Page 50 of The Plus One Professional
“Yes,” Cole responded.
“Oh, well, I didn’t mean anything about Simon walking down the aisle with?—"
“It’s fine,” I assured him, wanting to talk about anything other than Simon and me walking down the aisle together. “Simon and Devin are in the courtyard for welcome cocktails.”
“Oh, lovely,” Mrs. Prescott sighed.
“So, son, what do you do?” Mr. Prescott slapped his hand on Cole’s shoulder as the two men walked toward the courtyard.
“Construction.”
As Mr. Prescott launched into a story of summers spent working with Habitat for Humanity, Mrs. Prescott slid her arm through mine as we followed behind the men.
She leaned down and whispered, “I like him. You did good.”
I smiled at her, but I couldn’t help feeling guilty. I cared about Mr. and Mrs. Prescott and didn’t like feeling that I was lying to them or tricking them. I could care less about the rest of the people here. Especially Simon’s Harvard friends. But his parents—they’d always been so kind to me.
Just get through the weekend, I told myself. This was about survival.
20
COLE
I was surprisedmy tongue wasn’t split in half from all the biting I’d been doing on it all day. Simon’s frat brothers were the epitome of rich, misogynistic, entitled assholes. If I heard one more ‘joke’ that made me want to introduce my fist to the joke teller’s face, I wasn’t sure I could be held responsible for my actions.
I’d yet to meet Simon, but I was on his radar. He’d kept close tabs on me ever since I’d placed my hand on Bailey’s back while she introduced me to her sisters. I wasn’t the only one he’d been keeping an eye on. He’d been tracking Bailey the entire night. And the way he looked at her wasn’t sitting right with me. He hadn’t once looked at his fiancée with the same affection, the same desire, or the same intensity that he’d had when Bailey was in his sights.
This night could not be over fast enough. I just wanted to get Bailey back to our room and spend time with her. Alone. She’d spent most of the evening with Mrs. Prescott. It was clear the two women had a strong bond. It was also clear that Mrs. Prescott shared her husband’s sentiment that she’d always believed Bailey would be her daughter-in-law.
I took another sip of the beer I’d been nursing for the past hour.
It wasn’t only Simon’s scrutiny I’d been under. The eldest of the Bliss sisters, Billie, had been watching my every move. It was clear that she was protective of her sister, which made me wonder how in the hell she’d let Simon be in the picture for so long. Even from ten feet away, I could hear what a self-involved, pompous jerk he was. And if his groomsmen were any indication of his character, those were the nicest adjectives I could use to describe him.
After having my fill of the frat boys, I’d been hanging out on the outskirts of the gathering, avoiding eye contact with any of the bridesmaids. I felt like I was chum in the water, and they were circling me like sharks.
Bailey was across the courtyard talking to her sister Birdie. I watched as the two women hugged before Birdie joined Billie, who had been in the opposite corner scrolling on her phone for the majority of the night.
Once her sister walked away, Bailey scanned the crowd. When her eyes fell on mine, a slow smile spread across her beautiful face. She walked toward me, her eyes sparkling with kindness. All the irritation that had plagued me evaporated faster than dry ice in a sauna. All of the tension drained from me. Well, notallthe tension. The sexual tension was very present and getting stronger with each step she took in my direction.
“Hey.” Her voice was quiet as she explained, “My sisters are taking off, and a few people have already left, so I think it wouldn’t be noticed if we slipped out.”
I tried not to show too much enthusiasm as I casually replied, “Sounds good.”
I turned and set my beer down on one of the high-top tables that lined the courtyard. When I turned back, I saw Simon walking our way—not walking, but stalking. His legs were moving with purpose.
I’m not sure exactly what possessed me to, but I cupped Bailey’s face, leaned down, and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was soft, gentle, and tender. It was unlike any other first kiss I’d ever had. There was an ease, and a familiarity to it. Our mouths brushed against one another as I pulled first her bottom lip, then the top between my own.
The rest of the world faded into the background. The only thing I was aware of was the undeniable rightness, profound realness, and deep connection I had with this woman. I was barely touching her, but I felt her everywhere.
An outburst of laughter popped the bubble of intimacy we’d been floating in, and I forced myself to break our kiss. Bailey blinked up at me with a glazed look over her heavy-lidded eyes. Neither of us spoke. We just stared at one another as the magnitude of what we’d just shared sank in.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Simon had been intercepted by Devin. I sensed him staring in our direction, and even peripherally, I could see he wasn’t happy. I wasn’t typically a man who marked his territory, but Bailey made me feel things I’d never felt before, like wanting to claim her. The problem was, she wasn’t mine to claim. That fact didn’t stop me from placing my hand on her lower back and guiding her out of the courtyard.
My lips were tingling from our too-brief kiss as we silently walked down the garden path to our villa. The string lights above illuminated the walkway, giving the atmosphere a magical vibe. Not that it needed any help in that department.
Every time I was near Bailey, there was an air of enchantment, of charm, and of excitement, which combined was magic. She was magic.
As we approached the door, I pulled my key card out of my back pocket and held it against the sensor. The green light flashed as the click of the door unlocking sounded. I turned the handle and held the door open for her. As she walked by me, the floral scent that was uniquely hers wafted in her wake. I closed my eyes and inhaled.
