Page 31 of All Dressed Up

He felt her hand slide into his.

A warm electrical bolt shot through his fingers and up his arm. Instinctively, he folded his hand over hers, enjoying the sensation of touching her soft skin after all these months.

He kept his eyelids shut. Maybe this was a dream. If it was, he could hit pause on this moment.

“Imagine a bride coming up to try on her perfect wedding dress.” The sound of Rachel’s sweet voice filled the air. “Are you imagining her?”

He smiled. “One bride. Got it.” He didn’t need to reveal that he was picturing her in a sleek wedding dress. No frills or bows. Just soft ivory satin, accentuating her curves. His smile got a little wider. “I’ve got my picture.”

“Good. I’ll greet her below with sample flowers for her bridal bouquet and a glass of wine from one of the local wineries. Then I’ll send her up here to meet you.”

“Here?”

“Here,” she repeated.

“Can I see what’s up here?” he asked, eyes still closed.

Her fingers slid out of his, and he felt both of her hands now on his hips, guiding him forward.

If she didn’t stop touching him, he wasn’t sure he’d not risk a face slap and make a move.

“Okay, you can open them.”

He did just that, his eyes going wide. In front of him, all of the dresses he’d managed to save were hung up on two racks. A pink suede sofa and matching chairs were placed off to the left, along with a full-length mirror on wheels.

A glass table against the wall was set up with wine, wine glasses, and a cookie display.

“What is all this?” he asked, stepping across the wooden floor and grabbing a chocolate chip cookie. “Did you make these last night?” he asked in between bites.

“Bethany and I stopped over at the Sugar Spoon while the guys were at the inn. Do you like your new space?”

Did he like it? It was perfect. He maneuvered across the room to the window, the natural bright sunlight beaming in.

“I’ve been rearranging the furniture all morning. I’m going to bring up some fresh-cut flowers to place around the room. That’s what I was working on downstairs.” She paused. “And don’t worry about the old stairs. Adam’s going to do some patch-ups here and there so no one breaks an ankle climbing up or down them.”

Will couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing. “You did all this for me?” he asked, completely floored by what his friends had accomplished in such little time, and that Rachel—the woman who proclaimed only a few months ago that she wanted nothing to do with him—seemed to have led the charge.

“With help.” She came up beside him. “We were busy beavers for sure. The furniture’s from Brandon. He’d had it in storage at the inn, and the mirror and portable racks are courtesy of Cheryl Collins down the street.”

“That’s so nice of them.” He walked over and took a seat on the sofa, leaning back. “My brides would love this. It’s got a cozy chick’s closet vibe going on.”

“Right? It’s like a big dress-up room.” She stood in front of the mirror on her tiptoes, doing a pirouette. At least, that’s what he thought she was doing. Like flowers, ballet was unfamiliar territory, too.

Unfamiliar or not, he grinned at the sight in front of him, Rachel spinning around and around. His chest hitched. He could watch her for hours. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

She stopped twirling, rocking on her heels. “You needed a temporary space, and I had one.”

He got up from the sofa, taking a few steps toward her. “I don’t know what to say.”

Before he could say anything, she grabbed his hands. “Wait! There’s more. I’ve saved the best for last.”

She led him toward a doorway that connected the room to another room, his thoughts racing. Working up here would mean he would see Rachel every single workday. No more chasing cheese puffs with Champagne from across the street, hoping to steal a glance at her.

“What do you think?” she asked.

He bit down on his lower lip as he gazed around, not quite sure what the answer was to that question. The much smaller room was packed with tables filled with strappy heels, sparkly tiaras, and colorful garter belts. It really was a woman’s closet.

He walked over and picked up one of the silky black garments, opening it up to reveal a sexy nightie. “Damn.” He let out a slow whistle. “Who’s this for?”

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