Page 9 of Merry Little Wedding

I stare out the window as we descend. Chicago comes into view, looking as cold and snowy as a Christmas dream. Boone has a personal driver waiting, of course, and after a seventeen-minute drive he checks us into the most luxurious hotel I’ve ever stepped foot in. I’ve never seen a suite thissweetin real life. I would think the huge, comfortable bed in the middle of it is too much temptation to resist before the ceremony, but Boone has other plans.

“I need to run a quick errand. Can you be ready and downstairs in three and a half hours?”

Threehours? How fixed up am I supposed to look?

“That’s more than enough time,” I say with a laugh.

“Perfect.” Before he leaves, he takes my hand gently, pulling me in for a long, slow kiss that dissolves my insides. “You’re my girlfriend now, don’t forget.”

“I won’t.”

“I love you, sweetie,” Boone says, in character…right?

“I love you too.” Oh, dear.

All of this lying feels so…naughty.

And don’t tell Santa, but I kind of like it.

Four

Boone

“Ready for the shitshow?” I ask Aurora.

“I think so,” she says in her sweet, sweet voice. A voice I could seriously get used to. I could eat up that voice. Damn. Goddamn. It was all I could do not to eye-fuck her all through the ceremony. I’m a self-controlled man but there is a concern that I’ll go up in smoke watching her dance at the ceremony.

Fuck. I hated to leave her alone in our room.Ourroom. The whole time I was gone I couldn’t stop thinking about all of those kisses we shared. The look in her big brown eyes as they shimmered with need. Her sumptuous lips. Now, she’s fucking fantastic in her red dress. Making me hard as shit for her.

I give her hand a firm squeeze as we walk into the grand ballroom.

“Not a bad place for a wedding,” she muses.

“It’s a little obnoxious if you ask me,” I husk out. She casts her eyes up at me, appearing bemused. “I’m not some wedding scrooge, Rora. Just seems like a waste of money to impress a guest list full of people…many of whom the bride and groom haven’t even seen for years.”

“You against weddings in general? Or just this one?” she asks.

I point to the tower of apples where there should be a tall-ass wedding cake. “Just this one.”

“There isn’t acake?” she realizes, aghast. “What kind of wedding is this?”

“My sister’s wedding,” I say with a laugh. “Wedding cake is ‘fattening’.”

“Oh… I see.” Aurora’s playful smile fades. She lays a hand against her hip, looking self-conscious. That perfect, sumptuous hip that would cushion a rough ride. She’s got a strong, curvy body, just like I like. If I wanted to fuck a stick I’d be fucking a stick.

“You’re sexy, honey. Look what you do,” I say gruffly against her ear, pulling her to me tofeelmore thanseethe effect she has on me. “Amazing fucking body.”

“There you are, Boone!” From across the cavernous ballroom, Mom’s voice echoes off the obscenely high ceilings. Aurora jumps back. I growl out a sigh.

“Get ready,” I murmur. I put my arm around those hips of perfection and pull her tight against my side. Mom comes in for a hug, and I give her the other side. My erection is going back to sleep but I’m not letting go of Aurora for an instant.

“Mom, meet Aurora. My girlfriend.”

“You’re actually here,” Mom states, ignoring the introduction Ijustmade. Rora’s eyes narrow with defensiveness, as if she is personally insulted by the slight made againstme, and not at all affected or concerned by my mother’s dismissiveness ofher.

She really cares about me.

It’s that pretty heart of hers, I know it. I know what genuine does and does not look like and it looks a hell of a lot like this beautiful woman and her heart of gold. Still gazing down at her face, ignoring Mom for the moment, I ball up my free hand, the urge to kiss Aurora again overwhelming, regardless of Mom standing right here in front of us.

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