Page 40 of The First Best Man

Me:I’m fine.

Tucker:Just fine? Or maybe a little turned on by the idea of my mouth all over you?

Oh, shit.Wearesexting, aren’t we?

Tucker:Kate?

Me:Sorry. I’ve just never texted like this before, and I don’t want to sound like an idiot.

Tucker:You never could. Just tell me what you’re thinking.

Me:I don’t know what I’m thinking.

Tucker:It’s okay. We’ll just say goodnight, then.

Me:Okay. Goodnight.

Tucker:Goodnight, Kate. I’ll see you tomorrow.

I type out the words “I can’t wait,” then quickly delete them, close the texting app, and drop my phone to the mattress beside me. Flipping over onto my belly, I groan into my pillow.

Once again, my inexperience has left me looking like an idiot. I can’t even fake confidence via text messages. I’m sure whatever interest he had in me, sexually speaking, is long gone after that awkward exchange.

How am I supposed to face Tucker again after this?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Tucker

I’mequal parts excited and terrified to see Kate this morning. The kiss we shared was beyond all of my expectations. She was soft, yet eager, clearly swept up in the moment, and damn if I didn’t want to yank her up and carry her to her bed without a second’s hesitation.

But I couldn’t. All of my previous concerns remain, but if I’m going to outright ignore them and sleep with her, anyway, Ihaveto do it right. I have to make sure she understands and accepts that it won’t be the start of a romantic relationship. It can’t be. I’ll be leaving in a few days, and it would be over.

And until we have that conversation, nothing can happen between us, no matter how much I want it.

But it’s the text messages that came later that have me terrified. I went too far, talking about kissing her all over, then I backtracked too harshly, ending theconversation because I didn’t want her to completely shut down on me. I feel like such an idiot, and I’m just hoping everything will be normal between us this morning.

Checking the time on my phone, I bite out a curse. I’m late for breakfast.

Luckily for me, the wedding party is meeting here this morning. Miss Ginny offered to host today’s breakfast, so I don’t have far to go. Leaving my room, I jog down the stairs, coming to a halt in the doorway of the dining room.

Everyone is here already, and the only open chair is between Blaine and Logan.

Kate didn’t save me a seat next to her.

I shake off the negative thought and walk into the room with a smile. Just because Kate didn’t save me a seat doesn’t mean she’s trying to avoid me. Maybe it just worked out this way, and she didn’t want to ruffle any feathers by asking Sam or Penny to move.

Greetings are exchanged as I walk in and take my seat, but my eyes are locked on Kate. After a second’s hesitation, she looks across the table at me with wary eyes. I offer her a smile, and she returns it, though hers seems a bit timid.

Okay. Maybe it’s not as bad as I thought.

Kate might be embarrassed by the sharp turn our texting took last night, but she’s not avoiding eye contact or ignoring me, completely. I’ll take it.

I look around the table at the others, and my brow furrows as my eyes land on Penny. She’s looking pretty green around the gills this morning. Her face is paleand pinched, and she’s hunched over like her stomach hurts, or something.

Before I can ask her if she’s okay, she whimpers and hops up from the table. Bent at the waist, she rushes out of the room with a hand slapped over her mouth.

“Is she okay?” I ask Logan, who’s rising from his chair to follow her out.

---