Plastic Hearts (26 page)

She set her lips in a firm line. “You and Dane aren’t married.”

I laughed. It was fake, but I laughed. “Neither are Tim and Rebecca or Anna and Reed, but they are sitting together at the table.”

“Well, there must be some mistake,” she replied before turning her lips back into a smile.

I was mad. There wasn’t any mistake; it was my mom being my mom. “Where did you expect Dane to sit?” I finally asked.

“I arranged for him to have a spot with your cousins from your father’s side.” She hated the cousins on my dad’s side. She did this all on purpose.

This was my chance to take a stand. To stand up for myself and tell her I was not okay with the way she treated me but I couldn’t. I just froze. Confronting her now meant confronting everything. I couldn’t do it; not now when it was my sister’s special day. So I simply walked away from her. It was my way of telling her I didn’t agree with what she was doing, but I wasn’t strong enough to fight her either.

Dane had a puzzled look on his face when I approached. He didn’t know these people and wouldn’t realize that he was the only significant other not at the table. I grabbed his hand and led him to the back of the room. “Since I gave my mom such short notice that you were coming, she put you with my cousins.” I watched as his face fell slightly. “I’m sorry. As soon as we are done eating, we can leave.” My parents would be the perfect hosts and stay until the last guest left. With any luck, I could have some alone time with him before the chaos of tomorrow began.

I liked my cousins on my dad’s side; they were down to earth and funny. While my mom saw this as a punishment, it may be better than sitting at the head table. I gave him a kiss on the side of his mouth before turning toward the head table. It was time to eat and get out of here.

Things never happen as I expect them to when I’m around my family. Tonight was no different. After finishing my dinner, I stood from the table to get Dane and leave, but my mom stopped me to introduce me to a bunch of random people. When she was not done with her introductions several minutes later, my frustration hit a new high. “Mom, I need to go talk to Dane,” I finally said in an attempt to break free from the fake pleasantries.

She grabbed my elbow, moving me to the left. “There are people I still want you to meet. You’re not home very often so I don’t want to hear you complain when you are.” I pulled my elbow out of her grasp, but followed her.

I glanced over at Dane who was watching me as I followed her across the room. I watched him laugh a few times during dinner, but now he looked impatient and concerned. When I turned back around, I was face to face with Ryan and his mother. I hadn’t called him before this weekend like I intended to; I was too busy with finals and Dane. I wished I had now, to ease the awkwardness of this moment.

My mom was saying something to Ryan’s mom. I didn’t say anything; I just stared at him while he did the same to me. I wanted to say something, but words wouldn’t form. As if in the middle of some choreographed move, the two older women dismissed themselves to talk to the caterer, leaving only Ryan and I. He looked like he wanted to say something, but was stuck in the same place I was.

“How are you?” My voice was so soft I didn’t think he heard me.

He cleared his throat, still looking right at me. Before I could react, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his body. “I’m sorry I left the way I did that day. I’m sorry I didn’t call,” he murmured into my hair.

“Ryan, I’m the one who should be saying sorry,” I replied, wrapping my arms around his back.

He lifted his head just enough to look back down at me again. “Are you saying you’re sorry you ended it?” His eyes showed so much hope and I hated to take that away again.

“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m sorry about how things ended that morning, but I’m not sorry I did it.” He loosened his grip on me and took a step back. He had a pained look on his face. I wanted him to find what I had with Dane. He may have loved me, but I don’t think I would’ve been his happily ever after. I was just as comfortable for him as he was for me. He let out a breath and I continued, “Do you think we can be friends again? I miss my friend and I regret everything that happened between us that ruined that friendship.”

“I miss you, too. Just give me more time.” He stepped forward again speaking in a low voice, “I’ve got to go help our moms with some stuff. I’ll see you around okay.” I nodded as he placed a light kiss on my forehead before walking away.

I stood frozen for a minute before turning toward Dane’s table. I immediately began to panic because he wasn’t there. I looked over at the bar area and he wasn’t there either. Had my mom gotten to him? What had she done this time? I needed to find him before it was too late. I had a pain in my chest as I walked over toward my cousins. I asked if they knew where he went and they hadn’t seen him leave either. I felt sick to my stomach after one more glance around the room confirmed that he wasn’t here. I headed toward the lobby hoping he was there, but he wasn’t. Maybe he needed a breather. Yeah, that’s it. Maybe he just needed to step outside to get some fresh air.

I hurried through the double wood doors and didn’t see him anywhere. I walked toward my car; I needed a minute to myself. I needed to decompress. I wanted all this pressure in my heart to go away. I wanted Dane. Where was he?

I was almost to my car when I heard my name. I glanced to my left and saw him sitting on the curb. He had rolled his sleeves back up and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. When I looked at his face, I noticed his angry stare and clenched jaw.

I swallowed down my panic enough to approach him. “I was looking all over for you. What are you doing out here?”

He glared at me, “I was done watching my girlfriend and her ex hug and kiss. Sorry, I should have told you, but I didn’t want to interrupt,” he said, his voice rising with every word.

I sat down next to him on the curb, pursing my lips. “That was nothing. I hadn’t seen him since the morning I broke it off and we had some things to discuss.” I wrapped my fingers around his. “I’m sorry about this whole night.” I would be lying if I said it hadn’t been what I was expecting. This weekend wasn’t going to be easy and I knew it going in. This was my life and I was used to it.

“Do you still have feeling for him?”

“Yes, but not like you’re thinking. He’s been my best friend since we were kids. He’s always going to be a part of my life, Dane.”

He sighed. “I don’t like to watch any guy put their fucking hands on you.”

I thought back to the night at the club when I saw the leggy brunette touching Dane and something registered within me. I knew how innocent my exchange with Ryan had been, but Dane had no way to know that. He needed reassurance just as I had that night. He needed to know that I was his and no one was going to take me away. “I’m sorry. I should’ve stepped back when he hugged me, but it all happened so fast. We had some things to say to each other, but I promise you it was nothing more. I love you. You have to know that by now.”

He turned his hand, clasping my fingers in his. “I love you, too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and it makes me feel so fucking crazy sometimes.”

“Do you want to leave? I’ve had about as much as I can take for one day and we have to do it all over again tomorrow,” I said, standing up and pulling him with me. This whole day needed a reset button.

“So, how long do we have before your parents get home?” he asked. I didn’t miss the glimmer in his eyes.

“Probably a good couple hours, why?”

His sexy grin returned. “You are so tense and I know how to relieve that for you.” Warmth flooded my belly just thinking about it.

He drove us back to my house going a little over the speed limit and stopping just long enough to be legal. As soon as we made it through the door, he picked me up in his arms and carried me upstairs. The excitement of having sex in my parent’s house doubled my usual need for him.

As soon as the door to my bedroom closed, he set me down, pressing my back against the door. He began to kiss down my neck as I wrapped my legs around his waist to bring our bodies as close as possible. He worked at my skirt until it was wrapped around my hips as he nibbled on my earlobe. His lips were hard and punishing as they met mine. I could feel his erection pressed between my legs as I began to move up and down against him. I didn’t let go as he walked backwards toward the bed. He knelt down, slowly moving us so my back was pressed against the mattress, and covered me with kisses. God, I wanted him. He was a sex God and I was his worshipper.

He gently lifted my body and pulled my dress over my head before working my underwear down my legs. When I laid back down on the mattress, he gently kissed a path down my chest and stomach until his lips and tongue connected in the one place they had never been. My body tensed; I wasn’t sure I would like it, but it opened me up in a way I had never felt before and my body began to hum. I couldn’t stop him; I had to have him. After a few minutes of pure bliss, I came harder than I had ever come before, grasping the sheets in my hands. I couldn’t even describe how good it felt, but it sent shocks through my whole body. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said, kissing the inside of my thighs. His mouth worked its way back up my stomach, stopping at my chest. Desire flooded my body as he teased my nipples with his tongue and soon I was so wet with need that I couldn’t see straight. His lips finally connected with mine again and I could taste myself on his kiss; it excited me even more. I loved that he did this to me.

I cupped his cheeks to break contact. “I need you inside now,” I said, practically panting with need.

He smiled a lazy, sated smile. “I’m not done with you yet, Baby.” I was breathless and couldn’t take much more.

“Dane, please.” I tried to unbutton his pants, but my fingers were shaking. He kept kissing my neck while rolling my nipples between his fingers. Finally, he sat back up and I saw the same lazy smile playing around his lips. Dane found my eagerness comical. He was stalling, teasing me and it was driving me insane.

I sat up, rubbing my hands over his chest. As they slowly traveled down his stomach, he grabbed my wrists and pushed me back down onto the mattress. Lifting my eyes to meet Dane’s, I noticed that the smile was gone from his face. Instead, it was replaced with a savage look of desire. One that told me how much he wanted me. How much he needed me. A reflection of my own need for him.

He pulled his shirt off, followed by his pants, showing me exactly what I wanted. My heart was pounding and I felt breathless. If he wasn’t inside me soon, I would die with need. He looked down into my eyes and with one thrust, he filled me completely, his mouth capturing mine. The sensation of his naked body against me was the most incredible thing I had ever felt in my life. We were made for each other. He moved slowly at first then quickened his motions until I could feel the tension building in my body. With one more quick push, my body finally let go with his. It was so intense that I couldn’t stop the screams that left my body. It felt euphoric; I forgot where we were and I didn’t really care.

We stayed in each other’s arms that night. I didn’t ask him to go back to his room because I needed him. I would deal with the rest later. For now, I was just high from the excitement of having sex under my parent’s roof. In a small way, I had defied them, and it felt good.

I felt better after a full night’s sleep, especially after Dane had done as he promised and relieved some of my tension. That was the first time I had even kissed a boy in my bedroom and it had gone way past that. It felt incredible to be a little rebellious and go against mother dearest’s wishes. Straying from her strict guidelines didn’t feel so bad after what she put me through yesterday. Today would be better, I told myself. I felt a heavy arm wrap around me and pull me close.

“Dane, you should probably go back to your room before my mom comes looking for me. We have hair appointments in less than an hour.” His grip on me tightened and I giggled into his hold; he wasn’t going to make this easy. “If you get caught, you’re going to have to sleep in your room tonight.”

He groaned before rolling over and putting his pants back on. I hated to see him go as much as he hated to leave. When he was with me, everything felt lighter. “So, what exactly is the plan today?” he asked, sitting back on the side of the bed.

“Well, I have to go get my hair and makeup done with the girls and then we are heading to the church to get the bride dressed. The guys are going golfing so you can either join them or you can take my car to do whatever. Just make sure to be at the church a little before two,” I said, pulling the sheet up over my chest and climbing out of bed. I didn’t make it far before the sheet was yanked from my hand.

I squealed. “Dane Wright, what are you doing?” I tried to pull the sheet up, but he had a firm grasp on it.

“I like you better this way,” he said with a cocky grin.

I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure you do, but I can’t walk around like this all day. Plus, this is only for you to see, remember?”