Page 64 of Mr. Scandalous

When Jill appeared looking like the cover ofBridemagazine, Eden almost burst into tears.

Jayne squeezed Eden’s hand and leaned over to whisper, “One day soon, it’ll be your turn.”

Eden smiled and a deep sadness tugged her heart. What a mess! The only person she could imagine marrying was the man who could never settle down. The same man who’d given her the courage to fully explore her sexuality. The man she would never have as her own.

Fumbling in the pocket of the blue silk dress she’d purchased for the occasion, Eden fingered the smooth, soothing surface of the worry stone and instantly felt herself grow calmer.

Everything was going to be all right, no matter what happened between her and Alec. She was tough. She was strong. She could survive any worst-case scenario her mind dreamed up.

She realized then exactly how much she’d changed over the past month. Thanks to Alec. While she would never be completely spontaneous and lighthearted, a bit of his devil-may-care attitude had rubbed off on her. She was a better person for having known him and she would be forever grateful.

Swallowing her tears, she tried to pay attention to the ceremony, but found her gaze fixed on the back of Alec’s neck.

He’d gotten a haircut, she noticed, and she missed the curl of dark hair at his collar.

His broad shoulders were accentuated by the excellent fit of his tuxedo, and a swoony tightness filled her lungs.

When Randy turned to greet his bride, Alec turned, too. He looked out into the crowd and caught Eden’s eyes. A slight smile tipped his lips and set her heart into a headlong, whimpering rhythm.

Unnerved by the restless sensations roaming her body, Eden dropped her gaze. By the time she looked up again, the wedding party was facing the minister.

She forced herself to focus on Randy and Jill. They looked so happy. Eden was glad she’d been able to help Jill overcome her feelings of inadequacy. The door of communication had been thrown wide open and she knew in her heart those two would make it.

Just as she knew she and Alec could never be more than two ships passing in the night. It was enough for her. Alec had made sure she knew from the very beginning that he was the kind of guy who kept his options open. Marriage never figured into the equation for him. Which was just fine with her.

She wasn’t looking to get married. All she’d wanted was to regain her creativity and explore her sexuality and vanquish her fears about her scars. She’d done the first two and, after tonight, she would have accomplished everything she’d set out to accomplish. She would make full use of her newfound sense of adventure. She was going to party, have fun and forget all about the future. Nothing mattered but the moment. As Alec had taught her, nothing mattered except enjoying yourself.

She refused to have any regrets.

* * *

Alec stoodbeside Randy, surprised to discover he could not concentrate on the ceremony. He thought, when this moment came, he would be filled with sadness over losing his buddy and business partner to marriage. Instead, he couldn’t seem to keep his mind off Eden.

One glance over his shoulder and he’d spotted her immediately. When their eyes met he felt a strange sort of stabbing sensation deep within him. It was because of that silky blue dress she had on, he assured himself. It was impossible not to stare and wonder if she wore any lingerie beneath the thin, shimmery material.

The dress molded to her form, fit tightly across her bust line, nipped in at her slender waist and flared out over those dynamite hips.

Hold on, Ramsey. You’ll be undressing her soon enough.He forced himself to rip his stare away from her and return his attention to the minister.

Jill was gazing at Randy as if he’d painted the stars in the sky just for her. As for Randy, his buddy was floating on cloud nine. Watching Randy and his new bride together, Alec couldn’t help thinking that maybe the path Randy had chosen wasn’t so bad after all.

Damn! What had him thinking this way? His hot, fun, mischievous affair with Eden was supposed to have cured the wistfulness he’d felt over Randy’s marriage. Instead, his once vague sense of dissatisfaction mushroomed.

Being here with Eden among his family and friends stirred up feelings he never knew he possessed. She had him thinking that maybe it was possible to settle down and still have fun. That surrendering his freedom for a lifetime of love wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to a guy. No other woman had ever caused Alec to take stock of his life like this. No other woman had ever gotten under his skin and made him itch to be with her. No other woman had tied him so completely in knots.

Bringing Eden to New Haven had been a horrible mistake.

Helplessly he cast another quick glance over his shoulder as the minister told Randy he could kiss his bride.

He caught Eden studying him. Her face hushed and a sense of dread spread through him like a stone dropped into a pool. She was ensnared by their chemical attraction just as surely as he.

His mouth automatically filled with moisture. He was like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Stimulus and response. Looking at her made him yearn for something he could not express. Something that scared the living hell out of him.

Eden winked and gave him a wicked little smile that promised hours and hours of sexual delight just as soon as she got him back to the B and B.

Run! Flee! Take off!His old avoidance patterns kicked him hard in the gut.

Uh-oh. He was in serious trouble here. Alec felt as if he had dived headfirst from an airplane at six thousand feet without a parachute. He was going to hit the ground.

---