Page 52 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

“In certain situations,” she said with a nod.“What am I risking here, exactly though?”

He lifted a hand to her face.His expression was still playful, but there was a touch of seriousness now.“Me ruining you for all other men.”

That shot a bolt of heat straight through her.She swallowed.“Yeah.In that case, I’m feeling especially daring.”

He brushed his lips over hers.Tori started to go on tiptoe to fit their mouths more fully together, but he lifted his head before she could really get into it.

“So, let’s go talk for a little bit,” he said.

The arrow of disappointment was surprising.She sighed.“Okay.”

Josh laughed.“That bad an idea?”

“Well…” She shrugged.“No.I guess not.”

“You’re not a big talker?”he asked.

“Not unless you have four legs and a tail.”

“The animals you work on are good listeners?”He pulled her over to one of the stone benches.It was still visible from the ballroom, but from certain angles, they’d be hidden behind a tree shaped like a swan.

“They think I’m brilliant and funny and incredibly interesting,” she said with a nod.“At least they’ve never said otherwise.”

He laughed again.“Yeah, you might worry a bit if they start talking back.”

Wow, she really loved the sound of his laugh.It was a deep, sexy rumbling that seemed to come from his gut.Sincere and full of pleasure.As if he was just loving whatever was going on at that moment.

After spending an hour or so with his family, that seemed pretty genetic, actually.They all seemed to be really good at enjoying the little moments and details.Sure, they apparently had a legacy of grand gestures and big stories, but it was in the way they teased each other and smiled and relished good food and long-term relationships.It was clear they enjoyed sitting in Ellie’s bar, just being around each other, as much as some people enjoyed special events or elaborate parties.Tori thought about the mansion behind her and the grand ballroom and the woman in a tiara—for fuck’s sake.Yeah, some people neededmoreto have a good time.But not the Landrys.

“Okay, what do you want to know?”she asked, turning to face him and tucking one leg under her on the bench.They could talk.But they could do it quickly.

He looked at her with a soft smile for a long moment.

“What?”she asked.

“Ireallylike the fact that you’d rather go up to your room right now.”

“You changing your mind?”She shifted so she could stand right back up.

Their fingers were still linked and he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it.“Not yet.”

Tingles raced from where his lips touched her right down between her legs.This conversation better not take very long.She hoped Josh Landry had some stamina because she wasn’t sure one time with him tonight was going to be enough.

“Tell me about the ‘stuff’ that Andrew’s parents think is weird about you,” he said.

Oh that.Dammit.Why had she said that?She wasn’t embarrassed about her “stuff” exactly, but she was used to people thinking it was all a little odd.And she kind of wanted to wait and be odd with Joshafterhe gave her a couple of orgasms.

“Oh, it’s not—”

“Tori.”He stopped her with that one word.“Tell me.”

Well, crap.Okay.She wasn’t going tolieto him.He’d come here tonight to help her out with a bit of an odd problem.

“I have a farm,” she started.“In addition to my vet practice.Actually, my vet practice—my clinic, anyway—is run out of a building on the farm.”

“Okay.”

“It was my mom and dad’s, it’s where I grew up, but my parents moved into town about two years ago, so it’s all mine now.”

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