The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,322

encouragement with her photography. Maybe she should just trust the feeling in her gut. The one that told her she could rely on him.

“What’s the dare?” He took a sip of his beer and then set the glass on the counter, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “I’m ready.”

She grinned. “You have to stand up and sing.”

“What?” he said with a laugh. “There’s no music in here, Lib.”

Her grin turned smug. “You were the one who wanted a dare.”

He shook his head, took another gulp of beer, and stood.

“I want you to sing ‘Like a Virgin,’” she said, laughing.

“Oh, no.” He rolled back his shoulders, smiling. “You only said to sing. I get to pick.”

He grabbed his phone and tapped on the screen. “I’m not really an a cappella singer,” he explained, glancing up at her. “Karaoke’s more my style.”

He leaned over the counter and grabbed an empty glass, then pressed play and tucked the phone into it. She could barely hear the music over the murmur of voices in the bar, but she burst into laughter when she recognized the tune.

“Dog goes woof. Cat goes meow,” Noah belted out in a loud tenor.

“Oh, my God,” she said trying to catch her breath. He was singing “What Does the Fox Say?”

He continued, grinning ear to ear. He nailed most of lyrics in the first stanza and only stumbled over a few animals.

“I have to admit it frightens me that you know the words!” she shouted at him.

He just beamed and launched into the chorus. “What does the fox say?” He shimmied his shoulders and his hips and continued to sing.

Libby could hardly catch her breath from laughing so hard.

The bartender came over with a frown, shaking his head. “Sir, I’m afraid we’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Libby continued giggling as Noah feigned indignation. “Why? Are the other guests jealous of my performance?”

The employee’s frown deepened. “There are other places to go if you want that kind of entertainment.” He took Noah’s phone out of the glass and pressed the screen, turning off the music. “The patrons in this lounge prefer a less rambunctious atmosphere.”

Several couples were shooting them condescending glares, but a few were laughing.

“Not a problem.” Noah winked at Libby and stuck his phone in his pocket. The bartender brought the bill and Noah signed for it, still grinning. He picked up two shot glasses and handed one to Libby, then clinked it with his. “To getting kicked out of bars.”

“Hear, hear!” She downed the shot and slid off the stool, nearly falling on her ass. Water.

Noah grabbed her elbow and pulled her upright. He kept her steady as they walked out of the bar.

“Let’s go sing karaoke,” Libby said, holding on to his arm.

Without warning, he leaned over and kissed her, his tongue coaxing her lips open before it plunged into hers. His lips made her almost delirious, and the alcohol only added to the effect.

When he lifted his head, he looked into her eyes. “Marry me, Lib.”

Her eyes flew open. “What?”

“We can go right now. Get married in a chapel. We still have time to do it before your birthday.”

“Noah . . .” She shook her head. The three rapid shots—or was it four?—were all slamming into her bloodstream at once, making it even harder to focus.

“Just say yes.”

There were reasons she shouldn’t, but damned if she could come up with any right now. She’d never had as much fun with a man as she did with him.

Besides, what if the curse had worked? What if Noah was the man she was supposed to marry? God knew she loved him, but did he love her?

“Yes.”

“Yes?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yeah.”

He kissed her again—much shorter this time, but just as passionate—then lifted his head and shouted, “We’re getting married!”

A few people stopped to stare at them and a group of women in cocktail dresses started clapping. One of them catcalled, “Snatch him up, honey. He’s hot!”

“Isn’t that sweet?” an older woman asked the man next to her. “A young couple in love.”

Her husband squinted in disgust. “Them and half the people in this damn town.”

The crowd added to Libby’s giddiness. This had to be a dream. She was marrying Noah. This was happening.

“Let’s go get a taxi.”

He tugged her toward the hotel lobby, but she dug in her feet. “Wait! I need my dress.”

He stopped and eyed her, his hand skimming from her waist down the curve of her hip. “Why? You look absolutely perfect.”

“If I’m getting married,