More than a Convenient Bride

“A lot of women go into a marriage thinking they can change their spouse,” Beth said.

“That’s ridiculous. If you don’t love the person for who they are, why marry them in the first place?”

Beth grinned. “Luc is a lucky man.”

Julie wasn’t sure what she meant by that, and she didn’t ask. Drinks in hand, they rejoined the others. Luc, Colby and Whit Daltry, owner of Daltry Property Management, were discussing the hospital, and how much money it would take to rebuild the damaged portion. Stella and her husband, Aaron, were discussing baby formula options with Lark and Skye, who both had plenty of information on all things baby. Paige, who Julie noticed had been avoiding her brother-in-law like the plague all evening and pretending not to see the looks he kept shooting her way, sat silently.

Beth took her seat at the table where they had all congregated, and for a minute Julie stood there watching everyone, soaking it all in, a feeling of peace and happiness warming her heart. The town, the people...they were so familiar to her now and so accepting. This was, without question, home.

“Come sit down,” Luc said, holding out his hand for her to take. She twined her fingers through his, intending to sit in the empty chair beside him, but Luc had other ideas. He tugged her down onto his lap instead, and up went her heart, right into her throat. He slipped one arm around her and settled his palm against her stomach, his thumb grazing the underside of her breast as he did, and the other hand came to rest on her bare knee. What if that hand were to slide up the inside of her thigh under her dress? Would she stop him? Could she?

She glanced over at Beth, whose smile seemed to say, I told you so.

She realized just then, with no small amount of anticipation, that if Luc decided he wanted her, there wasn’t a damned thing she could do about it.

Five (#ulink_0c7d1a00-eb6c-554b-9f40-69f06f3d5b2f)

They didn’t get home until eleven—it was a little weird to think of Luc’s house as home—and they were both bushed. It had been a long and exhausting evening spent in a near-constant state of arousal, but now it was time to shut it down. The wedding was over and they were back to being friends.

Luc walked her to her bedroom door, which was directly across the hall from his own. She expected a hug and a kiss, even if it was just on her cheek, but she got neither.

“Well, good night,” he said, shutting the door to his room firmly behind him.

She stood in the hallway alone, wondering what just happened. After having his hands on her all evening, that was the best he could do? He could just walk away without even acknowledging it?

What if he was having second thoughts? What if he realized he didn’t want to be married? He’d been exceedingly quiet on the drive home—there was that word again...home