Magical Weddings (130 page)

He lifted her hand all the way to his mouth and licked the chocolate.

Her eyes widened, her breath hitched in her throat. “What…what are you doing?” she whispered and for the first time since he’d touched her, he looked into her eyes. And licked her finger again.

Her pupils dilated. His head bent down, he just had to…

A car honked nearby and reality came crashing down on them. He dropped her hand and turned away quickly, his only thought to get as far away from this woman as possible before he did something completely insane.

“In future, use the crossing!” he barked over his shoulder and with long strides walked towards the driver’s side of his car.

What the hell was wrong with him? A woman he has never seen in his life before and hopefully will never see again, had just shifted his libido into a gear it had never been in before.

Hell, he liked to think he was sophisticated or at least civil, but the feelings this complete stranger had awakened within him were neither sophisticated nor civil. They were raw, basic and very, very uncivilised.

He glanced at his watch and swore. There wasn’t time for this, he had somewhere to be.

Stunned, Carley leaned back against her car, her legs like rubber. For the moment any kind of movement was out of the question. What had just happened? The guy had nearly kissed her! Her heart was just about popping out of her body, she was hot all over, she…

A giggle escaped and she opened the car door quickly to sit down. She was turned on. In the middle of the street on a beautiful Saturday afternoon a complete stranger put her finger in his mouth and she was about to dissolve into a puddle.

Inhaling jerkily, she started her car. Well, look on the bright side—at least she now knew what the fuss was about. She had never been that interested in romance and marriage, and hadn’t ever really thought about getting serious about a man.

She’d dated and with each date she’d hoped that the guy would be different and not talk only about himself and his interests, hoped that at least one of them would pique her interest, would ignite some kind of spark. That they’d get her, be interested enough to want to get her.

But they all bored her to death and she was always left with a feeling of inadequacy, of not being quite what the guy wanted. That was when she decided she couldn’t be bothered. Dating was boring, exhausting. There were so many more interesting things she could be doing.

From numerous conversations with her cousins and from what she’d read in romances, she gathered that someday there would be someone out there who would leave her breathless, who would send her heart pounding and her blood rushing through her veins.

By her twenty-ninth birthday when it hadn’t happened, she’d shrugged it off and hadn’t really been bothered about it. She worked long hours, loved doing things with her cousins and friends. Life was perfect just the way it was; she didn’t think she was missing anything.

Not until just now, that is. Now she was experiencing all those feelings simultaneously—she’d lost her breath minutes ago, her heart was bouncing around frantically and her blood had probably reached boiling point within milliseconds when he’d licked her fingers.

Chances were she’d never see him again. But at least she now knew what her cousins and romance writers were talking about. And if this was the way she was going to behave every time she saw him, it was a good thing she would never set eyes on him again. She’d never get anything done!

Grinning, she slipped into the traffic. One brown, one blue eye—one eye the colour of the sky and one the colour of chocolate. Where had she heard that before? And then she remembered and her car swerved dangerously to the right. Quickly, she brought it back onto the road, exhaling slowly.

It was at a wedding. Gaby’s wedding. She was her mother’s youngest sister and got married when Carley and her cousins were…what? About eight years old?

Memories came flooding back. Carley shook her head, smiling in stunned disbelief. They were wondering who they’d marry one day and had asked Aunt Rae, the family psychic.

She hadn’t thought about that night in…she’d probably never thought about Aunt Rae’s prediction before now. But those were Aunt Rae’s exact words—Carley’s husband would have one eye the colour of the sky and one the colour of chocolate.

And her aunt had said something else, but what was it? Frowning, Carley tried to remember, but nothing came to mind. She would have to ask her cousins. Or Aunt Rae.

Heterochromia. She remembered asking her mother whether there were people with eyes like that. Her mother had a book that explained the phenomenon. The word had somehow stuck with her, probably because she found out that it wasn’t a condition common in humans. Dogs, cats and horses were known to have one blue and one brown eye, so she’d relaxed.

She’d decided Aunt Rae had made the whole thing up. She hadn’t even thought about it again. Until just now. What if …?

Shaking her head, she grimaced. She was being silly—of course she’d never see the man again.

****

Her mother was frantically waving at her when Carley parked her car next to the beach where parking bays had been kept open for the wedding party. Her three cousins, Erin, Lori and Robin, had arrived and were waiting behind the wedding guests who had already taken their places. The bride obviously hadn’t arrived yet and Carley relaxed. Technically, she wasn’t late.

The reception was to be held in one of Clifton’s fancy restaurants overlooking the beach, but the ceremony itself was here on the beach. When Susan called to tell her she was going to have a beach wedding, Carley wasn’t surprised. Ever since Gaby’s wedding years ago, her four cousins had decided they would also have beach weddings and had never wavered in their resolve.

Months before the big day Susan had sent around links to Pinterest pictures; any other ideas were shared and considered until everyone was bursting with excitement. Carley had joined in the fun but wasn’t quite into the whole thing.

She smiled, remembering herself at eight. She couldn’t get excited about marrying way back then and she hadn’t really changed.

Robin, Lori and Erin always had boyfriends tagging behind them. Carley was the only one of the cousins who never had a date at Christmas and birthdays, and was the only one who always had to explain why she didn’t have a boyfriend.

She had thought about getting a date for Susan’s wedding exactly for that reason, but eventually decided that having to keep a date happy was even more trouble than trying to explain her lack of male companion. Maybe she should have asked the stranger…

Giggling to herself, she got out of the car and slipped off her shoes. As she put out a hand to place the shoes on her seat, she heard her mother’s voice behind her.

“Carley!” her mother called and Carley turned around to see her approaching, bouquet in hand.

“I’m here, Mum, relax!’ she called over her shoulder while closing the car door.

“You’re so late, Carley,” her mother sighed and handed her the bouquet. “But you look lovely, dear,” she added and brushed back Carley’s hair.

“I’m here now,” Carley said soothingly, kissing her mother. “Stop worrying.”

The other three bridesmaids, her cousins, rushed towards her. “Have you seen the groomsmen?” Erin asked breathlessly, when Carley reached them.

“Didn’t you see them yesterday at the rehearsal dinner?” Carley asked, smiling at the dazed expression on her cousins’ faces. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it, there was no way I could be away from the restaurant for two consecutive days.”

Lori was fanning herself. “No, they couldn’t be there. They’re all from Johannesburg and have been tied up with work, so they only arrived this morning. Gorgeous, all of them,” she gushed.

“Absolutely to die for,” sighed Robin, clutching her heart.

“Don’t you all have boyfriends?” Carley asked.

“Yeah, we do. But that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate other sexy men,” Erin sighed. “We’re not dead.”

“Where are they?” Carley asked, though she wasn’t really interested. She was more worried about her mother who wouldn’t stop fussing with her dress and her hair. “Mum, I’m fine. Everyone is looking at the bride—we’re just the decorations.” She grabbed her mother’s hands.

“You have such gorgeous hair, you should leave it loose more often,” her mother said, pulling her hand out of Carley’s to comb her hair back.

“I work in a kitchen, Mum, it’s not practical. But it’s hanging down my back today, see? Now stop fussing and go and sit down. Dad is looking for you.”

Her mother tugged at her dress again but when Carley pushed her gently away, she finally left.

Carley turned towards her cousins. “Do you remember what Aunt Rae told us about husbands way back at Gaby’s wedding when we were about eight years old?”

Lori frowned. “I have a vague memory,” she murmured.

“Now that you mention it, I remember,” Robin said. “Didn’t she say Susan’s husband will have hair —”

“The colour of the night,” they all said simultaneously. They stared at each other in wonder before Lori started giggling.

“Well, maybe we should try and remember what else she said. It seems she knew what she was talking about—Susan’s bridegroom has pitch black hair!”

“Well, Lori, didn’t she say your husband will be very tall?” asked Robin. “And that Erin’s husband will be good at sports?” Robin asked.

“Yes, and your husband will have big something? Feet?” Erin giggled.

“No, not feet,” Robin said frowning, then she snapped her fingers. “Big hands. That’s what she predicted.”

“And what about you, Carley?” Lori asked. “Wasn’t it something about his eyes?”

Carley nodded, smiling. “He’ll have one blue and one brown eye. But she said something else, I just don’t remember what. Do any of you remember?”

They stared at one another for a few seconds. “Nope, I don’t remember,” Lori said finally. “Anyone else?”

Both Robin and Erin shook their heads.

“What made you remember her words?” asked Robin.

“Well, you won’t believe it, but I actually …” Carley began but a car honked behind them and they all turned around.

The bride had arrived.

“Here’s Susan. Let’s do this!” Erin said.

Susan’s dad helped her out of the car and Carley and her cousins rushed to her side.

“Oh, Susan, you look stunning!” Carley cried out.

Susan’s smile was brilliant. “Where is Stuart? I can’t wait to see him …”

“He’s here and he’s waiting for you, calm down,” Robin said soothingly.

Music swelled up and Susan motioned for them to leave. “Go, go, go. I’m getting married!”

Carley fell in line behind her three cousins and glanced once more over her shoulder. The radiant bride was beautiful. Susan was clearly in love and it was obvious that she couldn’t wait to see her groom.

This eagerness, the enthusiasm, the need to be with someone—for the rest of your life—wasn’t something Carley had understood before. But since this afternoon…She shook her head at her own silliness.

After the incident with the blue- and brown-eyed furious man earlier, she somehow got the whole romantic thing for the first time. It was ridiculous to feel like this after seeing someone for mere seconds but, bizarre and surreal as it sounded, it was becoming increasingly easier to accept the fact that something inside her had changed in that instant her finger had been in his mouth.

The bridesmaids in front of her slowed down. They’d reached the end of the aisle and Carley looked up. Stuart was moving closer, his eyes searching for his bride over their heads. He had pitch black hair, just like Aunt Rae had predicted way back when… Had Susan ever thought of Aunt Rae’s words again? She’d have to ask her.

Just before she turned to take her place next to her cousins, she noticed the four groomsmen. One had bent down and was crouched behind the others so she couldn’t make out his face, but her cousins were right—the three she could see were gorgeous.

She took her place and turned with her cousins to watch Susan moving down the aisle. And then Carley did what she always did at this point—she looked at the groom. This was her favourite part. This particular moment during any wedding was always the point where she either relaxed or became worried.

She relaxed. Susan was going to be okay. Her bridegroom wasn’t joking with the boys, wasn’t checking out the bridesmaids, wasn’t looking petrified—his eyes were fixed on his bride, his smile wide and full of promises.

The lump in her throat was unexpected. She swallowed. The incident earlier had left her more unsettled than she’d realised.

The groom moved and even before Susan reached the middle of the aisle Carley could see what he was going to do.

He obviously couldn’t wait another second and quickly strode forward, much to the amusement of everyone looking on. Susan beamed.

Carley sighed as the couple moved, hands clasped together, gazes locked, to the front to take their places. Susan looked over at her bridesmaids and winked—she was the happiest person here tonight. Apart from the groom, that is.

The minister cleared his throat and silence fell over the small crowd. The sun graciously dipped below the horizon just then, leaving the beach in a pinkish hue.

The minister’s voice droned on, but Carley didn’t register anything else except the glow on the sea, the seabirds circling close by, looking on curiously. Magical. Surely anything was possible on a night like this?

One of her cousins prodded her with her elbow and Carley blinked.

“The bouquet,” her cousin whispered and, blushing, Carley hurried forward.

She had a job to do—she shouldn’t be daydreaming. She moved back again with Susan’s and her own bouquet in hand and the couple started with their vows.

It was then she felt it. Her neck prickled, her senses jumped to attention—someone was watching her. Okay, everyone sitting behind them was obviously looking on, but this feeling she had was something different, someone was staring just at her.

She tried a quick surreptitious look around but she couldn’t catch anyone’s eyes on her. Maybe she was being over-sensitive. Her hormones were still haywire and she wasn’t feeling her usual unruffled self. After all, she had nearly been run over. And nearly been kissed.