Page 76 of Made For You
Aurora let her shirt fall back into place as she sauntered up to me. She lifted onto her toes and pressed the softest of kisses to my cheek. “Thank you for listening and not letting me clam up when I was upset. I’m not used to having a significant other who actually listens.”
“You’re welcome.” I returned her kiss with one of my own, then left Aurora, my chest ready to explode at her inferring that I’m her significant other.
Draco and I made our way over to the living room, where we laid back on the couch until Aurora stepped out wearing only a towel an hour later.
“Did you enjoy it?”
She nodded. “Maybe I can repay the favor?” she purred as she let the towel fall to her feet, revealing her gorgeous, naked body. I was on my feet in a flash, following her into the bedroom.
We were almost late for the wedding.
The organizers had set up the renovated barn for the actual ceremony, and most of the chairs were occupied except for a few in the back row. Aurora and I snagged two there, in the corner. Luckily, no one caught our late arrival except her familysitting in the middle of the row in front of us, and her sisters visibly sighed with relief.
Jeremy stood at the altar, looking like the giant asshole he was. He even had the audacity to grin at Aurora when he noticed her in the crowd. The motherfucker was already on thin ice and was about to get a beat-down on his wedding day. Luckily for his sake, the wedding march began, and his bride made her way down the aisle.
Despite my hatred for Aurora’s ex, his fiancée looked beautiful, making her way toward him. She couldn’t hold a candle to my wife, of course, but no one could.
The ceremony was short, and we mingled with her family during the cocktail hour while others started searching for their tables in the reception space. The entire event venue was stunning and was far larger than it looked on the outside. I made a mental note to add the venue as an option for the lodge—a partnership for a wedding and honeymoon package. I’d have to talk to Autumn about that after the opening. If she’d even speak to me when Aurora and I parted ways. Something I’d been thinking about more and more.
Through the dinner, Marisol and Nash kept up the conversation, doing their best to make up for the fact that there was a vacant chair, left open by Andrew. When the dancing started, Eloise dragged me out onto the dance floor, while Molly did the same with her dad.
“I like your hair,” she said when I finally convinced her I wasn’t angry about what happened the night before.
“Thanks. Your aunt did a great job. If she ever stops teaching, so could probably open her own salon.”
“Oh! Do you think she’d let me and Molly help? We’re getting much better with painting nails.”
Their skills still needed work. This morning, Aurora spent more time getting the polish off my skin than my nails.The girls’ choice of purple had tinted my nails the same shade, even after soaking in acetone. Thankfully, it was only noticeable when you looked really closely.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I released one of Eloise’s hands to check it. There was a message from Olive sayingIt’s done. I assumed that meant the paperwork naming me as the CEO had been signed and finalized.
“Mind if I cut in?” a sultry voice asked from behind me, and Eloise twirled away toward her mom.
Wrapping one arm around Aurora’s waist, I held her close as our joined hands rested on my chest.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” She wore a dark yellow, almost mustard-colored dress that reminded me of leaves in the fall. It had sleeves that ended at her elbows, and the skirt stopped just above her ankles.
“Not in the last hour.”
“Well, it deserves repeating,” I added as I spun her outward, then tugged her back to me.
She adjusted her arm around my shoulder, and I brought our joined hands to my chest. Whatever I could do to keep her body pressed against mine. Together we swayed to the music, ignoring the couples surrounding us.
“Oh, it looks like they’re going to cut the cake.”
We left the floor during the cake tradition. I found it strange there were no speeches made. Even more so that Jeremy didn’t dance with his mother, nor the bride with her father. I knew Aurora and I had a contractual marriage, but this coupling felt even more so. I asked Autumn, who was seated on my other side, if they planned it that way, and she said they hadn't. And to make matters even stranger, a few minutes later, when the event planner who worked for Autumn scurried over to our table in distress, the two of them darted away.
Servers stopped by our table and divvied out pieces of the cake. Alex had done a remarkable job. The first bite of the Earl Grey cake was both sweet and savory. Mixed with the vanilla and lavender, it melted in my mouth. She beamed when I told her so.
I felt Aurora’s hand press on my thigh as she leaned in to whisper in my ear. Her fingers were dangerously close to a part of my anatomy that was begging for her to slide an inch higher.
“Want to see my favorite spot in this place?”
“Sure.” My voice croaked like a teenager’s as I agreed.
She grabbed her dessert plate with her barely touched piece of cake and stood to walk toward a hallway in the back. I glanced back to see her parents were watching us with mirth in their eyes. I tried not to think about them knowing we were sneaking off.
“Come on,” Aurora called out as she vanished into the darkened area.
