Ariana excuses herself to use the bathroom. I see her go upstairs, leaving the ones downstairs open for guests. She gasps when I grab her by the waist and bring my lips to hers before she makes it through the door.
“I’m about to drag you into our room for ten minutes, Mrs. DeVille.”
She crinkles her nose. “Mrs. DeVille. Nope, too weird. Call it off.”
“Call what off?”
“The wedding.”
“The wedding that just happened?”
“Yeah.”
“Can’t. Too late. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Well, shit. Alright, guess I’ll deal with it.” She grins at me and wraps her arms around my neck. “Oh, and I plan to take longer than ten minutes, Mr. DeVille.”
“Luca, Ari, it’s almost time for dinner and toasts and dancing!” Mia calls from downstairs. I groan. So many cock blocks in this house.
Ariana’s smile is radiant. I still can’t believe I get to see that every day for the rest of my life. My heart soars at the thought.
She runs her hands down my jacket and sighs. “With a wedding this small, there’s no way people won’t notice us missing for ten minutes right now. Let’s go eat.”
“Maybe you should pee first.”
“Damn it. I forgot that’s what I was doing. Hold on.”
When I shove my hands in my pockets while I wait, I find one of the little frogs. I’m still laughing when she comes out of the bathroom a couple of minutes later.
“What’s so funny?”
I hold up the frog.
She grins. “That one took you forever to find! I slipped it in there hours ago.”
I thread our fingers together and bring our joined hands to my lips. Her smile fades as her eyes catch on something. It can’t be the bright pink rings we’re both wearing. “What’s wrong, baby?”
With a frustrated shake of her head, she groans. “My nails already look like shit.”
Glancing down, I see the polish is chipped. “There’s a lot going on today.”
“It’s our wedding day, Luca. I wasn’t planning on rocking the chipped polish look today.” She sighs heavily. “I should have just sucked it up and gone with the gel like I did for my toes. I was hoping I would be back in my ‘gel on my fingernails doesn’t freak me out’ phase by now, but no such luck. Could be tomorrow. Could be a year. I’m sorry.”
I grip her chin with my free hand and tilt her head up. Her gaze follows, her gray eyes filled with sadness.Not today, demons.“Don’t you ever be sorry for things that are out of your control.”
Her breath catches in her chest, and her voice comes out as a whisper. “I’m trying.”
Leaning in, I kiss the shell of her ear before whispering, “Good girl.”
She arches her back and moans. “That was mean, Mr. DeVille.”
My cock jumps in the silk boxers I’m wearing under my tuxedo. “Fuck, I like when you say that.”
“Even more than when I call you my good boy?”
“Hmm. More research is needed.” My dick likes both of those things very much.
Her hand slides down my torso, cupping me through my clothes. “That’s research I can get behind.” Then, the heat of her palm is gone. “But we’ve already been gone for too long. Time to get back to the party.”
