Chapter 3

• JORDAN’S POV
• “Sweets!” I called out to my wife while I was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. “We need to go now or we’re going to be late.”
• “I’ll be right there. Just give me two seconds boo-bear!” Translation: she’s going to be for another twenty or so minutes.
• “In case you need reminding-this isn’t your wedding…”
• “I know-but I’m the maid of honor. It still counts!”
• “I’m the best man and I was done hours ago.”
• “Stop being extra Carter.”
• I rapped my fingers on the brass banisters, contemplating whether I should go up and get her. At this rate, we were never going to leave this house. Finally, she emerged, a slight smile widened her mouth. Her gaze met mine, and my stomach fluttered at the warmth evident in those dark eyes that had the ability to liquefy my bones. All she had to do was look at me, and I was lost
• “Ready. Please ask Jones or one of the guys to get my bags,” she said as she descended the stairs.
• “Bags? We’re only going for a week, Bambi.”
• “I had to back for the twins as well and that alone was hard work.”
• When she neared me I reached for her hand and threaded my fingers through her own. My
• thumb-pad soothed the criss-cross of veins pulsing rapidly on the inside of her wrist, and she curled her
• fingers, letting the fingernails bite into his flesh a little. I felt her body quiver as my fingers brushed her skin, and I was conscious of every breath she took, the heightened sensuality as I caught the subtle scent of her perfume. Her scent was an erotic aphrodisiac, one I wanted to feast with ravishing hunger.
• “You look, delicious baby,” I drawled as I pulled her close. Her hair tumbled in wavy curls down onto her shoulders, her jacket hooked over one shoulder. “I wish we had time…”
• A slight smile curved his mouth, tilting the edges. She caught the slight huskiness in my voice and deliberately stepped away. “We’re running late-let’s go.”
• I caught hold of her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tilted it. “We can make time.”
• “No Carter,” her cheeks turned pink as she smiled like she had a well-kept secret. “We’ll have plenty of time when we get to the island.”
• “I’ll hold you to that,” I murmured as I cupped her face and brushed her lips with mine, lingered, then deepened the kiss to something warmly evocative. She possessed the sweetest lips, full and generously curved, and I savored them gently, nibbling at the lower center before lifting my head.
• “I assure you you’ll be doing a whole lot more than holding,” she winked then she walked through the lounge to the front door.
• Kyle and Maya were renewing their vows-again. For the third time. But this time his father Lorenzo had played on their emotions and coaxed them into doing it again. Kyle and his father were once estranged but had recently reconnected. They had got off to a rocky start but after Lorenzo’s cancer scare they decided to let bygones be bygones and mended the relationship. Lorenzo was a billionaire and owned prime property worldwide and a couple of islands scattered across the globe. He had bought one in Italy for Kyle and Maya as a wedding present-that’s where the ceremony would be taking place.
• We were taking Lorenzo’s luxury jet and then we would have to take a boat to the island. The guys and girls were splitting up into two groups and Kyle wouldn’t see Maya until Saturday, the day of the ceremony. He wasn’t too happy about that. After the wedding, we would be going on a road trip that Rita had pressed on us us-let’s just call it a dying wish.
• We were going to be staying at a villa-owned by Lorenzo-and we were having a family dinner at a hotel (also owned by Lorenzo) in Venice before we split up into our separate groups tomorrow morning.
• As usual, my darling wife took her time getting ready and the end result silenced me immediately. She drew attention to her fantastic legs in a pair of fashionable over the knee boots, that she wore with a soft short ruffled black dress. Her hair was tied up in a careless knot atop her head. The dinner outfit was feminine and fashion-forward all at once.
• “Now you’re just asking for it,” I told her as I walked into our suite.
• “And you just want to give it to me dontcha?” Her hands rested on my shoulders and her eyes gleamed as she looked up at me.
• I smiled and sang her a chorus while I bobbed my head. “If she wants it. If she wants it. I’m gonna give it to her..”
• She laughed and pushed me away. “You’re a disturbed man Jordan Carter.”
• “That’s why you love me,” I winked and held out my arm. “Shall we?”
• She pretended to think about it first. “I will allow it.”
• The whole crew was there: Kyle and Maya of cos, Lorenzo and uhm-girlfriend..? James and Kat(his current wife) and Rita (his ex-wife). That was going to be so awkward. And Kyle’s cousin’s Leo and Enzo(Rita’s current sex buddie)-more awkwardness. Kyle’s old friend Marcus and his wife Tyra. Now they were a lot of fun.
• Lana and I put the twins to bed and left in the helicopter that was taking us to the dinner party. The ambiance was very romantic and intimate, despite the awkwardness. We actually had a great time. Jamie didn’t seem bothered that Rita was snogging his best friend’s cousin. And Rita was actually laughing with Kat throughout the night. The great food and wine flowed along with the conversation-it was good to be among the people I loved.
• I rose to my feet and clinked on my champagne glass with my fork to get everyone’s attention. “As the best man-sorry Jamie-it is my solemn duty to give a pre-wedding speech.”
• “Here. Here!” Enzo agreed,
• I turned to Maya. “Maya. My sweet, adorable but oblivious sister...you don’t really have to make the same mistake three times. Sorry I was too young and equally ignorant to rescue you the first time-so you don’t have to do this. There’s a speed boat waiting at the dock. We can leave right now.”
• The table cracked up and Kyle threw a bread roll at me but missed.
• “I’m just kidding-or not...” I grinned wickedly.
• “Hey, watch it,” Kyle wagged a cautionary finger at me. “I can make you disappear..”
• I assumed a serious expression. “Kyle and Maya, I have so much to say and so little time. But tonight I will save the speech for the wedding,” I smiled. “All I can say to you Maya is that Kyle, over here, thought it was nice to nice to ya and so he did it again and again...” A ripple of smothered laughter circled the room. “He wanted more than a one night stand and more than to be your friend. Which was a smart move, because i doubt he was going to do better than you.”
• “Agreed!” Kat and Enzo shouted.
• “Everyone please raise your glass and toast to the couple that inspires me to have a love like theirs. To Kyle and Maya.”
• “To Kyle and Maya.”