I look to his dad with sympathetic eyes. On top of being away from home for the first time as a freshman in college, his longtime high school girlfriend, Layla, broke up with him. A broken heart for the first time is hard to handle.
“It’s larger than Christmas but still has a small-town feel. They’re the NPU Polar Bears and they’ve won a few titles. It’s a great school to get noticed and the draft will pick you up down there quickly. I think you’d fit in perfectly with them.”
“Candy Cane Key?” his dad asks. After dealing with Dashiell Winters this past year, I’ve noticed he’s a bit of a grump and I need to handle him with kid gloves. “Yes, Mr. Winters, Candy Cane Key. You have something against Christmas?” I raise a brow in a teasingly manner. He grumbles out a word or two, but I just keep going. “I’ve already put a word in with my friend, Summer. She’s the head of the welcome committee for the Athletic Director. So, if you’re ready to pull the trigger, you just me know and I’ll handle it for you.”
Jameson tells me he’s interested, and we begin to say we’ll talk next week when I hear the DJ call out. “Ladies and gentlemen, can we clear the dancefloor for one minute, please?” The lights have dimmed, and people slowly ease away. One lone chair is placed in the middle of the empty floor and my heart begins to race. I know what this is.
I instantly seek out Jackson and find him already watching me. Even though we are across the room from one another, I can see his eyes are lit with fire. His lips turn up into a sexy grin and my body is drawn to him.
The opening beats from ‘Hot in Here’ by Nelly hit and the place erupts. My girls usher me to the chair and then stand to the side, doing what they do best, whooping and cheering, causing a scene. I notice my brothers lined up about fifteen feet away, standing with their arms crossed. Tom and Adam don’t look too happy, but Billy has a shit eating grin on his face. Bobby is too busy watching Britt dance around behind me.
Then I spot Jackson, my eyes are locked on his while he makes his way towards me with a swagger that screams sex. He stands above me in the chair, his legs spread wide on either side of mine. He cups my face, leaning me backwards while he dips and licks my lips. All I hear are whistles and howls. He slides his hands down my face, to my neck, circling it as he bends and grinds into my lap. I grab his ass and squeeze, laughing as his eyes flare.
He walks himself back away from me, circling until he is standing behind me. His hand runs up my arm, over my cheek and to my hair. He grabs a chunk, wrapping it around his palm once and pulls, my head snapping back as he dips again to kiss me.
And the crowd goes wild.
Like a wolf circles his prey, Jackson completes his circle, coming to a kneeling position in front of me. His eyes connect with mine and he winks as he lifts my leg to his shoulder and begins inching up my dress. Turning his head, he kisses my ankle, then continues his way up, my dress lifting with each pressof his lips.
“Not too high!”
He looks around shaking his head, then dips down low and pulls my dress over his head. He’s teasing me, nipping and licking my thighs as one hand reaches my garter. I’m jumping around on the chair, my body twitching with each touch. I feel his teeth grab the lacy piece and pull slightly but then I feel his finger swipe across my panties, that I’m ashamed to say are already wet. He backs out with his teeth still around the lace and gives me a heated look. He stands, with said garter hanging from his teeth, fist in the air while the crowd roars their approval.
I risk a glance over to my brothers and see Billy with his hands cupped around his mouth, howling, Tom with a smirk, and Adam with arms crossed and a pissed off look on his face. Before I can think twice about what may or may not happen to Jackson after this little show of his, he’s kissing me breathless and then growls in my ear, “I could smell how much you fucking want me, Mrs. Gage.”
“All right, show’s over, Gage. Move it along.” Before I can respond to his filthy statement, Adam is pulling him off me while the rest of our bridal party laughs and cheers for us.
“Ok, fellas, if you’re unattached and looking to match, grab a spot on the floor for the toss. Spread out, we know Jackson’s got an arm on him!”
The girls and I slide to the side while we watch my brothers, minus Bobby, and a bunch of other guys run to the floor. Jameson and Connor try to sneak on, but Jackson catches them and pulls them by their ears to stand by him. Adam is standing to the side, trying not to participate but having no choice while Tom and Bill hold him hostage on the dancefloor.
I watch as Jackson does a brief sweep of the floor, scoping out where everyone is standing. He turns his back on the crowd and then shoots the garter over his head. I watch as it sails like a missile towards my brothers who duck just in time for it to hit Adam square in the chest, like an arrow to the heart. I smile as he bends to pick it up and everyone that had scattered to avoid the catch, return, patting him on the back and cheering him on.
His lips twitch as our eyes connect and I hear Jackson bark out a laugh when Adam flips him the finger.
The DJ flips the song to ‘Single Ladies’ by Beyonce and that’s my cue. The girls pack the dancefloor and Britt stands beside me.
“You know what to do here, beauty.”
“We need to stop interfering; Jackson is already asking for another black eye.”
“If anyone needs a good ass kicking, it’s your brother. Just throw it to her.”
I smirk and shake my head but glance around for my target. Turning my back on the crowd, the DJ counts down and I toss my bouquet. I turn in time to see her catch it, her eyes automatically finding mine. I raise a brow and blow a kiss. She also answers with a flip of her finger. Laughing, I run to her, “you can’t fight fate, girl.”
thirty-three
FRANCESCA
The night is coming to an end, and it’s been the most spectacular day I have ever had. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t ready to be alone with my husband.
We’re taking one more turn around the dancefloor to ‘One of the Good Ones’ by Gabby Barrett. I’m taking in everyone around us. Tom and Farrah, Britt and Bobby. Billy and Adley. My eyes narrow at that last coupling. They’re spending a lot of time together, I’m not sure if it’s because they’ve been pushed together because of the wedding or if there is something brewing there.
“Have you seen my brother?”
“Your brother is the last thing on my mind right now.” Jackson pulls me close, nuzzling into my neck. “In fact, the only thing on my mind is how fast I can get you to the hotel and out of this dress.”
“Jackson! We can’t leave yet!”
