Page 59 of Best Man
Think clean thoughts!he told himself.
“How’d your day go?” he asked.
“My day went well.” Her smile faded to a frown. “Although I forgot to finish writing my speech last night.”
Niko gnashed his teeth. “Shit. Sorry.”
“It’s okay …” she said, though her disappointment showed. “I know what I want to say. I just don’t know how tobeginthe speech.”
“Don’t worry about getting it perfect—just start talking. It will all come out.” He grinned at her. “That’s my plan, anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll try,” she said uncertainly.
“Paulina,” he began gently, “is it my fault you didn’t finish your speech?”
She emphatically shook her head. “No. It’s all on me. I should’ve gotten it done earlier.”
Relieved, he nodded. “Trust me, you’ll do fine. And if you want me to choke, my offer still stands.”
She leaned closer and whispered, “I’d rather have you chokemeagain.”
“GoodGod,” he murmured beneath his breath, and his cock began to pump and tent the crotch of his trousers. “Please don’t make me hard before we walk in front of everybody.”
She leaned closer and sultrily whispered into his ear, “Dirty diapers.”
“What?! What did you just say?” Niko whispered back, sure he’d misheard her.
“Dirty diapers!” she insisted. “That’s what one of my teachers in high school used to say when she overheard us teens talking about sex. It was supposed to discourage us by making us think about babies instead of sex, but it only made us laugh and think she was weird instead.”
Niko made a disgusted face, but he glanced down at his crotch, and sure enough, the problem was gone. “Look at that! It really works! Thanks for the great tip, I guess.”
She giggled. “Don’t thank me. Thank Mrs. Walton.”
With everyone seated, the string quartet began to play a familiar classical piece—Niko couldn’t name it, but he’d heard it a million times, and he was sure Katerina would know what it was called—which signaled it was time to begin.
The first of the groomsmen led his bridesmaid down the aisle. Niko felt somethingelseinside him begin to stir.
“Whew,” he panted.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I, uh—” He cleared his throat. “I think I’m feeling a little emotional.”
She looked up at him and giggled. “Aw. It’s okay ifyoucry, Sasha.”
“Hell, I might.” He grinned. “You won’t think less of me, will you?”
She shook her head. “I’d never.”
19
Paulina
Paulina was already getting misty-eyed just listening to the string quartet—Pachelbel’s Canon in D Majoralwayshit her square in the feels. And Canon played at awedding? On a gorgeous day, where everyone looks so good and there’s this serene and profound sense of reverence in the air?
Forget about it.
They were the last couple to walk the aisle, and she clung tightly to Sasha’s arm. She knew something magical was taking place, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what, exactly, it was. Yes, they were at a wedding—duh—but it wasn’t that. It was something closer to home.
