Page 56 of The Wedding Situation Romance

“Oh, I know you are,” she says, holding her hands out and waiting for me to pitch the next item of clothing. I toss her a third swim suit. “But I’m also not thoroughly convinced that youdon’twant to have sex with him.”

“How can you say that?” I snap. But Allegra just laughs.

“Because of the way you’re responding,” she says, and for a moment, Ihatethat she is a therapist. It’s nice when I need help, but it’s very inconvenient when I’m trying to bend the truth a little. “What all have you done?” she asks.

“What do you mean?” I ask, rifling through my closet for anything else I should bring.

“With Reid. What all has gone down at these weddings?” she presses.

“Kisses,” I admit.

“That’s a given. That’s part of your agreement, is it not?” she asks.

“And…other things…” I trail off.

“What kinds of other things…” she says and I don’t have to look at her to know she’s smiling. Allegra might be married and a mom and a therapist, and have a moral compass locked due north, but she’s also a woman, and it’s no secret that Reid is a very, very attractive man.

“Like…second base kind of stuff…” I say, and I am still not looking at her.

“Second base kind of stuff…” she echos and I know I sound ridiculous.

“Basically, the man has skilled hands,” I admit.

“I see,” she smiles. “And how about his tongue? Is it also skilled outside of the courtroom?”

“That I wouldn’t know!” I say satisfactorily. Then I feel ridiculous.

“Yet,” she says.

“I’m not going to sleep with him at the Myrtle Beach Resort,” I tell her. “No matter how hot he is. Or how hot I get around him, especially when there’s booze and dancing involved.”

“Say that back to yourself,” she says.

“I’m not!” I say with absolution.

“Alright,” Allegra finally gives up. On the sex part, anyways. “But I still think you need to be careful.”

“In what way?” I ask, buzzing over to my dresser to grab panties and bras and subconsciously picking out the newer and nicer ones. Sex or no sex, I don’t want him seeing me in my Fruit of the Looms with stretched-out elastic bands. And God forbid he witnesses the ones I save for that time of the month.

“I think you know,” she says softly.

“I don’t,” I say stubbornly.

“Reid might drive you nuts, but your chemistry is undeniable, Quinn,” she says, and I slam my dresser shut.

“What chemistry?”

“The chemistry everyone in the whole restaurant could sense at lunch that day. Even the people who don’t know you,” she says, and I bite my lips.

“Was it really that obvious?” I ask quietly.

“That you two have some serious sexual tension between you? Totally,” she says. “I say that as your friend and a therapist, but also as a bystander.”

“Fuck,” I mutter miserably.

“So, just…be careful. Remember why you agreed to go to these weddings. And focus on that. The wedding. Reid is simply your… chauffeur,” she says, and I nod.

A chauffeur. Right. Because I don’t know anyone at these weddings, and that’s why I am there with him. Nothing more.