Page 20 of Silent Cravings

“What about the Friday before?” I prompted. “The spa at the Delamar looks amazing. I’ve already booked a group package for the Friday before the wedding. Massages, facials, mani-pedi. A whole day of pampering. What about the guys, though?” I asked, looking around for ideas.

Evan gave me nothing, blank-faced. Was he sulking now?

“Any good strip clubs in the area?” Lucian suggested, earning dirty looks from all of the girls, including me.

“We’re thinking something a little more family-friendly,” I pointed out, rolling my eyes. “Besides, the answer’s probably no anyway.”

“Not that I’m interested in doing that,” Colton insisted, even though nobody asked. “I never cared about strip clubs anyway. It’s all an act.”

“If I want somebody to strip for me…” Noah grabbed Sienna, who giggled while he pulled her into his lap. “I’m all set. I don’t need to pay for it.”

Why the hell did it make my heart hurt to see them so happy? I was turning into a complete disaster over this wedding and everything around it.

“How about a fishing trip?” Evan suggested. “We could take a yacht out from the harbor. The hotel is right there and spend the afternoon on the water.”

“So long as this one promises to wear sunscreen.” Rose nudged Colton. “I don’t want you sunburned for our photos.”

“Same goes for you,” he retorted. “I’m not trying to marry a lobster in a wedding gown.”

“How romantic.” Aria snickered, rolling her eyes as she walked past them with a glass of wine in hand. Rose looked so envious, and I felt sorry for her.

“Aria here will make certain the girls are slathered in sunscreen,” he offered.

We threw around another few ideas, including the shopping trip on Greenwich Avenue and a group excursion to the Audubon Center to explore the nature trails. “And we’re good on rehearsal plans?” I asked, looking at Colton, who insisted on being my point person. “You’re okay with the menu, the schedule?”

“This is completely in your hands. I trust you.” When I continued to stare daggers at him, he nodded. “Sure. Everything’s great. No suggestions.”

“Thank you.” Trust was nice, but verbal confirmation was more important.

“What do we do now?” Noah threw his arms overhead, stretching as we wrapped things up. “Wanna go out for drinks?”

“We’re drinking here,” Aria pointed out, lifting her wine glass.

“You know what I mean,” he grumbled. “Do we want to go out?”

“I’m really not feeling up to it,” Rose admitted, looking around like she felt guilty. “Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Besides…” Sienna offered, “… I’m not feeling it either. I think I just want to take a bath and put on a mask. But you boys are more than welcome to do whatever,” she added, offering her boyfriend an apologetic smile.

“Ah, fuck it,” Noah decided. “I have a couple of contracts to look over anyway.”

Poor Lucian. He looked around like a puppy whose favorite toy had been taken away. “Seriously? Evan?”

Evan shrugged a shoulder. Until now, he may as well have been a statue sitting in my armchair. Tapping his fingers against his knee, he shook his head. “I have to go out to the Cape Cod location first thing in the morning. We’re having some work done to the clubhouse,” he explained with a sigh.

“You know, there’s a reason you pay people to work for you,” Colton reminded him. “So they can be the ones to do the shit work like driving out to Cape Cod first thing in the morning. On a Saturday, at that.”

Evan only scowled. “I don’t trust anybody as much as I trust myself.”

Aria laughed. “You sound like somebody I know.” She turned to me. “Practically begging for burnout.”

“I’m a hands-on girl,” I explained.

Unfortunately, all I could think about was getting my hands on Evan. As annoyed as I was, as embarrassed after my shameful performance earlier this week, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Why did he have to be… him, looking like walking sin in a striped shirt with its top two buttons popped open and a pair of pants whose seams were extremely strong, considering they held fast around those thick thighs of his?

It was my turn to stare at him like some deranged psycho tonight, it seemed.

Lucian dragged his feet out of my apartment. “Sure you don’t wanna go have some fun?” he asked me.

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