Page 4 of The Never Bride

"I'm getting to that. When our grandfather first told me he arranged a marriage for me, I knew there was no way I was going to sign the contract, but then she walked in." A vision of Shae pops into my head from when our eyes first met. I clear my throat and continue. "Charlotte came into grandfather's office announcing that my future father-in-law and his daughter were there waiting to see us. When I turned around, all I saw was Shae. My heart stopped, and I knew she was mine. It was happening just like the stories grandmother used to tell us when we were younger about how she felt about grandfather when they first met."

"I always loved that bedtime story," Tate says, a look of longing crosses his usually easy-going demeanor.

"Just like in the story, when our eyes met, I knew she was mine. Hell, I didn't even know her first name, but what I did know was she was mine. My body acted on instinct, and I signed that stupid marriage contract thinking Shae was my intended bride. It was too late to fix my mistake when my real bride, Lydia, was introduced to me and that Shae would be acting as the wedding planner in Lydia's absence since she is busy with her modeling career."

"So, what's your plan?"

"That's where you come in. I need you to keep Grandfather distracted while I help Shae plan the wedding. I'll be searching for a loophole while I spend time with Shae."

"You do realize how crazy this sounds, right?" Tate raises an eyebrow.

Crazy in love is more like it, "You have no idea." I smirk. "Now you have a grandfather to distract, and I have a cake-testing date with the wedding planner. "

Shae

“Mm, the chocolate cakeis delicious.” I praise Mrs. Garten, licking the creamy chocolate icing off my fingers with a moan.

“If the chocolate cake is so good, why are we having strawberry?”

I let out a tiny squeak as I spin around in my chair at the sound of Nile’s voice, “Nile, what are you doing here?” My voice sounds oddly breathy to my ears.

He shrugs, “Since I’m the groom, I told you I would help with the final details of the wedding.” He plucks the rest of the piece of chocolate cake from my plate, placing it in his mouth. “Hm, you’re right this is delicious.”

I watch as he sticks his tongue out, sweeping it across his lips, catching the chocolate frosting still clinging to them. Lucky frosting. Lucky Lydia.

I'm done. I'm tired of being the shy, quiet one. I'm finally going to be me. "I really don't need your help. I know my sister very well, and you could have sent your grandfather's assistant if you didn't trust my selections." I know he told me yesterday that he planned to be involved with the planning of his wedding, but I didn't believe him. He's an important businessman. He doesn't have time to waste on something so trivial as planning a wedding.

"As I told you yesterday, Shae, I plan to be very involved with the wedding details." His eyes drop to my lips, and for a moment, I think he is going to kiss me. Instead, he runs his thumb acrossmy lower lip, and my panties instantly dampen, "You have a little frosting right here." He pulls his thumb away from my mouth, and I feel foolish. Lusting after my sister's groom when all he was trying to do was wipe away some chocolate from my lips. He was probably only doing it because he was embarrassed to be seen with someone with food on their mouth.

I chance a look at his face, praying I don't see disgust. Instead, I see that same look he gave Lydia yesterday, right before he signed the marriage contract. I watch as he places his thumb that wiped away the cholate from my lips into his mouth.

"Even better." He moans around his thumb.

I'm speechless. If I didn't know any better, I would think he liked me. I shake my head, willing those thoughts away. They're too dangerous. Besides, I can't risk being seduced by my sister's groom only for him to call off the wedding and risk losing the money his grandfather is paying my father to save the company.

"Mr. Hanson, I need to finalize the wedding plans. I can't have you distracting me." I say in my most stern voice. Which evidently wasn't stern enough.

He leans down, placing his lips close to my ear, and whispers, "Don't worry, Shae, you'll know when I'm trying to distract you."

My heart flutters, and there go my panties, bursting into flames over his hot whispered words against my ear.

"Did you change your mind about which flavor of cake you want?" Mrs. Garten's voice cuts through the sensual fog Nile has created around us, and I jump. How could I have forgotten Mrs. Garten was still in the room with us?

"No."

"Yes"

Nile and I say at the same time.

"Maybe we should move on to the wedding gowns." She coaxes, walking to the showroom floor of the bridal gown section with Nile and I trailing behind her.

The main reason I picked Mrs. Garten's Bridal Shop was because it's a one-stop shop. Everything from the wedding cake to the wedding gown and bride's maid dresses to the decorations, to the catering, and even the bachelor/bachelorette party planning are located in one place.

"Here, dear, why don't you try on a couple of these wedding gowns?" Mrs. Garten plucks an armful of wedding gowns from the display racks, motioning me to follow her to the dressing room.

"I'm not the bride. I can't try those on." I point at the offending dresses hanging from her arm. I don't add that Lydia and I are not the same size since that is obvious.

"I know you're not the bride. I would never suggest for a bride to try on her wedding gown in front of her groom. Bad luck and all." She waves her free hand around the dressing room. "I need to confirm which dress will be a good fit for the bride, and since the bride isn't here, that duty lands on your shoulders."

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