Page 248 of The Re-Proposal

“That dress is not going to last the night.”

Heat sweeps through me as I imagine all the ways he’s going to ravish me. Cody’s right. If we keep flirting, we’re not going to make it to his—I meanour,according to the deed—private island in Belize.

The music starts and our bridal party dances down the aisle.

Joel blows me a kiss before he takes off too.

Cody gives him a hard stare, but his lips curl up. The two of them were meant for each other. It’s uncanny how similar they are.

The reception starts.

I change dresses because both Mimi and Cody are extravagant overspenders and they ganged up on me.

The party starts in earnest. My husband has me sweating on the dance floor.

I’m having fun with all our friends when I see Sazuki motion to Dejonae and whisper in her ear. Dejonae shoots to her feet and rushes out of the room.

Cody sees where my eyes are going and he pulls me closer. “What’s wrong, princess?”

“Dejonae looked worried just now.”

“Sazuki’s with her,” Cody says, trying to calm me. “You know how he is. The guy only smiles when she’s in the room. He won’t let anything happen to her.”

“What if it’s not her who’s in trouble?” I whisper.

Cody takes one look at my face and chuckles. “You can’t help it, can you?”

“Help what?”

“Loving people.”

I smile. “I love you the most.”

“You better.” He kisses my lips and then leads me from the dance floor. “Come on.”

We sneak through the exits.

“You know,” Cody whispers, “when I pictured us sneaking out of our reception, it wasn’t to spy on our friends.”

“Sh. They’ll hear us,” I murmur.

We peer into the parking lot where Sazuki, Dejonae, Yaya and another man are standing together.

Glass is everywhere on the ground.

Yaya looks sheepish.

“Dare?” Cody arches a brow.

“Dare?”

“My golfing buddy. We met at a marketing conference and hit it off. He’s not from here though, so we only play a few rounds when he’s in town. He said he wouldn’t make it, but I guess he got here in time for the reception.”

Yaya signs something to Dare.

He looks amused.

“What do you think is going on?”

---