“I need him.” I shiver slightly at the small mistruth. Is that even true? I definitely want him physically, but how does that translate? “This is going to be good. I'm just nervous, that's all.”
“Not much to be nervous about. As far as weddings go, this is as small as they get.”
“Oh, right, should we invite some more of our family?” I finally force myself to grin at my sister. “Should we call up Mom?”
Gem wrinkles her nose. “Can you imagine? She'd show up in a denim wedding dress and demand to take your place on the altar. Not even to get married. Just for the attention.”
“Then she'd end up passing out.”
“In the cake.”
“Death by fondant. What a way to go.”
“If only we were so lucky. She'd end up immune to drowning by dessert somehow. You know her.”
“Indestructible.” I hug Gem tightly to my side. “We're good. I'm good.”
“Sounds like you're doing a lot of convincing right now.”
I pick up the tea and sip it. I hope she doesn't notice the way my hands shake. “Before we go down there, I have one important question.”
Gem glances at the door. “What's that?”
“How's my groom looking?”
She laughs and tugs at her hair awkwardly. “You can't make me say. He's about to be my brother-in-law.”
“Come on. Tell me.”
“Stellan's the most attractive man I've ever seen in my life and he's looking like a movie star down there.”
I sigh and pretend to fan my face. “Lord have mercy. Now you get why I'm going through with this.”
“A pretty face? That's all it takes to get a ring on your finger?”
“And good muscles. The money doesn't hurt either.”
“My God, Kira, you're shallow!”
“Practical.” I finish the tea. I’m joking around to try to make myself feel more confident, but it’s not really working. “Come on, let’s get down there. I have a gorgeous man to marry.”
Gem doesn’t press anymore, which is a good thing. I’m not sure how much I could take if she decided to really pressure me into walking away.
I know the risk I’m taking. I just pray it doesn’t blow back to her.
Downstairs, I find the men waiting in the living room. They’re talking quietly over some glasses of what I assume is very expensive whiskey. My husband doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would drink the cheap stuff at his own wedding.
“There she is!” Matteo beams at me as I walk toward them. Stellan turns in my direction—and I swear, something passes over his expression.
It’s surprise at first. Followed by a ruthless, naked, unbridled hunger, like he’s been desperate and starving to see me in a wedding dress since we first met, and now he’s about to feast.
His gaze doesn’t pull away. “The priest is waiting,” he says, voice low and rumbling. “Matteo, Saverino, and Gem will be the witnesses.”
“No big ballroom and six hundred guests?” I ask him, only trying to tease. “You strike me as the kind of man who wants a public spectacle.”
Saverino barks out a laugh. “I like this one. Good choice in wife, Stellan. We all need a woman to keep us in check sometimes.”
He continues staring at me. “I prefer things to be simple. Just me and what’s mine.”
