Page 92 of The Love Wager

She regretted opening her big, fat mouth, because she had a feeling he was freaking out. Still, she said, “It’s not a big thing. I just think I might have some feelings for you that I can easily forget tomor—”

He kissed her.

Right there on the dance floor, as the wedding party moved to a sweet song about forever, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the hell out of her. Her arms slid around his neck and she angled her head just a little, absolutely fine with letting him devour her mouth in the middle of her sister’s wedding reception.

She didn’t want him to ever stop.

“Hal,” he said against her lips, not even attempting to stop kissing her to speak.

“Hmmmm,” she sighed.

“You aresogetting railed tonight,” he growled.

That made her start laughing, and when she opened her eyes, he was squinting down at her in that way she adored.

The rest of the reception went by in a blur because she couldn’t focus on anything but Jack. She suddenly had this greater awareness of him, this buzzing electrical connection, and she had no interest in anything but him.

Cake cutting, “Electric Slide,” chocolate fountain—they were all just white noise in the background as Jack grinned at her in a way she felt down to her toes.

Jack

“Hey, Jack, can you do me a favor?”

Jack, who’d been standing next to the bar, watching Hallie do a stupid line dance with Chuck and her sister, looked at Hallie’s mom and said, “Of course.”

“Since food service is done, the caterers left, but I want to make sure this cake topper gets put in the freezer so Rileyand Lillie can have it for their anniversary. Here’s the kitchen key—can you put it in the freezer for me?”

“No problem.” Jack set down his glass, took the key, grabbed the section of the cake she wanted to save, and took it into the kitchen. He found a shelf for it in the back of the freezer and was closing the cooler door behind him when Hal walked in.

“Hey.” She grinned at him like he was exactly what she’d been looking for. “You.”

She pushed his chest, giving him a little shove so his back was pressed against the freezer door.

Goddamn. He liked her so much it was stupid.

“There’s a lot of booze in that smile,” he said, looking down at her hand. The sight of her short red fingernails on his chest did something to him. Ever since she’d said she had feelings for him, he felt like a wild animal on a leash, straining to get at her.

“It’s only ten percent wine,” she corrected in that breathy voice he’d only ever heard when he was kissing her. “Ninety percent happiness.”

And then, because of her high heels, she easily reached up and pressed her lips to his. He instantly fell into her, tangling his fingers in her hair and losing his damn mind. Her mouth was soft and tasted sweet, like champagne, and he wanted to sip at it until he fucking drowned.

God help him.

Her hands flexed on his chest, grasping, and it was like an electric shock that he felt everywhere. He trailed his mouth down to her throat, where her skin smelled like the Chanel No. 5 she’d left on the vanity in their room, and he wanted to consume her.

The skin on her throat, just under her ear, underneath the curtain of hair on the back of her neck—he wanted to taste every inch of it. She made a noise in the back of her throat, a demand, and he moved behind her, lifting her hair in his fist so he could drag his teeth over her nape.

“Jack,” she said around a sigh, slapping her palms against the freezer door, “that is...”

She trailed off, and he said against her skin, “Hot?”

“Mmmm,” she breathed, pressing her backside against his front. “I was going to say ‘wicked.’ ”

He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her back, closer, so she was flush against his body. “You make me that way.”

“What time is it?” she asked, making a little noise as he nibbled at the skin between her shoulder blades. The red bridesmaid dress exposed half of her back, and he would be eternally grateful to Lillie for selecting the style.

“Almost ten,” he said, unwilling to leave her body to verify.

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