Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Well, we’re just a couple of old married folks now,” Emerson teases, her hand resting on her baby bump.
“That we are.” I smile at my best friend. “Hey, you know what the absolute best wedding present would be?”
“The one I already got you.”
“Yes, I love the mixer, but no. I was thinking you could tell me the gender of the baby. I need to shop.”
Emerson laughs. “You can wait like everyone else.”
“How is that fair? I’m the best friend, the favorite aunt. I should get dibs on gender.”
“Trust me, my mom has tried everything to get it out of us too. I like the idea of everyone finding out together.”
“Well, when is that going to be?”
“The week you come home from your honeymoon.” She wags her eyebrows.
“We’re just going for a few days to make it seem legit,” I whisper.
“Uh-huh.”
She’s not convinced, and honestly, I don’t blame her. It’s hard to be convincing when you don’t believe that yourself.
“Nothing is going on.”
“The night he proposed, he kissed you like he meant it, like there’s most definitely something going on.”
“That was the first and last time until today.” The memory of our first kiss will forever be cemented in my mind. The reminder of his lips against mine, the way he traced them with his tongue, burns like a beacon in the night. I’ll never forget that moment by the fire.
Emerson doesn’t get the chance to grill me further because our husbands join us. Roman wraps his arms around her waist and places his hand on her bump. Legend makes a similar move, wrapping me in his arms and holding me tightly.
“What are you ladies talking about over here?” Roman asks.
“Just how we’re both old married ladies now.” Emerson laughs.
“So, living the dream.” Roman kisses her cheek.
“Something like that.” Her grin is wide.
“Welcome to the club.” Roman makes eye contact with me before he moves on to Legend. “Enjoy it, brother.”
Legend holds his fist out for Roman, and they bump knuckles. The statement catches me off guard. Roman knows the real reason behind all of this. Maybe he’s just staying in character because of the other guests.
“What time are you leaving for your honeymoon?” Emerson asks.
“We’re going to head out in the morning,” Legend tells her. “We’re there for four days, so we’ll be home Wednesday at some point.”
“You’ve got a cabin, right?” Roman asks.
“Yeah, it’s on a mountainside,” I chime in. “The pictures show it has an indoor pool and a hot tub. It’s huge, way bigger than what we need for two people.”
Roman shrugs. “It’s your honeymoon. It’s supposed to be over the top and something you’ll always remember.”
“See,” Legend says, his lips next to my ear. He kisses my cheek, and I melt into him.
“We did the same thing, only in Georgia. Not that it mattered where we were. We didn’t leave the house all that much.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Forrest says, joining us. Lachlan and Maddox follow behind him.
We’re in a little huddle, our crew. We’ve all been together for so long that it’s nice to know that we’ll always be in each other’s corner. I try not to think about how the dynamic will change once this year is up. I’m hopeful that it won’t. It might take some time to get things back to an even flow like they are now. I’ll be forever grateful that Emerson chose me to be her best friend and, in turn, brought these amazing men into my life.
“So, who’s next?” Emerson asks.
“What are you talking about, baby girl?” Roman asks.
“To get married. Which of you are next?” she asks Maddox, her brother, and Lachlan.
“Em, you know this is… not real,” I whisper to her.
She shrugs. “I’m predicting it's you, big brother,” she teases, completely ignoring my response.
Forrest nods. “I’d be down for finding myself a leading lady.”
“Leading lady?” Maddox roars with laughter. “Fuck, man, you make us sound like we’re seventy.”
“I mean, y’all are old-timers,” I joke.
“Hey, now.” Legend nips at my neck, causing me to squirm in his arms. Not just from the bite but from the heat that courses through my body at the feel of his lips against my skin.
“It’s okay, husband. I know the truth hurts.” I pat his arm, which is locked tightly around my waist.
He moves his hands to my hips and holds me close. His hard length presses against my ass. I bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep from telling everyone to get the hell out so we can be alone.
“Does this feel like I’m an old man to you?” His words are whispered just for me.
“I might need more proof.” I turn in his arms. I’m aware that our friends are standing close and that there’s a strong possibility they can hear what we’re saying, but in this moment, I don’t care.