Love on Beach Avenue(59)
The tension eased and she smiled. “Thanks. Then I’ll bang out the rest of this work so we can enjoy the meal.”
He winked. “Bang away.”
She set up her laptop, pulling up various spreadsheets and checklists for the Bankses’ wedding. In minutes, she was swept away in a tide of endless details and the quest to make the event flawless. She murmured a thanks when Carter brought her wine, enjoying the cool fruity taste of sauvignon blanc on her tongue. She tapped out texts to her upcoming bride, combed through final schedules with vendors and made sure they had what they needed, and confirmed all reservations for the upcoming weekend festivities. The wine was gone when she finally surfaced, satisfied she’d gotten ahead on any issues ready to sidetrack her tomorrow. Slowly, she stretched and turned toward Carter.
He was humming under his breath as he moved around the small kitchen. The rich scents of lemon, basil, and garlic filled the air, along with the pleasant sounds of sizzling oil and bubbling water, but it was Carter Ross himself that held her transfixed attention.
God, he was gorgeous. How had she ever overlooked the earthy sexiness of the man? He wore faded jeans that cupped his taut ass and showcased the lean length of his legs. A white short-sleeve shirt was unbuttoned at the neck, giving her a tantalizing glimpse of his chiseled chest covered with dark hair. His bare feet moved soundlessly over the floors as he checked and stirred pots and pans, relaxed and at ease with his task.
Her heart fluttered like a schoolgirl’s. She’d never had a man cook for her before. All her dates consisted of formal dinners or the occasional movie, and rarely led back to cocktails at home. She’d never craved that type of intimacy before—happy with the crumbs of romance and the occasional making-out session. He was beginning to stir up all sorts of longings in the short time he’d been here. If he wanted to take her to bed tonight, would she let him?
The thoughts whirled in her head as she packed up her laptop, grabbed her glass, and headed into the kitchen. “All set,” she said lightly, sliding onto one of the cushioned chairs. “Can I help? It smells amazing.”
His smile was warm and gave her all the tingles. Had she really called him robot man? She’d been so wrong. “No, it’s under control. Will be ready in a few minutes. Did you get all your work done?”
She propped up her elbows on the counter. “Yes. Taylor and Bella have other events booked, so it’s just me and Gabe handling this wedding. Besides a large wedding party, demanding MOB, and anal groom, I need to make sure nothing gets overlooked.”
He stirred the asparagus, which looked nice and crisp, just the way she liked it. “MOB is Mother of the Bride, right? Do you use acronyms for all your clients?”
“Pretty much. It’s our shorthand for all those long titles,” she said as he refilled her wineglass. “MOBs can be a nightmare, even more so than the bride. For instance, this one undercut the bride’s choices on everything, and made her doubt her instincts. As the planner, it’s my job to protect the bride and encourage her to keep her vision alive while dealing with stubborn relatives who believe they can do it better.”
“And the anal groom?”
She took a sip. “The groom insists his dog be the ring bearer.”
His lip quirked. She had the urge to run her fingers over his mouth to see if his lips were as soft as she remembered. “Doesn’t sound too weird. Plenty of people have their dogs involved in weddings.”
“Yes, but the ceremony isn’t outside or at the beach. It’s in a church where we needed to get special permission to bring the dog in. I’ve also heard the dog misbehaves, which makes this a challenge. Of course, I’ll try to gauge how bad it will be at the rehearsal dinner. The groom promised to practice with Gus so he’s not nervous.”
“Gus, huh?”
“Yep. Plus, the groom demanded a gluten-and nut-free cake.”
“Well, people have allergies.”
She sighed. “But no one he knows at the wedding has any allergies. He just wants to be prepared. He also insisted no roses be used anywhere in the ceremony or reception because it’s bad luck. I guess his ex-wife used roses everywhere, and he believes it’d be a curse to his new marriage.”
Carter lifted a brow. “I think anal is the wrong word.”
“Eccentric?”
“Crazy.”
She laughed. “Well, at least I’ll have Gabe with me. I forgot to ask you about the tuxedo appointment. Did it go well?”
Something danced in his eyes, but he turned quickly so she couldn’t study him further. “Yep. Found a good tux.”
“And Gabe? Did you both get along?”
“Better than I imagined.”
She sighed with relief. “I’m so glad. Gabe is simply amazing. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
He turned and pinned her with his gaze. Heat flared between them. “He said the same thing about you.” She sensed more to the story, but he smiled and said nothing more.
“Oh, I forgot to show you the favors we settled on. Want to see?” she asked.
“Absolutely.”
She shot him a suspicious look. “You’re not going to suggest an alternative and then challenge me to another bet, are you?”
He held his hands up. “Promise. No judgment or helpful comments.”