11. Hallie

“You may kiss the bride.”

Five words. Five simple words that have my heart thundering in my chest. And not just the words, but everything else too. The groom, this place, the dress. Oh the dress. It’s so beyond perfect that I can’t even begin to describe it. Then this place, the place where I first saw him, first met him, first heard his name, now scattered with flowers and candles that led me straight to him. Him. The boy. The perfect boy with the broken smile, now looking at me like I have just given him everything, and just like the first day I met him, all I can do is smile back.

You may kiss the bride.

Five simple words and the first of our rules goes right out of the window.

Without hesitation, Josh pulls me in until I am flush against him, then reaches up and gently cups the back of my neck, his thumbs tipping my chin back towards his full height, as he whispers with a smile, “It’s okay, Tink, we both know you love breaking the rules anyway.”

Then before I can even bother denying him, his lips are on mine and every other thought apart from how he tastes evaporates from my mind. The kiss is soft, yet insistent, dominant in a way I have never experienced before, and probably never will again, as Josh ruins me for everyone else, just like he always does. His mouth moves against my own, his tongue gently teasing the seam of my lips, and just as I’m about to open and grant him access, he pulls away, his breathing heavy as he stares at me in wonder. His eyes are glazed and a little unsure as we both ignore the hollers of congratulatory cheers around us.

Josh is looking at me like he has never seen me before, and it unnerves me enough to make a joke. “Well that was about as awful as I imagined.” I tell him boldly, lying through my teeth as I try to get my heartbeat to return to a normal pace. One more kiss from him and I might just be ruined forever.

Josh just smirks. “Oh yeah? Imagine me kissing you often, do you?” He is still holding me against him, and with the noise everyone is still making, the only one who can hear him is me.

“You wish. I never think about such things, which is good because I would be greatly disappointed.” Another lie considering I can still feel the warmth of his lips against mine, and it’s taking every ounce of self control I have to not lean in and kiss him again, just for one more taste.

“You’re a terrible liar.” I am.

“And you’re a terrible kisser.” He’s not.

“Well, anytime you want to test that theory, Mrs. Peters, all you have to do is ask.” Mrs. Peters. Be still my beating heart.

Ignoring his attempts to rile me up, I take a step back from him and square my shoulders as I quietly toss back, “I wouldn’t hold your breath, I’d rather choke.”

His fingers slip between mine, and we turn towards where everyone is waiting to congratulate us as he softly adds, “That could also be arranged, there is no rule against that after all.”

Heat engulfs me at his words, and I force myself not to react as I look towards my best friend who is smiling wildly at us both.

“You guys, that was so beautiful,” Maddie sniffles, wiping another tear from her eyes, and I stare at her confused considering she knows this whole thing is fake and I know she isn’t that good of an actress. So why the hell is she crying? “Here, I brought your ‘something old’,” she adds, pulling a polaroid picture from her purse and handing it to me.

The picture is of me and Josh when we were kids, taken by her in this very spot as we played one of our many hockey games together. “Maddie, I can’t believe you still have this, it’s perfect.” I remember the summer she was obsessed with taking pictures with that camera, no activity of ours was safe from her lens.

Maddie shrugs with a smile. “Maybe I always knew you guys were meant to be,” she tells us, as Josh moves to hand me something else.

“This is something new and blue,” he winks, handing me a ring pop exactly the same as the ones we used to have as kids, and I can’t help but laugh.

“You guys are the best,” I tell them, taking the candy from him with a laugh, wondering how lucky I got to snare not one, but two Peters siblings for myself.

“Here I can cover the ‘something borrowed’,” Archer cuts in, swinging a pink garter belt around his fingers and offering it up to me.

“Hell no,” Josh cuts in. “She isn’t wearing something you stole from one of your whores.”

Archer blinks back in offense, “Hey, don’t be rude, this is mine, no girl has ever even seen it, let alone wore it.”

We all turn to him in confusion, Damon snorting a humorless laugh in the process and making Archer blush, as Alexander finally clears his throat. “Well, who else needs a cup of tea after that?” he asks, still wiping his tears.

“You guys are the weirdest fuckers I have ever come across,” Josh tells them, shaking his head. “But thanks for coming, I guess.” And I can’t help but smile at his words, ever the political son of the Mayor.

“I’m sure your wife will be saying that to you later,” Archer gleams, tossing me a saucy wink, and I tighten Josh’s hand in mine before he can even react, holding him at my side.

“Don’t be a little bitch, Arch, just because Josh is getting laid tonight and you aren’t,” I toss back, hoping to keep my new husband”s temper in check by fanning the flames of our ruse.

His hand squeezes mine as Daemon laughs again, and I can’t help but take pride in seeing him coming out of his shell a little today. Especially after I accosted him into walking me down the aisle.

Archer clutches his chest dramatically. “Damn, Sanders, you wound me, I thought we were friends.” I smile at the ridiculousness of him, because for some wild reason he is actually my friend, yet still I stand my ground.

“Actually it’s Peters now, and stop trying to piss off my husband or I will dick punch you,” I warn him carefully.

“She’s not joking, I have it on good authority she will actually dick punch you,” Josh cuts in, and I can almost feel his shudder as if he is remembering the pain I inflicted on him the other day.

Before anyone can say anything else, the minister interrupts us to sign our licenses, and then we are pushed towards the photographer to gather up some evidence. Then we spend the next thirty minutes taking as many pictures as possible, in as many configurations as possible, from Josh and I alone, to all of us together, me and Maddie, Maddie and Nova, all the guys together, until Josh finally tells them they have more than enough.

“So, tea?” Alexander suggests again, and for some reason we all say yes.

Which is how we find ourselves back at Josh’s house, with Alexander in the kitchen next to Daemon making everyone drinks. Drinks that are definitely not tea. Josh’s other housemates aren’t home, so we all decide to settle in the living room to enjoy a drink. Nova is sitting in one of the chairs with Maddie perched in his lap, and I am sandwiched between Archer and my new husband on the sofa as we wait for whatever the boys are mixing up in the kitchen.

Josh’s carefree attitude from the ceremony has dissipated completely, and now he looks more annoyed than I think I have ever seen, especially when Archer says, “Don’t worry, Peters, Cap said we can’t stay long since it’s your wedding night and all.” Archer waggles his brows at him and I swear I hear Josh curse.

“Give it a rest, Arch,” Nova scolds his best friend, making his shoulders slump, before leaning in closer to Maddie and whispering something that has her blushing.

“How are those drinks coming?” Josh shouts louder than necessary, and I can only presume by the mixture of Archer Gray, and his sister getting mauled by her boyfriend, that he is close to the edge.

“Alright don’t get your knickers in a twist,” Alexander tosses back, as he loads up a tray with drinks and heads our way.

He walks around us all, until each of us have one of the drinks, and then takes the free chair beside Nova and Maddie, leaving Daemon to take the final seat on the sofa beside Archer.

Archer of course doesn’t hesitate to taste his drink, swallowing it down faster than necessary as Daemon stares at him with a look I can’t decipher.

Ignoring them I take a sip of my own, the fruity and tangy mixture of alcohol and juice exploding on my tongue, as I ask, “What is this?”

Alexander smiles at me as he downs his own. “It’s my own creation, I call it the Baby Maker,” he purrs with a wink, and I almost choke on my second sip, as Josh once again curses beside me.

Which is how the night proceeds for the next two hours. We enjoy the Baby Maker, the Cock Blocker, the Pussy Power, the Wedding Whacker, and the Puck Chaser. All of which are stronger and more ridiculous than the previous contender, until I can feel a warm sensation spreading throughout my entire body.

Tensions between the guys seem low considering that Josh and Daemon aren’t really friends with their teammates, but then I have to remind myself of how much time they actually spend together between practice and games. Of course they are used to each other”s company, whether they enjoy it or not, and as fake wedding nights go, it isn’t half bad.

“Okay next game,” Archer slurs, having had double the amount of drinks than all of us. “Truth or dare,” he declares with a wink in my direction, and I instantly blush thinking about the last time I played that with the members of this group, my new husband excluded of course.

Yet before I can voice my refusal, Daemon shoots to his feet and leaves the room without a word, as Nova and Alexander both snap, “No,” at the same time, making Josh blink around in confusion.

“Why can’t we play truth or dare?” he asks, making Maddie choke on her drink, and now it’s my turn to look at her in confusion, but her eyes are firmly on the floor.

“Oh I’m glad you asked, Joshy boy, because the last time I played truth or dare I got to kiss your new wife there.” He exaggerates his words by pointing at me, as if Josh doesn’t know who he is referring to, and as if he hasn’t already taunted him with this fact before.

I expect an outburst, knowing Josh, but apparently when drunk he is a little more relaxed. Leaning back on the sofa behind me, his arm resting along my shoulders, all he does is laugh darkly. “And tonight will be the last time you ever speak of it because I will break your jaw if you bring that up again,” he warns him, and it sends a thrill up my spine.

Which is ridiculous considering I know he is only protecting me in the same manner he does Maddie, like a sister, not a wife, not a real one anyway, and the thought is sobering. It also has me standing abruptly, causing all of them to flick their eyes my way as I try to clear my thoughts rapidly.

“I need to go,” I say without thinking, before quickly adding, “To bed, I need to go to bed.” Remembering to keep up appearances of the facade that is my life now. It’s our wedding night, I can’t exactly go home while everyone else is still here, I will have to wait for them to leave.

Alexander clambers to his feet. “I’ll make you another Baby Maker for the road upstairs,” he claims, stumbling towards the kitchen.

“We should go too,” Maddie cuts in, climbing from Nova’s lap, and he follows her instantly, like magnets to one another.

“Oh I am more than ready to go, Princess,” he replies, pulling her in by the waist, making Josh groan out loud.

“Yes, please fucking leave before I have to bleach my goddamn eyes,” he complains, rising to his feet alongside me, and putting his arm around my waist.

The perfect show.

“No, it”s not even ten yet, the party can’t be over,” Archer drawls from the sofa behind me and Josh looks at me and rolls his eyes.

“See what shit I have to put up with,” he whispers, making me laugh, before turning to Archer. “You and Reign can see yourselves out when you”re done with the drinks, but we are going to bed.”

The words are said with such finality that even I believe them, and when he starts leading us towards the stairs, my stomach floods with anxiety about how this is going to go.

“See you at lunch tomorrow,” Maddie calls out to our backs, reminding me of the dinner we have on the schedule with her parents, and not wanting to think about the bomb we are going to drop on them, I let Josh lead me towards the stairs.

“Can’t we just stay here?” Alexander calls from the kitchen, and Josh huffs.

“Fine, whatever, but don’t make a fucking mess,” he snaps, and whatever is said in response is swallowed by Archer’s cheer as we leave the rest of the them downstairs and head up to his room.

When we get there Josh doesn’t seem to be as phased as I am, because all he does is stroll inside and throw himself down on his bed, whereas I let the door shut behind me before sliding the lock into place.

“Why did you say they could stay, I’ll never be able to get out of here now?” I complain, and he flicks his eyes to me, completely confused.

“Aren’t you staying here?” he asks, as if we had somehow already discussed our current predicament, and my heart races in my chest.

“You want me to stay here?” I ask, treading very carefully as I move slowly away from the door, but still stick to the perimeter of the room, coming to a stop in front of his closet.

Josh shrugs, sitting up and slowly peeling off his jacket and loosening his tie. “I just presumed you would,” he replies casually, as if it’s no big deal.

“Isn’t it weird?” I question, desperately wanting him to both agree and disagree with me.

“Why would it be weird? It’s not like we haven’t shared a room before.” He stands, moving to his dresser and unclasping his watch, before undoing the buttons on his shirt, and all I can do is stare in awe as he reveals his perfectly chiseled stomach and abs.

“I think it’s a bit different now than when you were twelve,” I scoff, gesturing towards him, and all he does is smirk.

“Don’t tell me, my little Hallie bear, is scared of a hot body?” he asks, peeling the shirt from his skin and tossing it over the back of his chair, and suddenly the temperature in the room skyrockets.

I scoff again. “Please, you are not that hot.”

His smirk only widens as he moves towards me. “Once again, you are a terrible liar, Mrs. Peters,” he gleams, with a wicked look in his eye as he leans in close to me until I can feel his breath on my neck. “Now step aside so I can get a blanket, I’ll sleep on the floor.”

I push away from him like my ass is on fire, and ignore his sinful laugh as he reaches into the closet to retrieve some sheets and an extra duvet, before moving to set up a place to sleep at the end of his bed without another word.

Well, I guess I’m spending the night with my husband.