Page 38 of From Grumpy to Forever
The taste of Avery’s lips consumed every one of my waking thoughts. And since our first practice kiss on the porch, I’d found at least a half dozen other opportunities for more practicing.
After all, she said it herself…practice makes perfect. And if we were going to convince the entire town of Trickle Creek, all of whom were in attendance at the wedding, we needed to look like the real deal.
Based on how things had been going so far, I guessed we were doing a pretty good job. But it was still early.
Even so, we should have done more practicing.
Not that it would ever be enough, as far as I was concerned.
Every single time I had Avery in my arms and my lips on hers, I totally forgot that we weren’t really a couple. It was to be expected, because, damn…just looking at my wife had my cock rock hard, never mind kissing her.
But my brain…well, that was a different story.
Holding her close, inhaling her sweet scent that was always mingled with the faintest traces of paint these days, did something to all reasonable thought.
And it wasn’t just kissing and holding her—although that was pretty fucking amazing—it was just being with her.
It had been almost three weeks since I moved in, and we started working side by side every day. It was a little strange at first, but now, every morning, I looked forward to getting downstairs and having a coffee with Avery before starting our day together.
In my whole life, I’d never spent so much time with one person and not only not gotten tired of her, but I looked forward to spending even more time together.
A lot more time. Time that could involve?—
Avery’s small hand squeezing mine pulled me from my thoughts, and just in time, too, because they were about to go into very X-rated territory.
“Are you crying?” I took a second glance at Avery, who dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “But this is supposed to be happy.”
She sniffled and tried to smile. “I know, it’s just…” She shrugged and turned her attention back to the couple who had just been pronounced husband and wife and were about to seal it with a kiss.
The crowd erupted in a cheer, but my eyes were on my wife. She was smiling now, but the tears fell unchecked down her cheeks.
Maybe it was just the usual emotion that weddings seemed to bring out in people—women mostly—but it felt like something more.
“Hey.” I used my thumb to wipe away a tear and let my hand linger on her cheek. When she looked at me, I leaned in and whispered, “Our kiss was better.”
She burst out laughing and immediately clapped a hand over her mouth.
“It’s true.” I winked at her, satisfied that I’d brought the bright smile back to her face.
Avery slipped her arm through mine and leaned her head against my shoulder as we waited for the wedding party to finish signing the papers. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head and when I looked up, my eyes met Grayson’s, who sat a few seats away.
He was watching us with an unreadable expression on his face. We’d always been able to read each other pretty well, but lately, I couldn’t figure him out. At least, not when it came to Avery.
Probably because I was a lying piece of shit when it came to Avery and the truth. It was for a good reason, but that didn’t make me feel any better about lying to my twin.
I gave Grayson a nod, at the exact moment he gave me one. We both laughed.
And then the music changed; the happy couple was officially announced and we were all on our feet, cheering the newlyweds down the aisle.
“We did it.” Avery looked up at me, her eyes still shining from tears.
“Oh, sweetheart.” I leaned in to steal another kiss. I kept this one as chaste as I could. “That was the warm-up,” I whispered in her ear. “This party is just getting started.”
* * *
Avery
I twirled the stem of my champagne glass between my fingers, my heels clicking softly against the wooden floorboards as I moved toward the dessert table. The smell of vanilla frosting and freshly baked cake had been calling me all night. I’d resisted long enough; it was almost time to succumb to my cravings.
