Christ, I hoped there weren’t more brides like Lindsey making demands in the world.
The first two groups performed their sets and sounded decent. Wasn’t my type of music, but it’d work for a wedding. Of course, my opinion wasn’t good enough for the bride.
Lindsey armed Mandy with score cards and instructions. She demanded a shit ton of information about her music—well beyond genres and skills. Mood, tone, warmth qualities, sexiness, ability to cover Adele, and set songs. Nothing about price or availability. Apparently if she liked them, she’d hire them, no questions asked.
Mandy’s foot tapped as she listened. She had no idea what she did to me. How long could a man last watching her wiggle with the beat?
This was no way to listen to music or judge how romantic a song was. The group struck up a slow ballad and strummed on soft strings with a sultry rhythm. I grabbed the score cards from Mandy and ripped the paper in two.
Her eyes widened like I’d burned the US flag or, worse, Lindsey’s wedding program.
“What are you doing?” Mandy screeched. “Lindsey’s gonna kill me!”
“There’s only one way to figure out what music is right for a wedding.” I didn’t ask, just took her hand. “You gotta dance to it, baby.”
“Oh, no.” Mandy shrunk away, awkwardly shaking her head, even as the band encouraged her. “Really, I’m good.”
I tugged her out of the seat. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
“Dancing with you?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s a lot of things that could happen.”
That wasn’t good enough for me. “I can think of only one—you enjoy it.”
Mandy dug her heels into the floor, but she wasn’t strong enough to fight me, especially when I lured her with the most powerful weapon I possessed.
A smile.
“Nate—”
I wrapped her in my embrace, but I was a gentleman. I kept my hands at her hips. It was the only thing that prevented her from dissolving into a puddle of embarrassment. I liked that. For whatever reason, it was cute on her. She panicked around me like she didn’t trust herself so near my body.
Not in the swaying music.
Not with my touch upon her waist.
Not with my breath in her ear.
The ballad slowed and dipped, and the musicians helped me out. They played a slower, sexier, more intimate song, and Mandy couldn’t escape the beat.
Her fingers curled into my shirt, and she didn’t pull away. I’d take anything I could get. Simply touching this woman excited me. I never wanted to let her go.
For the first time, I stopped caring what it meant. It was time to keep her in my arms.
“You don’t trust me, do you?” I breathed deep, savoring the warm vanilla trace over her skin.
Her body softened, and she rocked within my arms.
“I don’t trust your intentions,” she said.
“You know what they are.”
“You want to sleep with me.”
Yes. Definitely. Maybe more, but neither of us had the clarity of thought to imagine beyond the bedroom.
“You’re beautiful. You’re sweet. You’re the best fuck I ever had.”
Her voice lowered. “I bet you say that to all the virgins.”
“Give me a shot.”
“It’s not that simple, Nate.”
Nothing was simpler than what our bodies craved. “It’s just sex. You liked it. I was there.”
Mandy couldn’t look at me, like she was embarrassed to be the one woman who completely owned my pleasure.
“You know I’m not a girl who does…that.”
“I know you’re freaked out. Something is bothering you, baby, and I don’t think it’s all about the wedding. Let it go.”
“You have no idea what I’m going through.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t, or this becomes more than just sex.” She shook her head. “I’m not like you, Nate. I need stability and promises and more than just following instinct.”
“What about desire?”
I pulled her closer. She moved a hand to my chest, brushing over my heart. It was my luck that it fucking pounded just as she touched me. I was drunk on her without taking a sip.
“You’re twenty-three, baby. You’re supposed to be having fun. Getting laid by men who want nothing more than to fuck your brains out. You should be excited to escape your family and see the world and have no responsibilities to anyone but yourself.”
Mandy’s voice caught. “Is that what you want?”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“I don’t know. No?”
“You only go around once, right?” I nuzzled her, but Mandy refused to look at me. “Why not have your fun before you’re saddled with all the bullshit that comes with those complicated relationships you want. House. Husband. Kids running everywhere. That’s so far in the future you shouldn’t even waste time imagining it. Right now you have complete control over your life—so enjoy it.”