“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured as my thumb moved to trace his bottom lip.

“I could live my life, you inside me,” I whispered back.

He stopped stroking and ground in deep. Shivers slid through me and I licked my lips. His eyes went molten and he kissed me again.

Mouth against mine, he admitted, “Got no control when it comes to you.”

“Is that a bad thing?” I was getting close, my voice hitched in the middle of the sentence and I was losing focus.

He didn’t answer my question, instead, eyes on mine, he muttered, “Give it to me, babe.”

“What?” I asked but I didn’t wait for his answer, it hit me, it was magnificent, I felt it rush through me as I said his name softly and smiled.

“That’s just the way I like it,” Luke whispered against my smiling mouth while I came.

Then his lips pressed hard against mine, he drove into me one last time and he groaned into my mouth.

* * * * *

“I knew that was the dress for you girlie,” Tod told me. “Your man is over there looking at you like he’s spent the last year at a males-only monastery in the depths of a mountain range, inaccessible by cars and a treacherous, death-defying two week walk from civilization.”

I looked at Luke and Tod was right, he was looking at me. However, Tod was wrong, Luke wasn’t looking like he wanted me, he was looking like he had already had me and he liked what I gave him.

My knees wobbled.

“We did it on the dining room table before we got here,” I told Tod.

“Mm-hmm. Like I said, the dress,” Tod replied.

My dress was pretty, though it was not me but Stevie convinced me I could make it work. It was girlie, floaty and lavender. It had twisted material to make straps, it showed lots of chest but not lots of cle**age, the bodice was cut on a slant, a wispy tear of material falling from it. It fit close and fell on a floaty slant at the hem, exposing one knee and a lot of leg on one side. The back was low, just above my bra strap. It was demure on the face of it but the way it clung and moved was seductive as all hell.

“I hadn’t even gotten my dress on yet. I was still in my undies,” I shared.

Tod turned to me, mouth open then he looked back at Luke. “Swear to God, these boys should be locked up. It isn’t safe, men with that much testosterone coursing through their blood free to roam.”

Daisy came storming up to us. She was wearing an ice blue, body-hugging, strapless dress, the bodice held up by what could only be a miracle.

“Where are they?” she snapped.

“How should I know?” Tod asked.

“Did you call Indy?” Daisy shot back.

“No, I don’t want to disturb her,” Tod told her.

“Why not?” Daisy’s voice was rising. “The hors d’oeuvres are getting cold and I talked Tex into wearing a suit and I think he’s beginning to get cranky.”

Our eyes swung to Tex and it did appear he was getting cranky. We knew this because cranky energy was emanating from him and he was fiddling with the tie knotted at his throat.

“I didn’t call her because this is a wedding, Daisy. I didn’t want to interrupt,” Tod explained.

“I cannot believe we weren’t invited,” Daisy groused.

“Daisy, girlie, we are invited. We’re here aren’t we? They just wanted the ceremony small,” Tod returned.

“I know, but still,” Daisy gave in but still sounded put out.

Tod put his arm around her shoulders. “You did a good job with decorations and I like the waiters you chose, you’ve got an eye for fine male ass.”

I looked around Fortnum’s which had been closed for a private party.

It had been transformed and somehow (you had to give Daisy credit, as Head Party Planner she’d done a bang-up job), it was tasteful and elegant. The normal coffee house furniture had been carted away and replaced by chairs covered in white linen as well as white wicker tables. Festive white balloons and clear Christmas lights were everywhere, even lining the ceiling. The place was awash with white peonies in big glass vases. Handsome waiters carrying trays filled with glasses of champagne or hot hors d’oeuvres were wandering around and light, classical music was playing.

We had done the decorating ourselves and as a wedding gift paid for the party, although everyone bought real gifts, just because.

Shirleen and Daisy sprung for the waiters and the furniture rental. Tod, Stevie, Smithie, Tex and Duke got together and paid for the catering. Roxie, Jet, Ally and I bought all the flowers and decorations. Lee and Indy, of course, insisted on springing for the booze.

Luke materialized at my side, his lips coming to my neck giving me an immediate and involuntary shiver, just as Roxie (wearing pale pink, boat-necked front, slim-skirt brushing the knees, back completely bare) rushed up and whispered with excitement, “They’re here.”

“They’re here!” Shirleen (in turquoise from head to foot, even her wild Afro had turquoise glitter sprayed in it) cried from across the room, nearly bouncing up and down with excitement.

I turned to Luke and looked up at him. “They’re here,” I breathed.

His eyes scanned my face for a beat then he put his forehead to mine and, close up, I watched his eyes smile.

By the way, it was fascinating to watch, let me tell you.

Jet moved around one side of the room, Ally the other, they were carrying baskets of big, white tissue disks of confetti. Everyone took a massive handful then, en masse, we all closed in on the door, forming a semi circle. There was Tod and Stevie, Daisy and her husband Marcus, Smithie and one of his women LaTeesha, Olivia with Winnie sitting by her side, Tex and Nancy, Jet and Eddie, Hank and Roxie, Big Bobby and his girlfriend Carol, Matt and his girlfriend Daphne, Shirleen and Darius, Hector and some blonde I hadn’t yet met, Mace (alone), Monty and his wife Gillian, three guys named Zip, Heavy and Frank that I met when I arrived at the party, Duke and Dolores, Ally (alone too, just as Shirleen predicted, she’d broken up with her boyfriend when he had gone to FBI training), and Luke and me.

The doors opened and Jules’s Uncle Nick walked in beside an older Native American lady. They smiled, Jet stuck her basket out, they grabbed a handful of confetti and assumed their positions in the circle.

All eyes moved back to the door.

May walked in, looking lovely in baby blue, complete with huge hat. She was carrying a small bouquet made entirely of peonies, so deep pink they looked like velvet. She grinned, grabbed some confetti and took her place in the circle.