Page 101 of Full Mountie

“I live in Ottawa,” I explain. “But I love that song your partner is playing.”

“That’s Beethoven’sPathetique, the second movement.”

I nod my thanks and make a mental note.

Then I take a spin past the wedding cake, because I swear there is nothing in this world that smells better than ten pounds of buttercream icing spread out over three layers of sponge cake.

It’s like breathing in sugar-laced air.

“Enjoying yourself?” Hugh asks in my ear, and the sound of his low, rich voice takes the moment from sinfully enjoyable to delectable foreplay.

“Doesn’t that icing smell amazing?” I ask quietly, keeping my gaze on the cake.

“It does. We’ll have to smuggle a piece to the cabin tonight. Eat it off your body.”

“You’d take turns?”

“Hell no, we’ll lick it up at the same time, jockeying for position.” He moves around me, his arm brushing mine in a completely innocent way.

The casual brush of his suit jacket against my bare arm makes me burn from the inside out.

“Dancing will start soon,” I murmur.

“It’s been on my mind since you twirled away from me this morning.”

His radio crackles then, and he moves away with a regretful smile. Soon, though. Soon we’ll dance, and later we’ll claim each other again at a cabin in the woods.

Gavin catches my eye as I head back to my table, and swing past where he’s standing to give him a hug.

“Congratulations,” I say, meaning it so hard. He looks more youthful today than he has in the last three years that I’ve worked for him. For all the distractions and problems that wedding planning caused, I’m reminded that this day, marrying Ellie, is incredibly important to him, and I’m so glad to have been a part of making it happen just the way he wanted it.

I’d never have thought Gavin as needing this public spectacle—and it’s notpublic, because he and Ellie have gone out of their way to ensure there’s no unauthorized media coverage.

But it’s a statement in front of the people who matter.

He needed to do this in front of her parents, with all their traditional concerns. In front of his parents, more urbane, of course, but still worried about how their son wound up shacking up with an intern. To declare before all that Ellie was his other half, his love.

As someone else comes up to speak with him, I turn back to look at Hugh, and see Lachlan just behind him.

My heart catches at the raw expression on his face.

Gah. Weddings are supposed to be happy occasions, but I get that for them, this might be weirdly bittersweet. And they need to stay locked down, too, because they’re working.

When Lachlan notices me, he smiles, his gaze warming immediately. I return his smile, and he heads toward me, clapping Hugh on the shoulder as he passes.

He reaches my side as Max taps a spoon against the side of his champagne flute to get everyone’s attention, so we stand next to each other as the best man gives his speech.

Sasha’s next, with a brief maid of honour toast, and a totally heartfelt thank you for everyone that made the wedding special—Violet and myself for our help with the bridal shower, Ellie’s and Gavin’s parents for being lovely hosts the night before at the rehearsal dinner, and Tate for surprising the bride et al with breakfast this morning.

“She makes that sound so sincere,” Lachlan says under his breath.

“Right?” I glance sideways at him. “What do you think is going on there?”

He snorts. “She’s not interested in him at all.”

“But he is?”

“Maybe.” We both look at the brawny hockey player at the same time. He’s leaning against the wall, his tie tugged loose, and he’s staring at Sasha. Lachlan grins. “More than maybe.”

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