Page 65

“Quinn Casey, you clean up damn good.” Raelyn smoothed her hands up his arms and over his shoulders.

His black suit jacket fit his muscled arms and shoulders perfectly.

He was also wearing a tie, which she hadn’t seen since prom night.

Quinn always opted for the more casual, open-collar look, but seeing him dressed to the nines like this sent all sorts of warm and needy feelings thrumming through her whole body.

Grabbing the lapels of his suit jacket, Raelyn pulled Quinn to her and pressed her lips to his. When she swept her tongue between his lips, he groaned and brought her in closer to him.

“Can I ask you something?” Raelyn said, reluctantly separating her mouth from his. “Why are you paying for the most expensive hotel suite in the city when you stay here every night?”

Quinn sighed and hummed as though contemplating a very tough question. “Well, the closet has all my stuff in it now.”

“Stuff can be moved.”

“Rae, are you asking what I think you’re asking?” Quinn’s mouth was curved into a grin. “Because that’s a pretty big step.”

“I know we’ve only known each other twenty-two years,” she said, sliding her hands down his chest beneath his jacket. “But I have this complex, I think. Back in high school I forgot to tell my best friend how I felt and he got away. So now when I see something I want, I just go for it.”

“And you think you want me?”

“Oh, I know I do. ”

Quinn flashed his sexy one-dimpled grin before another heart-racing, breathtakingly fervent kiss. When he pulled away, Raelyn’s chest was rising and falling with the exhilaration of the kiss, eyes still fluttered shut. “Good, because I need you,” Quinn said before nipping playfully at her ear.

Raelyn peeked at the alarm clock on her nightstand and groaned. “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, but we need to get going if we’re going to make it on time.”

Quinn threw his head back with exasperation. “I know this is your other best friend’s wedding, but I’m not looking forward to it as much as I should be.”

Laughing at the emphasis that Amira was the other best friend, Raelyn narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to get all jealous, are you? Because you have absolutely nothing to worry about. The past is in the past, and it can stay there.”

“I’m not worried ,” Quinn insisted. “I just don’t like that he’s put these images in my head of the two of you. It’s like, every time he looks at you I feel like he’s just picturing things, or replaying those memories in his head. And I don’t want anyone but me seeing that.”

With a grin, Raelyn wandered over to her closet and picked a little black bag off her dresser. Bringing it back to Quinn she said, “I thought this might come up. So, I got you something. Well, I got us something.”

Quinn looked at the bag, and then curiously up at Rae.

He reached his hand in and pulled out the couple pieces of tissue paper on top, and the object hidden beneath.

He held a small black and silver, oval-shaped remote in his palm and there was a mischievous glint in his eye when he peered back up at her.

“This one’s different than that other one we used,” said Quinn, turning it over.

“It’s new,” Raelyn replied. “And it goes to...these.” She pulled back and lifted up the side slit of her dress’s long skirt and snapped the band of her lacy black thong .

“Vibrating panties?” Quinn’s eyes widened, his devilish smirk looking hungry.

“Just bought them for this occasion,” said Raelyn, dropping the skirt back down.

She wrapped her hand around his so that he was holding the remote, thumb hovering over the little plus sign button.

Making her voice a silky, low whisper, she explained, “So, this puts you in control. I’m all yours, Quinn.

But if you feel like you’re getting a little angry or annoyed with anyone trying to make you jealous, or you just want to remind me who I belong to throughout the night, you can just use this.

And I’ll instantly be thinking about you. ”

Quinn’s shuddering breath as he stared back into her eyes told her all she needed to know about how this made him feel.

She liked when he took control and knew that he felt like it slipped away at times.

Raelyn had racked her brain for a way to let him know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she wanted him.

Wanted to be with him, and only him. His reaction to her little gift was exactly what she had hoped it would be.

The dark, seductive gleam in his eyes threatened to make Raelyn come undone. “Is it pretty intense?” he asked.

“Haven’t tried it yet,” Raelyn shrugged.

Almost immediately, Quinn pressed the button. Raelyn was grateful that the vibration was almost completely silent but was not prepared for the intensity of the sensation. She gave a surprised “Oh!” and placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. He turned it off, smirking. “Oh yeah, I can feel that.”

“This is gonna be fun.”

Raelyn held up a finger, pointing, “With great power comes great responsibility. Do not abuse it.”

On anyone else, the mischievous grin Quinn displayed would have made her nervous, but on him she had to stifle a whimper, biting her lip. He leaned in and hovered his lips over the space between her ear and neck for a beat before whispering, "I wouldn't dare."

The thirty-five minute drive to Chateau Delacroix, also known as Raelyn's family's winery, was spent with sparkling banter and teasing about the night ahead.

Quinn seemed ecstatic that Raelyn had given him, quite literally, the key to her pleasure, and had joked that he was going to put it on high and watch her orgasm at the head table from where he sat in the dining area.

However, when Raelyn pointed out that he would then be allowing everyone to know exactly how she looks and sounds in the midst of climax, he quickly changed his mind.

Those sights and sounds were for him alone, she knew.

The chateau had a long, twisting drive, and overlooked a large garden, with the vineyard beyond.

Finding a parking spot, Quinn gaped at the massive structure before them.

It was built to resemble a fifteenth-century French chateau, with a large stone frame, tall, decorative chimneys, enormous arches, steeply pitched roofs with elaborate dormers, and several angled towers.

It looked somewhere between a medieval fortress and Sleeping Beauty's castle.

"Okay, Rae," said Quinn, still staring. "Your family owns an actual castle. I might have to call you Princess just one more time."

"It’s a chateau, not a castle ," Raelyn said. "Queens and kings and princes and princesses live in castles. Chateaus are for high-born Lords and Ladies."

"In that case, shall we go, My Lady? " Quinn replied with a sideways glance to Raelyn.

Knowing she could drive him wild with this one, she leaned across, lightly placing a hand on his upper thigh as she put her lips to his jaw, "Yes, My Lord."

His answering growl melted into a groan, "Save that one for later."

The wedding rehearsal was being held in the back garden, and the dinner would be served on the patio beneath the tall, domed stone covering.

There was hardly any need for decorations with the flowers in full bloom and the large fountain with its intricately carved architecture.

At this time of day, the sun was still bright, but beginning to sink in the sky, and the air was warm.

After mingling and casual introductions between family members, Amira rounded up the bridesmaids and began giving instructions, talking over her wedding planner, about where the girls were to line up, how slow they were to walk, where they would link up with their groomsman, and precisely where to stand.

When Brody and the guys finally found their way over, most with drinks in hand, Amira and the wedding planner repeated the instructions.

It was less seeing than sensing Emerson's presence when he stood behind her when they lined up in order.

Raelyn could practically feel his steely gaze on her back.

And probably her ass. She craned her neck to look around for Quinn who had been intercepted earlier by one of Brody's family members who was eager to ask hundreds of baseball questions.

She had barely peered over her shoulder when she felt the gentle pulse of the vibrator against her clit.

It was a burst of pleasure, gone as quickly as it came.

Her muscles tensed as she gasped, then bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her amusement at this little secret that only she and Quinn were sharing.

In the white garden chairs set up in front of the fountain, she spotted Quinn surrounded by a cluster of mostly red-haired and black-haired guests.

There was a boy with red hair as flaming bright as Brody's who looked to be about eighteen, and another Indian boy near the same age, who seemed absolutely awe-struck to be sitting next to the Major League All-Star.

She made eye contact with Quinn and couldn't help reflecting his own wicked grin back to him.

Emerson's deep voice felt too close to her ear as he said, "Lookin' good, Rae."

She didn't bother to turn around, keeping her eyes on Quinn when she gave a confident, "I know” in response.

Another shot of quick pleasure shivered through her.

She smiled and shook her head at him. I know, I know, I'm yours.

The wedding planner called out over the lined-up bridal party, "Okay, we're getting ready to head down the aisle!"

Raelyn looped her arm through Brody's older brother, James's arm.

He looked very similar to Brody, except while Brody was lanky, clean-shaven, and a little bit nerdy, James was more broad and had a short red beard.

He gave off a vibe that he knew how to do more with his hands than type, sign, and fill out legal documents.

James pulled Raelyn's arm toward him slightly, anchoring and stabilizing their connection more than anything else.