Page 65 of Recipe For Seduction (Madewood Brothers 3)

He followed her over the edge, his climax as explosive as the first time they’d fucked. He had a feeling every time with her would be just as extraordinary.

She sprawled forward and rested her head on his chest. He brought his arms up and clasped them at the small of her back. They lay in silence for a few moments.

“We should probably get back to the festivities.” Her words tickled against his chest. “I’m sure it’s been noticed we’re missing.”

“You’re right.” He rubbed her back, fluttering his fingers against her smooth, perfect skin. “You want to go back first?”

She nodded. “Although I don’t think we’re fooling anyone.”

True. He hoped everyone was keeping their eyes firmly planted on the event at hand—the union of Jack and Sterling. “They’ll respect our privacy. For now, anyway.”

Except maybe Mark. There would be no rationalizing with him if he ever found out about their affair. And Finn knew he’d be destined—and rightly so—for a beat-down of epic proportions. He only prayed Veronica’s friend Madison had done a good job at distracting Mark while they slipped away. He didn’t like the thought of the wedding photographer using Photoshop to cover up the black eye he was destined to receive from the outraged older brother.

Finn sighed inwardly. He didn’t know how much longer this charade could continue, anyway. The games, the sex, were amazing. The best he’d ever experienced. His body had never been so sated, so blissfully connected to another person.

But he didn’t know how much longer his heart could take it. It was agony being with the woman he loved…and knowing they were destined never to be together. Not for real. Not like he wanted to be.

But each time they were together she had claimed another piece of his heart. And tonight, as he’d thrust deep inside her, she had claimed all of it. Which scared the shit out of him, because he knew he would do anything to have this perfect woman in his life, in his bed and by his side, for as long as he lived.

If only she felt the same way.

Chapter Eleven

Veronica stood at the back of Jack and Sterling’s wedding reception, keeping an eye on the festivities. The beautiful ceremony was over, and the joyous celebration had begun.

It had been six days since the rehearsal dinner. Six days since Finn had stolen Veronica’s last bit of resolve. And what transpired over the few moments they’d spent together since then only confirmed she had fallen in love with him.

Completely. Truly. All-encompassingly.

There was no way she’d have the strength to avoid him now.

She’d thought she was in love with him before they began their game of seduction. But those feelings were child’s play compared to the intense emotions now dogging her every minute of every day. She didn’t know what to do with those feelings. Hide them? Push them aside? Confront him with them? Any way she analyzed their situation, one of them was going to lose. And she had no idea where to go from here.

But right now, thankfully, she had a job to do. She desperately needed the distraction.

Twinkle lights were wrapped around the wooden beams across the barn’s ceiling. Round tables were scattered on both sides of the room with delicate chandeliers hanging above each. Bouquets of white roses served as centerpieces. Long white lines were draped over the high-top tables that served as a resting place for guests to enjoy their food and drinks. Stations were set up around the room and the catering staff served the evening’s fare. The dance floor had been placed in the middle of the expansive barn, and at the far end a trellis had been built on a raised platform, which was where Jack and Sterling had recited their vows an hour earlier in front of an intimate group of friends and family.

Veronica had given Sterling and Jack an elegant designer wedding in the most rustic of settings—the barn at the Madewood Farm, which, as project architect, Carson had gutted and remodeled for the grand opening of the complex only a few weeks ago.

The wedding ceremony had been exquisite. Sterling had cried. Cole had kept Jack calm with reassuring squeezes to his shoulder as they watched his stunning bride walk toward him in her lace gown. Penn, the maid of honor, was gorgeous in a strapless black cocktail dress, black lace over black satin. It hugged the curvy frame of her body in all the right places.

This had been one of Veronica’s best events ever. But then, perfection was easy to achieve when money was no object.

So far, Finn had spent most of his time in the kitchen, wearing her favorite bit of clothing—his white chef’s coat. She now knew just how commanding he could be in that pristine garment. Her body ached to feel him inside her again. But his distance during the wedding festivities was a blessing in disguise. She didn’t think she could maintain her cool composure and complete her task of keeping this wedding running smoothly if he were anywhere close by.

Cal suddenly appeared next to her. “Since we have two cars here, can I take yours for tonight?” He flashed her a wide grin. “You can go home with Mark.”

She hadn’t even heard the kid walk up. Obviously, she had been too lost in fantasizing about Finn.

The kid looked cute in his starched white chef’s coat and winning smile, she’d give him that. Along with points for trying.

But no. Not happening. “Sorry, bud. You’re still grounded, remember?”

“Aren’t we over that yet? The party wasn’t that big. The cops weren’t even called.”

She clamped her jaw. “The more words that come out of your mouth, the longer your sentence is going to be. So…keep it up, and you won’t be allowed to go to university even if you wanted to, because you’ll be quarantined to your room for the next ten years.”

He glared at the ground.

---