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I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Great. The last thing I wanted to do was tell Mandy that my bridesmaid dress didn’t fit two days before the wedding.”
Mary chuckled, but the sound was strained. I could see her shoulders sag as the stress of the situation drained from her.
“Well, you look lovely,” she said, pushing her spectacles up her nose.
I had to admit, I did look pretty good.
Mandy had done a great job picking out the dresses. It was a floor-length cornflower blue with a flowing skirt, cap sleeves, and a sweetheart neckline. All the bridesmaids were wearing the same color and length, but the cuts were all different to complement our different bodies. My waist looked cinched and my breasts plump. I grinned and put my hands on my hips, striking a little pose and pursing my lips like an over-the-top Insta model.
At that moment, the front door of the shop opened, the ringing of the bell startling me. I froze as Ryan’s reflection appeared in the mirror. Gasping, I spun around and met his surprised gaze.
“Sam?” he murmured, looking me up and down. “Holy shit…”
I felt my cheeks heat as his gaze seemed to devour me. I felt strangely shy as he took me in, and I fingered the skirt of my dress nervously.
“Um, what do you think?” I asked, flinching at how awkward I sounded.
He released a long, stunned breath. “You look beautiful.”
I bit my lip and dropped my head to try and hide my smile from him.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Mr. Carson, your tuxedo is in the second dressing room.” Mary waved him toward the back of the store. “Go put it on, please, and come back out here, so we can see how well it fits.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, moving to follow her directions, but not before stealing another glance my way. He gave me a small grin before disappearing into the dressing room area.
“That’s a handsome man,” Mary murmured, glancing up at me with a pointed smirk.
I blinked at her, my cheeks burning even hotter.
“Um, yeah, he is,” I muttered. “If you’re, uh, into that kind of guy.”
“The incredibly attractive kind?” Mary snorted. “Please, Sam. That man is everybody’s type.”
“Don’t tell him that.” I said. “He’s got a big enough ego as it is.”
Mary chuckled. “You two used to be close, weren’t you?”
My jaw dropped, and I stuttered, “Uh, no, not really. I mean, he and Jason are best friends, but I was just the annoying little sister.”
“Oh, don’t be modest, Sam,” Ryan suddenly said, reappearing from the dressing room area. “You were always hanging around us. We didn’t have much choice but to get close over the years.”
I froze before slowly turning to face him. My breath left me in a rush when my eyes landed on him.
Damn, that tux was not fair. He looked so freaking good that for a moment, all I could do was stare. He smirked as he moved to stand next to me and looked over his reflection with an assessing gaze.
“Oh, that looks perfect,” Mary declared, looking him over. She tugged on the bottom of his jacket and then brushed at his shoulders before straightening his collar. “Yes, you fill that out nicely, Mr. Carson.”
“I’ve told you, Mary, it’s Ryan.” He gave the dressmaker a cheeky grin that made her blush and giggle.
“You stop that now,” Mary gushed, swatting him lightly on the arm. “I’m too old for you, anyway.”
“That cannot be true,” he teased her.
I watched their exchange in confused amusement. He was being so charming and dashing. I couldn’t fight the pull of his appeal, so I turned my gaze away with a nervous swallow.
The next moment, Mary walked away to collect something from her storage room behind the checkout counter, leaving Ryan and me alone. Silence settled between us as I struggled to come up with something, anything, to say to him. I couldn’t help but think of what his kiss felt like and how good his hands had been running along my skin.
