Page 63 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

Whatthiswas exactly, Josh wasn’t certain.But yeah, okay, he’d do what he could.He opened his mouth to tell Andrew that he was heading upstairs right now and he could just talk to Tori tomorrow, but Tori spoke first.

“Yeah, okay.”Tori wiggled.“We can talk for a minute.”

Well, dammit.

Josh realized his desire to make a scene had been a miscalculation.If he’d just taken Tori’s hand and headed upstairs…or if he’d let her tug him through the side door…they could be naked right now and she’d be saying his name with that breathless moan that made him ache.But he’d really wanted to make a production of this.He figured she would understand the gesture.She’d collected flies and bugs in order to defend frogs, for God’s sake.She’d punched two guys for even talking about dumping kittens.She’d covered a girl’s prom dress in cow shit.She knew that when you felt strongly about something, you were willing to get a little extreme.Tori deserved to have someone making a scene over her.

Reluctantly, Josh set her back on her feet and held onto her while she got her bearings.Then he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and gave her a smile.“One minute,” he told her huskily.

He knew he was doing a hell of a job acting like a guy who was crazy about her.It scared him how easy it was.And how none of it felt like an act.At all.

Andrew was still scowling when Tori turned to face him.

“What’s up?”she asked.

“Just making sure this isn’t…Valentine’s Day 2006,” Andrew said.

Josh glanced at Tori and saw her wince.“Wha—” he started.

“No.It’s not that.”Tori looked up at Josh.“At least, not really.”

“It’s got some similarities,” Andrew said.

It was clear that he and Tori were talking about a shared memory and that Andrew was making a point that was supposed to be just between them.

Josh didn’t like that.

“Everything is fine,” Josh told Andrew.Firmly.

“It’s part of my job to check up on her,” Andrew told him, clearly unaffected by Josh’s tone.“Tori’s not really the red dress and champagne kind of girl.”

Josh scowled at him and then glanced at Tori again.She was chewing on her bottom lip.

“She looks fucking amazing in red and champagne tastes great on her,” Josh told Andrew.He met the other man’s eyes directly.Yeah, I tasted the champagne when I was tongue-fucking her mouth.Deal with it.“Everything is fine,” he repeated.

“Like I said, I just have to check,” Andrew told him.

“I’m okay, Andrew,” Tori told him, her voice softer.“But thank you.”

Thank you?For interrupting Josh carrying her up to bed?That was not a “thank you” situation.

“I—” Josh started.

“What’s going on tomorrow?”Tori asked.

“The tour got cancelled,” Andrew said.“Something wrong with one of their buses, I guess.Anyway, the plan has changed.We’re going golfing.Do you want to come along?”

Josh almost laughed at the obvious grimace that crossed Tori’s face before she covered it.“Um…sure.”

She clearly didn’t like golf.By the way, shouldn’t Andrew know that?But why wasn’t she just saying no?

“No, no.I told you she should come to the bridesmaids’ brunch,” Paisley inserted.“We’re meeting with the makeup artist afterward.”

“The makeup artist?”Tori asked.

“The woman who will be doing everyone’s makeup for the wedding,” Paisley said.“She wants to meet everyone to get an idea of coloring and what she’ll be doing on Saturday.”

“Oh.”

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