Hopefully, she will do the florist.
"Really!" Her head pops up and she smiles at me.
"Of course, that’s what a maid of honor is supposed to do."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I might make sure the bar is only stocked with JD." I smile at her and her face lights up with mischief. There's a glimpse of my best friend.
The seamstress confirms my dress will do, and I change back into my clothes. We head out to the curb where Duncan is pacing as he talks on the phone. His gaze lifts to look at me and I turn to make sure he isn't looking at someone behind me with that much intent.
"Gotta go. Make the arrangements," he gruffly replies as he stalks toward Ana and me.
He helps her into the vehicle and turns to me, then wraps his hand firmly around my forearm.
"There was a delivery to the hotel for you," he growls into my ear.
His tone has me whipping my head to look at him. "I don't know what you mean."
"It will be in your room."
I'm confused but worried I know what it is.
The wedding is being held at the Mandarin Orient Hyde Park; it happens to be one of the nicest hotels in London. Again, I know this isn't Ana's style. She'd have picked a castle, a small church, or even a garden. Not a hotel with a view of Buckingham Palace.
We pull up to the front of the hotel and my jaw drops. There’s a valet in a uniform similar to the palace guards. He opens Ana's and my doors as another takes the keys from Duncan. Another guy walks up and tries to take my bag; I shake my head at him. Duncan leads us up the stairs and into the large lobby decorated in maroons and golds. I feel like my jaw just hit the floor. I stop and Duncan's hand lands on my lower back, trying to push me in more. Tingles instantly radiate from his hand and I jump away.
What the hell?
"Uh, is this where the wedding will be, and where we are staying?" I stutter.
"Yes. Isn’t it lovely?" Ana replies breathlessly.
"I guess you can say that. I was thinking more like stuffy and pretentious." Oops! Darn my verbal vomit. I watch her smile fall. "Sorry, Ana, I didn’t mean it. It’s stunning.” I feel like a schmuck, I can't believe I said that to her.
"I agree with Maya, this is pretentious. Did Father want you to get married here?"
"No, Jonathon wanted to get married here. He said he has always wanted to come here."
We check in and head up to our rooms. On the ride over, I dreaded seeing what delivery Duncan was talking about, butnothing is in my room. Ana and I are in adjoining rooms, with Duncan staying across the hall. James is in a suite a floor up. And Jonathon and his friend are staying a floor below us.
Duncan offered to help me get the last-minute details taken care of for Ana. As I hoped, she’s going to see to the florist, leaving Jonathon's list to Duncan and me.
Duncan
I can’t believemy luck. I’ve dreamed about this woman for weeks now.
I help her verify that all the liquor has been delivered and enough barmen have been hired. We then confirm the menus my sister wants. Neither of us knows anything about the seating, so we left that, along with the flowers, to Ana.
I watch Maya move, her jeans hugging her curves, her T-shirt molding to her knockers. Again, I think of them in my palms. I adjust myself behind my zipper, trying to hide my erection. I need to think of something, anything, other than this woman right now.
Work! I’m going to be on a detail in France for an aid to the French Prime Minister. After the fiasco in DC, I thought I wouldn’t be allowed to cover another foreign diplomat, but we impressed people by getting our high value out before the situation got out of control. I still wonder about that shot she took.
“Maya, can I ask about your job?”
“What about it?” I can see the weariness in her eyes.
“That shot you took, have you ever shot that far before?”
