Page 5 of Just Married

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“Girl,you arenotwearing that tonight,” Jillianprotests.

I look down at my clothes and can’t find anything wrong with what I’m wearing. My dress is pale blue with a sweetheart neckline and hits me mid-thigh. Since I smoothly left my heels behind in Kingston’s room this morning, I’m wearing cute ballet flats. I shudder when I think of the dress I was forced into wearing last night. Tammy saw my simple black dress and threw it in the trash, then proceeded to dress me in one of her dresses that show way more skin than I’ve ever been comfortablewith.

“What’s wrong with my dress?” I ask petulantly, crossing my arms over mychest.

Jillian puffs out a frustrated breath. “Pey, this isVegas!”

“Yeah, so?” I raise an eyebrow daring her tocontinue.

“So, you should let go of that schoolmarm-librarian look you’ve got goingon.”

“Iama librarian,” I saydefensively.

“I think what Jill is trying to say, is that this is your chance to let your hair down and be a little wild,” Tammy injects, playingreferee.

“Exactly,” Jillian agrees. “I just think you should try something new. You are always so prim and proper. Plus, I sort of bought you a new dress or two for theweekend.”

She pulls a dress from the closet—at least I think it’s a dress—and Tammy produces a pair of heels that are so high I’ll probably break my neck if I try to walk in them. If I thought last night’s dress was bad, this is ten times worse. Jillian thrusts the dress into my hands and pushes me toward the bathroom. Knowing there really isn’t a point in arguing I let her have herway.

I shuck my old clothes and realizing the cut of the new dress doesn’t allow for a bra, I silently curse my sister. She is tall and svelte, whereas I am short with curves to spare so going without a bra isn’t something I can really do. I pull the offending garment over my head and get a small thrill as the silky material slides over my bare breasts. Wiggling my hips, I pull the dress over my ample hips and smooth itdown.

Steeling myself, I turn and look in the mirror. My eyes widen as I take in my reflection. Gone is the dull brown hair and plain features. My hair is lustrous, falling down my back in soft waves. My makeup is understated, but the artful way it was applied makes my green eyes pop. My lashes are thick and full, setting off the brightness of my eyes perfectly. The one hint of dramatic color is my lips which are coated with cherry red lipstick. As if the makeover change isn’t enough, seeing the way the dress hugs my body is enough to drop myjaw.

I have to blink several times before convincing myself that the reflection in the mirror is truly me. In some ways, I look nothing like myself, but in others, I can see a me I never thought I could be. The me in the mirror is a confident, sexy Peyton. I silently wonder what Kingston will think of my makeover, but then I shake my head, scolding myself for thinking of him. I shouldn’t care what he thinks. I’m nothing to him. Last night was just a drunkenmistake.

Temporaryinsanity.

Yes, that’s what it was—temporary insanity. We will get an annulment and things will go back to normal. He will keep treating me with indifference and I will keep pining for him from a distance. I almost have myself convinced, but then I have a flash of a memory from last night. It’s been happening all day, little pieces from the night come back to me and I questionmyself.

Was it really a mistake? Could Kingston really wantme?

I close my eyes, allowing myself to fall into the memory and the feeling of his hands on my body. The sweet words he murmured as he thrust inside me. His mouth on my neck, my breasts, any and everywhere he could reach while he made love to me. And that’s what it felt like… my memory isn’t of hard fucking; it’s tender andloving.

With the soreness between my legs, I’m sure it wasn’t all sweet and slow like that, but for some reason, that’s the memory that keeps barging into my mind. The night’s still mostly a blur, but the way he touched me this morning—confident, possessive—has me confused. The mystery man that mastered my body and the man I know Kingston to be don’t lineup.

The way he kissed me, my lips tingle at the mere thought. His lips both firm and soft at the same time as he possessed my mouth. He owned me with that kiss, no denying that. It was so easy to fall into the kiss—so easy to crave more. And lord help me, I do want more. I have to squeeze my thighs together to relieve the ache that’s grown exponentially worse as the day goes on. A knock on the door snaps me out of my fantasy and I take one more disbelieving look at myself in the mirror. I open the door and am met with squeals from both Tammy andJillian.

“Oh. My. God. You look ah-mazing!” Jillian enthuses. “Seriously, so flipping hot. The guys will be all over you at the club.” She does some kind of hip thrust that I think is supposed to mimic dancing, but just looks ridiculous. Tammy and I share a look, then bust uplaughing.

“If any guys come at me like that, I’m running the other way,” I say throughgiggles.

Tammy laughs even harder. Jillian tries to look offended but falls into peals of laughter herself. This is how it always is with us… I’ve always been super close with my sister even though she’s four years younger than me. When our mom died, we banded together and made it our mission to take care of each other and our dad. Tammy lives in the apartment across the hall from mine and we hit it off right away, she seamlessly folded into our littlegroup.

“Seriously though, do I look okay?” I ask, pulling the hem of the dress downnervously.

“You look hot, babe. The guys will be all over you,” Tammy says, then adds. “Hip thrustingoptional.”

Jillian thrusts her hips at Tammy and we all laugh ourselvesbreathless.

My phone dings with a text fromTheo.

Tell my wife-to-be that we are waitingdownstairs.

“Time to go, the guys are downstairswaiting.”

“Why is he always texting you instead of me?” Jillianwhines.

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