Page 19 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

“How’s that working out for you?”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head to his shoulder. “I’m compromising by not screwing you all afternoon.”

Laughing, she nestled closer. “You’re assuming you would have been invited?”

He traced a finger down her spine, making her shiver. “Well?”

“Yes,” she muttered. “I’d have invited you. Still could if we can figure out a way to avoid your brother.”

“Maybe we’ll wait until later. Surely he won’t be patrolling the halls on his wedding night.”

“We can only hope.”

Daley was oddly content. The tree-dappled sunshine was warm but not too hot. A light breeze lifted strands of her hair.

Dress code for brunch had been casual. Tristan wore dark indigo jeans with leather deck shoes and a pale yellow dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. He smelled like expensive aftershave and warm male skin.

“You’re nicer than I thought,” she said. “All things considered.”

His chest rumbled with laughter beneath her cheek. “Thanks. I think.”

“I’m serious.”

“So you believe I haven’t been poaching your clients?”

“Yes. I believe you. Honestly, why would you need to? Lieberman and Dunn is a household name in Atlanta.” She moved away from him, acknowledging—at least to herself—the need to avoid temptation. “Tabby said you wanted to be a doctor.”

“I did.” He grimaced. “My mother nearly died of breast cancer when I was a teenager. She recovered, but that year and a half struck me hard. I decided I wanted to be part of saving the world. Typical adolescent hubris. I still remember the grief and panic when we thought we were losing her.”

“But you let Harold talk you out of it. Have you ever regretted that decision?”

Tristan moved restlessly, rolling to his feet and pacing. “Not really. Harold needed someone, and I didn’t want to sacrifice John’s dreams.”

“So it’s better to sacrifice your own?” She frowned.

“Don’t be so dramatic. I did myself a favor. Med school would have been brutal.”

“It’s odd,” she said. “But I think you love your brother the way I love my sister. Most teenage girls will do anything to avoid annoying younger siblings. Tabby and I shared a room until I went off to college.”

“She looks up to you,” he said. “I hear it in her voice when she tells everyone how wonderful you are.”

“It’s the same with John. He convinced Tabby—and she convinced me—that you weren’t a heartless monster.”

“So we’re in agreement that we both lucked out in the sibling department.”

“Indeed.” Daley sighed. “I would love to have an affair with you, you know. Until the novelty wears off. But us being together and then breaking up would implode the families and the people we love most.”

“That is the most depressingly logical thing I’ve ever heard.” Tristan kicked a rock and watched it bounce across the path.

“But...” she said.

He whirled around. “But what?”

“If you’re okay with lying to your brother just this once, we could have tonight. After all, we’re stuck here in this hotel until checkout time tomorrow. Tabby and John are catching an Uber at five thirty in the morning to make it to the airport for their flight. They’ll assume we’re both dead asleep and won’t bother us.”

His cheeks flushed. “You don’t think Tabby will pop in to say goodbye?”

“No. We’ll do that tonight, I’m sure.”

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