“What?” she finally half-whispered, half-choked.
He nodded. And stepped forward. She stepped back.
“I’m in love with you, Tori.”
“But…you’re doing this now? Like this?” She glanced into the congregation and saw a sea of stunned expressions. But she couldn’t see Josh.
Or Paisley. She winced. Paisley wasn’t at the back yet. They could still fix this. Maybe. Possibly.
Oh God.
“I have to do it now,” Andrew said. He stepped forward again and reached for her hand. “I’ve always loved you. But I didn’t realize it was…love love. I always knew you’d be a part of my life and I guess I got comfortable with that. But now I’m realizing it’s all going to change and I…don’t want it to. I love you. I want you in my life. Every day. All the days.”
Tori stared at him. This man’s face was as familiar as her own. She’d known him through every life phase. Every major milestone. And yet, right now, she didn’t know who she was looking at. Andrew was in love with her? No. That didn’t feel right.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this here. Now. Like this,” she said. Her voice sounded tight. She wasn’t sure if she was fighting back tears or hysterical laughter or what exactly.
“I wanted to do it before,” he said. “But,” he went on, squeezing her hands, “this is good. I’m glad about this now. This is how I should do it. This is like you bringing Marcus cupcakes. This is like all the times you’ve worn your heart on your sleeve. This is me putting it all out there.”
Oh…God.
“Andrew, I—”
“What in the hell is going on?”
The screech came from the back of the church. From the woman in white who had just pushed her way through her bridesmaids.
Paisley had arrived.
Now there were gasps from the pews. Everyone turned to watch her, people started talking, and the bridesmaids crowded into the aisle behind her.
“What the fuck, Andrew?” Paisley demanded from halfway down the aisle.
The gasps got louder and the minister dropped the Bible he was holding.
Tori jerked her hand from Andrew’s hold as the bride came storming up the aisle, her veil streaming behind her, murder on her face.
If her finding them kissing in Bourbon O had been an eight on the oh-shit-this-is-bad scale, this was now a fifteen.
“Paisley, I’m sorry—” Andrew started.
“No!” the bride said firmly, coming to stand right in front of them. She glared up at Andrew and actually stomped her foot. “No. You’re not doing this. I asked you after you kissed her. I gave you an out. You said no. You said you didn’t have feelings for her. You’re not doing this now.”
“I do love her. I don’t want to do this to you,” Andrew said. “But I had to make a grand gesture for Tori. She knows me. She knows what this means. She knows that I’d never do it this way if I wasn’t serious.”
Holy crap. This was…awful.
Tori shot a look at the door behind the groomsmen that would lead out of the sanctuary. She could just take off running. It wasn’t like anyone was going to tackle her or anything.
She loved Andrew. She really did. But this was crazy.
She looked back at her friend. Her dear friend. A man who, a year and a half ago, could have said this and she would have fallen into his arms. Because he was a good man. Who cared about her.
But she deserved an amazing man. Who understood her. Who loved her.
She’d had a taste of that now. Josh got her. He didn’t protect her from her emotions and passions and instinct. He appreciated it all. He liked her because of all of that instead of in spite of it. He encouraged it all.
She wasn’t in love with Andrew. She couldn’t be. Because she was in love with Josh.
“I can’t believe that—”
“I have something to say,” Tori said loudly, interrupting Paisley. The other woman rounded on her and Tori took a quick step back, holding up her hands in defense. “Hang on.”
Did she like big gestures? Yes. She’d been suppressing them because of Andrew and her dad, but yes, a big, grand gesture with her emotions spilling out all over and making a mess of cupcake frosting and pig poop was definitely her thing.
And she’d found a guy she could do that with.
That felt amazing. The idea that she could let it all hang out. That her passions and love and affection and joy didn’t have to be channeled only toward her animals.
She stepped forward. “Andrew, I do love you. You’re like a big brother to me. You’re a lifelong friend. You’re someone I will always care about. But I’m not in love with you.”
“You don’t want me to marry Paisley,” Andrew said.
Tori glanced at Paisley. “I don’t. But not for me.” She looked back to Andrew. “For you. I don’t think you belong together.”
“You bitch,” Paisley hissed.
Tori shrugged. “Sorry. But you both deserve to be with someone who really appreciates you. Who makes you feel special. Who gets you in a way no one else does. Who loves all of the things that make you quirky and weird and different from everyone else.” She looked out into the congregation but couldn’t see Josh through the crowd of people craning their necks and holding up their phones to be sure they didn’t miss a moment of the drama. “I’ve found someone like that.” She took a deep breath and turned to fully face the church pews. “Josh Landry, I am in love with you. I know it’s been fast and maybe that seems crazy. But walking into that bar last Mardi Gras was the most important thing I’d ever done. Until I walked onto your dock a couple of days ago.”
There was a beat of silence. Then the congregation all started shifting and turning to look around, trying to find Josh.
Even the minister went up on his tiptoes, peering into the crowd.
But there was no response from Josh. He didn’t stand up. He didn’t call out, “I love you too!”. There was no big, hot Cajun stalking up the aisle to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off into their happily ever after.
Because he wasn’t there.
It took her a couple of minutes to realize it. But it became painfully clear when she finally saw his seat between the shifting bodies between there and where she was standing.
It was empty.
Josh had left.
He also hadn’t heard a word she’d just said in front of four hundred some odd people. On videos that would soon be uploaded to the internet.
Tori felt a cold trickle of hurt and humiliation go down her spine. Her stomach knotted. He’d just left?
“Tori.”
She looked over at An
drew. His expression was one of sympathy and concern.
“He’s not here.”
No. No, he wasn’t.
Because Andrew had just declared his feelings for her. In front of a church full of people. People who were here to see him marry someone else.
And Josh thought she would choose Andrew.
Her chest hurt as she thought about that. She hadn’t told Josh how she felt about him. She hadn’t floated the idea of her moving to Louisiana. She hadn’t let him in on all of those thoughts because they seemed crazy and too fast and too spontaneous. She’d convinced herself—with some help from Andrew—that she was overreacting.
Maybe she had been. Maybe he didn’t feel the same way. Maybe this whole scene had convinced him he was in over his head with this pretend-boyfriend-wedding-date thing and had gotten the hell out of here before everything went nuts.
More nuts.
Or maybe he was trying to be chivalrous. Maybe he thought ducking out and giving her the chance to really be with Andrew if that was what she wanted was the right thing to do.
Heck, she’d chosen Andrew over Josh before. More than once. She’d stopped Josh from carrying her straight up to her room two nights ago because Andrew had been concerned. She’d come back to the plantation because of Andrew yesterday rather than going out on the town with Josh and his family.
Josh didn’t know that she’d been ignoring Andrew’s calls and attempts to get her alone to talk. He didn’t know that in her heart she’d definitely chosen him already.
He didn’t know that right now, here, in front of everyone, that she’d declared her feelings for him.
Because he wasn’t here.
Damn, this was even worse than cupcakes and pig poop in the high school hallway.
A lot worse.
“You just left?”
Ellie was staring at him like she’d never seen him before.
“What the hell, boy?” Leo added. “You just walked out? Without saying anything to her?”
“Andrew is her best friend,” Owen said, jumping to Josh’s defense. “He’s been taking care of her all their lives. At her father’s request, by the way. He knows her. He’s been there for her. And now he stood up in front of everyone, including his parents, and God, and said that he loved her and wanted to be with her. He called off his wedding for her.” Owen paused and looked up and down the bar. “Josh couldn’t just storm up the aisle and say ‘me too.’ That’s weak. He needs something better than that.”
My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding Page 24
