Page 21 of Sweet, Sweet Jewel: A Sweet Treats Novel

Getting permission to marry at a Mayan site had been a complicated mess. She’d seen Sky on the verge of tearing her hair out on several occasions when dealing with the paperwork and the park directors.

But she’d persevered and now they were here.

Xunantunich.

The towering structures had been restored to their former glory. The size and mass of the temples took her breath away.

The Mayas still lived in Belize, but she could only imagine how things would have been back in the day when the Mayan empire was in power.

A rushing sound of applause intruded on her daydream.

Jewel felt a sudden loss of warmth and looked down. Finn had slipped his hand away from hers. Now, her scrawny arm bounced listlessly back to the material of her dress.

Her gaze shot up to his.

Hazel eyes simmering, he mouthed, “You did it.”

Jewel blinked, feeling dazed and slightly off-kilter. She stumbled to her mark before the beautiful arch Joon had commissioned for Sky and gripped her bouquet tighter.

She’d held a man’s hand and hadn’t crumpled into a sobbing, devastated mess.

It didn’t even make sense.

As Carrie and Jo waltzed down the aisle and joined her, Jewel’s gaze slid back to Finn. He’d encouraged her to take the plunge. Had tried his best to make her laugh and feel at ease before they’d walked out here.

Could she trust him, trust this feeling brewing in her chest?

You barely know anything about him.

Valid point.

But that was easy enough to rectify. If she wanted to.

Jewel stiffened when Finn’s gaze connected with hers. He’d noticed her watching him. Heat barreled its way up her chest and settled in her dark cheeks. Jewel wanted to look away, but his stare was magnetic.

It was different from the way Kross made her feel when he used to watch her. She wasn’t scared for her life, stripped of her choice or petered with guilt.

Curious. That’s what she was.

Finn had appeared suddenly, like a lightning bolt, and yet he was touching her hand and making her smile and charming all her friends.

Jewel did a lazy perusal of his face, trying to observe him objectively. And failing.

Badly.

He was too handsome, too manly. She could stare at him for days and find new things to admire.

Thick, brown hair that defied the wind. A broad forehead. Piercing eyes. His stunning face was all angles, sharp lines and chiseled cheekbones that glinted in the sunlight like spears. Stubble covered his square jaw and surrounded firm lips.

He was looking back at her. Studying. Admiring.

She tore her gaze away, conflicting sensations rampant in her chest. She didn’t want to get involved with anyone, but Jewel had never felt such a pull to figure someone out before.

Especially not a man.

The music changed. The violinist stood sober and regal as she placed her instrument against her cheek and swayed to the rhythm of her song. Chairs creaked as the guests rose and looked past the pyramids to the lone woman gliding toward them in white.

Carrie smacked her lips together. “She’s so beautiful.”

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