In a few seconds, I would be forced to link my arm with his and walk down the aisle in front of all my family and a lot of friends. All while trying not to trip, faint, or maybe even vomit on the guests or my own boots. I would give anything right now if I could just run away and not look back, but I would never do that to Maddison. Only for her—okay, maybe for Grace, too—would I suffer this magnitude of embarrassment.
Each of Maddison’s bridesmaids wore their favorite pair of boots and a pale purple dress that hit just above the knee. Maddison’s wedding dress bore the same color of purple in a sash across her stomach that formed in a bow at her back.
All the men wore suits, the very same purple in the form of a bow tie at their necks.
Maddison loved purple, but she kept the touches of it subtle within all the decorations, which made it perfect.
“You ready?” My body tensed when Landon spoke near my ear, that deep country boy drawl that made me want to do nothing more than listen to him talk for hours. More than a hundred times I was sure I’d imagined that voice in my ear while I, well, ya know, scratched the itch, so to speak.
I didn’t turn to look at him but instead nodded my head as I tamed the heat I felt rising to my cheeks. I reached out and linked my arm through his, hoping that he didn’t notice the way my body trembled. His warmth reminded me of the moment he held me close after I’d left Maddison’s hospital room for the first time when she was in the horrific riding accident. The comforting way he rubbed my back soothed me that day, bringing me a calm I was so desperate for. It was the one and only time I’d gotten close to him after the dreadful night at the bar. The one and only time I let go of the humiliation of his dismissal and allowed myself to feel the safety of his embrace. But I was emotional and heartbroken. I was scared, a wreck, really, and I blamed the fear for letting my guard down.
The music played, the guests smiled, and all I could do was concentrate on not falling on my face. All I needed was to embarrass myself even more in front of this man than I already had.
“You’re trembling,” he whispered.
“I’m nervous.” You make me nervous.
“Why?” Because I’m touching you, you’re talking to me, and I threw myself at you only to be rejected. “I won’t let you fall, Chloe.”
I looked at him. God damn it, why did I do that?
It all happened so fast: he smiled, I stumbled, and then I was falling forward. I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for impact, when I was hooked by the waist, spun around, and looking up into the warmest brown eyes I’d ever seen. My breath hitched, and my heart rate spiked.
“I told you I wouldn’t let you fall, Kitten.”
Kitten? What about kid?
In an instant, I was a mess. Didn’t he understand that it was too late? I had already fallen.
He smiled, a kind smile that made me feel weak in the knees. I should have looked away. I should have closed my eyes to protect my heart. Only I continued to look up at him. “What do you say we walk down this aisle and watch two of the greatest people we know get married?” I nodded as he carefully righted me to ensure I was secure enough on my feet before he slowly released his hold on me. I nodded once more, because quite frankly, it was all I could offer. I felt like my tongue was tied and my heart was being squeezed so tight it literally ached inside my chest.
The left side of his mouth tilted up in a grin, and suddenly I felt like I could barely breathe. The perfect set of teeth, the most alluring smile. I noticed those things; a smile to me was the biggest aphrodisiac. Seriously getting turned on by a smile alone, his smile to be more precise, it was a given. There wasn’t a single thing about this man that didn’t drive me wild.
Holding out his arm, I relinked mine, and together we walked toward the pastor waiting at the end of the aisle.
I tried to focus on the rest of the bridal party, Grace, AJ, Raven, each looking absolutely gorgeous as they joined me.
When the music changed and Maddison stood at the end of the aisle, Colt at her side, my vision was instantly blurred by tears. Sniffles could be heard throughout the crowd while everyone watched her being led toward Mike. Even he was emotional.
Maddison bore only a small scar along her jaw and one above her right eye that remained hidden by her hair on most occasions. The limp, the one she despised, was so minor that it could barely be noticed. I had never met a person stronger and more vibrant than Maddison; I adored her as many did. Today, her beauty shined brighter than it ever had before. She was the most gorgeous bride I had ever seen.
I wanted a man to look at me the way Mike looked at her. She was all he’d seen. It didn’t matter that Gran and Gramps’ backyard was full of hundreds of people, family and friends. To him, it was only
