Page 21 of Until I Own You

I release a deluge of come straight into my boxer shorts, the wetness reminding me of just how alone I am.

I can’t enjoy the high.

I just pretended to fuck my stepsister. Pretended.

I’m so fucking pathetic.

Bridget might have been right to stop talking to me.

5

BRIDGET

“Let’s put Abigail with Dory.” The wedding planner, Cara, looks down at her clipboard, scanning the list of wedding party members with her pen.

Abigail flicks her red hair and goes to stand next to the tall, dark, and handsome Englishman who seems to almost lean away from her with his body, though his smile is inviting her to come closer.

I stand with my arms crossed. Nerves are at an all-time high since the wedding is tomorrow and we only have a half hour to get the rehearsal right before we’re to head off to the rehearsal dinner.

Not even the beautiful garden scenery or the temperate evening can make up for my mood.

I’m waiting to be paired with one of the groomsmen for my walk down the aisle.

It’s customary for the maid of honor to walk down the aisle with the best man, but Edwin’s best man is my dad. In theory, this would be fine, but Dad is actually going to walk Sonia down the aisle since her father passed away several years ago.

So, now I have to be saddled with someone else.

“Bridget and…”

I glance over at the groomsmen. There’s Nate and Jack, Edwin’s sons. Jack’s walking down the aisle with one of Sonia’s friends from California. Nate’s already spoken for in the form of Laney, and so is Mason. The three of them are in a throuple situation that has been both strange and beautiful to watch come to life.

I can’t imagine one guy falling in love with me, let alone two.

Anyway, they’ve already insisted on going down the aisle together in a trio, throwing off the numbers even more.

Then there’s Theodore Wallington, Dory to his friends, apparently an old buddy of Edwin’s from his salad days. He’s already been paired with Abigail, Edwin’s daughter.

“Okay, let’s have Bridget and Seth,” Cara says, lifting her head and giving a bright smile.

As if she hasn’t just said something absurd.

My gaze shoots to Seth who stands among the boys with a petrified stare in my direction.

Great, he knows just as well as I do how horrendous this situation is.

“Oh, my god…” Nate says, covering his mouth with his hand to cover up a snort of laughter.

Mason boxes him on the shoulder. “Bro.”

Nate isn’t the only one reacting this way.

Abigail is doing her best not to look shocked, but her big green eyes betray her. Edwin’s mouth opens and closes like a fish. And Jack is rubbing his face like he’s an old man, already exhausted by the events of today.

“Bridget and Seth?” Cara repeats, confusion starting to register on her face. “Is something wrong?”

I purse my lips. “N-no, nothing’s wrong.” Because it’s true. Nothing’s wrong.

Seth and I won’t be walking down the aisle to get married ourselves. We’re just part of the wedding party. There’s no reason everyone has to be making a big deal about this. In fact, it’s making it worse.

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