Page 78 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

She giggled again, leaning closer still, her elbow, likely on purpose, brushing against my arm. “Oh, come on. You’re Kaisen Freaking Seely. You’ve got it all—money, looks, charm. What more could you possibly want?”

I leaned away from her, wanting a little distance. “World peace? A cure for hangovers? Who knows?”

She laughed and leaned closer. “You’re such a tease.”

I remembered what she said at the game night. Something about wanting to climb me or some shit like that. I wasn’t naive. This was a move. She had set her sights on me, and she was ready to take me back to her room.

Any other time I would have accepted what she was offering.

Unfortunately, there was only one woman I was interested in.

My eyes kept darting to the door, waiting for Dorie to walk in. I kept telling myself not to care, but I did. These feelings were new to me—this worry, this overwhelming need to just see her and make sure she was okay.

“Dorie’s probably on her way,” Eliza said, answering someone’s question about her sister. “She had cake orders to deliver. You know how she is.”

The bridesmaids giggled, their laughter high-pitched and condescending. “Aww, the little baker is so dedicated,” one of them cooed.

I didn’t like the way they talked about her, like she was some quaint small-town girl who didn’t work her ass off day in and day out to run her business. Dorie was more than that—she was strong, determined, and incredibly talented. But before I could say anything, Cullen stood up, raising his glass.

“I’d like to propose a toast,” he said, his voice carrying over the chatter. “To Kaisen. The best friend a guy could ask for. I don’t know what I’d do without you, man. And I hope that one day, you find the kind of happiness I’ve found with Eliza.”

The group raised their glasses, cheering and clinking them together. I forced a smile, raising my own glass and taking a sip. But I didn’t feel the least bit happy. All I could think about was Dorie and the mess I’d made of things.

As the toast ended, Samantha leaned in close enough to practically be in my lap. Her hand rested on my arm and her mouth was so close to my ear, I could feel her breath. “So, Kaisen,” she said, her tone flirtatious. “What’s a guy like you doing single?”

“Probably because I want to be,” I replied.

She pouted, leaning closer. “Come on, don’t be like that. We’re here to have fun, right?”

I extracted my arm gently, offering her a polite smile. “Fun’s great,” I said. “But I’m not really in the mood for it tonight.”

Her pout deepened. “I’m pretty sure I could help you get in the mood.”

Before I could respond, the door to the private dining room opened. Dorie rushed in. She looked stunning, her hair loose and flowing, her dress hugging her curves in all the right places. My breath caught in my throat as our eyes met, but then I noticed the way her expression faltered when she saw Samantha practically purring in my lap.

“Dorie! You made it!” Eliza jumped up to welcome her sister.

Dorie hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering from Samantha’s hand on my arm to my face. She forced a smile. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, her voice surprisingly steady. “Got caught up with the last cake delivery.”

“No worries,” Eliza replied, pulling her into a quick hug. “We’re just glad you’re here.”

The sisters walked to their places at the table. Dorie wouldn’t even look my way.

I stood up quickly, my chair scraping against the floor. “I’m going to take a minute,” I said to Cullen, my tone clipped. “I’ll meet you at the club later.”

“What about dinner?” Cullen asked with surprise.

“I’m not hungry.”

I needed to clear my head, to figure out what the hell I was going to do about her. Because one thing was clear: I couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t care.

I walked out of the dining room feeling a little lost. Did I go to my room and sulk or take a walk? The woman was turning me inside out and I hated it.