Chapter Twelve

Julian

I woke up at dawn plastered to Christopher's side for the second morning in a row. The sun had filtered into the room through the tiniest gap in the blinds, laying thin stripes across our tangled legs. My morning wood was pressed against Christopher's lean hip and getting woodier with every breath. Topher's right hand strummed my lower back like a guitar, and his left hand played chords on my forearm resting across his abdomen.

I knew nothing about music, but this felt like the same song he'd silently serenaded me with the previous morning, so I asked again, "What song are you playing?"

His response was the same as it had been the day before and spoken just as huskily. "I'll sing it to you on our first date."

Topher's hand stilled on my lower back when I didn't react to his comment, and he pulled me even closer to his side. "What happened to the guy who practically proposed marriage to me at every turn? Not even a month ago, you texted me a picture of a fluffy kitten brought into Harper's office and said, and I quote, ‘I want to adopt a sweet baby like this when we're married.'"

Embarrassment heated my cheeks, and I buried my face in Topher's neck. "I could say those things because I never believed they would happen." Christopher stiffened, and his hands fell away from my body. I realized I'd said the wrong thing. Fear seized my lungs, but my brain kicked into high gear. Before he could slide away, I moved my left leg up and over his abdomen to pin him down. His erection brushed against my inner thigh, and we both shivered.

"Don't go," I whispered against his neck. He trembled again and tightened his hold on me. "I've meant every word I've said to you, even if I never dreamed they'd land in a place where you'd take them seriously or return the sentiments." I took a deep breath. "I compare every man I meet to you, and they fail miserably. That's the real reason I've settled for Grindr hookups."

Christopher rolled onto his good side, and I stared into his eyes. Well, I did once I stopped ogling his bare torso and the erection straining his tight boxer briefs. I wanted to ease my hand under the waistband and teach him delicious things about his body. For two mornings in a row, I refused to act on my desires to preserve my sanity.

"What's holding you back now?" Christopher asked softly. "Is it because you don't believe my interest is genuine?"

I ghosted my fingers over his stubbly jaw. God, this man was too beautiful for words. "You're the most honest person I know, Toph." I started to accept his date, but my phone rang on the nightstand.

"I should probably get that," I said. "It's either my mom or sister."

Topher groaned but placed a chaste kiss on my lips before untangling his limbs from mine. I blindly reached for my phone so I wouldn't miss seeing Christopher's boxer-clad ass as he stretched his big, delicious body. A wicked voice inside my head reminded me I could pull his underwear down with my teeth if I played my cards right.

I found my phone and fumbled around with my thumb until I managed to accept the call. "Hello?"

"Julian!" my mom shrieked in my ear. I jackknifed into a sitting position and looked at the bedside clock, assuming I'd overslept. I breathed a little easier when I saw the time until the shower turned on in the bathroom. If I'd been brave, I could've joined him.

" Your sister won't let me see the dress." Mom's voice cut through my fantasy like a samurai sword.

A soft scuffle came through the connection before Jorja said, "I caught your mother sneaking into the room where my dress is to take a peek, even though I made my wishes very clear."

"Come on," Mom whined. "What's a few hours?"

"Give Mom the phone," I told Jorja.

"Most mothers get to go gown shopping with their daughters," Mom said when she came back on the phone. "I feel deprived."

"Mom," I said calmly, "Jorja doesn't mean to make you feel excluded. There's a special tribute to you and Dad on the dress, and it just won't be the same if you see it on a hanger. The wedding is only four hours away."

She took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." She repeated the apology to Jorja with a sniffle. "You and Christopher get over here for breakfast. There's enough food for an army, and the guys have already left for the golf course."

"Again?" I asked. Couldn't they go a single Saturday without hitting a little white ball at the country club?

"I don't get it either," Mom said. "They're only playing nine holes because your father knows I will kill him dead if they're late."

"Kill him dead?" I asked.

"Just get here!" she said before disconnecting.

I laughed as I set my phone down, then flopped down onto the bed while Christopher finished in the bathroom. If it was like yesterday, he'd be in there for a while. Of course, my dirty mind conjured up the activities that precluded a quick shower. The desire my mom and sister had squelched returned with a vengeance. I closed my eyes and brushed my fingers over my collarbone as I pictured Christopher stroking his cock. Those same digits headed south when I decided it wasn't fair for him to have all the fun. I got so caught up in the fantasy of what he was doing that I hadn't realized Christopher had shut off the tap until he opened the door. A plume of steam filtered into the bedroom, and Christopher stood there wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and a devilish smile on his face. Hello again, adorable dimples. Would I discover those sexy divots anywhere else on his body?

"Whatcha doing?" Christopher asked huskily.

I looked down the length of my torso to discover the tips of my fingers were tucked under the waistband of my briefs and almost grazing the head of my fully erect cock. I quickly retracted my hands and smiled up at him. "It's not what you're thinking."

"It's exactly what I'm thinking," Christopher said as he moved to the dresser drawer. I'd thought I'd known everything about this man, but he'd surprised me Thursday evening when he made the time to unpack his luggage.

Christopher removed a pair of underwear from the dresser before meeting my gaze in the mirror above it. Without warning, he loosened the towel and dropped it to the ground. His thick erection sprang forward. Everything in my core tightened, and a chorus of hallelujahs rang out. Then my eyes drifted to his glorious butt, so round and tight, and I discovered that, yes, Christopher had dimples in a different set of cheeks. A matching set was carved just above his taut globes, and I longed to lick them. And maybe bite the firm flesh below them.

Christopher bent forward and lifted his right leg into his underwear, giving me a glorious view of his sac. Holy fuck. What was happening? He repeated the action with his left foot giving me another peekaboo of his balls. They looked as firm and taut as his sweet ass. Christopher took his time pulling his underwear up his legs. By the time he snapped the waistband into place, I was so revved up by the show I was ready to capitulate to anything Christopher wanted if he'd just saunter across the room and—

My breath stuck in my throat when he did just that. He gripped my ankles and tugged me down to the foot of my bed until my legs dangled over the edge. I spread my thighs to make room for him as naturally as I drew my next breath. Christopher leaned over me, bracing his weight on one forearm. The difference in our heights meant my dick lined up with his slightly furry belly. The friction I needed to get off was right freaking there. Just a little lift in the hips and—

"You think I'm an honorable man, and up until this weekend, I would've agreed with you," Christopher said. His minty fresh breath reminded me I hadn't yet brushed my teeth. I wanted to recoil and run into the bathroom to correct the problem, but I couldn't look away from his intense gaze or budge from the proximity of his body. "I'm not going to keep telling you how much I want to explore these feelings with you. I'm going to show you. You've singularly awakened something deep inside me, and I don't think either of us is fully prepared for what happens when a Carnegie man falls for the first time. I've heard the lore and witnessed it with my parents, but this is unlike anything I've experienced."

"Falls?" I asked shakily.

"You heard me." Christopher leaned forward, pressed a sweet kiss to my lips, and pushed off the bed. "And you've been warned."

He retreated to the dresser and pulled out a shirt and shorts to wear until it was time to dress for the wedding. Now that there was a little distance between us, I could move again. I sat up so quickly it made me dizzy, then I bolted for the bathroom with Christopher's wicked laughter chasing me.

"Can I watch?" he asked.

"No."

I closed the door and locked it for good measure, not that Topher couldn't take it down with one hard thrust from his good shoulder. Hard thrust. My cock jerked in my underwear, reminding me how badly I needed release. While scrubbing my teeth, I tried to talk myself out of jerking off with him in the next room. A cold shower the previous morning had done the trick, but Christopher's stunt had me reeling, and I needed to regain my equilibrium and the upper hand. So I stood beneath the spray and welcomed the fact that Christopher was conscious of every stroke I made, even if he couldn't see it. Let him remember what my face looked like midorgasm and crave that connection.

I came so hard I had to lean against the tiled wall for support as my breath evened out and my sanity returned. I would've hidden in the bathroom for the rest of the morning if the water heater would've held out. I didn't have the foresight to grab a change of clothes, which meant I had to repeat Topher's earlier actions. When I stepped out of the bathroom with a matching towel around my waist, I discovered Topher stretched across the bed still in his underwear. A glance revealed the significant difference in his condition, though. His cock lay flaccid in his tight boxer briefs, and a few tissues were bunched on the bed beside him. And just like that, he'd regained the upper hand once more.

He stretched indulgently before sitting up. He rose to his feet, sauntered to where I stood gaping at him, and cupped my face. "We still found a way to come together."

I did the only smart thing that came to mind. I rose on my tiptoes and kissed Christopher like I would have if he'd joined me in the shower.

I straightened Jorja's train before circling back to the front. I took a few steps back and scrutinized the finished dress, looking for anything that didn't fit flawlessly. The corseted A-line gown with ivory knit lace overlay was perfection, and I allowed a few seconds to pat myself on the back before nodding my approval. Every part of the dress was repurposed or eco-friendly. I'd made the lace by hand using repurposed thread and salvaged the underlay from a dress I'd found at a consignment shop.

"Jorjie, you must be the most beautiful bride ever."

"Ha," she scoffed. "We've both seen our parents' wedding photos. Mom in her thrift-store hippie dress has me beat by a country mile." Jorja looked over at her reflection in the mirror and smoothed her palms over the skirt of her dress. "I do look damn good, though."

Persistent knocking interrupted our private moment. "You've hogged your sister long enough, Julian," my mother called through the door. "Open this door, or I'll get your boyfriend to kick it down for me."

Jorja and I shared a quick laugh before I crossed the room and opened the door to my parents. Mom let out an annoyed growl when I smiled at her, then stomped past me. Dad entered slower, a bemused expression on his face until he caught sight of his only daughter. He stopped suddenly and let out a soft gasp. Tears flooded his eyes, and he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Oh, Jorja," Mom said softly. "You take my breath away."

Dad sniffled several times, which caught Mom's attention. "I knew you would be the first to cry."

"And what do you call those water trails down your cheeks?" Dad asked as he stepped up to her. He leaned forward and kissed Mom's forehead tenderly. "Want to borrow my hankie?"

She giggled, accepted the cotton square, and gently dabbed at her eyes. Mom turned her full attention to me. "Julian, I've been honored to wear your creations before, but this is another realm of talent. Honey, I'm so in awe of you."

Dad placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "Magnificent, son."

I swallowed the lump of emotion and said, "Thank you both."

"How did you have time to make this dress?" Mom asked. "I recognize handknitted lace when I see it, and Jorja and Otto have only been engaged for eight months."

Jorja and I looked at each other and shared a quick laugh before I explained. "Otto might've proposed eight months ago, but Jorja asked me to start making her wedding dress after their first date two years ago."

Mom and Dad turned their heads to study Jorja at the same time. My sister shrugged and said, "Daddy, you always taught us to shoot for the stars."

Our father smiled softly. "Yes, I did."

Jorja crooked her finger, and our parents stepped closer. She pointed to the stars I'd knitted into the lace overlay. "Those are for you, Daddy."

"My word," he said softly and teared up again.

"This moon is for you, Mama," Jorja said.

"Because I love you to the moon and back," she whispered thickly. She looked from Jorja to me. "Now I understand why you wanted us to wait." My parents jokingly played tug of war with the handkerchief for a minute before taking turns mopping their eyes.

"This is the happiest day of my life," Mom said. Then she looked at me and winked. "Your future wedding to Christopher will share the top spot someday."

"Whoa," I said, holding up my hands. "We're nowhere near that stage in our relationship."

Mom, Dad, and Jorja just laughed at me.

"Oh, honey," Mom said. "You should see the way Christopher looks at you."

"Same way I'm looking to tear into that wedding cake after months of low-carb dieting," Jorja added.

Mom laughed, snagged the hankie back, and dabbed her eyes again. There was a swift knock at the door, and Dad crossed the room to see who was out there. After a quick conversation, he returned to our sides. "It's showtime. Is everyone ready?"

We walked as a family toward the rear of the country club, where the rest of Jorja's wedding party waited for her. I kissed her cheek one more time, waited for the cue, then escorted my mom through the open French doors, down the broad stone steps, and across the perfectly manicured lawn. My gaze was immediately drawn to Christopher when we reached the seating sections. During the rehearsal, Mom had reshuffled the seating so Topher could sit with Aunt Tallulah in the front row. Lulu sat on the far end, and Christopher sat directly next to her. I smiled at him, and he flashed his dimples at me in return. I forced my gaze to the center aisle so I didn't stumble and drag my mom down with me.

I took the empty seat next to Christopher, and Mom sat beside me, leaving the final empty chair for Dad. Christopher leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"You look incredibly sexy," he whispered before pulling back.

I reached for his hand, and Christopher laced his fingers through mine. We remained entwined throughout the procession of bridesmaids and even when we stood up to watch Dad walk Jorja down the aisle. We didn't separate until the preacher pronounced Otto and Jorja husband and wife, but we reached for each other again as we trailed behind the bride and groom.

Family photos followed, and Christopher offered to step aside, but I tightened my grip on his hand. Maybe it was the atmosphere or my family's outlandish prediction that Christopher and I were destined for the altar, but I suddenly couldn't bear to have him missing from the memories of the day.

The reception was in the country club ballroom and went off without a hitch. The bride and groom wanted a down-home barbecue, and the caterer had come through. I'd always loved the way Christopher tucked into his food when he found something that pleased him, and he really enjoyed the baby back ribs and all the fixings.

He sat back in his chair several minutes later and tossed his cloth napkin onto the table. "I couldn't possibly eat another bite." And he stuck to his guns until the bride and groom cut the cake.

Jorja's dance with Dad made me cry, and Christopher put his arm around my shoulders.

When the DJ asked the guests to join the bride and groom on the dance floor, Christopher surprised me by standing up and offering his hand. He'd always avoided dancing during the various family events I'd attended, and there'd been plenty of opportunities to showcase his moves.

"Really?" I asked.

"Are you worried I'll embarrass you?"

I accepted his hand and stood up. "No way."

Dancing to fast music was a little awkward at first since he had his left arm in a sling again, but we found a rhythm that prevented me from bumping into his bad arm. The slow dances, though… Holy moly, having Christopher Carnegie's laserlike focus aimed at me was addictive. He made it too easy to forget we weren't alone, especially when he notched my chin up with his thumb and sang a sweet song to me or pressed his lips to mine like there was nothing he wanted more in the world.

I was breathless when the slow song ended and a raucous hip-hop song started. I pulled back and smiled up at him. "I need to use the restroom. Want to grab some drinks and meet me on the balcony?" I shouted over the music.

"I can't think of anything I'd like more." He kissed my forehead before heading to the bar.

I watched him for the longest time before heading toward the restrooms. The men's room was empty, so I was in and out in quick order and whistling to myself as I made my way back to Christopher. I'd started to recall the beautiful things he'd said to me over the weekend when a hand darted out from a dark alcove and snagged my wrist. I knew immediately who the cruel grip belonged to and wrenched my arm free. I took a few steps back, and my assailant stepped out of the shadows to follow me.

"What are you doing, Thad?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he slurred.

Great, he was drunk. I looked down the long corridor, hoping someone else was heading toward the restrooms, but we were all alone.

"Laying it on a little thick today, aren't you?" Thad asked. "All this lovey-dovey shit. The two of you aren't fooling anyone."

Fear gripped my heart. The last thing I wanted was for Thad to expose my sham relationship to my parents and ruin Jorja's wedding. It's not a sham , a little voice whispered. And it was enough for me to straighten my spine and turn my fear into fire. "You're drunk, Thad. Go home before you end up doing or saying something you regret."

He kept walking toward me, and I kept retreating until my back hit a wall.

Thad leaned in close, but I turned my head. "I did some checking on your boyfriend ," he said snidely. "Want to know what I found out?"

I waved a hand in front of my face to dispel the alcohol fumes on his breath. Gross. It was hard to imagine I'd ever enjoyed kissing him. "I don't care what you think you discovered. I know everything I need to about Christopher Carnegie. He's the best man I know."

Thad snorted. "Maybe so, but he's not gay. He's not even bi."

I snapped my head around and stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Thad rolled his eyes, and the gesture made him lose his balance. He staggered back a few steps, and I took advantage to put some distance between us, easing down the corridor to get closer to the party.

"You should've brought an escort who doesn't have a social media presence. I looked back through Christopher's accounts for years. He's dated a fuckton of beautiful women but not a single man."

"Christopher is not an escort. He's a police detective, Thad. And someone's social media posts rarely tell the whole story."

"Civil servants aren't paid squat. A guy who looks like him would rake in the money as a gigolo. Is he great in bed?"

I took a step backward for every one he took forward. I didn't care if it looked like I was retreating because I was. "I don't give a shit about what you think, but I care that you don't ruin my sister's night. And I sure as hell won't tolerate you casting aspersions on Christopher just because you're jealous."

He gripped my biceps and shook me a little. "I loved you, Julian, but you threw me aside."

I placed both hands on Thad's chest and shoved him away. "You didn't believe in me, Thad. I could never be with someone who mocked my dreams like you did. Christopher believes in me and has never once belittled my ambitions and goals."

"It's just the two of us here, Julian," Thad said leeringly. "You don't have to keep up the charade." He reached for me again, but I batted Thad's hands away and sidestepped him. He staggered forward but caught himself on the wall to keep from pitching face-first to the floor.

"Hey!" Christopher called out. His footsteps echoed on the polished marble, starting as a brisk walk and ending in a full-on run. "Baby, are you okay?" he asked when he reached me. I turned in his embrace, and he held me tight.

Thad snorted. " Baby. What a joke."

Ignoring my ex, Christopher pulled back and cupped my face. "What's going on here?"

"Thad thinks you're an escort," I told him.

"Or someone after Julian's inheritance," Thad called out.

"That's a brand-new accusation," I told Christopher.

"Jackass, I'm not an escort, and I'm certainly not after Julian's inheritance. You've insulted my character and Julian's intelligence, and I'm not going to stand for it." Tension coiled in Christopher's big body, turning his biceps into boulders of muscle. He was good and pissed, and the result could get ugly if I didn't deescalate the situation. Unbeknownst to Christopher, a small crowd had formed behind him, including my parents and Thad's. I wanted to ease the worry I saw in Mom's and Dad's expressions but didn't want to chance the confrontation between Christopher and Thad getting out of hand.

"Furthermore," Christopher snarled, "my dating history is none of your damn business. If Graeme and Naomi have concerns about my character or my intentions toward their son, I will happily sit down with them and answer any questions they have. All you need to know, Thad , is that I'm Julian-sexual. You need to spend time worrying about your relationship and keep your nose out of ours."

"I couldn't agree more," Tyler said, stepping forward to collect Thad.

"I'm not finished," Thad said, jerking his arm free.

Dad and Mark stepped forward. They each grabbed one of Thad's arms. "I believe you are finished, Thad," my father said. He looked at Christopher and said, "I'm very sorry about all this."

"You don't owe me an apology, sir," Christopher said.

Mom blew us both a kiss, then followed behind the dispersed crowd.

Christopher turned me in his embrace as soon as we were alone and ran his gaze over me from head to toe. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I never felt in danger. I was more worried the drunk idiot would ruin my sister's wedding." I smiled up at him. "Julian-sexual, huh?"

"Yeah, you heard me. I'm crazy about you, Julian."

"I'm crazy about you too." I could cling to fears and uncertainties or shoot for the stars. "About that date…"

"Yeah?" Christopher asked hopefully.

"I'm free every night this week except Monday."