“It’s just me.”
“Just you what?”
“It’s just me and my guitar. I don’t need any kind of setup.”
And I can see it then, just like when we were younger, like that time he performed in front of the whole school during a talent show: Evan alone with his guitar, his eyes closed, his voice soulful and low as he sang.
It was the moment I fell hard for him. The moment I knew I’d never get over him.
“Right,” I say. “Okay. That’s easy, then.”
“Anything else?” he says.
Everything. I want everything from you, Evan.
I shake my head and clasp my planner tightly in my hands.
“Nope,” I say, giving him my best professional smile.
Chapter Two
Evan
I watch Rose as she heads back through the lobby, her high-heeled shoes clicking over the marble floor.
Damn.
I’ve known this girl, this woman, since she was thirteen. How in the hell did I not notice her before? Not notice her doe-like blue eyes, her thick hair—her even thicker ass? Jesus, the ass on that woman.
That little yellow skirt she’s wearing flicks back and forth across the top of her thighs and I’m hit with an unfamiliar gut-punch of lust. I wonder what she’s got on underneath. Silk thong? Cotton panties? Nothing?
Fuck me.
I’m not normally like this. I swear I’m not. But this is the effect this woman has on me.
I adjust my shorts and stride over to the elevator, punching the button, which immediately opens the door. After stepping into the elevator, I turn around just in time to see Rose across the lobby talking to the concierge. She unconsciously reaches down and adjusts the edge of her skirt, inadvertently giving me a glimpse of her plump thigh. Fucking hell.
I jab the button to shut the elevator door.
It’s going to be a long weekend.
I spend the rest of the afternoon trying not to think about Rose. I stop by my parents’ hotel room to say hi to them—they flew in a few days early to make a vacation out of the trip—and after Courtney gets out of the spa, I briefly meet up with her. After that I hit the hotel gym and work the weights until my body is fatigued, then I head out to the pool to cool off for a while. After a quick dip in the water, I kick back on a lounge chair and slide my sunglasses down over my eyes and survey my surroundings.
The poolside is littered with a bevy of women in bikinis that vary in coverage. There are tanned bodies and sunscreen-oiled thighs on display across the entire pool. If I were a different kind of man, I’d revel in the sight of all this flesh.
But the only woman I can think about is Rose.
Short, plump, and sweet-as-honey Rose.
Fuck, how I’d love to sink my hands into that thick ass of hers and pull her onto my lap, bring her mouth down to mine, and—
Shit. Why am I doing this to myself? If I keep this up, my dick is never going to rest. Exhaling a sigh, I stand up and dive into the pool again to hide my hard-on.
I’ll admit it: I wasn’t fully paying attention when Courtney told me Rose was her wedding planner. I love my sister, and I’m all for marriage, but I’ve never gotten the big deal about all the extra stuff that comes with the wedding day itself.
And yet when I walk into the private dining room for the rehearsal dinner that evening, I’m damn impressed. There’s a long, elegantly set table and personal touches all over the place that makes the room feel like Courtney and Leon.
“Isn’t this gorgeous, Evan?” my mom says as I take a seat next to her and my dad. “Rose did such a wonderful job.”
I nod. “She did.”
I look around for Rose and see her circling the room, checking on everyone. She’s changed out of her floaty little skirt from earlier and is wearing a dark red dress that skims over every one of her generous curves. My hands ache, wanting to reach out and run them over the slopes and dips of her body.
Midway through dinner, someone who looks like they work for the hotel pulls her aside. I keep a casual eye on her while the two of them talk. She looks frustrated when the conversation is over, and I can’t help but excuse myself from the table to go check on her.
“Everything okay?”
She looks up from her phone, a little startled to see me. “Oh. Yeah. It’s fine. There’s just been a small change to the wedding menu.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
She gives me a curious look. “No. Thanks for offering, though.”
I nod and glance over at Courtney and Leon, who are beaming as they talk and laugh with their guests. “How are you feeling about all of this?”
“Good.” She gives her phone one more quick look, then lowers it to her side. “I’m a little concerned about the forecast tomorrow, but I’m sure it will be fine. It should only be a little rain, if any.”
“I was actually curious how you’re feeling about Court getting married.”
“Oh.” She smiles. “I’m thrilled for her, of course. She’s my best friend. And Leon is perfect for her.”
“Yeah. He’s a good guy.”
She considers me for a second. “What about you? How are you feeling?”
“I’m happy for her. Definitely. It’s just sort of crazy that my little sister is getting hitched. I mean, when the hell did she grow up?”
Rose laughs.
Fuck, she’s gorgeous.
But there’s something else about her, too. It’s not just my dick influencing my thoughts. There’s something magnetic about her in a deeper way.
“Hey,” I say, catching her eyes again. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to, but was I ever a jerk to you when we were in high school?”
“What?” Her eyebrows raise. “No, um…no. I don’t think you ever said two words to me, in fact.”
“Ah. Well. That counts as being a jerk. I’m sorry I ignored you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“Right. I, uh…” A faint blush rises in her cheeks. “I think we should get back to dinner.”
I nod and smile. “Looking forward to eating that dessert.”
Chapter Three
Rose
Make it up to me? What does he mean, he’s going to make it up to me?
Okay. He probably just meant he’ll make small talk with me this weekend or something. Still, it felt like there was something else in his words…something suggestive. Something sexy. Something dirty.
Ugh. I really need to get it together.
Flustered, I take my seat at the table again near Courtney, who’s digging a fork into the dessert that’s just been served.
“Oh my God,” she says, groaning around the bite of cake in her mouth. “This is to die for. There’s even fresh pineapple between the layers.”
“Hope I can get noises like that out of you tomorrow night,” her fiancé Leon jokes. Courtney elbows him in the ribs and Leon lets out a deep laugh. While he swoops in to kiss her, I look away from them and watch Evan as he eats a bite of his dessert.
My heart is pounding so fast and hard that he can probably hear it all the way down at that end of the table.