Page 41 of Size Doesn't Matter

“I now pronounce you husband and wife! Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.”

Everyone stood and cheered and threw rose petals into the air, and as the sun slunk ever lower and the fairy lights twinkled against the twilit sky, Toby wrapped one big hand around Lucy’s throat and growled, “Mine.” Then he slammed his mouth to hers and kissed his wife long and deep.

Sophie watched the happy couple walk back down the aisle amid the cheers and well wishes of their family and friends, and she sighed contentedly to see people she cared about so happy in their situation. The pair was an excellent match and complemented each other perfectly.

Again her mind drifted back to the New Year’s party—to Jack. To the man she’d stupidly thought might be her perfect match.

Fighting the sadness that tugged at her heartstrings, she ignored the little voice in the back of her mind, the one calling her an idiot for pushing him away and not fighting for what she wanted.

But how was she supposed to fight for someone who wasn’t hers to begin with?

On paper, Jack ticked every one of her boxes. He was smart, witty, fun, hung, and dominant as fuck. And she’dtrustedhim. As stupid and as crazy as that sounded, she had trusted him, a man she’d never met before in her life. She never would have submitted to him if she hadn’t.

But he’d turned out to be another selfish arsehole who’d taken what he’d wanted from her and damn the consequences. And as usual, those consequences were heavier for her, the woman, than they were for him, the man.

“Wow, who isthat?”

Sophie turned to Sally, her brow scrunched. “Who?”

Her cousin pointed to a man standing near the dinner tent, talking to her father. “The hottie chatting with Paul.”

Her eyes widened, and her heart picked up pace. “It can’t be,” she whispered. But then he turned slightly and looked right at her, confirming her suspicions. “Oh bloody hell, it is.” When he started walking towards her, she turned to Sally, panic lacing her words. “Please don’t leave me.”

Sally shot another look at the man moving towards them, then back at her, eyes wide and her mouth tipped up in a grin. “That’s him, isn’t it? The guy from New Year’s Eve.”

“Yep, that’s him. That’s Jack.”

Her billionaire baby daddy.

“He’s shorter than I’d expected, but holy hell, the photos online do not do him justice.” She bumped her shoulder against Sophie’s. “Nicely done.”

“Yeah, great, the man’s a snack. Please don’t leave me,” she said again, grasping Sally’s hands in hers.

But her cousin had zero sympathy for her dilemma and extricated herself from Sophie’s grip. “Three’s a crowd, cuz, and you two have some big talk ahead of you. Good luck,” she whispered, then abandoned Sophie to her fate.

“Sally!” she whispered through gritted teeth, desperate for the woman to stay by her side and offer some small layer of protection between her and the man she apparently couldn’t ignore even if she tried, but her cousin simply winked at her and walked away.

“Hello, Sophie.”

The sound of her name in Jack’s deep, melodious tone almost took her to her knees, and the expression on his face as he gazed at her with those gorgeous sea-blue eyes would have kept her there if she had.

“Jack,” she said, her voice more breathy than she’d intended. Straightening her spine, she lifted her chin, tried to project an aura of indifference. “What are you doing here?”

His lips twitched up in one corner, but it did little to lessen the stern line of his mouth. “I would have sent more roses, but I figured you’d have a harder time cuttingmyhead off.”

“Well, I do enjoy a challenge,” she bantered, annoyed at how quickly her inner brat came out to play.

Jack’s laughter obliterated his severe expression. Stepping closer, he crowded Sophie’s personal space, cupped her face in his warm hands, and gazed at her like she was his. “Fuck, I have missed you.”

15

Jack stroked his thumbs along Sophie’s jaw, happy just to be in the same space as her, let alone touching her soft skin, inhaling her sweet scent. He hadn’t lied. Every damn day since they’d parted ways, he’d missed her.

Hungered for her.

Worked towards getting back to her.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she said, scowling at him. “What are you doing here? And how did you even know where to find me?”

---