Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

WOOD

S he's been in a weird mood all day since golfing. Quieter than normal. Not even trying to smile.

I'm in the bedroom getting ready for the rehearsal while she's in the bathroom when there's a crashing sound, like glass on tile, something breaking.

I rush in to find Macy on her knees, her bag and medical supplies spread around the bathroom floor.

She's almost in tears and I immediately get down with her and start picking up the scattered syringes, lancet cartridges and alcohol wipes.

"I can do it myself, Wood. I don't need your help," she says, sniffing, not looking my way.

I pause, making sure my tone is soft. "I know you can do it yourself, Mace. But you don't have to."

She looks up at me, eyes glossy, chin beginning to quiver.

"Mace. What's going on?"

"I don't—it's nothing."

I scoop the rest of her things back into the bag and set it on the counter, then take both of her hands and help her up.

"Come here." I sit on the bed, and she comes willingly onto my lap. "Tell me what's up so I can fix it."

"You can't fix everything."

"But I'll try."

She looks at me for a moment with unshed tears and I want to hold her to my chest and keep her there and make everything better. I wish I could make everything better for her.

"Did you…" She glances toward the dresser. "Have you been putting the menus in that frame every day?"

"Yes."

She blinks. A tear threatens to spill over.

Fuck.

"I thought it would help you be less stressed. I just asked Walter if it was possible and I went and got it every morning since I was up early anyway, and I'd replace it before you woke up. It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal. To me." A tear falls to her cheek, and I'm crushed.

I don't know what to do and apparently I'm saying the wrong things.

She wipes her cheeks with her palms and smiles.

"Do you need a snack?"

She nods. "Yeah, probably." Wipes another tear. "I bet you're regretting coming here with me this week."

"Not at all."

"But you're glad it's almost over."

"Not at all."

"I'm not even sure what happened. One minute she was crying and the next she was smiling and happy again."

Noah grunts, his arms folded across his broad chest and widens his stance. "That's the thing about women, they don't always need us to fix things. Sometimes they just need to be held, listened to, and to cry it out. They're pretty good at figuring it out by themselves."

"It's going to take getting used to."

Noah shrugs.

We're standing on the outskirts of where they've started setting up chairs for the ceremony in the east garden. The wedding coordinator is telling everyone what order everything is going to go and where everyone's positions are.

Noah and I don't need to rehearse being guests, so we were told to stay out of the way.

"Did you call your mom?"

"Yep."

"Tell her about Macy."

"Yep. She's having a custom stocking embroidered for her for Christmas. She's getting one for Livvy, too."

"I doubt I'll be invited to Livvy's family Christmas. So, perfect."

Jake and his parents walk down the aisle. They sit while he stands up with the officiant. Margot and Dane come down next, followed by Livvy and Zayne.

Then Macy appears and my heart skips a beat at the sight of her.

She's wearing a red dress with white polka dots, her hair is down, her eyes bright, cheeks rosy and glowing and I don't know how anyone could look anywhere but at her while she's around.

Then Spencer joins her. He takes her arm, and they walk side-by-side, and I'm boiling inside. I want to punch him just for touching her.

I didn't think the sight of them walking down the aisle together would get to me like this. I'm used to seeing them together—I had to watch it for the last six years. But it's different now.

She's not his anymore.

She's mine.

For the next two days, at least.

Spencer takes his place next to Jake, Macy on the other side of the altar, and we wait.

And wait.

There are raised voices coming from around the corner and the wedding coordinator barks something into her headset as she strides toward the commotion.

After a few moments, Bex's mother walks out and takes a seat in front, opposite Jake's parents, her mouth in a tight line.

And then, finally, Bex appears at the end of the aisle, with who I can only assume is her dad. He's a tall guy with a big, barrel chest, gray hair and a short, thick beard.

The rest of the rehearsal goes well. After the mock ceremony, Bex corners me and asks me a series of weird, rapid-fire questions. Who the fuck knows the exact time they were born? Is that something we're supposed to know? She's so insistent, I promise to ask my mom the next time we talk and get back to her.

Dinner is a buffet of thinly sliced prime rib, herbed au gratin potatoes, buttered rolls, and an arugula salad.

During dinner, Bex's dad stands and gives an impromptu speech about how much of a troublemaker Bex was growing up and how he's glad she's marrying into such a successful family instead of in rehab. Bex grabs the whole bottle of champagne.

But Macy looks happy. Zayne told her he's obsessed with her hair, and she's been beaming ever since. Chatting with Livvy and Noah. Smiling and laughing. It's the most relaxed I've seen her all week. Except for maybe right after I've given her an orgasm.

I touch her back and she leans into my touch. I love it. "I'm going to go get some dessert. Do you want anything?" I ask.

"No, I'm okay," she says with a smile, like I knew she would.

I leave her with Livvy and Bex to go to the dessert table. There's a seven-layer double fudge cake and carrot cake with a caramel cream cheese frosting. I think Macy would prefer the chocolate, but I get a slice of each just in case.

I turn around, a plate of cake in each hand, and Spencer is standing between me and the party in his too-tight blue window-pane shirt and too-small for his face glasses.

"What are you up to, Woodall?"

I glance between both pieces of cake. "I think it's pretty obvious."

"You know what I mean."

"I really don't."

"Why were you knocking at Margot's door last night?"

The fuck? "I was looking for my cousin. Went to the wrong door. If you'll excuse me—" I make a move to step around him, but he doesn't move.

"Does Macy know you're trying to hook up with my sister, too?"

I laugh in his face. "You're not going to get under my skin, Hayes."

"Are you trying to sleep with my ex and my sister out of spite or just for fun?"

"I'm not trying to do anything." I step closer into his space. "And believe it or not, you never cross my mind when I'm sleeping with Macy."

His expression darkens. "I hope you enjoy my seconds while they last. Knowing she's still in love with me, and probably still thinking about me when she's with you. And knowing that I'll be the one she'll come back to when she's done with this little fling or whatever it is she's doing with you. Because we both know what you're good for."

"Actually pleasing her in bed?" I smile.

He takes a step, puffing up his chest and flaring his nostrils, only a few inches from my face. "You're not the one she ends up with."

I stare down at him for a second. "You're lucky there's cake in both my hands."

"Is that a threat?"

I walk away without another word, fingers gripped tight on the tiny dessert plates. Focused on getting back to Macy and that's it. But I'm replaying all his words in my head and, fuck, this is exactly what he wants and exactly what I said I wasn't going to let him do.

All it takes is Macy smiling at me when I return to the table to turn my mood around.

I set down both slices of cake and take my seat.

"Oh, I didn't want a piece. Maybe I misspoke," Macy says, looking at the plates.

"Nah, these are both for me." I grin and take a bite of the carrot.

She smiles back. But when I take a bite of the chocolate one, her gaze lingers on my fork and her lips part.

Bingo.

I get another bite on my fork, making sure to get two layers of cake, some of the fudgy filling, and the creamy frosting.

"Here."

She gives me a chastising look. But she bites back a smile, and with no other protest, she leans over, mouth open, and takes my fork into her mouth, looking up at me as she does it. As she takes the bite, she closes her eyes and lets out a little moan of pleasure.

It makes my cock twitch.

"Mm that's so good," she says, covering her mouth with her hand, hiding a smile, eyes lit up.

Livvy asks Macy a question and she turns to speak to her, but as she shifts away from me, she puts her hand on my leg under the table.

Their conversation continues, and I eat my cake. And Macy's hand starts sliding up my thigh. Little by little, inching toward where I'm now almost fully hard.

I'm not sure she realizes what she's doing or what she's doing to me until she blatantly squeezes my thigh while laughing with Livvy.

And then her hand creeps upward until she's stroking my erection over my pants.

I grunt.

She doesn't stop.

All the blood in my body rushes to my dick and now I can't think straight. It's throbbing, hard against my hip and threatening to poke out beyond my waistband.

I want her to touch me. Skin on skin. I can't decide if I should pull it out for her under the table or carry her over my shoulder and haul her back to our room like a caveman.

I want her more than anything I've ever wanted in my life. I get why Noah can't seem to wait around Livvy. He'd sneak her off and take her in the bushes.

But I don't think Macy wants to be fucked behind some bushes.

I set my fork down. "Let's go."

She turns to me with an innocent expression. "Already?"

"Yes."

Macy grins. "Okay."

She says goodbye to Livvy and then Bex. They hug and squeal about how the next time they see each other it will be her wedding day.

And then she's mine. For the night. For the next thirty-six hours. Whatever it is, I'll take it.

I take her hand and don't let go until we're in our room, the door is closed and locked, and then I'm pressing her up against it.

Her hands on my neck and up in my hair, mine around her waist, our mouths consuming one another. Tongue sliding against tongue, swallowing each other's moans.

She rubs against my thigh, and I lift her leg up over my hip to open her up, to give her more pressure. Her fingers dig into my neck. She bites at my lip and sucks on my tongue.

I snake my fingers under her skirt and we're both panting. She gasps when I slip my hand into her panties and stroke her. She's hot and slippery. Molten and melting around my fingers.

One hand still clinging to my face, Macy frantically lifts her skirt and starts pulling at the string of her panties, pushing them down her hips.

I kneel and slide them off the rest of the way for her, caressing her smooth legs all the way down then kissing them on my way back up. She hooks her knee over my shoulder, her glistening pussy presented before me to devour.

I lick her with slow, long strokes. She throws her head back, banging against the door, her fingers gripping my hair and pulling me in closer while she whimpers and pants.

She gets louder with each lick. She says my name. Desperate. I'm desperate. Lost in the taste of her, the feel of her wrapped around me.

I suck her swollen clit and she says my name, louder, gasping for air. "Please."

Her thighs shake and I hold her steady as she comes for me. My perfect girl.

As I stand, she wraps her arms around my neck and collapses against my chest, breathing heavily. I hold her for a minute until her breath slows.

I brush her hair off her back and undo her zipper. "Want me to find your Garfield shirt?" I whisper against her forehead.

She steps back with a small smile and shakes her head. "No." She pushes each strap of her dress down her shoulders and with a little tug, lets it fall to the floor.

And then she's standing in front of me, naked, and I can hardly breathe.

"You're so beautiful, Mace."

Her pale skin is flushed pink. Her nipples pebbled, begging for my mouth.

I pull my shirt off and start undoing my belt. Her eyes follow my hands as she licks her lips.

Her sharp intake of breath makes a little noise as I pull down my pants and boxer briefs, my fully erect cock jutting out in front of me.

I go to her and she clings to me, wrapping her legs around my waist as I lift her up and carry her to the bed. She holds my face and kisses me hard on the mouth. I can't even kiss her back properly. I'm smiling too big.

I want it to be smooth and sexy, the way I lay her down on the bed and position myself on top of her. But my shins hit the edge of the bed and we sort of tumble down tangled in each other's arms and bounce on the mattress in a giggling heap.

After the laughter dies down, we're left chests heaving, my hips nestled between her thighs, looking into each other's eyes. She's glowing. Smile big and bright. Her eyes twinkling.

I want to ask her to be mine. For real.

I want to tell her that I'm already hers. All hers. That I've always been hers.

But I can't say any of that.

So I kiss her instead. "Do you want me inside you again, Macy?"

"Yes."