Page 13 of Curvy Love

Her mouth opens into a “O,” then she smiles. “We can leave whenever you’re ready,” Laurel says.

“What do you want to do? They’re about to cut the cake.”

She tilts her head. “I like cake.”

“I like you.”

Her smile widens. “I like you, too.”

I lean forward and kiss her briefly. Everything about her feels right and I can’t wait to get her home and in my bed.

The bride and groom are perfectly respectable when they feed each other cake.

“Boring,” Laurel and I whisper as if we’d planned our reactions. We both stifle laughs. A table of octogenarians turn and glare at us and I just smile wider and wave which makes Laurel laugh harder.

“We should probably leave before they kick us out,” she says.

“One more thing and then we’ll leave.”

“What’s that?”

“She’s about to toss the bouquet, get your sweet, sexy ass over there.”

“Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“It’s a fantastic idea. Go.” I stand with her and go to the edge of the circle that’s formed around where the bride stands. A clump of women stand awkwardly behind her and Laurel is right there. She glances at me over her shoulder and I wink at her.

Then, as if I needed another fucking sign that we’re meant to be, the bouquet soars through the air and lands right in Laurel’s arms. She holds them up and shakes them a little like she’s won a trophy. People cheer and she turns to me.

I grab her face and kiss her hard, then wrap her under my arm and we turn to go.

chapterfive

Laurel

Alex has been the perfect date. He’s fun, funny and so damn sexy, it’s just dumb. And I’m having all the feelings. My dopamine must be off the charts because every time I look at the man I feel a surge of affection and lust.

Yes, we’re having a good time and I know he is, too. And I know he’s attracted to me. But he offered to do this as a favor, it doesn’t mean he wants a real relationship with me. So I can’t afford to catch feelings.

If I get my heart broken twice in this tiny ass state, I’ll have to go back to Texas with my tail between my legs. Okay that’s not entirely true - at least about my heart breaking. Mark didn’t break my heart. He bruised it a little. Mostly it was just my pride that took a hit.

He and I made a lot of sense on paper, but having checkboxes in common doesn’t actually make a relationship. We had no passion. I can count on one hand how many times we actually had sex. And we were a couple for two years. That should have been my first clue, but I thought it was because we were elevated above that.

Seeing him with Gwen, I know I was an idiot. It doesn’t make me sad. I don’t miss him. I don’t want him.

What I want is this tall, dark and handsome man next to me in the car. He hasn’t stopped touching me all night. Even if it’s just a hand on my thigh or squeeze at the back of my neck, he’s had his skin on my skin. And I’m so damn turned on, it’s ridiculous.

I only ever get this aroused when I read my favorite sci-fi author’s blue alien books. Those guys are so hot!

We pull up to Alex’s house and my car is parked in his driveway. He pulls in next to it and parks his truck. Then he turns to me, tucks a piece of hair behind my ear.

“I want you to know that I don’t have any expectations. I mean I meant what I said earlier about wanting you, but you don’t owe me anything.”

He’s so sweet I swear I’m going to get a cavity.

His dark brown eyes drop from my face to my breasts and even with the built-in shelf bra, I can’t imagine he can’t see how hard my nipples are. “But you also need to know that I think you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen and I’m dying to get you naked and get my mouth on you.”

I swallow and nod because I’m super intelligent and good with words. “I want you,” I finally manage to say.

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