Page 28 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

He leaned in more, bracing his forearm on the wall over her head.“Well, there are a few things wrong with that.One, there’s not going to be anything quick about me stripping you down and going at it.Two,” he said as she took in a little breath, “there’s no way that first time is going to get you out of my system.”He leaned down and put his lips almost against her.“And three, there are a bunch of crazy Cajuns about to break that office door down and demand to know what’s going on, so we probably don’t have time.”He kissed her then, but just as she was melting into him, he pulled back.Hell, he’d waited almost a year for her.A little bit longer was just going to make it all sweeter when hedidfinally strip this girl down.And he was going to.For sure.Soon.It was good she understood that.He stepped back.“So a little more space it is.For now.”

Tori took another breath.This was a deeper one, as if she was getting her wits back together.Josh grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the chair behind the beat-up and mostly-covered-with-junk desk.He kicked the rolling chair out, nudged her into it, and then leaned back against the desk, facing her.

“Okay, let’s hear this story.Andrew, the groom, is your best friend.You kissed him.The bride saw it and freaked out.You told them you thought he was me, but they didn’t believe you.”

Tori nodded.She sat with her elbows on the arms of the chair, her long legs crossed at the ankles.“That about sums it up.”

“Why wouldn’t they believe you?”

“You mean, besides the fact that you weren’t there?”she asked, lifting a brow.

He grinned.It seemed like giving her some space brought out some sassiness.He liked her breathless and distracted, but sassy was good too.“You mean, I wasn’t there when you were.”

She rolled her eyes, but smiled.“Right.Okay.”

Josh braced his hands on the desk and leaned toward her.“Iwasthere, Tori.”

Her expression softened.“I believe you.”

Good.She needed to.Though there would be not one single doubt in her mind how much he wanted her and how much he’d wanted to see her last night by the end of their time together.

“Mostly they didn’t believe me because I’ve never kept a real secret from Andrew before,” she said.“Well, that’s whyhedidn’t believe me.Paisley didn’t believe me because she’s convinced I’m in love with Andrew and want to break up their wedding.”

“Do you?”Josh felt it was a fair question.

Tori hesitated.Then nodded.

Josh felt his gut clench.“Are you in love with him?”

Jesus.Even thethoughtof that had his entire body tensing up.

Tori frowned.“No, I’m not in love with Andrew.”She paused.“I dolovehim.But I’m notin lovewith him.He’s my best friend.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that.”A couple of times already.The truth was, Josh wasn’t so sure he believed a man could bejustfriends with a woman he truly liked.Especially not one as beautiful as Tori.Why didn’t Andrew want more from her?That made no sense.Which led Josh to believe that Andrew probablydidhave bigger feelings for Tori.There could be reasons they’d never acted on them, of course.Or maybe theyhadand it hadn’t worked out.

He frowned.“Have you guys ever been involved?”

Tori didn’t shake her head nearly fast enough for Josh.She did, finally, though.“Not involved.No.”

“That wasn’t really an adamant denial,” Josh pointed out.

And the bride suspected there was more between Tori and Andrew, obviously.Josh knew a lot of women.Sure, some of them were crazy, but he would never scoff at female intuition.His grandmothers, mom, sister, and all the other cousins, friends, and even past girlfriends were all scarily insightful when they wanted to be.Paisley might be onto something here.

“I had a crush on Andrew for a little bit in high school,” Tori admitted.“A short one.That never turned into anything.There was a New Year’s Eve kiss when we were sophomores.Oh, and one in eighth grade.That was it.I was way more in love with theideaof being with Andrew—someone I knew really well, who didn’t think I was weird because of…” she trailed off and cleared her throat, “…who didn’t think I was weird and who was easy to hang out with.Our families get along.We’re from the same place.We both had the same goals.At one time, anyway.In any case, itseemedlike a good idea for us to be together.But it never happened.My crush went away as soon as I saw Danny Jenkins play football the first time.”She grinned up at Josh.“Clearly my feelings weren’t deep and abiding.”

“You ever kiss Danny Jenkins?”He hated Danny Jenkins.And Andrew the Groom, too, for that matter.Which was probably stupider than his urge to drive to Iowa to find her.

“Nope.”She shrugged.“I learned a lot about football watching him though.”

“You’re a football fan?”he asked.He liked that about her a lot.

“Definitely.I cheer for the Vikings and I don’t want to hear anything about it.”

He laughed.“Can I talk about LSU?”

She wrinkled her nose.“Definitely not.”

“We’ll see.Maybe I can convert you.”

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