I shouldn’t be feeling this way. I just left Carter at the altar.
But who was the one who got me out of there?
“All set.” The words are barely audible, and I hold up the dress with one hand as I turn back to face him.
“Thank you.”
“I need to start the fire.”
“Lake.” I move my gaze from where my palm lies flat against his chest to his eyes. They’re hooded, his lips parted as we stand there. “Thank you for today. For knowing I needed you.”
“Always.”
Going up on my tiptoes, I only mean to gently press my lips to his.
An expression of gratitude.
But the moment I do, a shiver races down my spine, like the most exhilarating sensation from that simple touch. I moan, my fingers gripping his shirt as I try to pull him tighter against me with all ninety-seven layers of my dress in the way. But I want more and he knows it, his hands gripping the back of my neck as I tilt my face and kiss him like I shouldn’t.
He kisses me back, grunting when I push my tongue into his mouth, wishing I could do this forever. He tastes delicious, like mint and everything I shouldn’t want on the day I was supposed to marry another man.
As if hearing my unspoken thoughts, Lake wrenches his mouth from mine, his eyes wild and his lips swollen.
I’ve never seen him look like this before.
I’ve never seen him look atmethis way before.
“We can’t do that.” He takes a step away from me, the palm of his hand rubbing over the mouth I just kissed. “Jesus, Penelope, you were gonna marry someone else today.”
He used my name.
He never uses my name.
Exasperation pours out of him, and I can’t help the way I have to blink to hold back tears because he’s right. I was going to marry someone else today—someone who never made me light up as much as that one single kiss has.
It feels like I’m being hit from all sides.
My marriage.
My future.
My best friend.
Thatkiss.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, blinking harder as I stare at a spot on the floor. Lake growls, the sound doing nothing to calm my racing heart as he steps back into me, the side of his finger nudging my chin up until I’m forced to meet his gaze.
“I can’t kiss you when you’re wearing a dress for another man, Pen. I can’t.” He swallows hard. “You need time and I’m here for you, but I can’t be a guy you use to get over leaving your fiancé.”
…a guy you use to get over…
“You’re not…” My words die off when he presses his lips to my forehead like he’s begging me to stop talking.
“Baby, I can’t do this with you right now, please.”
It’s thepleasethat has the fight draining from me as the entirety of the day washes over me.I ran out on Carter on our wedding day.
I don’t regret it.
