Falling Away (32 page)

             
She blew a big puff of air out, and then very slowly, a weird smile began to form. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry.” For the first time ever, Sophie seemed uncomfortable discussing sex. “It’s just…sometimes we role play….and he loves to be the aggressor…and him jumping you and pinning you like that…”

             
“And me pushing him away…” Oh, yeah. I’ve got this figured out now. At least we stopped before the verbal assault could begin, ‘cause
awkward!

             
“Yeah. That definitely would’ve made him think you were playing along with it. Um, how did he figure out you weren’t me?” she asked modestly.

             
Reluctantly, I sat up and pointed at my boobs. “You’re a little bigger in this department and as soon as he…” My finger swirled the air around my breast. “…he knew.” I cocked my head to the side, hoping to make light of the situation, ‘cause I seriously
wanna
push past this nightmare already. “Come to think of it, I should probably be offended that he was so turned off by my girls, ‘cause he jumped back like they sprouted thorns or something.”

             
Sophie tried to smile but it was all recoiled and funky. “I’m so sorry, Jenna.” She roughly stroked her left cheekbone several times. “God, I wasn’t even there and I’m horrified. This is
soooo
embarrassing.”

             
“For you or for me?” I huffed. I was the one that got invaded.

             
“For you, ‘cause you got felt up by the man I’m marrying tomorrow, and for me, ‘cause now you know firsthand the kind of things we do privately behind closed doors.
Talkin
’ about it is one thing,
seein
’ it is another.”

             
“Believe me when I say I
wanna
forget this night as much as the two of you do. If you don’t bring it up ever again, I won’t either.”

             
“Deal. But seriously, are you okay?”

             
I waved her off. Yeah, I felt a little dirty, but I was getting over it as the minutes slipped by. “It shocked me at first. But all he did was kiss me and grab my boob. It’s not like he was some ass in a club trying to corner me and cop a feel. Truthfully, this may be a good argument as to why you’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”

             
“Trust me. He won’t be doing that anywhere but our house from now on.” With a chuckle, she added, “And especially not when
you’re
visiting.” She sighed dramatically, finally giving me a more convincing smile. “I think you broke him like you did before with Evan. It’s gonna take a lot of work to get him to act all frisky again.”

             
“Well, that sex game and talking dirty definitely worked with Evan.”

             
“Good to know.”

             
“He’s all worried that Robert will find out what happened, when it’s really Evan he should worry about.”

             
“Who, by the way, is on his way up here,” she admitted, lightly rocking foot to foot.

             
“What?”

             
“That’s your surprise. When I asked for your phone earlier, I invited him. I called him again while you were teasing my hubby. He said he’d be here around four.”

             
I glanced at the clock. Three-forty-five.

             
Sophie said good-night and went to deal with
Jhett
, while I waited for Evan. At four-oh-five I heard the keycard in the door. Guess Sophie added his name to the room ‘cause I couldn’t imagine him getting a card any other way. He warmly smiled as he entered, and dropped his bag to wrap his arms snuggly around me, which I so desperately needed after the night’s events.

             
He stepped back and led me into a twirl. “Damn, Jenna. I love the outfit, but do me a favor and don’t
ever
leave the house looking like that unless I’m going with you.”

             
Truer words had never been spoken.

             
I rolled my eyes playfully and proceeded to remove my shoes. Of course he’d love the flirty ensemble, but if he knew what happened tonight, he’d rip it off me and burn it to ashes.

             
“She told me you wouldn’t know I was coming, but by the lack of surprise on your face, I’m thinking you did.”

             
“She just told me a few minutes ago.”

             
“You okay with me being here?”

             
“If Sophie is, I am.” I leaned up to kiss him. “But before this goes any further, I’ve
gotta
shower.”

             
“Yeah, you reek.”

             
I stepped out of his embrace. “Thanks, love.”

             
“Sorry, but I was about to gag over the amount of smoke in your hair.”

             
I slowly made my way toward the bathroom, teasingly adding, “So I guess you won’t be joining me then?”

             
His nose cringed as he tossed his bag onto the bed. “Think I’ll give you a head start. When I say I want to have dirty sex with you, that’s not the kind of dirty I mean.”

             
I laughed all the way to my shower. He’s lucky I agreed with that. Otherwise, he’d be playing with himself tonight.

I awoke to moaning, and was totally appalled to find it was coming from me! Before my eyes opened, I could feel Evan’s lips digging into my neck. I moaned and wrapped my arms around his body, smiling as I opened my eyes.

             
“Good morning,” he quietly said in between love bites.

             
My eyes bulged.
Bites!
“
Don’t
leave any marks on me! Not today!” His upper half jerked with laughter and I slammed my hands against his shoulders in a move to push him off me. “God, I can’t believe you did that to me. Sophie’s parents are like
my
parents and the last thing I want them seeing is a hickey on my neck!”

             
“I’m sorry.” He easily pushed through my block and continued pecking light kisses across my chest. “My jealously got the best of me that day.”

             
“Just promise me you’ll behave today.”

             
He knew exactly what I meant. “I will if he will.”

             
There went my block again. “No. You’ll behave regardless of what others do. Got it?” I asked firmly.

             
“As you wish,
Princess
.”

             
I let him have his way with me after that, still needing to release the tension that seeped into my body over the past two days. After sharing a long shower, I dried my hair and changed, needing to meet Sophie and Mom in the salon to get my hair done. “Are you good by yourself until the wedding? ‘Cause I probably won’t make it back before then.”

             
He was laid back in bed, his head perched atop two pillows, watching
some movie I’d never seen before
. “Yeah, I’m good. Six o’clock downstairs. I’ll find my way.”

             
I leaned in to kiss him quickly on the lips, but as always, he convinced me to partake in a longer, slower version. “Order room service if you’d like,” I told him, gathering my stuff to take with me to the bridal suite the hotel offered downstairs.

             
The day went by in a blur. We met Mom, Annette and Dana in the lobby. First, we grabbed lunch down in the restaurant, then made our way to the salon, where we each had our hair done. Gratefully, Sophie didn’t
want my hair tied back to make it look like I didn’t have any. The top part of my long hair was gathered into twists on the side and secured in the back, with the rest flowing loose in big, bouncy curls. Sophie was the only one I would allow to do my make-up, since she’d done it for me so many times before, and I knew she wouldn’t make me look like a clown or a
freakin
’ prostitute.

             
An hour before the service, we finally got into our dresses. The moms had managed to find lavender shaded dress ensembles that worked for them. Dana and I both had the same dress on, which had richer shades of purple and a little amount of powder blue, and Sophie had her gorgeous gown of ivory lace.

             
Sophie gave me and Dana our gifts that morning: matching delicate drop earrings and invisible necklaces with princess cut diamonds, which I feared were probably the real thing. (If Evan knew what cut of diamond those were, the princess references would end.)

             
Ten minutes to show time and only Sophie and I lingered behind in the bridal suite.

             
“Alright, I have a confession to make,” she said.

             
“Don’t you need a priest for that?” I jested.

             
“I might. Look, I need to tell you something ‘cause I don’t want you to be blindsided later.” My eyebrows pinched, not liking where this was going. “The reason I invited Evan today is ‘cause I knew Robert was bringing a date, and I didn’t want you to be alone and stuck watching them all night.”

             
“Oh. Well, thank you, I guess. But seriously, it’s fine.” It’s his best friend’s wedding. I’m
sure he felt he needed a date.

             
Sophie shook her head at me, and I asked, “What? What am I missing then?”

             
“This is why
Jhett
and I were arguing yesterday. Not ‘cause Robert was bringing a date, but ‘cause of
who
he was bringing.” Her hands went to her chest as she was quick to add, “I was completely against this, but
Jhett
says you’re the one that
cheated
(she totally used air quotes there) and Robert should be able to bring whoever he wants.”

             
“Sophie, just spit it out. Who’s he bringing?”

             
That was a horribly disappointed face, and should never be worn by the bride on her wedding day. “Who’s the one person you hate the most in this world?”

             
It came to me instantly. “No,” I said with disbelief. “No way he’d invite Anne
Bridgeway
.” Her face cringed and she nodded her head. “But he hates her.”

             
“Regardless, she’s gonna be his date tonight.”

             
I bit my lower lip. Part of me was a little disgusted, but I tried to shake the thoughts off. I had no reason to be mad.
Jhett
was right, Robert should be able to bring whoever he wanted, even if it was that
freakin
’
skank
. “It’s okay, Soph. I have Evan now, and it’s not really our place to say anything about what he does anymore.”

             
“But
Anne?
” she challenged, the thought disgusting her as well.

             
“Whatever. Hope he’s smart enough to wear three condoms every time he’s with her.”

             
I forced a smile so Sophie would drop it and focus on herself again. Today was her day. She wasn’t supposed to be worried about me of all things. We gathered our bouquets and exited to where the rest of the bridal and groom parties had congregated. Charlotte was semi-organizing people in preparation to walk in a few minutes, and she immediately walked me to Robert. As if I couldn’t find him myself.

             
“You look nice,” he casually mentioned.

             
“Thanks,” I replied. “You, too.” My body began to twist and move in wavelike motions, my eyes fighting to roll.