Page 52 of Bridesmaid to Bride

“West,” comes her soft voice that hits me hard. My head turns, and there she is—Eva—tucked into the shadows, almost blending in with the dark wood paneling of the hallway.

“Hey,” I whisper. “Thought you were a ghost. You okay?”

“Can I come in?” Her eyes are big and earnest.

I step aside. “Sure. But if you’re here for the mini-bar snacks—they’re all gone.”

“Very funny.” She brushes past me with the faintest scent of raspberry vanilla trailing behind her.

“Make yourself at home,” I tell her as I close the door, trying to sound cool, collected, and definitely not like the sex we just had blew my mind. Keep it together, man.

“Wow, your room’s better than mine.” She glances around.

“Only the best for the next Groomsman to Groom hopeful.”

“About that,” she says, and tingles shoot up my spine. She approaches me, her hands instantly roaming over my chest.

“God, I love it when you do that.” I close my eyes.

“You do?” She untucks my shirt and runs her hands up again, this time on my bare skin. “How about this?”

“God, yes. I love everything you do. You can just have me, any way you want, Manhattan.”

“Is that so?” She meets my gaze, her eyes all fire. “Then I want you inside me, West. And not just once.”

I swallow hard, my entire body reacting to her words. The words I’ve fantasized about hearing from her a thousand times—and they’re even better in real life. I’m fighting to keep the emotion out of my voice, but it’s useless. “Same. I’m fighting it so hard, but I can’t stay away from you. Nothing has ever felt this good.”

She brings her mouth to mine, her lips soft, tender, like she’s trying to speak through a kiss what words can’t capture. This is what I’ve been waiting for, what I’ve been dreaming of since the day she walked into my life.

We stumble backwards into the room, over to the bed, never breaking our kiss. Our bodies press against each other, fitting together like two puzzle pieces that were always meant to fit together.

Eva’s hands are in my hair, tugging it as if she can’t get enough of me. I grip her waist, pulling her even closer until there’s no space left between us.

My mind flips through all my flirting over the past few days. The women are roller coasters of excitement. But next to Eva, they’re just... rides. Temporary thrills. My voice is low when I say, “With you, it’s just… everything.”

“That’s why I’m here,” she whispers.

There’s no rush this time, not like our frantic encounters before. My fingers trace the hem of her dress, lifting it gently, methodically over her head. She stands there, beautiful in her vulnerability, and I can’t help but marvel at her. Every curve, every line of her is a testament to the battles she’s fought—losing her mother, then her business, and always being her family’s pillar.

“Hope you didn’t plan on getting any sleep tonight,” I whisper against her skin, feeling the heat radiating from her.

“Sleep is overrated.”

We’re playing a high stakes game, but it’s clear as I look into her eyes—that deep blend of resilience and tenderness—she’s worth the gamble.

With practiced ease, Eva unbuttons my dress shirt and slips it off my shoulders. Her hands, those that make beautiful edible creations, now navigate with a different purpose as they unbuckle my belt and slide down my pants. I kick them off.

“These,” she says, tugging at my boxers and smirking with the confidence of a woman who knows exactly what she wants, “must go.”

With a quick tug, they fall and my dick springs free. I love watching the want in her face as her eyes drink me in, and it makes me harder than I’ve ever been. I feel like a king standing before her.

I lean in, my lips blazing a trail from her jawline down, slowly down, to where her heart thunders like wild horses. When I finally land at her core, the shuddering sound she makes—God—it’s better than any noise I’ve ever heard.

“West...” she murmurs, her voice hitching as I worship her with my tongue, the flicks and swirls drawing out whimpers that crescendo into the desperate cries of her coming apart.

Enough—I need her, all of her, wrapped around me. I grab a condom, ripping the packet open with teeth. It’s on in no time, and I’m crawling up her body, intent on making her scream out my name over and over.

“Hi there,” I say, smiling down at her, skin to skin now, her softness driving me wild. Her scent makes me feel almost high.

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