“Why not? I bet he’d love to hear you tell him those three little words.”
“No way, it’ll scare him away.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted in the first place? To get rid of him?” Her cheeky grin irritates me.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Well, that’s clearly not the case now.”
She laughs and walks up to me, pulling me into a hug. “You, my friend, are screwed.” She gives me a tight squeeze.
“I realize that.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m not sure there is much to do,” Stella says. “You know, other than tell him how you feel.”
“That’s not happening.”
“And why not, again?”
“Because.” I worry my lip. “What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? This all started out weird and crazy and not like a normal relationship. For all I know, he could just be enjoying his time with me.”
“Is that what you really think?”
“No,” I say quietly and then look my friend in the eyes. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to fall for him. I was supposed to scare him away, get an annulment, and live the single life. But look at me.” I throw my hands out to the sides. “I’m still married, I’m falling in love with my husband, and I’m wearing the thong he likes because I know, after this wedding, he’ll peel this dress off me and it will please him when he does.”
Stella chuckles and takes my hand in hers. “Cora, this is a good thing. A really good thing. Maybe don’t worry about your feelings and what to do with them, but instead, just enjoy them. And when the time is right, then you tell him how you feel, but until then, just enjoy.”
“What if it accidentally slips out?”
“Then it does. Trust me when I say I’m pretty sure he returns the sentiment.”
“How do you know?”
“The way he looks at you, cares for you, touches you. He’s protective, loving, attentive. And above all else, he believes in you, he believes in your connection, and he’s trying. He’s tried from the very beginning. I don’t think there are a lot of men like Pike Greyson on this earth. I know, because I snagged one somehow. Don’t let the fear take over. Live for it . . . and love on him. Okay?”
I nod and smile. “Okay.” We hug one more time, and when we pull away, I ask, “Do you think he’ll like this dress?”
“I fucking love it,” Pike says as he walks into the tent.
I spin frantically toward him, hoping he didn’t hear our conversation, only to buckle over in laughter when I take in his outfit.
Knee-high white socks strain up his legs, followed by light blue, damask-print pants cinched at his knees, a matching light blue suit jacket with tails, buttons, and flourishes, and a billowy, white cravat at his neck. I’ve never seen anything more ridiculous yet handsome in my life.
“Get it out now,” Pike says, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. “Because you will not be laughing when Keiko is around. She’s quite fond of my outfit.”
Stella is crippled, bent over, tears flowing from her eyes. “Oh Jesus. Out of all the people she could’ve chosen to wear that outfit, she chose the motorcycle-riding bad boy. The only thing better than Pike wearing this outfit, would be Arlo wearing it.”
“He’s not man enough to pull it off,” I say while catching my breath and walking up to Pike.
My laughter fades as I make my way toward him, because his eyes peruse me hungrily with every step I take. When I reach him, he slips his hand around me and, like a moth to a flame, his palm meets my lower back. His fingers slip just beyond the fabric of my dress to the waistband of my thong.
Just what I wanted him to do when I picked out this dress.
“You look stunning,” he says as he lifts my chin with his index finger. “Bloody gorgeous, Coraline.” And now I melt, because that accent slays me. His voice slides over me. Sounds so decadent.
“Thank you,” I say, right before his lips lightly press against mine. “You look . . . interesting.”
He chuckles. “I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my life. Thankfully, Keiko said I can shed the jacket after the ceremony.”
“And the cravat?”
He nods. “But the knee-highs stay. She said I have nice ankles and she’d appreciate them joining the festivities.”
I move away from him for a second to glance at his ankles. “They seem normal to me.”