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I chanced a glance across the room and immediately found him, even though he wasn't in his seat. I felt even more wired to him than yesterday. That invisible thread linking us was growing stronger, and I had no clue what to do about it. Maybe he could feel that too, because each time we talked tonight, he'd kept a respectable distance, as if he didn't trust himself to be too close to me. Our gazes crossed. It was a good thing I was sitting because my knees weakened a little. I could swear his gaze was more molten each time he looked at me. He was an excellent best man. His speech had been fun and heartwarming, and he'd dutifully danced with each bridesmaid.
I'd tried to ignore the twist in my gut each time one of them had leaned in too close, or laughed with him. The maid of honor had been particularly possessive of him, monopolizing him for double the number of dances the other bridesmaids had. Yep, I'd counted. I was certain Jackie hoped they'd honor the long-standing tradition of the best man and the maid of honor getting it on during the wedding night. My gut twisted some more at the thought. It shouldn't bother me, but it did. I hadn't been so attracted to a man since before I had Milo. I could still feel the heat of his lips on mine, even though it happened twenty-four hours ago. Yeah, I'd counted that too.
A waiter showed up next to me. On his tray, he carried a plate with the main course and a glass of orange juice.
"Your dinner, Ms. Connor."
Even though Amber had been generous enough to treat me to the entire menu, I hadn't had time to touch the appetizers. I was starving, but I was afraid that a full belly would drain me of energy. As if he could sense my hesitation, the waiter said, "I have orders not to leave until you accept the dinner."
I didn't have to ask to know who'd given the orders. Warmth spread through me. Not the kind that was sparked by a kiss and simmered on the surface, lighting up my nerve endings. It was the more dangerous kind. The kind that went deep into my bones and was impossible to shake off.
"Thank you." I took the plate and the glass. Eating at the coffee table wasn't elegant, but I'd promised Dylan I'd stay here until he returned with the ice.
I didn't dare look at Graham again. I didn't think I could meet his eyes right now and not give myself away. I wanted him. I wanted him so much that I wondered again if it wasn't smarter to head home after all.
As the evening wound down, it appeared that someone else wanted to stay here too. Jackie was complaining loudly about going back to the city so late. Graham didn't extend her the offer to spend the night here.
A funny thing happened once the guests started filtering out. Despite having been on my feet the entire day, energy spiked in my veins.
"I can't feel my feet," Amber complained after the very last guest left. She put a hand on my shoulder, beaming. "Thank you for everything."
"My pleasure."
"Should we start taking down the decorations now?" she asked.
"That's my job. Don't you even think about it. You two hop in that fancy car waiting for you and go to your fancy hotel room. Don't you have a wedding night to celebrate?"
"Yes, yes we do!" Matt exclaimed.
Amber waved her hand dismissively, but winked at her husband. "Where's the hurry? You already knocked me up. Already sampled the goods."
Matt's eyes widened. Graham seemed suddenly very interested in a napkin he'd picked up off the floor. I pretended I didn't hear anything.
"Amber, I've got everything under control here. I'll tip the staff and then see to the decorations in the morning. Off you go."
She relented, and as Matt took her hand, Graham said, "I'll walk the two of you to the car."
Once they left, I tipped each member of the staff, thanking them for their work. I kept looking over my shoulder, checking if Graham had stepped back inside the tent. Usually, I was exhausted at the end of a wedding, but now I was so wired that I felt like tap dancing. After the staff left, I went by each lighting installation and turned it off. When I had two left, I heard someone step inside the tent. I would have known it was him even if we weren't the only ones left on the property. I recognized the strong, confident rhythm of his steps.
As I turned off the switch, the tent went darker than I expected. I realized Graham had turned off the last light at the same time. Some light was still filtering in from the house, but the semidarkness invited naughty and illicit activity. I couldn't believe my mind had gone there already.
Graham broke the silence first. "You did a great job today."
"Thanks, and back at you. You were an excellent best man."
"Does that mean I passed the test?"
"With flying colors."
He stepped close enough that I could see his smile. It was the closest we'd been for the past few hours, and I was suddenly very grateful he'd kept his distance during the party, because his proximity made it hard to think.
"You danced a lot," I said.
"Comes with best man duties."
With one hand, he undid his bowtie and popped open the top button of his shirt. There was something incredibly sexy about the fact that he felt comfortable enough around me to do that. That one button he'd undone didn't reveal much, though. I wondered how much relaxing it would take for him to pop open another one, give me a glimpse of his skin. Hell, I wouldn't say no to a peek at a nipple either. What were we talking about? Oh, that's right. Dancing.
"You seemed to have fun dancing. The girls certainly did."
