CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

KIM

He’s Ryder’s brother. I should have known. As much as I’m attracted to him, I can’t get involved with him. It would be a monstrous mistake no matter how fascinated I am by him. It’s best to ignore him. Which will be difficult. Because he’s watching me.

“Do you want to go to the restroom?” I ask Rachel.

“Yeah, sure.” We get up to leave.

“Where are you going?” Beth asks.

“Restroom,” I answer.

“I’ll come with you.” She gets up, too.

Zoey and Ryder are getting their pictures taken doing the cake cutting thing. This is the best time to leave before the band cranks up.

We march across the room to where the bathrooms are located. I glance behind me. Josh is standing and eyeing me with great interest.

The bathroom is empty when we walk in. I sit on a small bench, where I can relax for the first time since the beginning of the wedding. There are only two stalls in here. I don’t understand why they don’t have more toilets in a girls’ bathroom.

I take my turn, wash my hands, and sit back down while my friends pimp their faces. The door explodes, and Zoey walks in, frowning at us.

“Why didn’t you guys tell me you were leaving? I looked up, and all my bridesmaids were gone.”

She hurries past us to use the toilet. At least we don’t have to help her.

She comes back out and washes her hands before turning and looking at me. “What’s the deal with you and Josh? I can’t help but notice his interest in you. I had to walk by him on my way in here.”

She plops down beside me, waiting for an explanation. I let out a sigh.

“I met him as I was leaving your engagement party. I didn’t know who he was at the time.”

I’m not telling them about how he spilled a drink on me and the mix-up about him giving me money. They don’t need to know.

“That’s it? That can’t be all there is. He stares at you like he wants to ravage you.”

Okay, I thought it was penetrating, too, the way he stares at me. Guess I’m not imagining it.

Zoey puts a hand on my knee. “Maybe if you talk to him and tell him you’re not interested.”

The only problem with that is, I am interested in him, even though I shouldn’t be. There’s something that pulls me to him. He isn’t handsome in a pretty-boy way, but there’s something about him I’m attracted to.

The girls are watching me. I don’t want to upset Zoey on her wedding day by telling her how I feel. So, instead of rocking the boat, I do the safe thing and let it go.

“I’ll do that.”

Zoey is right. I don’t need a man in my life. Who does?

Josh is standing at the door, watching us moving toward him. Rachel squeezes my hand for extra strength and leaves me to it.

I walk up to Josh. God, he’s pretty.

It grows awful quiet in here.

“I didn’t know you were Ryder’s brother.”

“I didn’t know you were Zoey’s friend.”

“Yeah, I don’t think––”

He lifts my chin so I’m looking right into his gorgeous brown eyes. He has crows feet and small scars on his forehead and cheek.

“Whatever you were going to say, don’t,” he says. “Just listen to me. I plan on getting to know you better tonight, baby girl. No one and nothing is going to stop me. We’re going to celebrate Ryder and Zoey’s wedding, then it will be our turn.”

I don’t know what to say. He is direct.

Josh takes my hand and leads me back to the wedding. The girls frown when he returns me to my seat.

He bends over and whispers in my ear, “I’ll be seeing you later.”

My body breaks out in goose bumps. Arms, legs, everything. I watch him walk away. I’m in big trouble, and I know if I run, he’ll chase me down. Ready, set, go.