I appreciated the gesture, and of course, I was able to get wrapped up in the ceremony and reception but still, I’m thinking of my sister and hoping like hell she’s all right.

“She’s good. Still in labor. Archer’s worried about her,” Marina says.

“Should I be worried about her too?”

“No. It’s normal. I spoke to your mom a few minutes ago. She called right before you dragged me out onto the dance floor,” Marina says, laughing when I scowl at her. “They’d just arrived at the hospital and said Ivy was looking good. Well, she was looking tired and a little grumpy and more than ready to give birth, but still good. There are no complications, and the baby should make his or her appearance soon.”

“Good.” I’m thankful to hear my sister is okay. The timing on all of this wasn’t the best, but hey, it’s definitely going to be memorable. Especially if the baby is born today of all days. Talk about a celebration. A wedding anniversary and a birthday for the family—you can’t beat that.

“I was wondering.” Marina sinks her teeth into her glossy lower lip. Damn, she’s sexy when she does that. It’s been a while since I’ve had her na**d and beneath me. Not only because of stress, but because she actually wanted us to keep our hands off each other for a while.

It’ll make the wedding night that much better, she’d insisted.

Whatever. I went along with it, but we’re done with that. I’m eager to take her back to the hotel room and strip that dress off her. And whatever else she’s got going on beneath it, because I know it must be complicated.

I’m more than up to the challenge.

“Wondering what?” I ask.

“Maybe before we go to the hotel, we can stop by the hospital to see Ivy and hopefully the baby? We won’t be leaving here for another few hours, and I’m guessing the baby will be born by then,” Marina says.

“Another few hours?” Shit. How long is this reception supposed to last?

“Well, we haven’t cut the cake yet, and I haven’t tossed my bouquet. And you need to throw the garter. So yes. A few more hours to go at least,” she stresses.

At least. Well, that sucks. I’m ready to bail. “But I’m ready to get you alone now,” I whisper, squeezing her hand as I step in closer to her. So close our chests brush and our legs momentarily tangle.

Her smile turns sultry. “I know. Trust me, I want to get you alone too but just a few more hours here. I promise. Then we’ll go to the hospital, then the hotel. They probably won’t let us stay long at the hospital anyway. We’ll be lucky to see Ivy, what with visiting hours and all that.”

Yeah. I need to do the right thing and try and see my sister. At the very least, hopefully see the baby and Archer.

“You’re right.” I glance around and notice that no one is really paying any attention to us. Lowering my voice, I say, “Let’s sneak off for a quickie.”

Her jaw drops open. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.” Just thinking about it has me hard. “I want you, Marina. It’s been too long. I don’t know if I can wait another two or three hours or whatever it is before I get you na**d in bed.”

She glances down at herself, then up at me. “It’ll take twenty minutes just to get me out of everything I’m wearing.”

I can only imagine what she’s wearing. I bet every bit of it is sexy as fuck. “Can’t I just toss up your skirt?”

Her cheeks go the faintest shade of pink. “God, Gage you’re awful.”

“You love it. It’s why you married me.” I kiss her, letting my lips linger on hers. She needs to know how much I want her. A quick grope and fumble will at least take the edge off. “Come on, baby. Let’s sneak off somewhere. We’ll disappear for ten minutes tops. No one will notice we’re gone.”

“You’re only giving me ten minutes?” Her eyebrows rise.

I laugh. “So greedy. How about you get five, and I get five.”

“Now only five?”

Lowering my voice, I brush my lips against her ear. “I can make you come in less than five and you know it.”

She shivers and I smile. “You’re awfully confident in my skills then, giving me only five minutes.” Still, she doesn’t deny that I can make her come in less than five because she knows it’s true.

“I’m already half-cocked. Emphasis on the word cock,” I whisper, making her laugh.

“Fine,” she says but she doesn’t sound put out. She’s just as excited as I am. “Let’s go.”

“Where?” I let Marina take my hand and pull me off the dance floor. The music changes, a fast song comes on and three quarters of the crowd stands, ready to flood the dance floor. Perfect.

“There’s a room just down the hall. The room where we all waited for the ceremony to start,” she tells me as we walk side by side, nodding and smiling at guests as we pass. Her family is nowhere in sight, and my parents already left to be with Ivy and Archer, so I think we’re in the clear.

“Ah, I got ready just down the hall too,” I say. “Let’s go there. Less chance of someone trying to bust in don’t you think?”

“There’s a lock on the door, Gage.” She rolls her eyes and smiles at me. “There’s no way I would fool around with you at our freaking wedding reception without a locked door.”

We both laugh over that, not paying attention to where we’re walking until I bump right into someone.

A visibly upset, teary-eyed Bryn.

“Sorry,” she mutters when I reach out to steady her after sending her stumbling back.

“Bryn.” I give her shoulders a little shake, forcing her to look up at me. “Are you okay?”

She sniffs and flashes me the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. “I’m fine. Great. Sorry to run into you. I’ll let you guys go.” She extracts herself from my grip, looking ready to dash away when Marina reaches out and grabs her arm.

“Bryn, what happened?” Marina shoots me a look, one that says she has to find out what’s going on, and I feel my erection deflate just like that.

Damn. But hey, I get it. I give her a brief nod and take a step back, letting the two women walk away from me as Marina asks Bryn more questions, trying to get information out of her.

Guess I should go in search of Matt, so I can find out what’s up.

Chapter Five

* * *

Bryn

THE LAST THING I want to do is dump all of my misery and problems on the bride, but Marina’s the one interrogating me. Gage stepped away and gave us some privacy, which blew my mind. I protested when Marina took me over to an empty table in a dark corner so she can question me further, but he waved us off. I’m so lucky to have such great friends.

“Okay.” Marina sits across from me, her expression serious, her gaze imploring. “Tell me what happened to make you so upset.”

I press my lips together. She’s going to tell me I’m the biggest idiot ever when I confess what I did to Matt. I just know it. “I said something stupid.”

Marina offers me a little smile. “Don’t we all? I say stupid stuff all the time.”

“I said something stupid to Matt.”

“I always say something stupid to Gage, so no worries there.” She’s trying to tell me that whatever happened has to be no big deal, but I know the truth.

It’s a very big deal.

“Matt asked me to marry him, and I said no,” I blurt out, figuring it’s best to just get it over with because, oh my God.

It feels really good to tell my friend what I did.

And I must hand it to Marina—she hardly bats an eyelash. “Give me exact details. Well, whatever details you want to give, that is.”

I sigh and launch into the story, not bringing up the fear that has hung over me like a dark cloud since last night’s rehearsal dinner. Matt’s always had a romantic streak, but he’s seemed extra loving since he witnessed the mock ceremony between Gage and Marina. “I think—no I know—seeing you guys rehearse your ceremony and the vows and all that put ideas in his head. Ideas that he wants to marry me,” I say, finishing my explanation.

Marina reaches out and clutches my hand tightly. “And what’s wrong with that? You two seem so good together.”

“We are. Definitely.” I say, nodding. “But don’t you think it’s happening too fast? We haven’t been together that long. Not even a year. And he’s already asking me to marry him?”

“When you know, you know,” Marina says gently. “Gage and I had been together only a little while before we knew we wanted to get married.”

“See that’s the thing. I don’t know if I want to ever get married,” I confess, hanging my head. I feel terrible admitting such a thing, but it’s true. I’ve had terrible examples when it comes to relationships. My mom ditched me, and though I’ve come to terms with it, the abandonment hurt. I don’t really know my father, but whatever. I have no siblings. And I know my grandma loves me, but she’s always so gruff. My grandpa died before I was born, and she’s rarely had a man since, so I haven’t seen her in romantic relationships much.

Matt is the first good thing to happen to me. The most loving, extraordinary man I’ve ever met. He treats me like a queen.

And like a complete idiot, I told him no. I didn’t want to marry him.

What’s wrong with me?

I don’t even realize I’m crying again until I feel a tear drop on the skirt of my dress. Swiping at my eyes with shaky fingers, I sniff loudly, wishing I had a tissue.

Marina shoves a cloth napkin at me, and I take it, dabbing at my eyes. My girlfriends are the second best thing to happen to me since I moved to the Napa Valley. What would I do without Marina and Ivy? These girls take care of me no matter what, no questions asked. They laugh and cry and get mad when I do, and I do the same for them. They’re like family.

“You’re scared,” Marina says. “And it’s understandable. If anyone should understand, it’s Matt. He lost his mom. His dad is a complete jerk. Gage told me Matt used to be kind of a jerk too, when he was playing pro ball. But then he got injured and it changed him completely. Like, altered his life both in his career and the way he thought and behaved. He quit being such a womanizer and focused on bettering himself. Then he found you.” She smiles. “You helped change him too. You changed each other.”

“So as a thank you, I reject him and ruin my chances with him completely. That’s just great,” I wail, feeling like a complete idiot.

“You didn’t ruin your chance,” a familiar male voice says from behind me.

I freeze, recognizing that voice anywhere. Closing my eyes, I breathe deep, searching for courage. I need to be brave and face him. He came back for me. Maybe he’s telling the truth, and I didn’t blow it after all.

Slowly I turn in my chair to find Matt standing there, an unsure smile on his face as he watches me. “What are you doing here?” I whisper, earning a shove from Marina, undoubtedly for yet another stupid question.

“Go to him,” she whispers, and I do. I stand and walk toward him as if I’m in a trance, everything fading away until it feels like it’s just him and me in the room and not another three hundred or so people.

“I’m so sorry, Matt,” I say, shocked when he takes my hands in his and holds them between us. “I shouldn’t have run away.”

“I shouldn’t have asked you that question yet,” he says, his voice serious, his gaze searching. “You’re not ready. I should’ve realized that.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine. Going so fast . . . it sometimes scares me. We’ve moved at an accelerated pace you know,” I tell him, entwining my fingers with his. “Like Marina, I feel like I’ve been on edge with this whole wedding thing. Then you dropped that question on me, and I panicked.”

“I know.” He sighs harshly and shakes his head. “I’m the type of guy who goes after what he wants. And I know what I want, Bryn.” He steps closer and dips his head so our foreheads press together. “You.”

“I want you too,” I whisper. “I love you. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” He kisses me. Soft and warm and so lovingly I want to weep all over again but not because I’m sad.

But because I’m so incredibly happy that my man didn’t let me walk away from him without a fight.

“I’ll ask you again,” he whispers against my ear once we end our kiss. “Later. When you’re not so scared anymore. But I’m warning you now; I’m determined to make you mine in the most official way possible.”

A deep sigh moves through me, and I close my eyes, pressing my face in the crook of his neck where he’s warm and smells so good. “That sounds perfect,” I murmur against his skin.

Marina

I FEEL GOOD leaving Bryn with Matt because if anyone can work this out, it’s those two. They’re so in love with each other it’s sort of disgusting.

But I feel that way about Archer and Ivy too. Even me and Gage.

Put all six of us together and we’re all like . . . super disgusting.

Laughing quietly to myself, I leave the reception and sneak down the hall to the room where Gage told me to meet him via text not five minutes ago. Anticipation curls through me when I slowly open the door to find the room dark and seemingly empty.

I know it’s not though. I can smell him. Sharp and clean and so deliciously Gage. Closing the door behind me, I lean against it, my sight adjusting to the darkness until I finally make out his silhouette. He’s coming toward me, his strides animal-like, his gaze penetrating as it settles over me. “You made it,” he says, the timbre of his deep voice seemingly vibrating through me. “I missed you.”