commitment-phobe. The wedding is in thirty-eight days.”
She pulled back. “What? That means they’re getting married in February.”
She’d assumed the wedding would be in the spring. Or June. Like a normal wedding time. Several months in the future.
Why was nothing with this guy going according to plan?
“They’re getting married on Mardi Gras,” he said. “That’s when they met and when they got back together. So they almost have to.” He shrugged.
“Mardi Gras is in February?”
Why didn’t she know that? Why did Mardi Gras seem like a warm-weather event? Probably all the naked boobs associated with the holiday. Then again, it was a warm-weather event since it was mostly celebrated in the South. February in Louisiana was definitely warmer than February in Iowa.
Which was a major draw to this wedding for this Iowa girl.
As if the big guy who was dragging his hand down the side of her body and settling it on her hip wasn’t enough.
He is. He so is. And don’t even try to lie about it.
Yeah, yeah.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you soon, then,” she said.
He laughed and leaned in and kissed her before letting her go. “You need to work on acting enthusiastic about that before you get there, okay? My ego can only take so much.”
She grinned a genuine grin. “I’m not worried about your ego.”
It was probably a good thing he was sure of himself and cocky. He could handle her less-than-enthusiastic quirks about intimacy and commitment better than most men. The guys around here got their feelings hurt pretty easily. It was another reason she rarely said yes to dates with guys from Appleby. She mostly dated guys from other towns… the bigger and farther away, the better.
Mitch would be the farthest away of any guy she’d dated though—if that’s what they were going to call it—and that didn’t feel like a perk, exactly.
He pulled her in close again and put his mouth against her ear. “I can’t wait to see you and have you for six months straight.”
She felt tingles racing through her body and she had to focus on what he’d said. “You said six days last night,” she reminded him. And she hadn’t agreed to that. Yet.
“Okay, fine, we’ll compromise at six weeks.”
“I can’t.” Well, she shouldn’t. She could. Technically, she supposed.
He kissed her, then lifted his head. “We’ll see.”
“That should sound creepy. Like you’re going to lock me up or something.”
He didn’t grin. He cupped her face again. “Does it sound creepy?”
She wet her lips and then said honestly, “No.”
“We’ll take it… six days at a time,” he said.
She smiled. “You don’t take no for an answer very easily.”
“Actually, I’m pretty easy going about most things. Usually. But I’ve never wanted something this much.” His gaze was still serious and she felt her stomach flip. He dragged his thumb over her bottom lip. “But I won’t push you.”
“You’ll just tempt me?” she asked.
“Oh yes. That. For sure.” Now the slow, sexy smile curled his mouth.
“Thanks for the warning.”
He stepped back after another long look. Then he grabbed his bag from beside the door.
How had she not noticed that before? Well, she’d been on the phone with her sister, panicking about Tori and Josh and Mitch being at Buttered Up.
Mitch pulled the door open and looked back. “See ya soon.”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
He smiled and then left.
As the door shut behind him, only one thought went through her head.
I already miss him.
Well, fu… fudge.
11
One week later…
Josie and Grant’s wedding was easily the most romantic thing Paige had ever witnessed.
Of course it was. It was Josie. The most in-love-with-love person Paige had ever met. And that included their own parents and grandparents.
Josie looked gorgeous, even with tears—happy tears, of course—streaming down her face. Grant had even choked up during his vows.
The flowers were gorgeous. The music was gorgeous. Josie’s dress was gorgeous. Hell, even the bridesmaids' dresses—Paige, Zoe, Jane, and Amanda wore—were gorgeous. And when did that ever happen?
The cake was, of course, gorgeous. Zoe and Josie had made it themselves, and Paige had to admit, it was a work of art.
Paige tipped back her glass of champagne. Her first, but she intended to keep the free booze flowing. They were at the reception now, and she didn’t have to make a speech—that was Zoe’s job as maid of honor—so Paige could definitely get drunk.
She really wanted to get drunk.
She was surrounded by in-love people. Her sister and Grant. Zoe and Aiden. Jane and Dax. Whitney and Cam. Max and Elliot. Even Kelsey was