Page 49 of Beyond the Fame

I swear I hear him growl before he goes to Bruno’s side, leaving a space for Mylan.

Lana and Mylan walk down the aisle next. They smile and wave and whisper to each other, likely saying inappropriate things like Jensen did with me. When they reach the front, Mylan kisses Lana on the cheek and they part. She gives me a suffocating hug before joining my side. Lana’s eyes are already wet with tears and the ceremony has barely started.

The music changes over to an instrumental version of At Last by Etta James and the guests stand. Ginger appears at the end of the aisle with Gram and Pa on each arm. Gasps of admiration fill the air.

“Wunderschöner engel,” Bruno says within a breath.

Ginger’s dress has a corset top and ballgown skirt with rose gold fabric under white lace and sheer tulle. Her hair is styled in tightly coiled curls with one side pinned up with a light pink lily.

She looks like a queen.

I knew I’d cry the moment I saw the bride. I glance away to wipe the fast-falling tears. When I turn back, Jensen is staring at me with his eyebrow quirked. I roll my eyes and shrug.

The ceremony begins and I'm already distracted by the man standing across from me. Jensen can’t stop scanning his bright green eyes up and down my body.

When he notices me staring, he tilts up that brow again. I raise mine to accept his flirty challenge. I lick my lips, then move my hand to sweep my long hair off my shoulder. I graze my fingertips over the makeup-covered mark he left on me. His eyes follow every strategic move I make.

“Cut it out,” Lana says out of the corner of her mouth, amused. At the same time, Mylan elbows Jensen in the side.

Busted, I mouth to Jensen.

He bites his lower lip and covers the front of his pants with his clasped hands.

The rest of the ceremony was beyond beautiful, and I cried a lot. It was short enough that it was over before the sun finished setting. Bruno and Ginger wrote their own vows. Bruno said his in English, then repeated in German for his parents. Then Ginger said her vows, first in English, then in German.

Bruno nearly fell to his knees hearing his soon-to-be bride speak his language. Ginger learned for him; told him she’d been learning for the past three years. The big man bawled like a baby.

They exchange rings and then a nearly inappropriate kiss ends the breath-taking ceremony. Bruno takes his new wife’s hand, and they raise up their embrace as everyone cheers loud enough to be heard across the ocean.

The newlyweds walk back down the aisle and veer off to the side where we’ll all wait for the guests to clear so we can pose for the rest of the wedding photos with the bride and groom. Lana and Mylan leave next. Mylan desperately tries to console Lana, who is a sobbing mess.

When I reach Jensen to follow, he stops me. He lifts his hand and gently wipes the tears streaking down my cheek with the pad of his thumb. Then he winks and holds out his arm for me.

As we leave the beach, my throat aches; it burns, with this overwhelming need for more of this man. The one from the day in the bathroom. The one he keeps showing me glimpses of. He has so much compassion to offer, yet he always second guesses himself.

Maybe this time is different. He hasn’t retreated into himself yet. One thing’s for sure, I'm not about to let him take it away from me this time.

Chapter 12 - Jensen

I’m desperate to get Rebecca back up to our room. She knew exactly what she was doing wearing no undergarments with that skintight dress. It clings to her body and highlights all her curves. I never thought a woman could look more beautiful with clothes on as Rebecca does in that fucking dress.

Keeping my eyes from ogling her during the ceremony was unavoidable, and I don’t regret getting caught by Lana and Mylan.

Now we’re at the reception, held in one of the resort’s banquet halls. The small room—since only about twenty people were in attendance for the wedding—is decorated in blues and silvers: balloons, ribbons, flowers, and even the tablecloths and chairs. The dimmed lights allow for a spotlight to flash rainbow colors around the dance floor.

Eloise has been on top of it all night, documenting every moment. Dinner was served a while ago, Lana and Mylan gave speeches and the newlyweds cut the five-tiered cake, then adorably smashed it into each other’s faces, followed by a slow dance to Kissing You by Des’ree. I remember the song from Romeo + Juliet. Baz Luhrmann is a brilliant director. His films are chaotic, poetic, and I’ve watched them all dozens of times, especially any time I need inspiration.

When everyone joined Ginger and Bruno on the dance floor for that first dance, I worked up the courage and offered my hand to Rebecca. She hesitated but took it, giving me a beautiful grin with her ruby red lips. I held her tight against my body, her small hand tucked into mine, my cheek pressed against her hair since she’s so much shorter than me, and my fingers splayed hungrily across her lower back.

It should scare me how much I enjoyed slow dancing with her. Instead, my chest tightened with sweet anticipation at the thought of dancing with her like that all night. Or at least, as long as we’re obligated to stay at the reception before taking Rebecca back to the suite.

The part of me afraid of caring for someone is being overshadowed by the attraction I have for this woman. I brought it on myself by offering to let her stay in my suite. After having a taste of her last year, there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity.

I spent the past year not fucking anyone else because I knew they wouldn’t compare.

The DJ, who’s a bit curvy and has deep tanned skin and tattoos up and down their arms, chats with Eloise who finished her wedding photographer duties for the night. The two laugh and sneak in some sexy dancing to the fast song currently playing, just like the past ten fast songs the DJ played. They even played a few songs that involved choreographed dance moves. I sat out all those songs because I have two left feet and refused to make an ass of myself. At least I have company. Mylan is probably a worse dancer than me. Though that never stops him from trying to make an absolute fool out of himself.

I'm sure he would have been out on the dance floor right now if it weren’t for Ginger, Rebecca, and Lana huddled together. They’re all shaking their asses, swaying their hips and twerking to the Nicki Minaj song playing, like they’re her actual backup dancers.

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