The Wilde Side (25 page)

"We are." Matthew tipped his head curiously. "So, what are you doing here at Chayse and Adrian's wedding?"

"She's with me." Scott came up to the two of them, just in time to hear the other man's question. He gave Ashley her champagne and extended his hand toward Matthew with a friendly grin. "Scott Wilde."

"Matthew Carlton." Speculation shone in his eyes as he looked from Scott to Ashley, but he didn't voice the questions lingering in his gaze. And for that, Ashley was grateful.

Faith came up to her husband, hooked her arm in his, and said hello to everyone. Another round of introductions were made before the pretty woman smiled at Ashley. "They're getting ready to toss the bouquet if you want to join the group of single women out on the dance floor," she suggested.

Ashley shook her head. "I think I'll pass."

Scott lowered his mouth to her ear and murmured only for her to hear, "Afraid you might catch it?"

She took a drink of her champagne to calm the flutters taking flight in her belly and refused to rise to his dare. "No, I just think it ought to go to a more deserving woman."

"You're very deserving, Ashley. More than you're willing to admit, even to yourself." Before she could respond to his very profound statement, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the edge of the dance floor, saying along the way, "If you're not going to participate, we can at least watch and see who the lucky woman is going to be."

They found a place next to Eric and Jill, who were standing on the sidelines, just as Chayse pitched the bouquet over her head. Three women jumped at the same time to catch the arrangement, and it was Mia who claimed the prize as her own. She did a little victory dance that had Ashley and Jill laughing and Scott and Eric groaning at her too enthusiastic response.

Next up was the garter toss, and Scott joined his brothers and the other bachelors gathering out on the dance floor. Once Adrian removed the frilly elastic band from Chayse's thigh, he shot the garter over his shoulder toward the group of men, and while Scott made a grab for the souvenir, he and others missed the flying object. Instead, it smacked Cameron in the chest, who hadn't even tried to catch the thing, then dropped and snagged on his belt buckle on the way down.

Beside Ashley, Jill giggled. "Oh, my. I guess that was meant to be."

Cameron plucked the garter from his waistband and glared at the offending object, while the rest of the guys standing around him slapped him on his back and offered up congratulations ... as well as sympathetic condolences.

Mia sauntered toward Cameron and crooked her finger at him. "Come on, sugar," she teased, a cheeky grin curving her lips and a come-hither look in her eyes. "I dare you to slip that garter on my leg for the picture."

Cameron lifted a dark brow at her reckless taunt, issued so boldly in front of friends and family. "Dare I risk my manhood?"

She tossed her head back and laughed huskily. "Don't be afraid, sugar, I won't bite ...
much
."

Rising to the challenge, Cameron strolled to the middle of the dance floor to do the deed. With Mia sitting in a chair and Cameron kneeling in front of her, the band struck up the appropriate tune, "Legs," by ZZ Top.

"Now that's quite a sight," Joel said, his tone amused as he looked on, too.

The couple had everyone's attention, and it didn't take Ashley long to figure out that Mia and Cameron were fighting a very intense attraction ... or rather, it was Cameron who seemed to be resisting, but like most men, he wasn't about to back down from the temptation Mia presented.

The sexual tension and byplay between the two continued, with each one trying to top the other in their verbal sparring. But in the end Mia seemed to get more than she bargained for as Cameron slipped the garter over her stocking-clad foot and slid it slowly upward. His hands disappeared beneath the hem of her bridesmaid gown, the frothy material of her dress gathering around his wrists as he traveled higher and higher...

Mia sucked in a quick breath, and her gaze widened as he reached her thigh, leaving the audience to wonder what Cameron had done to illicit such a reaction. The wicked grin on his face spoke volumes and also caused the men to whistle catcalls and cheer him on.

Once he had the garter in place, Cameron pushed the skirt of her gown up, revealing the elastic band he'd positioned on her thigh. He smiled for the photographer, who captured the moment on film. But instead of reclaiming his prize once his job was done, Cameron left the garter on Mia's leg and stood.

She swept her gaze up the length of him, until their fiery gazes met and held. "Aren't you going to take it back off?"

"I think you should keep it," Cameron said smugly. "Maybe some day you'll find a guy who
likes
to do your bidding and will gladly take it off for you."

Mia gave a sassy toss of her head, causing her thick black hair to swirl around her shoulders. "I'm sure that won't be a problem."

"I already feel sorry for the poor sucker," he said with humor, then turned and walked off the dance floor before she could issue a reply to that.

"Wow, I'm impressed," Scott's brother Alex commented in an awed tone. "It's not very often that anyone gets the last word with Mia."

Ashley smiled at the other man and his girlfriend, Dana. "I don't think I've ever seen such heated sexual tension between two people before."

"And it just keeps getting hotter and hotter," Joel chimed in, then took a drink from his bottle of beer.

Scott slipped his hand around her waist, and she let herself enjoy the intimate and possessive gesture. "We're all waiting to see who'll cave in to the attraction first, Mia or Cam."

"Who knows, maybe it'll be mutual."

"That's what we're hoping for," he said, and caressed his fingers along the curve of her hip, eliciting a sensual shiver from her.

The band toned down the raucous mood with a slow, romantic ballad and urged everyone to grab a partner and join the bride and groom out on the dance floor. Without asking, Scott led the way and pulled her tight into his embrace as the music wrapped around them. He held her close, making her feel more cherished than she could ever remember. It was a wonderful feeling, one she wanted to last longer than just this one night.

Grasping one of her hands, Scott flattened her palm over his beating heart and held it there with his own hand. "So, are you having a good time?"

"Yes." Giving him an honest answer was incredibly easy. "Your family is amazing and fun and very normal."

He laughed at that. "Trust me, we're not without our quirks. But it is Adrian's wedding, and we're all on our best behavior, except for Mia, that is. She doesn't know the meaning of demure."

Ashley didn't see anything wrong with the other woman's bold confidence, though she was certain that Mia's brazen attitude got her in trouble sometimes. "I like her fearless personality. It's refreshing."

"Yeah, well, try growing up in the same house with her," he grumbled good-naturedly. "She could be a real pain in the ass, and both my brothers will back me up on that."

Despite his complaints, it was obvious to Ashley that Scott adored his sister, attitude and all. He was a great brother and an equally caring man.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to his as they swayed to the music. She inhaled the orange-spice scent that clung to his skin, memorizing everything about the day and the man holding her so securely in his arms.

"Thank you for bringing me," she whispered, wanting him to know how much it meant to her to be a part of this special day with him.

His warm lips feathered across her temple. "Thanks for staying."

His simple words said it all. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, an abundance of emotion that she couldn't afford to feel. No more words were needed between them. She knew and accepted that today was a one-shot deal, and nothing had changed between the two of them as far as she and her future were concerned.

The sun set, turning the balmy afternoon into a much cooler evening. She and Scott continued to enjoy the entertainment and sat at one of the round dinner tables drinking cups of coffee while sharing a slice of the delicious wedding cake and talking to Eric and Jill. Steve called from the hospital with an update – no baby yet, but Liz's contractions were increasing, and they were hoping she'd give birth by morning if not sooner.

Before long, Chayse and Adrian said their good-byes to everyone and headed off to the airport to catch a flight to Hawaii, where they'd be spending their weeklong honeymoon. Guests gradually dispersed as the celebration came to an end, and Ashley realized that she didn't want to leave. It had been such a fun, perfect day in so many ways, and she didn't want to spend the rest of the night alone. But whatever happened after they left the reception all depended on Scott, and she had no idea how the evening would end.

"I think Jill and I are going to head out, too," Eric said as he stood and helped his wife up. "It's getting late, and she's been feeling achy all afternoon."

Jill waved away her husband's concern. "I'm sure I'm just tired." She pressed a hand to her stomach and grimaced, obviously experiencing a pang of some sort. "A good night's sleep and I'll be fine."

"It was a pleasure meeting both of you," Ashley said, meaning it. Jill and Eric were a great couple, and she'd enjoyed getting to know both of them.

"Likewise," Eric said with a smile. "We hope to see you at another family get-together real soon."

Ashley didn't correct their assumption, and Scott didn't either, which was for the best. It was easier just to let the issue go without a response, rather than fumble with an explanation of why they'd most likely never see her again.

Suddenly, Jill sucked in a startled breath, and her eyes went wide with shock.

Eric jerked his attention back to his wife, immediate concern flashing across his expression. "Jill? What is it?"

His wife laughed, the sound both nervous and excited. "I think we'll be making a detour to the hospital. My water just broke."

*

By the time they returned to Scott's house it was after one in the morning. Ashley was exhausted by the evening's events, but exhilarated at having been at the hospital to share in the joy of the Wilde family welcoming two new members to their fold. That had been an unexpected bonus to an already outstanding day of surprises.

Scott parked the Corvette in the garage, shut off the engine, and turned toward Ashley with a bewildered shake of his head. "Who would have believed that Jill would end up having her baby fifteen minutes before Liz?"

They'd all been a bit taken aback by that, considering Liz had gone to the hospital hours before Jill. "I suppose when it's time, it's time, and no bet is going to dictate otherwise."

He reached across the space separating them and threaded his fingers through her hair. "You're certainly right about that."

She leaned her head back against the seat, remembering the crowded waiting room filled with parents, siblings, and Wilde cousins, all anxious to see who would deliver first. Eric came out after a few hours of Jill being in labor to announce they had a baby girl, followed by a beaming Steve who handed out cigars to celebrate the birth of his baby boy. At that point, it was obvious that neither man cared about the bet that Scott had told her about. Both brothers were just ecstatic to have healthy babies and basked in the pride and thrill of being new dads.

"Thank you again for today," she said quietly. It was more than she ever could have imagined, a gift she'd always treasure.

"You're welcome," he murmured.

She bit her bottom lip, debating on whether or not to voice the question she'd been wanting to ask, then decided to just go for it. "Do I get to come in tonight?"

He stroked his fingers along her jaw in a gentle caress, making her breasts swell with the desire and need that always seemed to accompany his touch. "If you come in, we both know what's going to happen."

She grinned wryly. "That's the whole point."

His eyes met and held hers. "It's been a long day."

He was skirting the issue, and it was all she could do to keep herself from crawling over to his side of the sports car and taking what she craved from him. She knew he wanted her. She could see the hunger in his eyes, could feel the need in his touch. But over the course of the past few weeks, he'd yet to let things progress beyond kissing or heavy petting.

Against her better judgment, she let her frustration get the better of her. "Scott... Are we ever going to make love again?"

A small, teasing smile pulled up one corner of his mouth. "I hope so."

That wasn't the answer she was looking for. "Maybe you'll give me that for a going away present?"

As soon as she saw a troubled frown appear on his brow and his eyes cloud over with unsettled emotions, she immediately regretted her choice of words. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh." He cut her off before she could say anything more.

Curving his fingers around the back of her neck, he brought her mouth to his and kissed her – a long, slow, deep kiss that spoke to her heart, her very soul – and she opened to him, greedily accepting everything he had to give.

For now, for tonight, she knew it would have to be enough.