"I don't want the boys to watch us," he says, and I start laughing uncontrollably, snaking my hands onto his back and clutching at the muscles there. "I don't know why you're laughing – we could scar them for the rest of their lives."
"Pretty sure they won't know what's happening," I say, shaking with laughter.
Dean shakes his head against the skin of my neck, grazing his teeth against my skin there.
My body goes up in goosebumps and now it's my turn to grind against him, feel his cock against me, hitting me sweet and right where I need it.
"Bedroom it is, then."
Dean throws me on the bed hard enough that I bounce a few times. He then gives me the sweetest grin when he climbs on top of me and starts kissing me with enough intensity that I'm pretty sure I start to lose my mind.
There's a lot of laughter, a lot of smiling that turns into moaning. A lot of touches that turn into mind-melting caresses. A lot of sweating and calling out each other's names; a lot of sucking and tasting, and nibbling all so that I can say with absolute certainty: if I can somehow make sure that this works, I'm going to be one hell of a lucky woman.
***
I don't know why I agreed to this. I don't know why I decided to meet him in the first place. Sera's gonna think I'm conspirating - if that's even a word. But I'm passed that now, and so should Russia be, too.
I took notes last night, and I did my research on Pinterest.
I've got a shit-ton of ideas for Sera's Harry Potter wedding and hopefully she loves about eighty-percent of them. I see a re-read of the seven novels in my near future, just so I can make sure I get the details right. This is her day, after all, and I want it to be perfect. And if it can't be perfect, it better be magical.
"Hey, Katie." I almost don't stand up, but we bump cheeks and then Russia settles down in front of me, undoing the button on his suit jacket like we're at a business meeting. I don't think I've seen him wear jeans and a t-shirt in the past six or so years.
"Hey. I didn't think we needed this clandestine meeting, Russia. I told you already, by text and by phone call, Sera's not going to leave Hunter. They're engaged."
Russia's blue eyes are dimmed, and he looks like he hasn't been eating. He's not even oozing that special Russia-charm we've all come to know and love, and by know and love, I mean want to throttle him for.
Woah. He must really love her. A guy, not eating? Red flag, red flag!
"You said you were going to help me out," his accent comes through thick enough that I have to give my head a chance to catch up. "I'm better for her, you know this. Now we just have to convince her."
I shake my head. "No. She's happy with Hunter. I'm the maid of honour. I'm not going to let you ruin this for her. Don't you have some Christmas shopping to do? Just don't be here when she gets here, okay?"
Russia rubs a hand over his mouth and sets his back against the chair, putting space between us. "I bought her a ring."
"That better be a pretty little useless ring that doesn't go on an important finger." His face stays impassive. "Don't fucking tell me you bought her an engagement ring. You're such an idiot. Who the fuck impulsively buys an engagement ring? How much did you spend?"
"I could only afford about fifteen-kay right now. Why, do you think I should have gotten a bigger diamond?"
My brain's going to explode. The poor Starbucks kids are going to have to clean chunks of brain matter off the walls. I can't believe he did this. "She doesn't love you."
"She hasn't given me a chance."
"You're going to give me an aneurysm." I pull in an annoyed breath. "This is a joke. You're kidding me, right? You can't possibly believe that she's going to leave the man she loves for you. He beat you to the punch, man. Sack up and deal with it."
"She didn't give me a chance," he repeats, like I'm supposed to understand.
"No, you were too chicken shit to take your chance when you had it. She never knew you were flirting with her! You had to make it obvious, that's what MacLaine did! And you don't hold a candle to MacLaine, Russia. He's it for her."
"You're not making sense."
My eye-tick is back, blood pounding right underneath my eyeball. I'm going to kill him, and it'll be worth it, especially when everything is going according to plan. "She doesn't want big diamonds. You don't get it, you don't get her. I don't think you ever did."
"I love her, Katie. I really do. I don't have to prove it to you. I have to prove it to her."
"No. I said no. You can't do that to her. Leave her be. She's engaged with someone she loves, you moron."
Russia gets a gleam of determination in his eyes and I might as well have signed the divorce papers for Sera and Hunter and they aren't even married yet. "We're going to see about that," he says, and leaves.
I sit like a bump on a log until Sera comes to meet me and offers to buy me a caramel macchiato. I don't say no.
"Here you go, buddy. It's been a whole week since I told you you're the big MOH, but I didn't mean that you had to start planning it right away. I know how busy you are."
I shake my head. "I need to start sorting out my priorities." I get a high five for using that reference properly. "As such, you and MacLaine's wedding is numero uno. Okay, I just lied. Dean is numero uno for the foreseeable future and you and MacLaine come second, but really the marginal increase on those two is so minuscule, you can't really be bothered by it."
"So you told him?"
"Told me what?" Dean says, coming to sit down with a paid book in his hands. "Thanks for the book recommendation, Sera. Brent Weeks is an awesome writer. So you girls do your thing, and I'm going to go hunt down a stuffed chair so I can read. Call me when you're done, kitten?"
Dean's face gets close and he kisses me lightly. Now I want to rip his clothes off.
"I … I love you."
Crinkled eyes stare back at me, and his face looks like it's going to split he's grinning so hard. "Right back at ya. Take however long you need, I don't mind. Sera, I hear congratulations are in order. Come on in for a hug," he says, getting up, book in hand and wingspan extended to the fullest.
Sera obliges him and laughs when he gives her a squeeze.
"Alright, girl-time, Dean. I'll see you later, okay?"
Dean nods and salutes me.
I look away from my hot boyfriend, yeah, boyfriend, and see Sera staring at me with bright eyes. Ah, shit, she can't do this to me.
"Don't you see, K?"
"What? What's wrong now?"
Sera shakes her head, sniffing. "You landed a nerd! A nerd! The world is an awesome place!"
Yeah … I guess I did. I'm more than okay with that.
Chapter 30
I get more than my share of complements when it comes to my presentation skills. I excel at making my colleagues relaxed, and I can say what I need to with confidence and alacrity while responding to any kind of critical analysis with enough badassery that my boss always gives me a nod of approval.
Except here I'm surrounded by my friends – friends that are as good as family … and Dean.
I don't want to screw this up. My mouth rivals the dryness of sandpaper and I hastily take a large swig of my champagne. The music peters out and the DJ announces my name over the speakers. I get a mixture of a polite applause and whooping coming from the boys' table, along with Josh yelling for me to ‘chug, chug, chug!'.
What a freaking animal.
I stand slowly to my feet, feeling again like everything below my knees is made of Jell-O and my fingers are numb. I pull a smile on my face because that's what you do when you're about to give the maid of honour speech at your best friend's wedding.
I clear my throat and cough into my hand, mentally going over all the words I handwrote last night and read to myself over and over. I practiced until three in the morning, wanting everything to go smooth and perfect.
But knowing my luck, and what amazing luck it is, I'll forget some minor details, but I know my subject matter well enough to wing it.
We're talking about my best friend, after all, and the family's she's adopted as her own.
"Good evening," I say over the microphone I've been handed. I hope to the Virgin Mary that it doesn't start shrieking and then everyone's ears stop bleeding.
Focus.
"We're all here today to celebrate Sera and Hunter's wedding, their journey from a couple to a team bound by love and trust in front of all of us present here, and those of us who are watching from higher vantage points, as well." I peek a look to my left and watch Dean's head whip towards me.
Yeah, I know you're watching old man Carter. Help us get through anything and everything. Help me love him like he deserves.
"I've known Sera since elementary school. We were both tomboys and loved playing soccer with the boys." I watch Josh snort his rum and Coke but I just ignore him. "We went to the same high school, where we tried to navigate the waters, and I was left alone with my guy recon, ‘cause to this day, Sera doesn't know what that is. We were close but not as close as we should have been."
MacLaine coughs an "Amen" and everybody ends up laughing, and all of this seems easier somehow.
"Cool it, MacLaine, this is my time." I take another deep breath and focus on delivering one of the most important speeches I'll ever give.