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He grinned again, a look of pure mischief on his face, but she could see the underlying desire in his eyes. She leaned forward and gently bit his bottom lip, and they shared another long kiss.
“Indulging is one thing. Turning me completely inside out is another. I won't be able to function for the rest of the night, and there are still two hours left of this party.” Her hands glided over his chest again, then up and around his shoulders, pulling him close.
He reached for a nearly empty bottle of champagne from the table and poured the remaining contents into a glass. “Remember the champagne we drank on the Vineyard?”
“Oh, in that tub…” She smiled. “That was nice.”
He took a sip of champagne, never taking his eyes from hers, and then held the glass to her lips. He watched as she swallowed the sweet, fizzy liquid, and she licked her lips slowly and deliberately, watching as his eyes followed the movement of her tongue.
“Mm. Very, very nice,” he whispered, before leaning in to kiss her again.
* * *
Will was headedto the bar when he heard someone call out his name, and he turned to see Ed Gardiner approaching.
“Hello, Ed. Nice to see you again. Sorry we haven’t had much of a chance to talk.”
“I know what it's like to be a best man. You’ve had plenty to keep you busy.”
“Charles is an easy groom. I just had to show up and not lose the rings. Elizabeth said you made it through the storm without much damage?”
“We were fine. A few shingles were lost, but that's about it. We were lucky, though; a friend who owns an inn just down the street had a tree come through his roof. Horrible damage.”
“That's too bad. Um, I'm glad Elizabeth went to see you then.” Will shifted his feet and cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. “I did just what I told you I wouldn't do. I left, and I hurt her. I'm glad she had you and Dee to turn to.”
Ed stared at him intently. “I know Elizabeth talked to Dee about everything, but Dee kept it to herself, and that's okay. I don’t need to know the details.” He paused. “Are you working it out?”
Will nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you respect and appreciate her?”
“I do, very much.”
“And will it happen again?”
“No, sir, it won’t,” Will answered firmly.
Ed nodded and kept his eyes trained on Will’s. “It feels like you've been handed a gift, doesn't it? A precious, fragile gift, and now you're scared shitless that you'll drop it and shatter it into a million pieces. Is that how you're feeling?”
Will swallowed thickly. “Yes.”
Ed gripped his shoulder. “A little fear is good. It goes a long way. But Lizzy isn’t the type to hold anything over your head. You two will be just fine.”
Will sighed heavily. “If a little fear is good, then I should be all set.” His eyes sought Elizabeth and found her standing with Jane. They were holding hands, heads bent close and talking seriously, sharing a sisterly moment. Elizabeth looked toward him then and smiled, and when he smiled in return, he heard Ed’s chuckle.
“Keep looking at her like that, son, and you'll be just fine.”
* * *
It was nearingeleven o'clock when the reception finally wound down. The bride and groom were asked to come out for their last dance, and the guests surrounded the dance floor as they held each other close and swayed to the music.
Elizabeth sipped a glass of champagne and watched them with tears in her eyes. Will stood behind her, his arms around her waist, lightly swaying her back and forth. He sang softly, and she leaned into him, letting the deep, rich tones of his voice wash over her.
When the song ended, Jane and Charles embraced for a long moment, and after a round of applause and well wishes the guests began to depart, most carrying their shoes and jackets, and all agreeing it was a wonderful day. Jane and Charles expressed their thanks and bid farewell to everyone, waiting until the end to say their goodbyes to family.
Elizabeth pulled her aunt aside to find out their travel plans for the next day, hoping they would have a chance to connect before the Gardiners took the boat back to the Vineyard. She exchanged civil good night wishes with her parents and Lydia, and then Elizabeth and Will were alone with the newlyweds again.
Charles and Jane didn't linger for long but told Will and Elizabeth to take their time. The sisters hugged for a long moment while Will and Charles shook hands and talked quietly, and then it was time to say goodbye. Elizabeth gave Charles a kiss on the cheek and they embraced tightly, while Will and Jane shared a slightly awkward hug, and Will congratulated the happy couple again before they finally departed.
