against my chest like a hummingbird as my hand slips on his bicep. Okay, he’s gorgeous. But that doesn’t mean—
“I expected more of a fight from you, but you just came to me. Kind of like a moth to a flame.”
He gives me a side-eyed look that I ignore. Ass.
“Was the sight of me in a suit so disarming that you couldn’t help yourself?”
My pulse is so loud and it’s too damn quiet. “No, I just didn’t want to go alone.”
I don’t mention that I wanted to grab his cock the moment I saw him in that suit. His chuckle sends a shiver down my spine.
“Sure.”
“Gage, I mean it. This is not a date.”
“For someone who is so sure, you seem to be pretty keen on reminding yourself that it isn’t.”
“I’m reminding you.”
“No, you aren’t.” Smirk.
My growing irritation fades as we approach the outdoor venue, which is next to an amphitheater and a large white tent. Globes of Chinese lanterns hang everywhere, casting soft golden light on the trees. He stops suddenly, turning toward me with a maddening glimmer in his gaze.
“Whatever happens, happens.”
I roll my eyes at him and continue walking. “I want to lay down some ground rules before we go in there.”
“Ugh. Rules.”
“No kissing and no touching.”
He looks aghast. “How am I supposed to dance with you if I can’t touch you?”
“Fine, touching allowed. But no kissing.”
“These are some lame ass rules. What the hell is this, high school prom?”
“You wish.”
He snorts with laughter.
“Did you hear me?”
“If anything, I’m going to have to pry your hands off me.”
My body smolders, remembering the kiss from last night. “You took advantage of the fact I was overwhelmed. You kissed me.”
“Yeah, but then you kissed me back, so I say we’re even. I see the way you look at me. Like I’m a piece of meat.”
“I think you need to get your eyes checked.”
He laughs hard, his voice ringing across the clearing as our feet kick through the grass. My hands tighten around Gage’s arm as we approach the amphitheater, but there’s no sign of Mark. We slide onto an empty bench, and I end up sitting so close to Gage that our thighs touch.
“Hey, bro. You clean up nice.”
A scowl furrows Gage’s brow as a tall man in a suit with Gage’s features slides in next to him.
“Hey, Jack.”
A show of surprise flutters over Jack’s virile face. “Is this your date?”
“Olivia, this is my brother, Jack. Jack, Olivia.”
He leans over excitedly. “It’s great to meet you. Are you staying here long?”
“Um—I might be here for a few weeks.”
“Awesome!” Grinning ear to ear, he gives his brother a playful swat to his shoulder. “Good for you, man.”
Then he turns, ignoring the glare Gage sends him.
Okay, what was that about?
The ceremony starts before I can ask. An orchestra of middle school-aged children plays classical music as the bride walks from the forest and down the narrow aisle. I haven’t seen Sophie in years, but she looks radiant in her dress, her eyes only for the groom standing on the stage. She joins the five lavender bridesmaids.
We could’ve had a wedding just as beautiful as this, and I would’ve never looked at him the way Sophie looks at her groom.
A sharp feeling digs into my chest, the pain radiating outward. My ears shut off the sound, and instead of watching the beautiful ceremony, I look at the trees. Gage grips my arm, tugging me upright, and I stand to clap with everyone else.
Gage leans over with a hard look in his eyes, and for a second I think he’s going to say something nice. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those saps who cry at wedding.”
“I’m not a sap.”
“Good.”
He grabs my hand as the procession leaves the amphitheater, and I follow the line of people toward the massive white tent. People mill around the grass, talking. Gage grabs a couple flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and hands one to me. I down the whole thing in a few gulps, and the booze rushes straight to my head.
“Careful. You wouldn’t want to forget this isn’t a date.”
“It’s not,” I say too quickly.
Looking around, I recognize a bunch of people from town who I saw at the grocery store. Even that crazy old man who called me a hooker is here. We find our seats among the white tables decorated with garlands of wildflower arrangements. For some reason, the wedding has a nautical theme and there are knots with name cards