The Perfect Plans Series [Box Set] (87 page)

“I couldn’t fight my pull to you if I tried, Aby,” the sincerity of his promise for a night of starting over oozes from his loving gaze.

“Alex, I love that you’re here, and that you’re sweeping me off my feet as though nothing has happened, but…” I pause, trying to find the right words.

“Not ‘nothing’, Aby.
Everything
. Everything that’s happened - as painful and avoidable as it all could have been - lead us to where we stand right now,” he searches my gaze, cupping my jaw, brushing his thumb lovingly along my cheek. “The mistakes we’ve made, the wrong choices, both of us wanting to protect the other, while at the same time avoiding our own fears. The guilt can be equally distributed. I’m not pretending that none of it happened, baby. I’m fighting for the reality that despite all of it, I simply can’t live without you.”

A single tear slips down my cheek, wiped away with the pad of his thumb before he leans in to brush his lips against mine. “I love you, Aby. That’s why I’m here,” he kisses me again. “That’s all that will ever matter to me.” And yet another kiss. “And that’s why I will
never
give up on us.” His final kiss tears through me, shattering every regret, every fear, and every doubt. It’s almost painful in it’s cleansing. A beautiful beginning from a painful ending.

“I love you, too,” I gasp against his perfect mouth.

“I love you more.” I feel his smirk at my lips, and I can’t help but smile in return.

His playful love feels delicious, and hits me down to my core. His words, his touch, everything about him ignites me. Owns me. And above all else, drives me wild with want. A desire for him, and only him.
It will always be him
.

Grabbing his curls, I pull him to reignite our kiss, deepening it with my forceful hold of his nape, his hands dropping to fold me in his arms.

He wrenches me tight against his perfect, sculpted form, and it takes everything in me to hold back a desperate moan. It feels like a lifetime ago since we lost ourselves to the passion that consumes us. It’s been much too long since he’s owned me in the way I need him right now.

“Get a room, you two. What have I told you about displays of public affection?” Stacey mutters, dancing beside us with Thomas. “Although I have to say, that
earlier
kiss was pretty stellar, Mr. Tate. Just so you know, you have my approval.”

“I don’t think he asked for it, love,” Thomas teases her.

“Congratulations, Thomas, my friend,” Alex releases me to shake his hand. “Congratulations to you both,” he bends to kiss Stacey’s cheek, before flashing her his perfect smile. I can’t help but light up seeing it. “And, on the contrary, I highly respect the opinion of anyone who loves Aby as much as I do,” he looks back into my eyes, his gaze glistening with his devotion.

“Well, in that case, my opinion is that you two need to get out of here and hit this great place I’ve heard about - it’s called
A Bed Near You
,” she winks. “Unless, of course, you can break away from each other long enough to let me get in some dance grooves with my bestie for a bit first. What do you think, Abs? Is it time to get this party-a-started?” she gives us a little shake preview.

Smiling, I look to Alex, taking in his sweet grin and nod to signal he’s willing to let me go, despite knowing that he really doesn’t want to. “It’s your party, you can shake-it if you want to. And I’m in,” I reply.

“Yes!” Stacey double-fist pumps with a sexy, playful purse of her lips. “See you in a bit, boys. We’re going to have a chat with the DJ,” she adds, wrapping her arm in mine to pull me away.

I can’t help but look back to Alex, biting my lip at the delicious sight of him staring at me with equal love and desire. Though this night is sure to be fun, it’s going to be a tortuously long one, filled with needy glances and the occasional stolen touch.

“So,” Stacey begins the minute we’re out of earshot, “When are you going to tell me about…oh, you know…what the fuck, Aby?” she stops to stare me down for an explanation.

“You mean about the part where I walked in on Helena and
Ben
last night, not Alex?” I bite my lip harder; lust trampled by the herd of elephants that is Stacey’s oncoming lecture. Once again, I don’t think I need it - I seem to do just fine punishing myself for my stupid mistakes - but that won’t stop her, so why bother trying to avoid it.

“Okay,” she nods her head, seemingly walking the thin line of composure mimicked in her pursed lips, continuing on to our destination.

I catch up with a sigh, knowing she’s not done just yet.

“You know how we’re taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all? Well, it’s moments like this, my little twat waffle, that make that a very large pill to swallow. Like enormous,” her hands demonstrate her point with a sweeping outlining of something imaginary, and really big. “H-U-G-E,” she adds as we reach the DJ, now shaking her head. “Seriously, Abs…Ugh.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” I stand firm, my defenses always lurking despite my resistance.

She turns towards me, searching my gaze. “Oh yeah? Cause I’m having a moment of deja poo, myself - an overwhelming feeling that I’ve heard this shit before.” Taking a breath of composure, she continues, “You know what?” I’m not going to say anything more. The torture you put yourself through this past twenty four hours is enough punishment for your gigantic, naïve, stupidity.”

“Nice. I thought you weren’t going to say anything more?” I try not to roll my eyes, but fail. “Alex and I have both made our share of mistakes…”

She jumps in with patronizing shock, “
Noooo
.”

“You know that high horse you’re riding is going to be a bitch of a fall.”

‘Ohhh,” she flashes a sincere, beaming smile, “Look at you, talking all
Stace-i-fied
. I’m so proud. Besides, I know I have flaws too, but my boobs usually distract people from them.”

I continue, ignoring her, “Alex and I came with our own baggage…Issues with trust, insecurity, bad communication…”

“Assumptions,” she adds. “Although that being said, I too would have made the same assumption you made last night. But the difference between you and I, princess, is that I wouldn’t have left without seeing what was behind door number one. Just saying.”

“Thanks for the clarification. My point
is
Alex and I have to learn to deal with our issues. There’s no other alternative. He loves me as much as I love him, Stace.”

“I know he does, poodle. You’re like two peas in a fucked up pod. AND,” she blurts to hush me, “…that’s okay. We all are. You can take the easy road and walk away, or you stay and fight for what you have - if it’s worth fighting for.”

“It’s
so
worth fighting for.”

“Then I couldn’t be more happy for you, Abs.”

“Thanks, Stace,” I take her hand, giving it a loving squeeze.

“So are we, like, at the intermission of your drama now? Cause I have to pee.”

Laughing, I shake my head, “You’re awful, my sarcastic trucker-mouth, pain in the ass, best friend.”

“Hey, I may be a pain in the ass, but I bring a lot to the table - and I’ll make no exception tonight, sista. Once I change into sexy dress number two, I’ll be dancing
on
the table,” her devious smile makes me laugh. “Come on,” she pulls my held hand, “It’s time to fulfill the most important duty of the Maid of Honor - holding my dress while I pee.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to pee once you get out of the dress to change?” I question the obvious as she drags me along.

“Oh absolutely, but where’s the fun in that? We’re making memories, toilet duty and all.”

“SO, TRADITIONALLY, THE man that catches the garter has the privilege of adorning it on the beautiful leg of the woman that catches the bouquet?” Alex asks from over my shoulder, wrapping me in his arms as we watch a loving Thomas bent before his seated bride.

“That’s how it works,” I mutter through a wide smile, leaning back into his delicious hold.

“Should we make a game plan?” he kisses my neck, his lips a shock of sensual therapy.

“You do realize that,
traditionally
, the man and woman that do the catching are said to be bitten by the wedding bug in return, don’t you?” I bite my lip at the thought. “Although that doesn’t necessarily mean to
each other
,” I add quickly, feeling suddenly nervous at the idea of Alex sliding the garter up another woman’s leg.

“Semantics,” he objects, kissing my bare shoulder. Stacey’s choice of a strapless dress for me was brilliant, and Alex has been taking advantage of the exposed flesh all evening. “That garter is
mine
,” he adds in a husky whisper.

Oh God
, I close my eyes, my body’s building and impending eruption to the constant attention of his words and touch reaching a point of no return. Combined with our evening-long consumption of alcoholic aphrodisiacs and suggestive glances, I’m not sure how much longer I can resist before imploding.

“We don’t have to participate…” I trail off in a haze of lust. I need to get my hands on him. Soon.

“What? And miss being bitten by that wedding bug?” his words are inviting in their suggestiveness.

The entire idea of the ritual highlighting a path to our possible future is incredibly tempting. But at the same time, I want to experience our journey uninfluenced by wedding folktales. And more prominently, at this very moment, I want to experience
him
. Alone. Every perfect inch.

“Well, we could just bail on the games and go for the gold upstairs,” I offer suggestively, unable to resist the urge to grind my ass back against him inconspicuously.

The hint of the arousal of his erection at my behind erupts my desperate needy core. Squeezing the want away before I attack him right here, I fumble in my clutch for the key card to my room, spinning in his hold to dangle it invitingly. “Stacey and Thomas thought it would be safer for some of the guests to have a room to retreat to.”

Momentarily eyeing the access card, his molten stare darts back to mine. The desire that hits me in the motion of his sinful gaze is enough to blow the roof off my impending orgasm right here among the crowd.
Holy Shit
.

Grabbing my hand, he tugs me in the direction of the exit doors. My head spins as we rush through the lobby in our tornado of desire, his tongue taking ownership in lustful warning of what’s to come before the closing of the elevator doors.

“BABY, I NEED you to hurry,” Alex groans against the back of my neck.

He’s driving me crazy with want, his finger grazing along my bare shoulder sending bolts of heat along my core. I need him. Now.

“Oh god, Alex…I can’t…” I manage in needy frustration, my hands shaking uncontrollably in anticipation.

Chuckling, he reaches around to pull the keycard from my grip, seamlessly unlocking the door before pushing it open and dragging me inside.

Our lips crash feverishly as he pulls me into his arms, the door slamming closed behind us barely a pinprick in the lustful hazed silence, filled only by our restless moans.

Desperate to feel him, I slide my fingers inside the lapels of his suit jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and down his arms until it falls to the floor. I reach for the buttons of his shirt without hesitation, blindly releasing them one by one until his heated skin is at the mercy of my greedy fingertips.

“Alex…” I moan into his kiss, running my hands along his chest, clawing my nails through his chest hair as I slide his shirt off his shoulders. A whimper of pleasure escapes my lips as it falls to the floor, his perfect body bared to my touch. I can barely breath I’m so overcome, my need for him so great, I could combust from its heat, if not melt to the floor in a puddle of lust first.

“Mmmm, I know, baby,” he murmurs, brushing his lips along my jaw, his hands splayed along my back, wrenching me flush against his strong body. “God, I need you too,” he admits with a husky groan, squeezing me tight. “You’re mine, Aby.
Mine
...”

“Ye-es, Alex. Yours. Always…” my breathless whisper escapes as my head falls back in absolute abandon, his fingers gliding seductively through my hair, securing the tresses firmly in his grip.