“And I’ve told you,” she purred, “to call me Audrey.”
I stood across the span of pavers and watched, fascinated, as Wyatt tried to discourage the woman. He obviously hadn’t been kidding about his over-exuberant fan. I was fixin’ to walk away and let him handle it, but apparently, the more polite he was…the more determined she was to put the moves on him.
Now she had herself plastered against his side, and Wyatt was trying to keep her hands from grabbing ahold of his backside. I rolled my eyes. Clearly the man needed rescuing.
This woman was very determined, and her actions could be considered stalker-ish, if not outright sexual harassment. While I agreed with Wyatt, that calling the police would ruin the evening for the bride and groom…there might be another way to get the woman to back off. When the idea bloomed, I started to smile. Tossing my hair back, I straightened my shoulders, and went for it.
“Hey!” I said, dropping the lid on the garbage can. It landed with a loud bang and I stalked towards the couple.
“I can take care of this…” Wyatt began.
“I can see how well that’s going for you,” I snarked, as I grabbed the woman by the arm and hauled her off him.
“Who the hell are you?” Audrey demanded.
Going for a ‘soap opera diva’ feel, I curled my lip at her. “I’m his wife!” I cried dramatically. “Who the hell are you?”
I wasn’t sure who was more surprised, Wyatt or Audrey. But while Audrey gaped at me, Wyatt jumped right in. “Now, Petunia,” he said, playing along.
I almost laughed, but managed to scowl instead. I slapped my hands on my hips and got up in his personal space, “I leave you alone for five minutes and you’re out here catting around with another woman?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“But, I…” Audrey looked from Wyatt to me. “But I love him. He answered my fan mail, we’re meant to be together, forever…”
I rounded on her, and amped up the drama. “Back off, bitch!”
“Well, I…” Audrey cowered away.
Caught up in the ridiculousness of it all, I grabbed ahold of both sides of Wyatt’s suit lapels and then deliberately made eye contact with the other woman. “He belongs to me!” I declared, dramatically. Joan Collins couldn’t have done it any better, I decided.
“Now, honey,” Wyatt’s voice trembled on a laugh.
Before Wyatt started laughing and blew the game, I tugged him close and planted one on him.
I don’t know what possessed me. Maybe it was stress, maybe it was that shot of Jameson, or more likely it was that I simply got caught up in it all. The kiss didn’t last long, and when I lifted my mouth from his, it made a cheerfully loud smacking sound.
“Well!” Audrey huffed. She drew herself up and stomped off, disappearing around the corner.
Wyatt and I stood there in each other’s arms and watched her leave. When I realized his hands were resting on my hips, I let go of his suit and stepped back immediately.
“And, you’re welcome.” I told him, brushing off my hands. “There’s one problem solved.”
“Wow,” Wyatt’s voice trembled on a laugh.
I was slightly offended by the laugh, so I gave him a polite nod and started to walk away. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Hastings.”
I almost made it to the door when he snagged my elbow. “Magnolia, hold up.”
“What?” I paused.
“Let’s try that again,” he said, and before I could blink, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.
A real kiss this time. The last thing I’d expected was Wyatt Hastings to have such smooth moves. Being firmly held against him, I became aware that he was solid as a rock. What I’d mistaken for thinness was actually all lean muscle.
His beard was soft as it brushed against my face. I’d never been kissed by a man with a beard. It was different. When he ended the kiss with the smallest of nips to my bottom lip, every hormone I owned leapt up and cheered.
Damn-near eye to eye with him in my heels, we stood only a few inches apart and stared at each other. The power of speech had somehow eluded me. I blinked and was trying to figure out what to say next, when he tugged me close again. I went willingly.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I held on. When our tongues touched for the first time, my brain all but started leaking out of my ears.
I felt him tangle one of his hands in my long hair and he gave a gentle tug, tipping my head back to change the angle of the kiss. My heart raced, my stomach flipped, and I felt my knees start to tremble. This man could be trouble, Maggie, I thought as the kiss went on.
We pulled apart after a few moments and both of us were breathing heavily. Silently, we measured each other.
He broke the silence first. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the first day I met you.”
“You did?” As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. I was no ingénue. I’d known I was attracted to him since the day he’d brought me groceries after the break in. I cleared my throat and straightened my shoulders. “I should go back inside. Tomorrow is a big day, and I need to get Willow home.”
“How early are you starting?”
“I’ll be on site at the wedding venue at five in the morning.”
He took one of my hands. “The ceremony starts at 10:30. That’s a little early, isn’t it?”
“I have to make sure the ceremony area is set and the reception tables are dressed and ready to go,” I explained automatically. “Weddings like this don’t simply happen. They have to be organized and controlled to go off smoothly. There’s a lot of moving pieces to keep track of.”
He smiled at me. “Like
