The engine fired right up this time. “Niceone.” He leaned across and pulled Sophie in for a brief, but heatedkiss. As he pulled away, he plucked a twig from her hair. “Let’sget back before anyone notices we left together.”
Sophie sighed, wishing they had more time. “Ihate secrets.”
“Me too. Let’s feel things out and see how itgoes? I don’t want to stress Pippa out before the wedding. Let’snot provoke the wasp’s nest of pre-wedding psychosis she’sdeveloped. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” He paused,considering. “I only promised to not have sex with you, and Ihaven’t broken her trust on that one. Yet.” He flashed a temptingglance her way before turning the truck around in the clearing andgetting them back on the road.
“For now, we can see where this goes, up tobut not including sex, so neither of us breaks that promise. Feelslike a lie of omission, but I’m willing fudge it a bit.” Whew.Sophie rolled down the window even further to cool her raging sexdrive.
How had this happened so quickly? It had beenforever since she’d been so caught up in someone. Never, actually,that had she felt the fire in her belly with a simple look fromsomeone. One easy glance from those whiskey eyes, and her limbswent weak and burned like she’d taken a shot of the smoothestwhiskey in the bar.
They pulled up to the house a short whilelater. Pippa was just heading into the house with grocery bags fullof food and flowers and wine bottles. She briefly took note of thetruck pulling in the driveway, but thankfully didn’t stick aroundto chat.
Sophie knew her friend’s fear came fromlosing more than one good friend due to the heartache Asher couldcause if things went poorly with Asher. As long as she protectedher heart and didn’t ditch Pippa, she was good to go. Right?
Asher parked quickly and checked Sophie onemore time. He pulled another twig from her hair. Running her handsthrough her hair, she made sure it was the last. “That could makethis afternoon look way worse than it was.”
He grinned smugly and soothed her with a warmchuckle. “Agreed.”
Sophie reached across and smoothed out hishair where she had dug her hands into it. After climbing out of thetruck and making sure it didn’t look like anything had happened,they grabbed the final grocery bags from Pippa’s car and headedinto the house. She bit her lip to hide the happy smile that wasrapidly becoming uncontainable.
8
The front door wide open, Pippa was franticallyunloading the groceries she’d just brought in. “Great timing,helpers, you’re here. Now get out of my hair while I make dinner.”Oh boy. Pippa was in full pre-wedding panic, and they still hadmore than a week to go.
“Pippa, it’s the rehearsal rehearsal dinner.Remember, the one that’s supposed the be fun and relaxing? Justyour closest friends? You get to delegate and tell us all what todo to make the wedding happen without a hitch. Well, there will bepeople getting hitched… you know what I mean.” Sophie tried not tolaugh at her own joke. Pippa was too far gone to appreciate thehumor.
Pippa’s lip extended in full pout, onlypausing before diving back into the grocery bags. Yikes, she loveda silly play on words normally. Poor thing was so overwhelmed. “Iknow. I think I scheduled too much. Too many events and too manydetails,” her speech rapid and high pitched, she rambled. “I’vebeen planning this wedding since I was fourteen.”
Standing in front of Pippa so she might stop,or at least slow the frantic pacing, Sophie put her hands on herfriend’s shoulders to stop the manic movements. “As a teacher, youknow that part of planning is knowing when to schedule in breaksand when to delegate. No one will be arriving for another halfhour. Why don’t you get started on dinner while I take care of theflowers and get the wine chilling? Then, we can relax while dinneris in the oven.”
Nodding with the pouty lip still out, Pippadid as she was told. When she disappeared into the pantry to grab avase for Sophie, Asher issued a quick sigh of relief and a wink.Avoiding any unnecessary risk for getting caught now that thesituation was momentarily diffused, he disappeared upstairs.
***
Asher stood back and watched his sisterfrantically setting and resetting the table. Shifting the flowersbetween the center of the dining room table to the entry table thenback again. He was dizzy just watching. “Pip, it’s just therehearsal rehearsal dinner. You’ve been working nonstop for anhour.”
“I know. I can’t help it. Freya just flew inlast night and will be jetlagged, so I need to be sure there’splenty of coffee. Lincoln and Grady have been working long hours toget their law office up and running. You hate crowds. Sophie hasbeen so sweet to put up with me and be at my beck and call. I just…I want everyone to have fun and really get to know each other.”
He risked stepping closer and took theflowers from her hands. “They looked nice on the table. Everyonewill have a great time. You love everyone coming, so why won’t theylike each other?”
“What if someone forgets their swimsuit? Itold them we’re hitting the hot tub after dinner.” Having forgottenabout the flowers, she was now removing plates from around thetable and stacking them back up for a buffet style dinner.
A single chime echoed from the doorbell andLincoln popped his head in, with Grady coming in right behind him.Asher gestured athank god you’re hereat Lincoln. Turningback to his sister, he jumped on the opportunity to run away.“Lincoln can help you with the plates, I’m sure.”
As directed, Lincoln and Grady had stepped uptheir game a bit and were wearing slacks and button-up shirts.Apparently, this was a “casual” affair. He took the stack of platesfrom Pippa before she dropped them and handed the stack toLincoln.
Whispering discreetly in the ear of hisfuture brother-in-law, he pleaded, “If she’s this crazy for therehearsal rehearsal dinner, what’s she going to be like at thewedding?”
Lincoln laughed and took the plates Asher wasforcing on him. “I got this.” Lincoln set the plates back aroundthe table and walked over to Pippa. Taking her hands in his, hekissed each and then her forehead. “Love you, Pip. It’s just us.”He dragged her to the kitchen and poured her a tall glass ofchardonnay.
Grateful he was off the hook, Asher turned tothe stairs to grab his button-up shirt he’d been strong-armed intowearing tonight. As it was eighty-six degrees out today, he’dchanged into khakis but had left the button-up shirt until the lastminute. He stopped in his tracks before he made much progresstowards the stairs.
Sophie was coming down wearing a pale bluesatin slip dress. In the heels and short dress, her legs somehowlooked even longer. The dress hugged every subtle curvebrilliantly. The satin looked as slick and smooth as her skin thatmorning coming out of the shower. Draping in the front, it accentedthose marvelous breasts.
She gave him a secret wink as she passed,leaving him with his jaw hanging open. Turning to watch that fineass as she headed for the dining room, he noticed he wasn’t theonly one enjoying the view. Grady looked at her downrightlicentiously.
Asher had never even thought that wordbefore, but it fit. Jackass wasn’t subtle about his perusal either.Grady walked right up to Sophie and placed his hand on the small ofher back to escort her to the dining room.
He should have known. She and Grady wereperfect for each other. Grady had his shit together, was a decentguy, would treat her well. Asher shook off the jealousy and dashedup to change into the stupid shirt.
