Don’t Mind If “I Do” by Everly Ashton
Thirty
Mazzy
Nick’s words are both a lash and a balm to the soul.
I settle my head on his hard chest once again. It’s so good to be this close to him. To feel him underneath my hands, to smell his cologne—the same fragrance he’s worn since his twenties.
What I wouldn’t give for tonight to be real.
After another minute, I gather the courage to ask the question I’ve wanted to ask since our fake marriage began. “Do you think there’s a chance we could find ourselves back in each other’s lives again, even if it’s just as friends?”
He twirls me around and I guess he hasn’t lost that dance training. I assume he either didn’t hear me or is ignoring my question. But then he leans down so his mouth is inches from my ear. “I want that, Maz. I really do. But I don’t know if it’s possible.”
I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad. An outright no would’ve crushed me, but maybe knowing there’s a chance but never actually getting it is worse.
“If I could take back what happened, I would in a heartbeat. I was just so hurt…”
He’s quick to respond. “Me too. I would’ve done things differently too. I wish I had.”
“Nick, maybe we can—”
His gaze flicks over my shoulder and he stiffens.
“What?” I start to turn my head to see what has him so alarmed, but one of his hands lands on my cheek, forcing me to turn toward him.
His lips land on mine. A noise of surprise leaks out of me before I melt into the kiss. His lips feel claiming, as though he’s making it known to all that I am his and his alone. I revel in the feel of his tongue exploring my mouth and the way he tilts my head exactly where he wants it. Electric pulses fire in all my nerve endings, and my breasts grow heavy. I lean into the kiss and push my breasts against his chest. He groans low in the back of this throat then nips my bottom lip.
I’m a woman starved and I’m greedy for more of whatever he’ll give me. When he begins to pull away, I tighten my hold around his neck, not wanting this moment to end. Our kiss lasts a little longer until he finally pulls back and looks at me with heavy eyelids before glancing behind me.
“Was that show especially for me?”
My stomach lurches. And now I know who Nick spotted over my shoulder. His brother, Keith.
I turn to face Keith, and Nick wraps a possessive arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.
“Congratulations, you two. I was surprised to see your announcement in the paper. I guess true love does prevail, huh?”
“Is there something we can do for you?” Nick says in a stony voice.
“Not really. I was just shocked to see you at one of these things and I had to come see for myself that it was actually you.”
“Well, now you’ve seen. Bye.”
“C’mon, brother. Why so quick to try to run me off? You afraid I’m going to ask you to compare notes?”
I clutch Nick’s arm when he steps forward, and I ask, “Are you just here to cause trouble, Keith?”
“Not at all. You look gorgeous tonight, by the way.” He gives my outfit a slow perusal from head to toe.
“Stop looking at my wife like she’s a buffet,” Nick grates out.
“Relax, Nick. You have nothing to worry about with me. That’s what I came over here to tell you. My girlfriend and I got engaged this week.” When neither of us says anything, Keith goes on. “What, no congratulations?”
“Congratulations,” we say in unison with monotone voices.
“We’ll be having a wedding for the ages, not some cheap, spur-of-the-moment affair. Unlike some people, I understand what it means to be a Ryan in this town.”
“It means you’re a dick.”
Keith steps forward. “Careful, bro, you’re not exactly perfect.”
“No, but I don’t use other people for my own advantage or toy with people’s lives like you, so there’s that.”
Keith’s hands fist at his sides. “You don’t know shit, brother. You’ve been gone too long.”
“I don’t know shit? Where should I start? Well, I know you stole money from Mom in high school and blamed the housekeeper and she was fired. I know you had Dad call in some favors when you couldn’t get into your college of choice and he made a large donation to get you in. I know that when you had that car accident in college because you were drinking, you didn’t get charged because of your last name. And I know you think money can buy you out of any problem you have. But you can’t buy your way out of being a douchebag, so I hate to tell you, brother, you’re screwed.” Keith takes another step forward, eyes like lasers, but Nick holds up his hand. “Careful now. You don’t want to damage your sterling reputation.”
Keith heeds his words and steps back.
Nick takes my hand. “Come on, Maz. Let’s get outta here.” He turns without a backward glance and pulls me through the crowd.
Instead of thinking about the argument he just had with his brother, all I think about is the kiss. How his brother might have spurred it to start, but he’s not what kept it going. That flame that’s always been lit between us hasn’t blown out yet.