Page 31 of Bedding The Best Man (Bedding the Bachelors)

When they finally slept, her much-needed rest didn’t last long. The dawn chorus broke her slumber in a musical and gentle way, and without blinds or drapes to keep out the sun it began to seep through the canvas. She couldn’t complain, though.

Brianne stretched, and looked at the peaceful face of the man she now knew she loved, glad that he hadn’t woken yet. She got such pleasure from looking at him. He was so utterly perfect, even with the various scars on his face and body from fighting and sports.

His muscles were perfectly defined from all his hours in the gym, and there was a tiny patch of hair between his pecs that narrowed into a downy line, running over his washboard abs and down to his crotch. She found herself following it, wanting to take his cock in her mouth, so he woke up with her lips clamped around him. But every bit of her was aching with a delicious pain that made her reluctant to wake him just yet, even though she was sure there would be a lot of pleasure for her in doing so.

She decided she needed to use the bathroom, so she eased herself out of the blankets, trying hard not to disturb him. It wasn’t often that Gabe looked entirely at peace. There always seemed to be a bit of a war going on inside him. Brianne was never entirely sure who won the battle, not knowing who the combatants were. But seeing him so calm made her happy. She hoped he would find the way to be so even when awake one day.

She pulled on a large sweater of Gabe’s that came down almost to her knees and her flip flops, and made her way out of the yurt to the bathroom. She was still amazed at how similar it was to using any other toilet in the world. When she came out, she gazed around, and sat in one of the chairs, captivated by the landscape around her. She chuckled happily to herself as she tucked her knees up inside the sweater, so only her toes peeked out of the bottom.So this why people enjoy camping, she thought to herself, memories of her perfect night playing in her mind.

“Bri, everything okay?” Gabe called out, a hint of worry in his voice.

“I’m out here. I got caught up in watching the sunrise,” she called.

He came out of the tent, just in his jeans, the top button still undone. He looked so beautiful in the early morning light, his bare feet padding through the dew-covered grass to her side. He leaned down and kissed her. He looked relaxed, the usual frown lines between his eyes erased by their night of pleasure.

“Good morning,” he said, looking down at her with the sweetest smile. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. He made Brianne think of a kid on Christmas morning who’s just gotten everything he wanted.

“Good morning to you. How did you sleep?”

“Like the dead,” he said, grinning. He ran a hand over his head, ruffling his hair, and she chuckled to herself. He was adorable like this, gentle and sweet. A far cry from the image he presented to the world.

It made her feel special but also more confident. She’d always believed she had special insight into who Gabe really was, and every second she was with him simply confirmed it.

That was why she wasn’t surprised when several minutes later, a small frown flitted over his perfect features. She’d been waiting for it, in fact. Knew it was only a matter of time before he started to worry about whether they’d done the right thing.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said. It seemed better to cut to the chase, get it out of the way. Now that the heat of passion had dissipated, it was perfectly natural for reality to settle in. And since they both loved Eric, that meant feeling guilty for what they’d done and fearing that they’d betrayed him.

“Maybe,” he said. “But can we pretend you don’t? At least until after breakfast?”

She hesitated, then nodded. He wanted time to think on it. Or more time to enjoy their time together before things turned ugly. Either way, she felt the same way.

With a heavy sigh, Gabe turned away. Brianne watched, captivated by the sight of his body in motion, while he made coffee and got breakfast started. Muscles played beneath his bare skin as he bent and twisted. He was in magnificent shape. She blushed, remembering what he’d done to her just hours earlier. If that was what all his boxing and working out did, she’d buy him his own gym.

At the smell of bacon hitting a hot pan, her stomach rumbled audibly.

He grinned. “Sorry. I’m starved, too, given we skipped dinner. Not to mention we got a little carried away last night and worked up an appetite.”

They’d gotten “carried away”?

His choice of words filled her with dread.

She’d been fine with his request to avoid talking about his worries, but now she was getting the distinct feeling that he was already shutting down on her.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m just as responsible for last night as you are,” she murmured. She shivered, pulling her legs closer to her chest. It had gotten colder.

“You were left at the altar a couple of weeks ago, Brianne,” he muttered, and she immediately straightened.

“So what? That has nothing to do with last night.”

His head whipped up and his gaze lasered into hers. “I beg to differ. Because if you hadn’t been left at the altar, you’d be Eric’s wife right now, and I guarantee you last night would never have happened.”

“I know that,” she snapped. “You don’t have to point it out. Or do you? Are you blaming me for last night? Are you implying that even if I’d married Eric, I would have seduced you? Because—because of the dreams I told you about?” Suddenly, she felt her lips tremble.

Oh God. She’d expected Gabe to have some regrets, but she’d never thought he’d think that of her. That he’d—

“Stop it, Brianne,” he said, his harsh voice interrupting her thought. “I don’t think that.”

“Then what are you thinking?”

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