Page 132 of Just One of the Groomsmen
“Can you lift up the mic?” a voice called out. “We can’t hear you anymore.”
Addie grabbed the microphone, put it right next to her lips, and looked her best friend in the eye. “I declare Tucker Crawford guilty of everything he said, and there’s a whole lot more I could add. But right now, y’all might want to avert your eyes because I’m about to do somethin’ terribly unladylike.”
She handed the microphone to Lexi, gripped Tucker’s tie, and yanked his lips down to hers.
Then she looped her other arm around his neck and kissed him for all she was worth.
And when he lowered his hands to her butt, she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.
Hooting and hollering carried across the square. While her group of friends were the loudest by far, most of the town was cheering for them, reminding her of why deep down, this was her home and always would be.
Later there’d be stories about how people had to cover their children’s eyes, and her mom and Lottie—and probably a whole mess of other women in town—would congratulate her in one breath and then, in the next, give her a lecture she’d heard every variation of before, but she didn’t care.
She cared even less when Tucker’s tongue grazed hers. “I’m sorry I was so stupid,” he said. “If you give me the chance, I promise I’ll spend the rest of our lives making it up to you.”
“The rest of our lives, even?”
“You think I’m ever letting you get away again? But if you need to take it slow, I—”
She cut off his words with another kiss. “No more going slow. Because I’m in love with you, too. I’m all in.”
Relief flooded his features. Then he glanced around. Lexi was thanking everyone and instructing them when and where to be tomorrow, but they were still getting a mix of scandalized and hungry-for-more looks.
“I think I’d better take you home so we can talk more about this love thing.”
“Oh, no. I know how this ends. You get a crazy idea that you then talk me into, and we both land in a heap of trouble.”
“There’s no one else I’d rather be in trouble with.” Tucker slowly lowered her to the ground, and she tugged her skirt back into the respectable range.
Then he took her hand, and after a quick wave at their friends, they rushed off to get started on seeing just how much trouble they could get into.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Pinch me,” Tucker said to Addie, who took all of two seconds to slip her hand inside his suit coat and pinch his side.
“Did it hurt?”
“I’ve had worse.”
She pinched him again, harder this time.
“Uncle, uncle.” He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her to him to prevent further injury. And because he loved being able to hold her and kiss her and they should’ve gone public weeks ago.
Maybe he could’ve saved himself that crazy trial, although he’d never felt like he’d so thoroughly won a case before.
He ran his hands down to the curve of her butt, and he copped a generous feel as he swept his tongue inside for another taste. The red dress was sexy as hell, as was the fact that she’d been wearing only his T-shirt around her house this morning as they’d rushed to get ready.
“Seriously, guys?” Shep asked, and Tucker wasn’t going to take his eyes, hands, or lips off Addie to see, but he was probably still working on getting his bow tie right. “Get a room already.”
“Had one last night, thanks,” Tucker said.
“Nice!” Easton held up his hand, and Tucker smacked it.
Addie raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Don’t get all huffy. I’m getting to you, too.” Easton extended his open palm to her, and she smacked it.
“Does anyone know how to tie a damn bow tie?” Shep asked.
