Page 11 of Riley

I let out a choked laugh, swallowing my pride and my embarrassment as I implored him with my gaze.

“Please, Eric,” I said softly, my pulse racing.

“Well, since you asked so nicely, and you are so keen on making up to me,” he said as he leaned forward, tapping against the letters on the display, never looking at me once.

“But you should know for future reference, the correct answer is, ‘Yes,Daddy.’.”

My cockthrobbedat his tone, his words, my mortification heating my body like a boiling pot.

Wait a minute... Was he... was he flirting with me?

“F... future reference?” I asked as he hit the green ‘go’ button, a sly grin on his face.

I threw the car into drive as he sat back languidly.

“Well, I am a man of my word, Riley, and the deal was I will accompany you to your little firehall wedding.”

I scoffed at the idea of anyone calling Giselle’s taste mediocre, or insinuating her wedding at the damn Paradise would be anything but black tie, or little in any manner. But then again, Eric had no idea Aaron was engaged to the Blake Lively of Jasper Springs, and how could he? He’d gone to the bathroom when Giselle kissed Aaron goodbye, heading home with Mia.

Not to mention, I didn’t even know if Eric was a Jasper Springs resident, since I’d never seen him before, and as a teacher in this town, I knew almosteveryone.

“You don’t... you don’t reallyhave to,you know,” I said with a sigh.

Though the idea of showing up with Eric on my armanywheremade my entire body stiffen.

He was absolutely gorgeous, and I had a feeling he’d look impeccable in a nice suit, with a tie…

Images pushed forth in my mind of him standing above me, cufflinks shimmering in the light as he gazed down at me, running his hand over his...

No!

Don’t go down that road!

Not now!

I glanced at the address on the maps app, if only to bring myself back to the here and now, surprised to notice it was indeed within Jasper Springs. In fact, it was part of Jasper SpringsEstates, which I knew was the higher priced condos that housed some of Jasper Springs’s upper crust.

I was pretty damn sure CEO Weston Rhodes and that town celeb, Drew Axel, just moved there, if I’m not mistaken.

The place had been a hot commodity lately.

“Will there be cake?” Eric asked, with a slight laugh.

“I mean, what wedding doesn’t have a cake?” I retorted.

“Will there be alcohol?” he continued.

“I mean, probably top of the line considering it’s Giselle...”

“Will you be all cleaned up and pretty in a nice fucking suit?” he asked, and I felt flushed, nervous.

All cleaned up and pretty...

Did he think... wait...

“Yes...” I squeaked.

“Well then, sounds like it’ll be quite a night, don’t you think?”

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