Thrill Me (Fool's Gold #18)(47)

It was the wrong thing to fixate on during a wedding. Only a sleaze dog would be imagining taking that dress off her as the bride came down the aisle. Del half expected lightning to strike, and when it didn’t, he knew he was damned lucky.

The ceremony passed in a blur of vows and the exchange of rings. Del kept his attention on Maya, who was obviously moved by the sight of her friend marrying Zane. After the bride and groom were pronounced husband and wife, they hugged Maya and Chase before walking down the center aisle together.

“That was so beautiful,” Eddie said, clutching Del’s arm. “They’re a beautiful couple.”

“Who are going to have sex tonight,” Gladys added from Del’s other side.

“They’re having sex every night,” Eddie responded with a cackle. “If you had Zane in your bed, you’d be doing it all the time, too.”

“Good point.”

Del extracted himself from the septuagenarians. “And that’s my cue to excuse myself. Ladies, it’s been a pleasure.”

Eddie pouted. “We’re old. No one wants to do it with us anymore. The least you can do is let us talk about it.”

Del held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m not stopping you at all. I encourage you to talk about it.”

Gladys grinned. “Just not with you here?”

“You’re too much for me.”

“Chicken.”

“Absolutely.”

He kissed them both on the cheek, then went to find Maya.

She was with the rest of the wedding party. They were taking pictures. He stood by the trees and watched the posing. In the background, a guy with a video camera recorded everything.

Del wandered closer and thought about the composition of the shot. The eye line looked good. There would be an establishing shot—probably a picture of the wedding invitation, or the veil or something to show the viewers were about to watch a wedding video.

He turned his attention back to Maya, who was laughing at something Zane said. Why hadn’t she married? She was beautiful, talented, funny, easy to be with. He was surprised some guy hadn’t snapped her up.

She turned from Zane and saw him. Her smile widened, as if she was happy to see him. Something hit him hard in the gut. Wanting, he acknowledged, but there was something else. A deeper sensation he was in no mood to analyze. Instead, he stayed where he was and watched them take the rest of the pictures.

When they were done, Maya walked toward him. She had trouble on the uneven ground and when she reached him, she grabbed his arm, then stepped out of her heels.

“These do not work on grass,” she said with a laugh. “In case you had any transvestite tendencies.”

“Not so far.”

He took the bouquet from her and dropped it to the ground, then put his hands on her hips and drew her against him.

They were in relative privacy in the grove of trees. People were all around them, but no one was that close. The music had started, and judging by the scent of steaks filling the air, the barbecue was going. Which meant the guests would be moving toward the tent. Better for him, he thought as he lowered his head and kissed her.

Maya raised her chin and met him more than halfway. Her lips were soft and yielding, clinging to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He settled his mouth more firmly on hers. She tasted of mint and champagne, and her lips parted before he asked. He moved his tongue against hers, feeling the heat, the electricity. They’d always been good together, he thought hazily. Well matched. Time away from each other hadn’t changed that.

Wanting poured through him. Blood rushed to his groin with a predictable result. He moved his hands from her hips to her rear, sliding across the slick material of her dress. She nestled closer, relaxing into him, as if trusting him with all she was.

In the distance a bell rang. It was an insistent sound. She sighed against his mouth.

“They’re calling us to dinner.”

“You hungry?”

She chuckled. “Yes, and exactly the way you mean. But there’s a head table and we’re both at it. Someone’s bound to notice two empty spots.”

“Damn.”

She stared into his eyes. “My thoughts exactly.” Her mouth turned up. “It’s the dress, isn’t it? I knew it would make you hot.”

He touched her cheek. “It’s not the dress.”

Her pupils dilated. “You say the sweetest things.”

He kissed her lightly, then dropped to one knee and collected her ridiculous heels. “You want to go barefoot?” he asked.

“It seems like the best plan.”

He grabbed the flowers and rose. She took the bouquet. He held her shoes in one hand and rested the other on the small of her back.

“Shall we?”

* * *

DINNER PASSED IN a blur. Despite the steaks done to perfection and the delicious side dishes, Maya didn’t eat much. She was too aware of Del sitting next to her. Every now and then he would touch her. A brush of his fingers against her bare arm. His thigh pressing against hers.

She and Chase had written a toast together. She joined the teen to give it, then stood with Del as Zane and Phoebe stepped into the center of the room for the first dance. Once the chorus began, the DJ invited everyone to join them.

Del surprised her by pulling her into his arms. They swayed together, the other guests around them fading to the background.