Page 22 of Poppy Kisses
None of those times had I ever admired the dark flecks in his eyes. Or really studied the spot of hyperpigmentation at the edge of the iris. The mark nearly blended into his blue eyes, but this close, I could map it out.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he said only loud enough for me to hear, and my breath caught. “They’re all talking, and it’ll look like I’m sneaking it in. You good with that?”
I was a mess inside. I nodded.
He touched his lips to mine, a soft press that lingered for one second. Two. Just as I was about to sway into him, striving to get closer when I was already plastered to his side, he pulled away. His gaze met mine, searching.
A small puff of air escaped me. A simple, chaste kiss, yet my lips tingled. My whole body did, all the way down to my toes.
“Jensen,” Dad broke in. “You know my sister, Linda, and her husband, Darren?”
Jensen narrowed his eyes like he was making sure I was okay, then casually looked away. “Yes, I’ve seen you both around.”
He pulled away from me, briefly pressing his hand to the small of my back. I needed the steadying. My heart rate sped up until I got lightheaded.
I should’ve panicked more telling Mom and Dad I was getting married to a guy they hadn’t known I was dating. But at this point, after Lily, Violet, and Alder, they probably took it in stride. Besides, they loved love. They’d been married for almost four decades, and they wanted everyone as happy as them. Then there were my happily wed siblings. Why wouldn’t Mom and Dad think that Jensen and I would be living the dream?
Linda was harder to read. Darren as well. There were no emotions worn on their sleeves. No warm and fuzzy. Just distance and silent appraisal.
“Hey, guys,” I said after Jensen was done shaking their hands. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Linda folded her hands in front of her. “Short-notice weddings seem to be par for the course.”
Tension rode down my body. Jensen slid an arm around me again. This time, I leaned into him. My warm compress for the stiffness.
“I told him we had some time yet,” I said, holding back my wince at the way my voice pitched up. “But he said why delay what was meant to be?”
A snort came from Lily. Everyone turned toward her, but Eliot had already blocked her. Violet shot me a knowing look.
“Doing okay, Lily pad?” Eliot gently patted her back. “Swallow a bug?”
There were no bugs out yet, the nights got too cold, but I appreciated Eliot’s efforts to hide his wife’s laughter.
“That’s sweet.” Linda’s expression was unreadable. “And when is the wedding?”
“Oh, yes.” Mom clapped her hands together. “We were just asking that when you arrived.”
Darren folded his arms across his barrel chest. “I was telling Linda that it’s probably another drive-through wedding.”
She chuffed. “I was beginning to think that you’ve all snatched people off the street to meet the demands of the trust.”
A squeak left me. Just my luck. I’d be the one busted after my other siblings got away with it.
Lily’s cough rang out, but it sounded suspiciously like a laugh. She buried her head in Eliot’s chest. He kept his back to us, but his shoulders were shaking as Lily “coughed.”
“I’ll get you some water,” Alder said. The responsible oldest brother. But when he turned toward me, mischief danced in his eyes. “Does your random man want a drink too?”
I glared at him. What an obnoxious prick. But he schooled his features like the frustrating older brother he was.
Another snort sounded, but Violet covered her mouth. “Oh my goodness,” she said, muffled. “It’s like the cotton’s already been released.”
Jensen had all of two cottonwood trees on his property and they were across the drive and behind the house.
“No, it won’t be a quickie wedding,” I blurted out. Jensen whipped his head toward me. “Not that quick,” I finished weakly.
He stared at me for a moment while everyone’s eyes were on us. Laughter from the kids rose around us. Was he letting me take the lead? I didn’t know where to go with it!
“It’s whatever she wants,” he said carefully. “Naturally, I’d like to get started on the house to get her office up and running, but if we’ve gotta wait, it’s no big deal.”
