Stripped Bare (Stripped #1)(82)
Even as I walked back down the aisle, somehow with a tiny three-year-old bridesmaid attached to me in place of Darren, West had watched me.
His gaze burned red hot every second it was on me. I felt it dancing over me, touching every part of my body in turn. He explored my body entirely at his leisure, and from where I was standing, it felt like he'd missed everything that had happened around him, like all he'd seen was me.
That was him. That was how he made me feel, and it was the simplest thing in the world.
I felt wanted—no, needed.
Even now, as we were sitting and waiting for Darren to finish his speech, there was one set of eyes on me, and they belonged to one person. West Rykman, the red hot stripper with the body of a saint and the mouth of a dirty sinner.
Darren finished his speech, and all eyes turned to me. Yeah—this was the one part of the wedding I wasn't looking forward to.
Still, I stood, smoothing out the wrinkles of my fitted, pale pink dress, and took a deep breath. The little square of paper I'd tucked under my plate stared at me, so I picked it up, then looked out. “I wrote this speech about two months ago. I can't even remember what I wrote, but it doesn't really matter, because that was a long time ago, and it was probably the equivalent of a two-year-old writing Shakespeare. So.” I threw it over my shoulder to the floor to low hum of laughter. “I could come out with a long rambling speech about everything stupid we've ever done, but there are children in the room, and it's not appropriate. Sorry, Mom. And Mom Two.” More laughter.
Hey. I was good at this.
“So, instead I'm going to say this. I am blessed with the best friend a girl could ever ask for—so is she, for what it's worth, I'm awesome.” Even more laughter. “And I've done a pretty good job of putting up with her for this long. But, Joe, it's my obligation to tell you that if I want tacos at eleven-thirty and I call her, she's coming to get tacos, and she has an obligation to answer my needy texts at two-thirty. You're both leaving me high and dry here with this marriage thing, okay? I'm going to need adjustment and possibly a bedroom at your house for a while. And if you hurt her, I've watched enough Netflix documentaries that I know how to kill someone without leaving evidence. That's also why I need the bedroom. It'd be easier if I didn't have to break in, you know?”
He laughed into his hand, watching me.
“In all seriousness...watching someone you love find someone who loves them the way you know they deserve is one of the best things I've ever experienced. So thank you for loving my Allie like that. And she is still my Allie.” I winked at him. “I guess I'm sharing her with you.”
He raised one eyebrow.
“Joe! Not like that. There are children in the room.” I rolled my eyes dramatically and flung my arm in his direction. “You can't even take a man to his own wedding.” Everybody laughed again. “As much as Joe loves Allie, then I need to keep looking because clearly I drew the short straw.” Laughing. Again. “But that's a good thing. I'm blessed to have two wonderful people to call not only my best friends, but my family.”
My eyes scanned the room, but they didn't have to look long before they landed on the smiling face of West Rykman.
I couldn't look away as I spoke.
Even if my throat felt like it was going to close up.
“And somewhere along the way, they made me believe in love again. And that's pretty special. Not even Disney did that because I'm still waiting for the birds to do my laundry.” I paused, and West's smile faltered, emotion flashing in his eyes, even through my joke. “So I'd like everyone to raise a glass,” I grabbed mine and finally looked back to Allie. “To the best friend in the world and her new husband. To Mr. and Mrs. Walker.”
Everyone echoed it, and Allie's eyes shone with tears. She squeezed my hand hard as I sat down, then pulled me into a giant bear hug. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whispered back.
“You know he hasn't stopped looking at you.”
“Yeah. I know.”
She pulled back, tears still in her eyes, still smiling. “I'll get your bed ready if you go get him.”
“Deal.” I wiped under my own eyes. “But I'm eating first. I'm hungry.”
“Of course.”
Chaos ensued after dinner. Between the plates being cleared, tables being moved, children running to let off steam, and everyone coming to congratulate Allie and Joe before the evening got in full swing, I lost sight of West.
I was also tired, emotional, and in desperate need of fresh air.
Mercifully, I stepped out onto the patio that was decked out in fairy lights and flowers and took a deep breath. Even this sticky air was better than inside, because the light breeze that fluttered the petals of the roses held a welcome freshness. I grasped the stone wall that surrounded the patio and leaned forward, watching as the kids from before chased each other around the grass.
I'd barely relaxed when I was boxed in by a strong body and familiar hands appeared on the wall, either side of mine. His warm breath tickled across my cheek, and I couldn't help but smile.
Twenty-four hours. That was how long it had been since I saw West. It felt like it'd been a lifetime, and for the first time, the fact I was so relieved to be near him didn't scare me.