I chuckle softly. “Smart woman.”
“She said I should let you treat me like a dirty slut in bed,” she continues, her voice faltering slightly. “I never . . . Chase and I never even talked about what we liked, you know. We never talked dirty. It was all plain, blah, vanilla.”
I frown, caught off guard. “Never?”
She shakes her head, laughing bitterly. “We were so focused on the idea of the wedding and the future that we didn’t really talk about the present. And now that I think about it . . .” She trails off, taking a long sip of her champagne.
“Well, for the record,” I say, my tone softening, “I don’t do steady relationships. But I always make sure the woman I’m with tells me what she likes—and enjoys herself.” I pause, holding her gaze. “Sex is a lot about communication.”
She lets out a laugh, a real one this time, surprising both of us.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, intrigued.
Her smile widens, her cheeks flushed from the champagne—or maybe something else. “You can’t even communicate with your own family, but you expect me to tell you exactly what I want if I let you fuck me?”
I laugh, the irony hitting me square in the chest. “Fair point,” I admit, shaking my head. “But trust me, talking about sex is a hell of a lot easier than hashing out family drama. It’s too fucking messy.”
She laughs again, lighter this time, her shoulders easing as the tension between us shifts into something more comfortable. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she says, her voice still tinged with amusement.
“Please do,” I reply, leaning back in my chair and raising my glass. “Because if you ever want to take your best friend’s advice, I’m more than happy to oblige. You have seven days to enjoy yourself and there are a lot of things we can do in this bedroom—or outside it. I heard there’s a nudist beach nearby.”
She yawns, her hand instinctively covering her mouth as her eyelids droop slightly. The champagne must finally be catching up with her.
“I’ll think about it,” she murmurs, her voice softer now, almost sleepy.
I watch her for a moment, amused by how quickly her feisty energy has melted into something gentler. Her glass wobbles slightly in her hand, so I lean forward, plucking it from her grasp before it slips.
“Alright, darling,” I say, setting the glass down with mine. “I think that’s enough champagne for one night.”
She blinks up at me, her brows furrowing as if she’s about to argue, but another yawn interrupts her.
“I’m fine,” she protests weakly, even as her head tilts back against the chair, her body relaxing.
“Sure you are,” I reply, amused by her face. She’s pretending to be awake while her eyes are almost closed. I stand, moving around the table to her side. She doesn’t resist when I take her hand, helping her to her feet.
Her balance wavers slightly, and she leans into me, her warmth pressing against my side. “You’re bossy,” she mutters, her words slurring just a touch.
“And you’re tipsy,” I counter, guiding her toward the bed. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you to bed before you pass out right here.”
She mumbles something incoherent, her words slurring as she tries to steady herself, but her legs barely cooperate. I sigh, amused despite myself.
“Alright, that’s enough,” I mutter.
Without giving her a chance to argue, I slide one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her in one smooth motion. Her head falls against my chest, her fingers instinctively clutching at my shirt as her lips part in surprise.
“You don’t have to—” she starts, but her voice falters, replaced by a soft sigh as she rests her cheek against me.
“Relax,” I say, the corner of my mouth twitching into a smirk. “Think of it as part of the honeymoon experience.”
She lets out a sleepy laugh, barely audible, but she doesn’t pull away.
Carrying her across the room, I can feel her warmth against me, her breathing slowing with each step. When I reach the bed, I shift her gently, lowering her onto the mattress with care. She sinks into the sheets, her body curling slightly as she exhales.
“You’re annoyingly nice for someone with such a dirty mouth,” she murmurs, her eyes fluttering closed.
I tug the blanket up over her, smoothing it around her shoulders. “Sweet dreams, darling,” I say quietly, my voice softer now.
Her lips twitch into a faint smile, and within moments, her breathing steadies, her face relaxing completely.
