His jeans needed to come off. Her fingers ached to stroke him. Her mouth watered to claim him. She needed to make his body explode with the pleasure she could not experience herself.
Instead, Ash refilled her champagne flute.
Edna’s hands flapped. “Oh, we’re almost there.” She grabbed Skye’s coat sleeve and pulled her toward the window. “See there? That’s the courthouse where Ben and I eloped. I’m so excited.”
Skye tilted the champagne flute to her lips and downed her drink in one swallow. Her lips still felt numb from the cold.
The limo came to a stop at the foot of the stairs, and the driver opened the door. Ash exited first and helped Skye out of the limo.
She wobbled a bit before finding her balance and wrapped her arms around Ash’s neck. “I want to lick you all over.”
He lifted her, steadying her on her feet. Desire burned in the depths of his voice as he cupped her ass and yanked her hips against the hard length of his arousal. “Stop teasing me, or I swear…”
Oh, how she wanted to test the limits of his restraint. “Or you’ll do what?” Her words slurred.
He laughed. “You’ve had a bit too much to drink, babe.”
Ash helped Edna out of the car.
Ben followed, camera in hand. “Do you mind taking pictures?” he asked. “I want something to show the kids and grandkids.”
Ash palmed the tiny camera. “Love to.”
Edna headed up the stairs. “Come on.” For a woman closing on seventy years, Edna had no problem with navigating the long flight of stairs. Once inside, she made a beeline for the Department of Vital Statistics, her stride purposeful and determined.
“Don’t you need an appointment?” Skye called out to Edna.
Ben eyed Skye, giving her a wary look, when she leaned on Ash to keep herself from tripping over her feet.
Edna shook her head. “Don’t need one. All you need is your passport and the patience to stand in line. You fill out the paperwork and pay the fee, and then a justice of the peace makes it official. Bingo. You’re married. Now, which office is it?” She separated from their little group to read the directional signs.
“Sounds painless,” Ash said, tugging Skye to his side.
She wasn’t sure if Ash wanted her close, or maybe he thought she might fall over. She had some concerns about that, too. The room seemed to be spinning.
Ben’s cheeks colored. “I want to say thanks, in case I forget later. It’s real nice of you to witness for us.” His eyes turned misty, and he lowered his voice. “Edna is a bit superstitious. She wanted to re-create the day exactly like it’d happened. You have no idea how much having you here means to her.”
“We’re honored to be a part of making this day extra special for you both.” Ash lifted the tiny camera. “And I’m going to get everything on film.”
Edna returned and yanked on Ben’s sleeve. “The city clerk’s office is this way.”
She urged their group down the hall and beyond a set of frosted glass doors. Inside, eager wedding hopefuls were queued up.
Ash tightened his grip around Skye’s waist. He whistled the tune to “Insanity” and then slipped into “Hunting Waterfalls.”
She jabbed him in the ribs, which seemed to be all the prompting he needed to sweep down and capture her mouth in a kiss.
“We’re standing in a wedding line, Skye.” His brows lifted as he tugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “Think about it.” He leaned down and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. “Maybe my next song should be ‘Going to the Chapel.’”
Chapter Fourteen
Ash pecked Skye’scheek and flashed a not-so-innocent grin. “You definitely need to lay off the champagne. I’m officially cutting you off.”
She giggled, loving the way his lips glided against her skin. “I’m fine.”
In fact, she felt fabulous—a bit tipsy certainly but happily buzzed. Ash had her forgetting about Spencer's betrayal with the long-legged bitch. And, like Ash, she was tired of the no-sex clause. When they made it back to the hotel room, she was going to peel him out of those jeans that were slung low in all the right places and show him a thing or two about payback.
A bored-looking city employee called out from behind the caged glass, “Next.”
