Page 211 of Pucking Sweet

“I’m still mad about that goddamn phone call,” he admits.

“I know. I am too.”

“She hurt you.”

“She does that,” I reply with a shrug.

“I’m afraid of going to the wedding.” He drags a hand through his hair. “I’m afraid of what I’ll do, what I’ll say. I can’t stand by and watch people hurt you, Poppy. But I’m afraid if I do anything, I’ll make it worse.”

“Just be there,” I say, cupping his cheek. “Let me handle the rest?”

Stepping in, he smooths his hands over my bare shoulders. “I have to have you. Can’t fucking think, can’t calm down. Take the edge off, so I can go back out there and talk about the goddamn sea turtles.”

Smiling, I turn around, pressing my hands against the wall. “I remember our first time,” I say again, glancing over my shoulder at him. “I remember you got so deep, rode me so hard. I felt you for days, Lukas. I ached with it.”

He groans, working up my layers of tulle. “I’ve never stopped feeling you. You’re in my blood, in my head, in my fucking bones.”

“In my DNA,” I pant, spreading my legs for him as he reaches between my thighs, lining himself up at my entrance. We both sigh as he sinks in, adjusting his feet to take some of my weight. “In my heart,” I say, hands splayed as he begins to thrust.

He kisses my neck, his breath warm in my ear. “In my fucking soul.”

We fuck hard and fast, finding our rhythm as we each take what we need. He needs a quick recentering, reassurance that I’m his. I need comfort and the protection of his body. His love is like a shield, cloaking me and keeping me safe. We can do this. We can be together, and be happy, and all the pieces of my life can fall perfectly into place.

Ten minutes later,I make my way back into the party, cheeks flushed, the cum Lukas wouldn’t let me clean away sticky between my legs. I hurry over to the table where Rachel and Tess are standing. Rachel looks dynamite in a silky black dress, while Tess looks like a mermaid in blue. “Hey, y’all, what did I miss?” I snatch a carrot stick off Tess’s plate. “Anything good?”

Both women give me a once over. “Poppy…” Rachel glances behind me. “Where did you just come from?”

“The bathroom,” I reply, stealing another carrot stick.

“Don’t lie to me,” she teases. “Were you just hooking up with someone?”

Great, so I’m that freaking transparent? Oh god, I can’t lie to save my life. And Lukas is right, I don’t want to lie. I hate this. Turning to Rachel, I take my frustration out on her, “Why don’t you just scream your foul accusations to the high heavens?”

Next to me, Tess snorts. “You’re as bad as this one,” she says, jabbing a thumb at Rachel.

“Hey, I’ve been good all night,” Rachel replies. “The gala host’s wife isn’t allowed to sneak off into coat closets, right?”

“I don’t know what you two are talking about,” I feign. “I stepped out for five minutes to take a phone call and use the bathroom.”

As I speak, Lukas, walks right past us, straightening his tie as he winks at me. “Evening, ladies.”

I go still as Rachel and Tess exchange a quick glance.

“Poppy,” Rachel gasps the second he passes. “You and Novy—”

“Shhh.” I wave a hand in her face. “Will you hush up?”

“You horny little horndog,” Tess teases. “In front of the turtles, Poppy?”

Seriously? This woman caught me getting Eiffel-towered in a child’s bedroom last week. “Oh please, if you two aren’t the pot calling the kettle black. First, there’s you, Miss I Married Three Hockey Players,” I say at Rachel. Tess laughs, and I round on her. “And don’t think we don’t see the way you look at Langley like you wanna climb him like a tree.”

“Actually, it’s the other way around,” she teases. “He was the one climbing me when we first got here. I may have given him a lil’ taste in the storage room.”

I snatch a glass of wine off a passing tray as Rachel leans over with a cheeky little smile on her face. “So, uhh, how long have you two been ... you know?”

“That is absolutely none of your business,” I say, taking a sip of the fruity wine. The second it touches my tongue, I spit it back in the glass. “Blegh—will someone take this away from me?”

Rachel and Tess watch in slow motion, their eyes going wide.