AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I turn my head so I can see his face. “Actually, yes, I am.”
“I love watching you and seeing you happy. It makes me happy.”
“Just being here with you makes me happy,” I murmur, looking up at him. Smiling, he kisses the top of my head.
“Would you like another glass of wine?” I love how he asks what I want. It’s so refreshing, being able to answer yes or no.
“Yes, please.” He motions a waiter over and requests another bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.
“What would you like to do tomorrow? Our flight isn’t until the evening.”
“I don’t know. Maybe just relax on the beach?”
“Whatever you want.” Whatever I want. I like the sound of that.
With the salads long gone, our entrée’s are finally delivered. My fish looks and smells fantastic. Chase’s filet looks equally as mouthwatering. As everyone sits to eat, a lone person in the crowd starts tapping their water glass with their knife. Soon, everyone is making the clanking noise. Nathan, knowing full well what it means, grabs Amanda and kisses her like a good groom should. Everyone cheers and goes back to their meals. Chase turns and kisses me.
“That was meant for the bride and groom,” I scold.
“Wishful thinking,” he quickly answers with his panty-dropping smile. That dimple gets me every time.
After dinner, the DJ plays a few more slow songs and Chase leads
me to the dance floor. Singing along to Edwin McCain’s I Could Not Ask For More, he takes the lead and I move with him. As he murmurs the lyrics in my ear, the sentiment behind them is apparent in his actions. The way he’s holding me, they’re not just words to a song, but a feeling he’s describing.
Dancing with Chase is so natural, I don’t want this feeling to end. Laying my head on his chest, I listen to his soothing breaths as we sway. As the song changes, he holds me close. I love the way he holds me tight, it’s comforting to feel so cherished.
The music stops abruptly as the DJ announces it’s time for the bride to throw her bouquet. Single women make a mad dash for the dance floor. I try to make an exit, but Miranda sees me and grabs my hand. “Oh, no you don’t. You are single, therefore you need to be here with me.” Since Miranda is constantly the center of attention, she places us front and center, directly behind where Amanda will be standing.
As Amanda makes her way onto the dance floor, Sheila hands her a fake throwaway bouquet. “Everyone ready?” she shrieks. The estrogen-fueled crowd responds with yells and waves. Amanda turns around, counts to two, and on three, heaves it over her shoulder. Right. At. Me. There is no stopping it—it hits me square in the chest and there’s no chance of me dropping it. Miranda appears upset, but then extremely happy it’s me.
“Yay, Olivia!” Amanda cheers, jumping up and down. I spy Chase across the crowd, smiling from ear to ear.
As the women leave the area, the men begin to gather. I’m escorted off to the side as Amanda is pulled to the middle of the dance floor and asked to sit on a chair. Stripper music sounds through the speakers and Nathan gets down on his knees, burying his hands under Amanda’s dress. She giggles and squirms as he reaches higher. Smiling, Nathan’s head disappears under her dress and reappears a moment later with the garter in his teeth. The men go crazy as Nathan maneuvers it from around her leg and off her foot, then stands and takes a bow.
I laugh hysterically as Amanda comes to stand next to me and Nathan takes her place. The men are all lined up, some more excited than others, but I know Chase won’t let anyone but him catch that garter.
Nathan peeks over his shoulder as he twirls the garter around his finger. “Ready?” he calls out behind him. “On three. One, two…” and he launches the garter in the air. Men take flight as they all reach up, trying to catch it. The garter flies over all their heads and the men dive for it, wrestling for a strip of lace. After a minute, Chase appears disheveled, but victorious.
Standing straight, Chase holds the garter in victory. “Thank God,” I mutter to myself.
“Sweetie, there was no way anyone else was coming out of that pile with that garter,” Amanda says.
Chase saunters over to the chair in the center of the dance floor. Smiling, he slowly beckons me with his index finger. Amanda gives me a gentle shove and I make my way over to Chase. “Sit,” he breathes, and I do.
The DJ comes over and asks our names. “Ladies and gentlemen, Chase will now place the garter on the beautiful Olivia’s leg. Give Chase a little help and chant ‘higher’ to give him some motivation.”
“That’s one thing I don’t need,” Chase whispers as he kneels on one knee.
I cross my legs, shaking with anticipation. Biting my lip, I wonder how far Chase is willing to go. We are in public, after all. “Okay, here we go,” the DJ announces as Chase takes off my right shoe.
“I don’t want this to get in the way,” he says with a wink. Moving my dress up to my knees, he runs his hands down my leg, caressing it as he goes. I tense and grip the edge of the chair with both hands. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s tried something naughty in public. Chase takes the garter, rests it around my ankle, and looks back at the group of men behind him.
“Higher!” they chant.
“They say higher,” he says as he brings it past my calf. As the guys keep chanting, Chase keeps raising the garter.
“Just do it already,” I whisper, embarrassed from all the attention.
