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My growing arousal sparked an electrical current that literally hummed in my ears. The man hadn’t so much as touched me, yet he had the power to draw me to him, like a moth to a flame. I had to put a stop to it all. Once and for all, I had to exorcize the demon known as Joshua Lars. Problem being, I had no idea how.
The priest cleared his throat. Snapping my head toward the sound, I swallowed tightly. “Dearly beloved,” he began. “We are gathered here today…”
To watch Mellie Carson lose her ever-loving mind.
I closed my eyes and drew in a ragged breath. The forty-five minute ceremony seemed to drag on for hours. The nuptials were beautiful and heartwarming, yet I couldn’t focus on anything except Joshua’s incessant stare. Well, that and calculating how long it would take me to jump from the pew, dash out of the church, and race back to Sanna’s to hide away in the safety of my room. There were only two obstacles in my way: I couldn’t run three seconds in my five-inch heels, plus I didn’t have a car to get me back to the house. It was a hell of a long walk in stilettos, which I probably wouldn’t achieve without breaking an ankle. Nope, running away wasn’t an option. I’d have to stay and face the music—which pissed me the hell off.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest instructed, pulling me from my ruminations.
Tony cupped Leagh’s cheeks in his hands and bestowed her with a commanding, potent kiss. A shiver rippled through me. Joshua had kissed me in that exact manner, and I could still feel the heat of his lips.
Aarrgghh.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the priest cried out as he raised his hands, “It is my privilege to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Delvaggio.”
Tony and Leagh’s faces beamed in absolute bliss. For a few glorious moments, joy for their happiness drowned out the chaos swimming inside me. Tony wrapped a protective arm around Leagh’s waist, then bounded down the stairs, escorting her toward the back of the church. The rest of the wedding party followed behind, all wearing happy, broad smiles as they joined the bride and groom in the receiving line.
The guests began to spill into the aisles toward the church’s foyer. The passage quickly became so choked there was no place for us to go, so we remained in our seats, waiting for the steady line to shorten.
When it came our turn to get in line, I stood, but froze like a statue, unable to move. I had assumed Joshua would follow the other guests in his pew, but he didn’t. He lingered in the aisle, paying no attention to the people going ahead of him. Joshua’s focus was on one thing—and one thing only—me.
“Come on, Mel, move,” Sanna urged, prodding me to move. “We’re not going to find a good table at the reception if we don’t get through the line.”
I swallowed tightly and stumbled from the narrow passage, cracking my ankle on the edge of the kneeling bench beneath the pew. Biting back a curse—because I knew swearing in church was frowned upon—I hobbled on one foot as I reached down and massaged the zinger.
Sanna, Nick, Dylan, and James stepped into the aisle as well.
“You okay?” James asked in concern.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just clumsy is all.”
“You can lean on me if you need to,” James offered with a broad smile.
“Thanks, but really, I’m fine,” I assured him, hoping I wouldn’t embarrass myself further.
Peeking over Dylan’s shoulder, I saw Joshua working his way against the flow of guests and heading our direction. Extending his hand, he and the other Doms exchanged hellos. Two sets of eyes were intently watching James, Joshua, and me.
For the love of…can this possibly get any more awkward?
“It’s good to see you, Master Stephen,” Sanna said with an impish grin.
“It’s a pleasure to see you, as well, little one.” Joshua briefly turned his attention on my sister and smiled. Then, like clockwork, his stare landed right back on me. “What a delightful surprise to see you again, Mellie. I take it Savannah, is the sister you spoke of the other night?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You two know each other already?” James questioned with an arch of his brows.
“Yes, we met the night before last.” Joshua nodded.
“What a coincidence. We met last night,” the other man replied with an assessing smirk.
“Yes, but I saw her first,” Joshua added with suave self-assurance.
Oh, good grief. Their posturing had all the markings of an ensuing pissing match. I wasn’t having any of it. If cussing wasn’t welcome in church, peeing on the pews to mark their territory wouldn’t be either.
“I guess what really matters most is that we’ve all been introduced, right?” I snapped my mouth shut before I slipped and reminded them I wasn’t some toy in their sandbox to fight over.
“May I accompany you to the reception?” Joshua asked with an intrepid smile.
