Chapter 14

14

SUTTON

I stood in front of the mirror getting ready for my wedding. Fiona placed the veil on my hair, careful not to mess up the updo the stylist had worked so hard on.

“What do you think?” Fiona asked with a smile, and it was hard to remember that none of this was real.

“It’s perfect.” The veil made me feel like a bride in a way the dress and the shoes hadn’t.

Daphne squealed. “You look like a bride now.”

“The white dress wasn’t doing it?” Fiona asked dryly.

“There’s just something about a veil. It makes everything official,” Daphne added.

I felt a little hot and cold at the same time, a shiver ran through my body, and I swayed on my feet.

Fiona grabbed my elbow and guided me to a chair. “Why don’t you sit down? I’ll get you some water.”

A few seconds later, Fiona thrust a glass of ice water into my hands, and I took a sip before pressing it against my forehead.

“Did everything hit you at once?” Fiona asked gently .

“You’ve all been so nice to me, and you almost never mention that this is just for show.”

Fiona frowned. “I don’t know. This feels real to me.”

Daphne held my bouquet. “You and Wes have a great relationship. Even if it’s just friendship, I guess a part of me hopes you two will fall in love.”

I smiled, but I wasn’t feeling it inside my body. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Daphne smiled. “We can hope. We want our brother to be happy.”

“How can you be so sure that would include me in his life?” I asked them.

Fiona shrugged. “You’ve always made him happy.”

As friends though. Not as something more.

“It’s almost time. Are you ready, or do you need a few more minutes?” Daphne asked.

I drank a few sips of the cold water, careful not to ruin the makeup. “I’m okay now.”

The girls hugged me. Then there was a knock on the door.

Daphne opened the door so that no one could see me.

“Can you give this to Sutton?” It was a male voice, one of Wes’s brothers. Probably Jameson.

Daphne shut the door. “Jameson said to give this to you. Maybe it’s a present to go with your something borrowed, something blue…”

It was a velvet box, making me think of jewelry, but Wes shouldn’t be buying me anything. I opened it, sensing the girls hovering around me. It was a ring.

“What’s that?” Fiona asked.

“It’s just one of the cheap rings you get from the gumball machine.” My voice filled with awe.

Fiona nodded. “Ah, yes. But what does it mean to you? ”

“I went through a phase where I held pretend weddings, and Wes was always the groom.”

“Why did he have the ring?”

“I gave it to him when we were kids. I didn’t realize he’d kept it.” I turned it over in my hand, then put it on the ring finger of my right hand. It was just a cheap plastic band, but it reminded me of long summer afternoons when we’d pick flowers from the gardens for my bouquet, and I’d pin one bloom to his T-shirt. I’d wear one of my many dresses.

The last time I wore the ring, we’d overheard my parents arguing. The word divorce was thrown around so easily. I realized that they weren’t perfect. I’d given the ring to Wes and asked him to keep it. We never played that game again. But now here we were, getting married for pretend. Maybe it was his reminder that we’d done this before and we’d make it through.

This was one big elaborate game, but why did it feel bigger than anything I’d ever done before?

“Are you ready to become Mrs. Calloway?” Fiona asked, linking her arm with mine.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I’d always be a Rosesmith, but for a short time I’d be Sutton Rosesmith Calloway. It had a nice ring to it.

We walked together down the stone path and into a side door so that Fiona could run and ensure everyone was seated and the music could start. I heard the sound of a string instrument beginning the melody for Pachelbel Canon.

Dad stood by the door.

We weren’t close, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get married the traditional way, with my father giving me away.

He held his arm out to me as the girls lined up in front of us. “Is this what you want? ”

I nodded. I had to go through with this marriage to inherit the estate. I stood to lose too much if I didn’t.

I couldn’t lose the house. This home was the only one I’d ever known. It had protected me when I felt lonely and sad. It had been in our family for generations, and I wasn’t going to give it up without a fight.

Izzy held her basket of flower petals and started down the aisle. Faith followed at a more sedate pace. Then it was Daphne, Fiona, and Claire’s turn.

When it was our turn to walk, I gripped Dad’s arm tightly, took a deep breath, and we stepped into the room. Everyone rose in one motion and turned to look at me. My face heated. Then I remembered who was waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

Wes. My best friend.

He stood next to his brothers, but I only had eyes for him. He was handsome in a tux, his hands at his sides. But his eyes were full of emotion. Was there hope?

As I moved toward him, I couldn’t seem to look away. It was like he was the beacon guiding me down the aisle.

When Dad gave my hand to him, Wes said, “I’ll take good care of her.”

“You do that,” Dad said, then moved off to the side to sit next to Mom.

My hand was in Wes’s, and I moved so we were facing each other. It was like no one else was in the room.

The minister started talking about lifelong friendship, love, and respect, but I was lost in Wes’s eyes. His grip was firm on my hands as if he was worried I’d float away.

When it was time for our vows, I repeated the traditional ones the minister recited, committing them to memory. This was as real as it got .

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Wes pulled me close to him and lowered his lips to mine. It was soft and sweet, but it was filled with so much promise. My chest ached. I wanted this to be real. I wanted Wes to love me and pledge himself to me.

Our family and friends clapped and cheered when we turned with our hands joined. We made our way up the aisle with the girls in front of us.

I felt overwhelmed with the weight of this moment. There was no turning back. We were married.

At the end of the aisle, we lined up with our bridal party and greeted the guests as they made their way into the next room for drinks. While the room was converted from a ceremony space to reception, Fiona led us outside for pictures.

Even though it was cold, we wanted to get some shots in the gardens, and even the fountain where we kissed on New Year’s. The photographer kept it quick.

When we moved inside, the room was converted into a reception hall, complete with round tables covered in white cloths and set with gold-lined plates.

The center pieces were a tall, thin vase with a ball of white roses. The cake was an elaborate tower of cascading flowers by the front door. Everything was perfect.

When we entered the room, all eyes were on us as Wes lifted our joined hands. When he lowered them, he kissed the back of mine. “Are you ready for your wedding reception, Mrs. Calloway?”

I loved the sound of that. When I nodded, he moved deeper into the room where we were met with cheers and whistles.

Music played over the speakers, and Wes led me onto the dance floor for our first dance. I fit into his arms where I felt the most loved and accepted. It was natural for us to dance at events. Something we always did, and it soothed me.

“You’re doing great,” Wes murmured against my temple.

“That’s because you’re here. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if it were one of those guys I dated.”

His lips quirked. “I’m glad it was me.”

“I am too.”

The guests tapped on their glasses, and I knew it was coming from the Calloway side. No one from my side would do something so tacky at a wedding. I wondered what Grandma thought of his family as he kissed me.

It was enough to get the hecklers to leave us alone, but the kiss itself left a tingle on my lips that wouldn’t go away for the rest of the night.

We danced and ate dinner and cake, then danced some more. We talked and laughed with his sisters and brothers. At some point, I found myself at a table alone with his father, Al.

“I like you for him,” Al said.

“But you know—” I gestured helplessly around me. “None of this is—” I couldn’t bring myself to say real.

Al cocked a brow, “Isn’t it?”

We were interrupted when Izzy asked her grandfather to dance.

He grinned at her and winked at me. “I’d love to.”

What had he meant when he said he liked Wes for me? Did he mean as a friend or something more?

“Are you okay?” Wes asked when he returned to the table with a glass of champagne.

I frowned. “Your dad just said something, and I’m not sure what he meant. ”

“He’s getting cryptic in his old age. What was it?” Wes asked lightly.

“He said he likes me for you.” I sipped the champagne, wishing it would soothe my dry throat.

Wes’s jaw tightened. “He said something the other day about wanting all of us to fall in love like Daphne and Fiona. He worries about us.”

“He wants this to be real. He wants us to be in love.”

Wes shrugged. “But he doesn’t tell our story. We do.”

What did Wes want our story to be?

When Fiona signaled it was time for us to leave, the guests formed a wall on either side of the front door so we could exit and get into Wes’s truck. I’d insisted we use his vehicle. I hadn’t wanted a town car or anything fancy. I just wanted one thing that was real and true.

The guests blew bubbles at us as we held hands and hurried toward his truck. Wes opened the door for me and helped me inside. The skirt was unwieldy.

“I can’t wait to get out of this thing,” I said when Wes climbed in next to me. His eyes flashed with what could only be described as heat.

Someone had written Just Married on the back window, and at some point, they’d tied cans to the bumper. As we drove away the cans smacked the roadway. I was fairly sure it was his brothers wanting to be funny, but I loved it. It felt so traditional even though my family would think it was cheap.

“Where are we spending the night?” I asked him when he drove in the opposite direction of his house.

Wes was the one Fiona tasked with the wedding night. I assumed we’d be going to his house.

“I rented a room downtown at one of the historic inns. Fiona packed you a bag. ”

“That sounds nice.” My nerves tingled because this sounded like a real wedding night. “We never discussed what comes after?—”

Wes glanced over at me. “You’re already living with me.”

I took a deep breath, and then said, “I meant the physical stuff. Will we consummate our marriage?”

“Whatever happens next is up to us. Your grandmother required you to get married, and that’s done.”

I chewed my lip, thinking about what I wanted. “We have to convince her it’s real.”

“Are you saying you’re open to something more between us?” The look that Wes gave me wasn’t one I’d seen from him before. It was filled with tension and heat.

I chewed my lip. “Neither of us is in a relationship, and we can’t be while we’re married to each other.”

“Let’s see what happens.”

It wasn’t an admission that he was interested in me for anything more, but my body hummed in anticipation of what the night would bring. Would he continue to be a gentleman sleeping on his side of the bed, reluctantly holding me when he woke with me on top of him? Or would he finally give into the chemistry between us?

Did I want that? Everything today felt different. “I can’t get over that you’re my husband now. It feels kind of nice to say, my husband .”

He reached over and touched my leg; I couldn’t feel his heat through the layers of my skirts, but I wanted to. “You’re my wife.”

I bit my lip, wishing he’d say that to me while he removed my dress and touched my bare skin. Was it the wedding or the numerous champagne toasts? Why was I so tuned into Wes tonight?

I held his hand, the connection grounding me. This was Wes. My best friend. I shouldn’t have been thinking of him naked, hovering over me on a bed, his cock easing inside of me, opening me up to something new.

Was he feeling the same desire I was? I didn’t want to be alone in this.

We parked on the street close to the hotel and walked toward it, receiving congratulations as we went. Wes was still in his tux and me in my wedding dress. I felt a little like a celebrity. Everyone was excited and happy for us. It was easy to get caught up in it, to let the anticipation for the rest of the night simmer in my body.

Wes checked us into the hotel.

The man at the counter handed him the plastic keycard. “Everything is ready for you.”

When we were alone in the elevator, I felt the tightness of the muscles in his arm. It was like he was coiled and ready to strike at any second. I inhaled air to settle my racing heart.

Was he worried about sharing a room with me? Did the importance of the day change how we acted tonight? Would everything be different?

When he opened the door, he said, “The rooms here are small.”

“It’s cute,” I said as I walked into the small space. There was a queen bed covered in red petals and a bucket of ice with a champagne bottle nearby.

“Don’t go in yet,” Wes said

“Why?” I asked as he drew me back into the hallway.

“I have to carry my bride over the threshold. It’s tradition.” He easily lifted me into his arms bridal-style and I sighed in contentment.

He kicked the door closed behind us as he set me gingerly on my feet. “I’d put you on the bed, but you probably want to get out of your dress.”

“I might need some help.” There were a million tiny buttons on the back, and I had no idea how to get out of it.

Wes turned me so that my back was to his chest. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

I laughed softly. “Only a few times.”

He kissed my shoulder, and my breath hitched. What was he doing? This wasn’t part of our plan. We said we’d keep things open-ended.

This was more than that. It was a slow seduction.

His fingers brushed gently over my arm. “Your skin is so soft.”

“Mmm,” was all I could manage as he kissed my neck, sending tingles down my spine.

“Does that feel good?”

“So good.”

“You smell amazing.” He nibbled on the skin of my neck, then chased it with his tongue. The effect was an electric shock straight to my clit. He hadn’t taken off any of my clothes, and I was already heating up in his arms.

Is this how he was with women? How did I miss the undercurrent of passion, the barely restrained heat? How had I resisted him for so long and only seen him as a friend?

“You said you were open to the idea of us?” he whispered into my ear, and my weight rested against his chest.

“Uh-huh.” I was melting into him, dying for him to keep touching me and whispering in my ear.

He slowly turned me so that we were facing each other. “What do you think about me giving you a wedding night to remember?”

Looking up at the man I’d loved as a dear friend most of my life, I couldn’t remember why we hadn’t done this before. “I want that.”

He cupped my cheek and kissed me; this time it was unrestrained and full of passion. He wanted me. There was no mistaking the crush of his lips against mine or the press of his body. He was hard everywhere.

“I want to go slow, but I can’t.”

I shook my head, the fire within me burning hot. “I want to get out of this dress. I want to feel you.”

“That can be arranged.” He turned me again so he could tackle the buttons. “Were these designed to slow down the wedding night?”

“I think so.” There was a buzz in my ears and a vibration under my skin. I was barely holding on.

When the last button was released, the weight of the dress sagged before Wes carefully pushed it off and held my hand as I stepped out of it.

He surprised me by carrying the dress to the chair and draping it carefully over the back of it. “I didn’t bring anything to hang it up.”

“That’s okay.”

When he turned back to me and saw what I was wearing, his eyes turned dark. The bra was built into the bodice of the dress, so I was naked except for a tiny baby blue lace thong with crystals that formed I Do.

My nipples were hard from the cool air and Wes’s slow perusal.

I was practically naked in front of my best friend.

He crossed the room, his finger going to the lace on my hip, his finger tracing the outline of the crystals. “I can’t believe this is what you were wearing underneath.”

“Would you have left the reception earlier if you’d known? ”

His gaze raised to mine. “Absolutely.”

His fingers danced over my skin, his expression one of awe as if he couldn’t believe I was standing nearly naked in front of him. The fact that he was wearing a tux, jacket and all, just added to the eroticism of the moment.

The lace of my panties was damp, and my body on edge, waiting for him to make a move.