I stared at the officiant, trying to ignore the feel of Luka’s stare, which sat heavily on my cheek.The man was the star of the hottest sexual experience in my life—two of them, actually, now that Luka had loved me up so well last night.But wait, reliving them, as I was, at my best friend’s wedding reception was far beyond taboo.
Yet I couldn’t concentrate on the speeches because I kept returning to last night.Goose bumps exploded over my skin in a ripple of awareness and an echo of that pleasure.He’d manipulated me so easily, flipping me this way and that.He’d kissed and licked while he dragged his fingertips in feather-light touches over my heated, sensitized skin, making me quake and moan.
I’d never known I was a moaner.I hadn’t known I was a lot of things until Luka—like my ability to multitask by deep-throating him—new skill—while he feasted on my drenched folds.I’d never known I could orgasm three times in an hour, and that each would be successively deeper, releasing a tension from my very core and leaving me boneless.
But I’d found that out the first night we’d spent together all those months ago.
I shifted so I couldn’t see Luka’s all-too-knowing eyes.He knew I wanted him, and he knew that scared me.I wasn’t sure which was worse, and I didn’t want to think about him, my father, Bree’s future, any of it.
I sighed as I rose.
“Where are you going?”Luka murmured.
“Bathroom.”
He nodded, aware of my near-constant need to pee.I crossed the expansive yard toward the pool deck.
A cheer went up, and I looked back in time to see Ida Jane and Maxim kiss.A hiss at my shoulder startled a yelp from me.I turned to stare into gleaming dark eyes and twitchy whiskers.The opossum must have snuck into the tent for food, and I was blocking its escape route out of the yard.
I reacted without thought, by smacking at the opossum.With my bare hand.It assumed I was attacking it—fair—and growled low, paws clutched tightly around its treat.Was thatan empanada?
Blade must have heard the commotion because he was immediately at my side, leaping toward the rodent as it lunged toward me a second time.The Newfoundland used my leg as his launchpad, propelling himself through the air.He nearly caught the now-retreating opossum’s tail.Blade landed in a heap on the pool deck while I flailed, thanks to my shifted center of gravity and my heels.
My calf hit a lounge chair, and I reached out, planning to stabilize myself just as my foot tangled in my gown and I pitched forward.
The collective gasp drowned out my faint yip.I wrapped my arms around my middle as I closed my eyes and scrunched my face, trying to prepare myself for the painful collision with the ground.I twisted as much as possible, hoping to take the brunt of the fall on my buttock, not my hip—as far from Bree as possible.
Which was how I found myself sprawled, spread-eagled and panting, in Luka’s lap, staring out at a tent full of shocked wedding guests.
The rookie wolf-whistled, bringing the rest of the guests back to themselves.Ida Jane rushed over.
“I’m all right,” I said, stopping her before she could bend down and muss her beautiful dress.“I’m all right, Luka.”
“That was the freakiest thing,” Ida Jane said on a gasp.“A possum—oh my—Blade!Maxim, Blade!He’s not getting up.”
Maxim rumbled a response, and Blade wagged his tail.Ida Jane dropped to her knees nearby, and Blade licked her wrist.
“Who’s a brave boy?”she cooed.
“Ask him to stand up, Ida Jane.We can see if we need to call the vet,” Maxim said.
I realized Luka hadn’t moved.He hadn’t breathed.I turned to look at him and realized he was gritting his teeth.
“What—” I managed.
“Landed…on my…”
“Oh!”I tried to shift.
He groaned and held me tightly.I stilled, cheeks flaming with mortification.
“Didn’t realize weddings were a contact sport,” Naese joked.He stood next to me but squatted at Luka’s head, concern etching his brow line.
“Direct shot?”he asked.
Luka managed a brief nod, sweat beading his brow.
“Hell of a save, though.Adam will be jealous.”
