Beautiful Beginning(16)
“I like watching you guys,” Hanna said. “I’ve never seen a couple like
you before. Seriously, I bet the sex is unreal.”
Hanna had been around us so much in the past few months, this blunt-force
honesty surprised no one . . . except Mina.
“Don’t need to hear it.” Mina covered her ears. “Again,” she added,
glaring at me.
Hanna looked gorgeous tonight, in a silky gray A-line dress that hit just
above her knees. Julia had put Hanna’s sandy brown hair up into a
complicated twist, and her neck was long and smooth, decorated simply with
a tiny diamond pendant that rested just at the hollow of her throat. I
couldn’t wait to see Will try to maintain his trademark poker face when he
saw her.
“You have to let me order all the drinks tonight,” Sara said, standing
and smoothing her shimmering blue dress over her round belly. “I swear to
God, I want nothing more than to walk up to the bar tonight and order ten
shots, just to see what the bartenders say.”
“Pregnancy suits you, Sare,” Julia noted, standing and walking across the
room to fetch her heels. She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped them on
her feet, still staring at Sara. “I like the tummy and the attitude.”
“I agree,” I said. “She’s turning into a bit of a hellcat.”
Sara laughed and studied her reflection in the mirror for a beat before
walking over to have me fasten her necklace. “I just really love my body
like this. Is that weird? I like how curvy I am.”
“Etienne certainty didn’t,” Julia said with a snort. “I still can’t
believe what a fit he threw about having to alter the design of Sara’s
dress.”
I groaned. The Dress. Julia had found the most perfect bridesmaids’
dresses I’d ever laid eyes on. They were a swirl of beautiful blues—dyed
to slowly transition between the Tiffany blue that permeated the décor of
the wedding, and a deeper, slate blue. The dresses were made with pleated
chiffon and a delicate strap that met over one shoulder, but Sara’s,
obviously, had to be altered to accommodate her growing stomach. Etienne,
the designer, had thrown a tantrum. He’d ranted about fabric draping,
symmetry, and lines and even threw in the term bulbous belly. It had taken
a lot of screaming on his part and a lot of money on mine, and six
alterations to finally get her dress right, but it was done. And I couldn’
t wait for my glowing, giddy, beautiful maid of honor to wear it.
“I bet Max likes your pregnant body, too,” Mina said, giving Sara a
knowing smile.
“Oh, he does,” I answered for her, untwisting Sara’s necklace at the
back of her neck. “I feel like I’m watching something indecent even when
he’s just pouring her a glass of water.”
Sara’s cheeks turned crimson and I laughed, loving how pregnancy made her
completely unable to hide her blush.
“Are we ready to head out?” Julia asked, draining the last of her minibar
vodka tonic. “I need to get my drink on.”
We all made our way to the door, filing out one at a time. Down in the
lobby, Mina had the valet call us a car, and just as I climbed in and
closed the door, I saw the men emerge from the lobby of the hotel.
“Jesus, Chloe,” Julia breathed, looking at Bennett at the front of the
group. “Look at that man.”
And with my lip pinched between my teeth, I could only nod in agreement. As
usual, he’d barely paid any attention to his hair and it was in the usual,
completely f*ckable disarray. His lips were curled up in amusement at
something Will had just said, and when he lifted his chin to nod at the
valet, I caught sight of the sharp, edible line of his jaw. He wore jeans
and a black T-shirt that wasn’t tight but managed to showcase the
definition of his body beneath the soft cotton-cashmere blend. I knew this
shirt well; I bought it for him and planned to steal it and make it mine in
a couple of years after he’d worn it to the perfect state of tattered.
Seducing him tonight would be a lot of fun.
My legs were hidden from view, and from his vantage point all Bennett would
see was the very top of my tiny black dress.
“You’re in so much trouble,” Sara murmured next to me, staring down at
my heels. “I’m actually hoping I’m there to see his reaction.”
“I know!” I said, giddy.
Bennett’s eyebrow went up in a silent question and I held my hand out the
window, giving him a breezy wave: no, we weren’t waiting for them.
“Meet you at Sidebar on Market!” Julia yelled out the window, and Bennett
raised his hand, wearing his trademark amused smirk.
Sidebar was gorgeous, with rich red and black leather seating, enormous
mirrors and sensual nude photos on the walls, and bright red birdcages
hanging from the ceiling. The main bar was expansive, made of gleaming