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She seemed to be waiting for him to say more about it, and when he didn’t, she mumbled, “Oh. Good.”
They made their way out to the back lawn for pictures. As the photographer, a friend of Kendall’s from college, directed them on where to stand and pose, neither Marley or Luke spoke.
Then Kendall decided to meddle. “Darcy, I think we should do a couple of casual pics, you know? Lighten the mood and loosen us up.”
Darcy nodded, her gray eyes twinkling behind her glasses and Luke wondered what they had planned.
“Luke, cradle the back of Marley’s head and dip her as though you’re dancing. You two were really good together as I recall.” When Marley shot her a glare, Kendall added, “At dancing, of course.”
Brent bent down, and Luke could almost imagine him telling her to leave them alone, but she wasn’t having any of it. “Chop chop, the photographer is waiting.”
Luke did as she asked, wrapping his arm around Marley’s waist and cradling her head. As he dipped her toward the ground, it was so reminiscent of the day they met in the grocery store that he smiled.
Her green eyes stared into his, as if trying to read his thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
“Trix and you.”
Marley’s cheeks turned pink. This close he was overwhelmed by the scent of her, the lithe body he thought he’d never hold again stirring a rush of desire through him. Before he knew what he was doing, he was resting his forehead against hers and releasing a shaky breath.
He didn’t say anything, and was shocked to his toes when she squeezed his shoulders and whispered, “I’ve missed you so much.”
Luke pulled away then, needing distance before he did something crazy like tell her he missed her too or God forbid, kiss her.
Setting her on her feet away from him, he asked, “Are we done? Cause I need a drink.”
Without even waiting for them to protest, Luke walked back up the stairs and into the great room where the reception was being held, finding the bar as fast as he could. Taking the Jack and Coke the bartender handed him, he downed the entire contents of the glass and asked for another. It was an open bar after all.
After Kendall and Brent were introduced to the room ten minutes later, he found Brent standing next to him, frowning.
“Kendall sent me over to find out what you’re doing to Marley.”
Luke was on his third glass and drinking it a lot slower than the previous drinks. “I’m not doing anything. At the moment, I am enjoying a Jack and Coke.” He caught sight of Marley standing next to Kendall, scanning the crowd. Luke nodded in their direction. “As far away from her as humanly possible.”
“That’s what I mean. One second you’ve got her in your arms, acting as though you can’t get enough of her, and then you’re running away.”
To hell with slowing down. Luke took a swift gulp and set his glass on the bar. “I need to figure out what I want without you and your wife getting in the middle and causing more drama. Just enjoy being married and let us figure things out for ourselves.”
Brent shook his head grimly. “In that case, I am also required to inform you that my sweet, demure bride will ‘rip off your junk’ if you hurt her MOH.”
“Is that a direct quote?” Luke asked, grinning.
“Yes, and it was painful to deliver.”
“You can assure Kendall that hurting Marley is the last thing on my mind.”
Kissing her was another story.
Chapter 26
Marley finished her toast to the bride and groom and once she was out of the spotlight, she downed her champagne like a glutton. For the last hour, she had tried unsuccessfully to get Luke alone and he’d somehow managed to elude her every time.
If this was the way the rest of the night was going to go, she was definitely in need of something stronger.
She crossed the room, the soft fabric of her silver dress swishing around her legs. She ordered an apple martini at the bar. When she heard the DJ on the mic call Luke’s name, she turned around to watch.
Luke walked out into the middle of the dance floor, looking so handsome in that tux. His hair seemed longer than the last time she’d seen him, making his ears stand out less and it was disappointing. She loved his ears.
Luke took the mic and mumbled, “Good evening.”
