Page 17 of Nothing to the Wedding

“Ha, ha,” she said without intonation.“Casanova—”

“I’m more worried about acting before you think.Rourke got you in.”The tablet.“Have you checked it out?”

“Not yet,” she said, relaxing onto her back, staring at the ceiling through the darkness.“But I will, don’t think I won’t.We ended up drinking on the patio for a while.”Until she’d come up to bed, but she had no idea of the time.Hmm, the background of the call was oddly quiet.“Are you at the club?”

“I’m upstairs.”

That meant in their place, which was almost concerning.“Why?Is it that late?”

“I missed you.I’ve got too used to having you on the couch beside me.Gets cold when you’re gone.”

That was so a line, his swaggering tone betrayed that.Yet, still, she fell for it.She’d given herself over to him long ago, no point resisting it now.

“And you were waiting for me to call?Aww…” Sometimes she understood why her friends swooned.“Baby, that’s so sweet.”

His humor grew with his smile.“Then why does it sound like you’re mocking me?”

She laughed.“I may not get Zairn Lomond: The Legend as he’s known across the world, but I get my legend here, where it matters.I’m not mocking you…” In fact, her own heart hurt right then.“I’ve never been one of those women to believe in…”

“Happily ever after?”

“Not just that, I… With every guy before you there was work, not work, more like… obligation.Not in a bad way, just, you know, what I should or shouldn’t say, tasks or events I took on because I should not because I wanted to… My whole life, I never realized that…”

What was she trying to say?

“Love was easy?”

Perfect.See?She didn’t need to know because he knew for her.

“Love is easy…” Rolling onto her side again, she tucked her hands beneath her cheek.“Even almost three thousand miles away, it feels like you’re right here with me.”Not physically, of course.If that were true, given her mood, there would be less talking, less clean talking anyway.“I always feel you with me.You’re a part of me.”

“Wow, you have been on the wine tonight,” he said as she tipped up the screen to see his smile again.“You only get like this on grapes.”

“Maybe I miss you too.”Truth was, she always missed him, any time they weren’t in the same room, any time they weren’t touching.“Is that okay?”

“That’s okay, Lo.Inevitable.Required.”

“Do you think Roux and Rourke will ever have kids?”

“I don’t know.”No matter how left field her questions, he answered them.Secrets didn’t exist between them.Man, she had matured.“Never given it much thought.That kid would need a lot of therapy.”

Rourke could afford it.

“People are getting so grown up,” she said.“When did that happen?I’m married.Married!Jane is getting married, though she doesn’t know it yet.Roux’s married.Lilya’s having babies.It happens so quickly.One day you’re partying until you can’t stand up, then the next you’re saying vows and peeing on sticks.”

The brief silence came with a slight frown on his brows.

“Are you peeing on sticks?”

“Mmm, naughty Casanova…” She snickered.“I didn’t know that was your thing.”

“Roxanna—”

“I know.I know.No peeing on sticks without you.Sequoia is peeing on sticks; I’m not peeing on sticks.Do you want me to pee on sticks?”Her head rose a little from the pillow.“Are you ready for—”

“I’m ready when you’re ready, Lo, you know that.”

“You’re a guy, you have a million years.”