Page 101 of Fake It For Love (Faux Love)
CLAIRE
Ifelt guilty walking back into the reception. I was convinced everyone knew what we had just done. Ryan was standing beside me solid as a rock.
I had never had someone like him in my life. Not my parents. Not Norah. It was him. He was this solid figure in my life. He thought I was beautiful. He supported me. He talked to me, like really talked. Most of all, he listened.
He didn’t always have to give me advice or tell me what I should do. He did the same thing he had done that prom night. He just gave me a shoulder to lean on. He was a real find and I hoped like hell he stayed mine.
“Should I go sit down?” he asked.
“You’re my plus-one,” I said. “We have a seat at the table at the front of the room.”
“Oh goodie,” he groaned.
I laughed. “It’ll be fine. From what I heard, you and Tony are BFF’s now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I think Norah is a little jealous you might steal her man,” I teased.
“Fuck that,” he muttered.
“Norah says he won’t stop talking about flying. He said you’re going to take him up.”
“I did say that, but I thought he was way too drunk to remember that.”
“No such luck, mister,” I said. “It’s all he’s been talking about. I think he has a little man crush on you.”
“Great. I’m going to have to take him up.”
“Let’s go find our seats,” I said. “We’ll get you another drink.”
My seat was directly beside Norah’s, with Ryan on my other side. The DJ announced the new couple would be arriving in a couple of minutes. We all stood and waited. They came through the back of the tent to a round of applause. The next hour, I was on maid of honor duty.
“I’ll be back,” I told Ryan.
“Where are you going?” he asked and grabbed my hand.
The poor guy looked terrified. I smiled and gave him a quick kiss. “I have to go help her change into her reception dress.”
“Are you changing?” he asked.
Once again, I saw that hint of concern on his face. I patted his cheek. “No.”
“Good.” He cupped my cheek and kissed me before sliding his mouth over and nibbling my ear. “I want you again. I want you right now. Hurry back.”
The man could make me wet with just a few words and a single touch. I felt a little flustered as I escorted Norah to her bridal room. It was just the two of us. She was glowing with happiness.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Amazing,” she said.
“No headache?”
She shook her head. “It’s gone.”
“Good.” I unzipped the garment bag and pulled out the white, fitted gown that was the exact opposite of her very virgin-like wedding gown. Her reception dress was backless and damn near frontless. We had plenty of breast tape on hand to make sure she didn’t flash anyone. “I’m sure it was just nerves.”
“I don’t know why I was nervous,” she said.
