Page 13 of Finally a Bride: Best Friend's Brother

“Yeah, you’re kinda known for being a player, so you could be playing me while putting her on hold.”

“Well said, but no. There’s no one back in Europe.” I turn to her. “My turn. Why aren’t you taken?”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“Aren’t they all?”

She nods to the side. “Well said. But no. I…” she closes her eyes. “I haven’t found the one.”

The one… not sure I believe in the concept.

She bites her lips adorably. “I’ve been a bridesmaid twenty-three weddings, ten as a maid of honor.”

“Whoa… is that in the Guinness World Records?”

She rocks into my shoulder. “Funny. Not.”

“So you’ve supported women when they needed you. That should be a badge, not a bummer.”

“But I’m always the bridesmaid and never the bride.”

My heart soars in my chest.

You would make a beautiful bride…

FIVE

Ella

His eyes darken and they drop to my lips and then back to my eyes. The moth to a bonfire pull is too powerful, but I don’t want to get burned.

“Ella,” he whispers my name as he nears. “Baby, just tell me to stop and I will.”

I have no willpower with this man. I’ve craved his touch for years. I’ve watched him from afar and now up close, I’m melting and it’s not the warm weather. The heat between us pulses.

His hand slips behind my neck and I close my eyes just to feel. His touch is calm, almost feather-like. Gentler than I ever thought that McCabe could be. He’s known for being brass. For being in a person’s face. And for appearing out of control, but this is total control. It’s like he’s moving in slow motion. I’m floating in his presence. I lean forward.

Farther.

Farther.

Our lips touch and the tingle is instant. My whole body fires every nerve. He presses harder, his hand moving to turn my head.

My experience with men is probably easy for him to realize, but he doesn’t seem to mind. His tongue dances along the split of my lips. I slowly open and the intensity increases five-fold. I lean farther into him and run my hands up his waist, over his hard pecs, and around his muscular arms. Every moment stretches into the next and if I died right now, I can’t imagine heaven being better than this.

I moan and he smiles while kissing me. Our tongues dance to a slow song. Tumbling, turning, my head starts to spin, and I wonder if I’m breathing.

“McCabe? Ella? McCabe! Ella!”

I pull back hearing Mallory’s voice. “Shit. She’s gonna know.”

“So?” He tries to pull my head back to him. “We’re adults, Ella. We have the right to kiss.”

“But she’s suffering. She’ll think we’re being rude.”

“No, she won’t.”

I still can’t imagine what she’s going through. “She needs to be supported, McCabe.”

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