Page 79 of Loving You

Compelled by the overwhelming force of my love and enjoyment of her, I cupped her face and pulled her in for a rough, hot kiss. Her lashes fluttered when I released her, and she shook her head as if to clear it.

“Okay, may I proceed?” she asked.

I nodded, pressing my lips together to show I’d behave.

“I’ve realized that a lot of the things about you that I criticized in the past were things I didn’t understand. I’d never seen a man be so devoted to his family. I’d honestly never seen a man work so relentlessly to support them without gaining something for himself—ah!You said it was my turn.”

I scowled at her, swallowing my words of protest, and nodded for her to continue.

Her arms looped around my neck and our eyes locked. “You are the best man I know, Eric. I’m honored that you’ve chosen to love me, and I will never take that for granted. I love you with every piece of my heart, and I am so—” She cleared her throat, emotion causing a small wobble, before she continued. “I’m so happy with you. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for us.”

She kissed me this time, and I sank into the heat of her mouth, sliding my tongue between her lips to meet hers. Her soft moan sent heat straight to my cock, and the desire I always felt for her ratcheted up a thousand percent.

She arched into me, pressing her lush breasts against my chest, and for a moment, I thought about slipping inside and finding an empty room.

Or a coat closet.

Or hell, that table in the groom’s suite.

But she pulled back, saving me from my baser instincts until I registered the mischief in her eye and how it did nothing to calm the hard-on she’d caused.

She bit her lip and raised her brows. “Seems like you have something you want to give me, Mr. Walker.”

I groaned but it turned into a growl because I could not dry hump this woman on the dance floor at my brother’s wedding, and I was on the edge of doing just that.

I dipped my head and spoke softly into her ear while my fingers traced a winding pattern over the bare skin of her shoulder. “I love you, April. And later, I’m going to show you just how much. But for now, we’ve got to change the subject or I’m going to end up hauling you out of here and bending you over a table.”

She made a soft, sensual sound and bucked her hips against me, creating a delicious, dangerous friction. “Is that supposed to deter me?”

Summoning all the willpower I had, I pulled away just a bit and surreptitiously adjusted myself. “If your magazine woman wasn’t still here shooting photos, maybe I would. But for now, we’ll look forward to that as one of many things in our future.”

She grinned. “Oh. Yeah. Good call.”

We laughed together before I palmed her cheek and said, “Thank you for telling me how you feel. This is a great day, but being here with you, knowing how you feel, makes it thebestday ever.”

We smiled at each other like lovesick fools, and really, I supposed we were. But after a few minutes, she noticed the journalist on the edge of the dance floor and perked up again. “Did I tell you Amanda’s super happy with everything, and is confident it’ll be a fabulous cover story?”

“That’s great. I’m so proud of you. You worked your perfect ass off to get her here, and you’ve been an amazing host in the midst of being a bridesmaid. I have no doubt it’s going to mean big things for Granite Springs Bed-and-Breakfast.”

Her face practically glowed. “Thank you. And hey, potentially big things for Walker’s Brewery, too, since you guys are responsible for part of this.”

We danced a while longer, and I basked in the wonder of knowing we were in love, our friends and family were happy, and even our little business project that’d started our interactions well over a year ago had panned out beautifully.

Call me sentimental, but in some small way it felt like that was a nod to Walker’s—and therefore, to my dad. When he passed, I’d been determined to honor his memory and keep the family afloat. Every move I’d made since had been with those things in mind, to include expanding and offering exclusive distribution at the B&B, as well as other things April and I had up our sleeves.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Candace Carrigan smile at my mom as she whirled around the floor with someone from the chamber of commerce. Even that old wound had been patched up, or was healing, at least.

There were days that stood out because they were full. Sometimes it was grief, like the day we lost my dad. Or when Will left. But then there were these moments, these landmark events that we’d always cherish.

And today was one. Because April loved me, and this was only our beginning.

25

APRIL

“You two look like peas in averywell-dressed pod, I gotta say.” I wagged my brows as I approached the table where my mom and Eric’s mom sat, then I dropped into the seat next to Jenna.

I wasn’t sure I had a reason for sitting next to her and not my mom. Maybe because it was evening now, and I’d rather be near Jenna’s warmth than Mom’s ice?

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