Page 42 of Bound in Lingerie (Bare Naked Designs 3)

She smiled brightly, taking one slow step at a time, her feet softly crossing the white plastic runner sprinkled with confetti. Row upon row of white folding chairs sat on either side of her filled with friends and loved ones. All here to see Martina and Rob exchange vows.

The sun shined brightly in the August sky, the perfect day for a wedding. The perfect day for two people to say I do. Ahead of her Rob stood, looking nervous. On his left, Aleks stood holding his speech cards that shook in his terrified hands. On his right Billy Bob stood proudly in his tuxedo and further still, her partner Milton, looking handsome, sexy and infuriating as ever.

She didn’t find out until after he left for Vancouver that Milton would be returning for the wedding. She was even more surprised when she found out Milton would be in the wedding party.

Amie took her place at the altar and watched Carrie saunter down the aisle in her black cocktail length dress. The sweetheart neckline was the perfect compliment to her flawless facial structure. When Car

rie settled in her spot the music died and the guests rose to their feet.

Canon in D sang out into the summer air as Martina walked down the aisle with Marc on her arm. Amie had seen the dress not two minutes before but it looked different now as she walked toward her. Martina’s face glowed with delight, and not from her pregnant belly. The baby doll cut made room for her expanding stomach, the hem resting above her knees. The dress was white, despite the circumstances, because no matter the circumstances, Martina was pure in every sense of the word.

Amie glanced at Rob who stared ahead in awe. His eyes were red around the edges. She knew he was fighting back tears. Billy Bob was ecstatic to be standing at the altar and Aleks… Aleks looked like he wanted to throw up. But the closer Martina got, the more he relaxed. She usually had that effect on people.

Milton had been watching Martina walk down the aisle but no doubt he felt Amie’s stare. He glanced over and they eyed each other. One second after another, then another. Their eye contact, too intense for strangers but also too intense for two people who had ended things so badly.

When Martina finally reached the altar, she took Rob’s hand and began their journey.

“Welcome, friends and family. You are here today to witness and celebrate the love between Martina and Robert.”

Aleks winked at Rob. The only person who called him Robert was his mother. And he hated it.

“I’ve known Rob almost my entire life,” Aleks continued. “I had the pleasure of following him on his journey to find true love–a long, picky journey might I add–and I knew within seconds the moment he fell in love with Martina. Rob is a smart man. He knew without a doubt, without a second thought, that she was the only one for him. I’ve never been that smart.” Aleks wiggled his eyebrow and glanced over at Carrie. Those of them at the altar knew exactly what he was talking about and laughed quietly to themselves. “Nothing makes me happier than to be here today to unite two people who I know will last forever.”

Amie exchanged looks with Milton back and forth throughout the ceremony. He kept smiling at her. She was sure he didn’t mean for it to be sexy, but it didn’t matter. Any look on his face was sexy.

Aleks held his hand out, and Billy Bob placed the rings in his cupped palm.

Rob and Martina exchanged rings, spouting words of love and honesty. Aleks took the long black and pink ribbons, thick and edged in lace. Martina and Rob held hands, joining their right hands together, then their left. Aleks wrapped the ribbon around their hands, once then twice, then tied a knot.

“As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.”

Amie’s eyes shot directly at Milton, remembering their fake ceremony in her apartment. How much she liked it too. But she had screwed it up. Amie had driven him away, knowing that he would only cause her heartache. Why prolong the inevitable?

Martina and Rob headed over to the small table where the registrar waited to validate their marriage license.

Amie was going to have to keep her distance this evening. Only make contact for the obligatory walk down the aisle, the pictures and sitting beside each other at dinner. Oh, and they probably had to dance together. Damn! This was going to be a nightmare.

Carrie nudged her arm. “Milton can’t stop looking at you.”

“Oh, really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Oh no? Because I don’t think you’ve heard one word of this ceremony. The two of you are too busy talking with your eyes.”

“Shut it, Care.”

Amie was not talking with her eyes. They weren’t talking, they were throwing daggers. That’s what he deserved. After she had accepted him, flaws and all, acknowledging his charitable work and that he in fact wasn’t the big bad wolf, what did he do? He threw her own issues in her face.

An eruption of applause and yells began and Martina and Rob kissed, solidifying their new life together.

The bride and groom headed up the aisle, following behind them was Carrie, flanked on either side by Aleks and Billy Bob. Amie stepped forward and slid her arm through Milton’s when he offered. They had barely taken two steps before he said, “We need to talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about,” she whispered.

“On the contrary.” He turned to face her, his eyes burning a hole through her lips. “We have lots to talk about.”

* * * *

Milton’s feet did the best they could on the dance floor. At least he wasn’t stepping on her toes. But maybe he should. Get her angry. Get her to show some kind of emotion rather than the blank stare she was giving him. Martina and Rob danced in the middle of the dance floor, the bridal party joining afterward, and now the rest of the guests had followed suit.

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