My stomach coils again. “I think that’s my line.”
“Shit, baby, your face tells me you want more.”
“I have a lot of time to make up for.”
“Let me clean you up, make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m not ready to lose you yet.”
His face softens, and he lays his forehead to mine, kissing me sweetly. “Then you won’t.”
“I’m hitting the hard stuff. Champagne isn’t cutting it. Envy has never been my forte,” Ryanne announces, swallowing the last of her flute.
“Keep your voice down!” I glance around the bar.
“No, I’m jealous and utterly sad. Three times?”
My face flames. “Two!”
“He prepped you, Pips, that counts. You give up your virginity and get platinum from the very go? Not fair. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you and rarely do I get a twofer.”
“Jeez.” I throw my hands over my face, shaking my head. “Why did I tell you this?”
“Because you’ve been avoiding my calls all day.”
“I’ve been busy!” I hiss.
“Of course you have. Now that the seal is broken, you’re a feign.”
“I’m not a feign. We didn’t have sex all day.”
She arches an eyebrow and replies sarcastically, “Sure you didn’t.”
I don’t know why I’m surprised. The moment she and Dante walked into the restaurant, they read me easily. They behaved during dinner, even when we moved to the swanky bar next door, per Ryanne’s suggestion.
I was riding on cloud nine, knowing my best friends and boyfriend got along. Therefore, I let myself relax.
The minute Dante left for the restroom and Evin excused himself to take a late call from Darby, Ryanne pounced. She wanted answers, and since I am full of love, happiness, and copious amounts of fine champagne, I gave her the condensed version.
Big mistake. Because I didn’t even get to the beauty of my first time before she zoned into one detail. Actually, three details.
“Can we talk about this another time?” I glance around again, catching Evin’s smirk as he watches us from the patio.
“Yes. Since Dante’s driving, I’m drowning ten years of wasted time on men. Then I’m going home and scheming a way to sneak into your suitcase and fly across the country to find my own Chris Hemsworth.”
Her face is so serious, I hold in my laughter as long as I can before doubling over.
She orders a martini with her eyes twinkling. “I’m happy for you, Popsy. You chose well.”
“I agree, plus the bite mark on the neck is hot.” Dante steps beside me. “Now, can I steal you for a dance before Rambo comes back?”
I set my glass down and take his hand, letting him lead us to the dance floor. “My gypsy goddess is moving on air.”
“I’m fully on the ground.”
“Good, then hold on.” He spins me around and we move in sync. Doing what we’ve done countless times, he gives a show until we have a small crowd clapping.
“Eventually, he’ll get you to Charleston. When it’s time, we’re creating our studio and taking the southern world by storm.”
“Dante,” my breath leaves me.
“It’s not happening right now, but we’ll get our chance.”
“Charleston, Vegas, wherever we are, we will get it.”
“I know.” He kisses me on the cheek and guides me back to the bar where Ryanne is deep in conversation with Evin.
“Everything okay with Darby?” I sit on the stool and he crowds in.
“Dev’s teething and having a rough night. She wanted to check-in.” He fills my glass and orders another whiskey.
Ryanne takes a huge slug of her martini. “I’m calling it now. Darby may be your sister and you have some supernatural ESP, but I’m claiming the maid of honor.”
I gasp, horrified and wide-eyed. “Ryanne!”
“Fine with me,” Evin encourages her.
My stomach drops at the same time my heart hammers.
“The sooner it happens, the better. Darby’s had a dream since she knew what weddings were,” he goes on with the conversation like I’m not here.
“How about tonight?” she challenges, and the room spins.
“I’m ready.”
I set my glass back on the bar and swirl to face them all. “Stop the madness!”
“What madness?” Evin leans down, his lips touching mine and his eyes glittering. “You want to wait, I understand. It’s your call.”
“Are you insane?”
“Insane about you? Yes. In love with you? Yes? Want to make this official so we don’t go through however long it takes to be together full-time? Yes. Willing to have my ring on your finger after twelve hours of knowing you? Yes.”
“Evin.”
“You want to wait, we will.”
“You would wait?”
His hands frame my face and he bends so only I can hear him. “I would wait, but I’m not a man who gets your precious and lets you go. All in.” He places my hand on his chest where his heart is beating steadily.
I close my eyes, waiting for my logic to kick in. It’s silent.
“I’m all in, too,” I answer honestly, opening my eyes. “What about your family?”
“Right now, my thoughts are only on you. You want a big wedding, big celebration, big shin-dig, it’s yours.”
I think about next weekend in Kiawah, the weddings I’ve attended over my life, the huge soirees.
None of that is me.
“Ryanne and Dante only?”
“If that’s what you want.”
There’s no hesitation. “I want them.”
“Is that a yes?” he prompts.
“If it isn’t, I say yes!” Ryanne pipes in. “Marriage licenses are issued through midnight.”
She pulls out her phone and angles it at us. “So, Chris Hemsworth, aka, Evin Graham, are you gonna ask her to marry you?”
“No, Ryanne, it’s a given she’s marrying me. I want to know if it’s tonight.”
His mouth closes over mine, and he lifts me until I’m wrapped around him. Our kiss turns crazed and my mind goes hazy.
“Poppy?” he questions lowly against my lips.
“Tonight,” I answer with absolute certainty.
Chapter 15
Evin
I check the address again, looking at the pale pink building Ryanne instructed us to meet. According to her, it is Vegas’s hidden gem of chapels.
“I’m trusting Ryanne on this.”
“She knows her shit,” Dante grumbles, walking in.
Those are the first four words he’s spoken to me since leaving the bar. Once Poppy agreed to marry me, Ryanne kicked into action and planned, declaring we weren’t getting married in a ‘seedy’ chapel with a revolving door. It was a little scary how much the woman knew about planning a Vegas elopement. Everything from how to get married to the perfect location—she rattled it off like a pro.
After we received our wedding license, Ryanne ordered a limo and whisked Poppy back to their house, and confirmed we’d meet here in an hour.