The slam of a door cut off my words and caused me to jump. I looked toward the sound. Ethan was striding toward me, looking frantic.
“What are you doing out here? I was looking all—” He stopped short when he saw I wasn’t alone. Something flashed in his eyes but I couldn’t quite place it. Anger? Jealousy? Whatever it was, he masked it quickly and reached out to take my hand. “Come back to the reception, honey. Our guests will be missing you.”
I stood and slipped my arm through Ethan’s. He pulled me close possessively, and I could feel the hard tension in his muscles. I looked back at the man who had kept me company for the last thirty minutes and realized then I didn’t even know his name. When I thought about it, I never told him mine, either.
“It was nice chatting with you,” I said.
“Likewise. Congratulations again… to both of you.”
“Thank you,” Ethan responded tersely, then coaxed me back toward the door to the hotel. Once we were inside, I felt his stiff body relax slightly. “Don’t do that again, okay?”
“Do what?”
“Disappear on me. I didn’t know where you were. When I found you…” He trailed off and raked a hand through his hair. “It didn’t look good, Gia. You’re my wife, dammit! My fucking wife. How would you feel if you saw me talking to another woman like that on our wedding day? I saw the way he was looking at you and you let him do it. I should have pounded him for having the balls to even talk to you—a woman who is clearly another man’s bride. For fuck’s sake! You’re still in your wedding dress!”
His sudden outburst shocked me but he was right. It didn’t matter that I didn’t do anything wrong, or if it was an innocent conversation. Guilt took over my rationale, knowing no matter how innocent things appeared on the outside, there was no denying the flicker of something between me and the stranger—and that was not okay. My guilt didn’t come from the words I’d exchanged with him, but from how I felt for even the briefest of moments.
Ethan, the man I loved with my whole heart, stared at me with accusing eyes, and a wave of shame came over me. This was on me, and I had to make it right.
“I just stepped out for some air, Ethan. I’m sorry. Honestly, I don’t even know the guy’s name. It was just… ouch!” I looked down at his hand wrapped around my arm. He was squeezing me so tight, I was sure he would leave a mark. “That hurts! Let go—”
“Not again,” he repeated sharply, his stern interruption slicing through the air like a thousand knives.
I was no stranger to violence. I had seen it before with my mother and father. When I’d told the stranger they didn’t really get along, it was the understatement of the year. I was barely five years old when my father finally left for good, but there was one thing I’d never forget—volatile, unhinged madness in the eyes of the abuser.
At this moment, I saw that same look in the eyes of my husband. At first, my instinct was to run, but as fast as the look in his eyes had appeared, the madness was gone. It was as if I’d imagined it.
“Not again. I promise,” I whispered.
“Good. Now, no more fighting.” He let go of my arms and softly stroked my cheek with a fingertip. Moving to touch my ear, he frowned. “You’re missing an earring.”
“I am?” I automatically reached up to touch my ears and glanced around on the floor. When I didn’t see it, I glanced down the corridor that led to the courtyard. “Maybe I lost it outside.”
Ethan’s eyes darkened again and a shiver raced down my spine.
“It doesn’t matter, Gia. It’s only junk costume jewelry. Leave it. We need to get back to the party. We’re being rude to our guests.”
Shaking off my fears, I allowed my husband to take my hand and lead me back to the reception.
4
Derek
I’d gotten little sleep the night before, having stayed up most of the previous night fretting over the pitch for the biggest undertaking of my life. The weight I felt was odd since I was normally a pretty laid-back guy. I’d read somewhere, running a small business was one of the most stressful things a person could do. Nobody told me the stress would begin before the business even got off the ground. I was exhausted, anxious, and excited, all at the same time.
I should have been in bed hours ago, but restless energy had propelled me to go for a stroll in the hotel courtyard. Little did I know, I’d come across a captivating runaway bride who’d unexpectedly make me feel all kinds of things I never should have felt for a newly married woman. Now, all the edginess I’d felt earlier was more comparable to pre-match jitters, like the kind I’d get before stepping into a boxing ring to spar with an intimidating opponent. There was no way I could go to sleep anytime soon.
I paced the now empty and silent courtyard, contemplating the conversation I’d had with the mystery woman. I should have been thinking about the contract I’d just signed with my silent partner, Ryder Malone. Ryder believed in me and my vision for The Mill, a state-of-the-art fitness center in the heart of Queens, New York. He agreed to invest a lot in this venture, so I owed it to him to keep my eye on the prize. Allowing myself to be distracted by a woman, even if it was only for the briefest span of time, was the last thing I should be doing when so much was at stake.
Still, the conversation with her reminded me I didn’t have anyone to celebrate one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking times of my life. I didn’t want our talk to end. There was a spark to her, kindling an underlying confidence and strength just beneath the surface. Despite my teasing about her being a kept woman, I could tell there was more to her—much more.
Her voice, smooth as silk with unabashed innocence, would not soon be forgotten. Her striking features were a combination of fierce and delicate, with high cheekbones and a straight nose, her full lips the color of pink roses in the sunset.
And her shape…
Lord have mercy, there was no denying the curves that punctuated the tight little body hidden beneath all that white satin and lace. The fullness of her breasts teased above the neckline of her dress, making me want to lean in and nibble on her neck as I pulled out every pin securing all that glorious blond hair. The indentation of her tiny waist gave way to the rounded curve of her hips, defining what it meant to be a woman. When our bodies had turned to face each other, it was as if a magnetic center pulled us toward one another. All sounds of the night had fallen away, and for the briefest of moments, it was as though the two of us were the only two people in the world. We’d barely had a second to acknowledge the humming electric current between us when the reality came rushing in to hit us with the force of a freight train.
She belonged to another man—a fact glaringly obvious the minute he showed up and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.
I never shied away from a challenge, but she was one challenge I could never take on. There were unwritten rules about not going after another man’s wife—rules and standards I’d always respected and followed—but for some reason, those rules didn’t seem to apply here. I’d never felt so envious of another man.
So, why was this woman so different? I barely knew her. Hell, I didn’t even know her name.