Page 69 of The Forever Game

With a soft snicker, she rolls her eyes. “Okay, fine. I can’t stop thinking about the wedding yesterday and how sweet and intimate and unorthodox it was. And then my mind starts swirling with how many times their plans got thwarted by life… because life can suck sometimes.” She huffs, her face scrunching as she lifts her hand and gently plays with her ring. “And then I started thinking about how much I love this ring, and how my sisters are going to flip out when they see it and wedding plans will be fired at me left, right, and center. Plans that could fall to crap, and it’ll be all pressure, and I’ll be busy trying to please everybody and put on the best damn day possible and…” Her shoulders slump. “What should be a special, intimate thing for you and me will become this huge event for everybody else.” She shakes her head. “It makes me not want to go through with it.”

“What?” I choke out the word, my heart spasming. “No, you gotta marry me. You said yes, woman.”

She smiles, cupping my cheek. “I want to marry you, but I don’t want a wedding.” Her nose wrinkles. “I know Tammy and Baxter’s big day would be considered a disaster. That’s what people are going to say, but watching them get married in that hospital waiting room was perfect.”

My eyebrows rise. “You want me to try and book out St. Vincent’s Memorial?”

Laughter bubbles out of her as she gently rests her hand on my chest. Her painted nails lightly brush my pec before drawing a circle around my right nipple. “I guess part of the reason I’ve been so slow on this engagement thing is because I’ve been worried about the wedding. I kept putting you off because I don’t want to have to deal with what comes next.”

Brushing my thumb across her cheekbone, I thread my fingers behind her neck and pull her toward me. “C’mere.”

She leans into my kiss, sinking against me and climbing onto my lap. Our torsos meld together, her perfect pussy nestling against me as I splay my hands across her back and look into her eyes.

“I get it, boo. My mom’s going to be a nightmare. You didn’t say it, but I know you were thinking it.”

She blushes and dips her head. “We won’t even recognize half the guests, will we?”

“Probably not.” I tip my head… then go still, my lips parting.

“What?” She gives me an expectant look, those eyes I love so much bright with curiosity.

I drink her in, my smile growing as I thread my fingers through her hair. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

I love how she doesn’t hesitate. I love the faith in her eyes.

And as much as I want to spend the day making love to this gorgeous woman, there’s something I want to do even more.

“Get up.” I nudge her off me, jumping out of bed and pulling clothes from my closet.

“Why?” She gives me a skeptical frown, reluctantly sliding to the edge of the bed.

Shoving my pants on, I rush to zip them and lift my chin toward her closet. “Come on. Get that cute ass out of bed.”

“Where are we going?” Flicking the sheet off, she walks to the closet, and I’m numbed for just a moment by the mesmerizing sway of her hips. She’s a goddess, and I have to force my gaze away, will my body to turn around, because sex can wait.

“Asher.” She sings my name. “What is going on in that head of yours right now?”

I spin, walking across the room and pulling her into my arms. Lavishing her with a deep kiss, I then pull back, peck the end of her nose, and whisper, “Let me surprise you, boo. Please, just give me this one.”

Her smile is stunning as she drinks in my expression and lets out a breathy laugh. “Okay, fine. I will let you surprise me this one time because the look on your face is so frickin’ adorable.”

“Thank you, baby.” I kiss her again and practically skip out of the room, heading to my office and grabbing everything we’ll need to make this the best day ever.

I’m serious.

This is going to be the best day we have ever had together.

CHAPTER26

LIAM

Working on a Sunday after being at a late-night wedding does not make me the nicest guy to be around. I’m normally calm and unflappable, but it’s taking maximum effort to hide my mood this morning. I’m worried about Ethan and Mikayla. He looked like shit last night, and I didn’t want him driving. He promised me he wasn’t drunk, but I hadn’t been keeping a close enough eye on him to know for sure. His breath didn’t reek of alcohol, but I couldn’t relax until I heard from him a few hours later.

Crashing at Dad’s.

That’s all he said, so then I tossed and turned, wondering why he hadn’t gone home. It’s obvious that his marriage is in trouble, but it’s not over, right? Shit, that would break everyone’s hearts. Mikayla and Ethan are endgame. Iftheycan’t make it, what chance do the rest of us have?

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