Page 74 of Just One of the Groomsmen
IfI sleep with Tucker.
Desire streaked through her as she relived more of the kissing, and the way his big body had pinned her to the truck as he ground against her.
Dang, I wanna sleep with him.
She couldn’t stop thinking about it, even as she reminded herself they were going slow so they didn’t accidentally ruin everything.
Addie glanced from Lexi to the three other bridesmaids. That “One of these things is not like the other” song played through her head, but if she managed to impress Tucker, she supposed she could suck it up and focus on that.
“You know we’re not wearing ponytails to the wedding, right?” Brittany said.
Addie gave her a syrupy sweet smile. “You know what I do know? How to throw a killer right hook.”
She was aware she shouldn’t derive so much pleasure from the wide berth Brittany suddenly gave her, just like she fully realized she’d have to call in some favors if she was going to wrangle her hair into the complicated updo all the bridesmaids—and one of the groomsmen—were going to wear.
When the champagne made the rounds again, Addie filled her flute to the top.
By the time they stood for alterations, she was buzzed enough that Lexi talked her into borrowing one of her dresses and going with them to some ritzy club, as a practice-wearing-a-dress-and-heels-slash-bachelorette-party twofer kind of thing.
The rest of the evening went much like that, with her agreeing to crazy things that would normally make her run—she was as surprised as anyone when she found herself genuinely enjoying herself.
And when the bridesmaids asked if the other groomsmen were single, since apparently after flirting with Tucker through text messages, Brittany had already claimed him, Addie held it together.
By asking Lexi to take her onto the dance floor and teach her some sexy moves. If she had to compete with women like Brittany, she didn’t have time to waste on things like common sense.
As they danced, Lexi also gave her flirting tips. Despite insisting she should practice, Addie forewent trying them out on guys in the club.
For embarrassment’s sake, and out of respect for Tucker—although considering Brittany’s claims, she’d be getting confirmation that went both ways ASAP.
When she received a message from Mom, Nonna Lucia, and Lottie, about how David had been seen around town with a woman rumored to be the beautiful ex-girlfriend Addie paled in comparison to, she took it in stride.
By ordering shots.
And at the end of the night, when the taxi driver asked where to drop her tipsy ass, she decided to run with the crazy, take advantage of the fact that she still had on not only Lexi’s little black dress but also sexy purple underwear, and told him to drop her at the houseboat.
…
Banging accompanied things falling to the floor, and Tucker sat up in bed, listening for the intruder as he reached for the baseball bat he’d unearthed when he’d moved in.
It could be a critter, maybe a raccoon, but it sounded bigger than that, and he worried about Flash darting out and getting hurt.
Then a familiar strawberry scent hit him, turning his thoughts from attacking to…well, a different type of attacking.
Another bang as what he guessed was his box with boat parts clanged to the ground, and she muttered a loud “Ouch” followed by a stream of swearing.
Flash barked, and Addie’s “whisper” cut through the room. “Flash, shhh. You’re gonna get me found out, and it’s supposed to be a surprise.”
Tucker flipped on the light, grinning when she jumped. “Too late. You were found out the instant you stumbled in and your perfume hit my nose.”
She blinked at him, andholy shitwhat was she wearing? It was one of those little black dresses, tight and sequined, and her brown hair spilled around her shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed, and she had the look of a woman in need of ravishing.
Whoa, thoughts. Let’s take it down a notch.
He swallowed past a dry throat, trying to focus on something besides Addie’s never-ending legs and how much he wanted to get his hands on them. “Whatcha doin’?”
“I went to a dance club,” she slurred.
He didn’t like the thought of her in some club, men constantly approaching and buying her drinks and staring at her in that sexy dress, and the thought of them touching her sent jealousy surging up to the forefront, even as he told himself to keep it in check.
