“I’m enjoying the fact that later I get to take off everything else.” He kissed my neck. “In private.”
Heat pooled low in my stomach. “Focus. Garter first.”
Cole dragged it down my leg with his teeth while I sat in a chair placed in the center of the dance floor. The crowd went wild. I wanted to die and also drag him into the nearest closet.
He stood, held the lace up like a trophy, and launched it into the crowd of waiting bachelors.
Of course, Decker caught it.
He held it up, turned to Brynn, and winked.
She rolled her eyes from her spot with the other single women.
“Love you too, babe!” he called.
“Not married yet, Stone!”
“Give it time!”
“Alright ladies, you’re up! Bouquet time!”
I grabbed my bouquet of white peonies and eucalyptus, simple and perfect. Brynn stood at the back of the group with her arms crossed, her expression screaming, 'I’m only here under protest'.
“Come on, Brynn!” Jess pushed her forward. “You have to try!”
“I’m not trying. Decker already has ideas. I don’t need to encourage him.”
I turned my back to the crowd. Counted to three. Launched it.
The bouquet sailed through the air in a perfect arc, heading straight for Brynn’s face.
She reached up. Her fingers grazed the stems.
Then fifty pounds of determined pit bull came out of nowhere.
Garbage launched himself like a furry missile, snatched the bouquet mid-air with his teeth, and hit the ground running.
“GARBAGE, NO!” I yelled.
Too late.
He tore across the yard, bow tie flapping, peonies clamped in his jaws like a prize. He dodged Eli’s grab and disappeared into the woods.
Dead silence.
Then everyone lost it.
Brynn stood frozen, her hands still raised, staring at the space where the bouquet had been. “Did that actually just happen?”
“That’s my boy!” Cole shouted, laughing so hard he had to lean on Decker for support.
“Your dog just stole my bouquet!” I turned to find Garbage, but he’d vanished completely.
“Technically he stole everyone’s bouquet,” Eli pointed out. “Equal opportunity theft.”
Decker wrapped his arms around Brynn from behind. “Guess that means I’m off the hook for proposals.”
“Or,” Brynn turned in his arms, “it means the universe is telling you to try harder than a dog.”
