She forced a smile. “And you are…?”
“Will.” As he walked toward her, he grinned. The smile crinkled the corners of his green eyes and made him even more appealing. “Will Addison.”
Addison.The name sounded familiar, but she hadn’t met him before. She knew that for certain.
“Nice to meet you.” She forced the words from her drier-than-dry mouth and extended her right arm. As his hand touched hers, electricity shot up her arm and straight down to the tips of her leather pumps.
Ignore the tingles. Concentrate on something else, anything else. Like his handshake.His handshake was solid, firm, as was the man in front of her. She was nearly five nine, but she felt almost petite standing in front of his six-foot-plus frame. Realizing she’d allowed the handshake to last longer than was appropriate, she pulled her hand away.
“Nice veil,” Will said in that deep, warm voice of his. “You’ll make a lovely bride.”
A bride? Kelsey touched the top of her head. Great, she still had the headpiece on. She could only imagine how ridiculous she looked in the getup. He could have at least mentioned it when he walked in so she didn’t look like such a fool. Kelsey removed the wreath and veil and set them on a nearby table. “I’m not getting married. Just trying them on. I like to keep certain one-of-a-kind items in stock for my clients.”
“Whatever bride wears that veil will be one lucky lady.”
The compliment warmed her cheeks. What was happening to her? She wasn’t the blushing type.
“You said you need assistance planning a wedding. How can I help?” The words came out sounding husky, a way she hadn’t meant them to sound.
“My sister’s getting married and wants you to coordinate her wedding.”
His sister.Kelsey’s pulse picked up speed, racing faster than a car chase on the 101. The knowledge that Will Addison wasn’t the groom-to-be filled her with a euphoric feeling, like she's just found out one of her weddings was going to be featured onWeddings of a Lifetime.
Stop. Now.
She was thinking nonsensically and needed to reel herself in. Marriage wasn’t on her radar or bingo card. Her parents had soured her to marital bliss. Nothing would change that. If anything, the past few minutes reaffirmed how badly she needed a vacation.
Kelsey motioned him to the area where she consulted with clients. “Why don’t you have a seat?”
“Thanks.” Will sat in one of the overstuffed chintz-covered chairs. “Nice place.”
“Thanks.” He should have looked out of place among all the feminine décor and bridal accessories, but he didn’t. And it annoyed Kelsey. This was her turf, her home-field advantage, so to speak. He could at least have the courtesy to seem uncomfortable among all the ruffles, ribbons, and frills. “So, when…”
As he picked up one of the bridal magazines from the table and set it back down, Kelsey caught a flash of gold. She glanced at his left hand. At the ring finger of his left hand. At the gold wedding band on his ring finger.
Married.
The man of her dreams was somebody else’s husband.
Of course another woman had realized he was a keeper. Yet he had flirted.
Well, maybe not flirted, but he—
Stop it.
This wasn’t like her. Not one bit. Will Addison wasn’t the man of her dreams. Such a man didn’t exist. Kelsey, of all people, knew better than to engage in any sort of romantic fantasy. Not even for the briefest of moments. And definitely not with a married man. She straightened. “When is your sister’s big day, Mr. Addison?”
“Friends call me Will.”
“I’m sure they do.” Business demeanor back in place, Kelsey pulled down the five-year calendar planner from a nearby shelf and flipped it open. “So, when does your sister want to get married?”
“February fourteenth.”
“I’m already booked for next year.”
“Not next year.” As he leaned toward her, she caught a whiff of him. Soap and water and something woodsy. Whatever cologne he wore, he smelled good. Too good. Kelsey inched back in her chair until she could go no farther. She didn’t need a PhD to know Will Addison was trouble. Big trouble. “This year.”
“But today’s the last day of January. That’s only—”
