Page 37 of When We Were Us

The amusement vanished from Oliver's face, replaced by an intensity that made my breath catch. "Next time? There will be no next time. We're forever."

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my tone light. "I didn't mean it literally."

"I should hope not," he said, his voice low and serious.

I softened, reaching out to touch his arm. "Be real, Oliver. I'm as stuck on you as you are on me."

He crossed his arms, leaning back against the elevator wall. His eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of love and exasperation. "What would you like me to say, Miss Stewart?"

A smile tugged at my lips. "Don't get used to saying that. As of tomorrow, I will no longer be Miss Stewart."

"No, you won't," he agreed, his expression softening. "You'll be forever Mrs. Fox."

"Mrs. Fox," I mused. "It makes me sound so old."

Oliver shook his head, a hint of that earlier amusement returning. "No, it doesn't. It makes you sound like a married woman—which you will be."

"Possessive asshole," I retorted, but there was no real heat in it. A part of me was thrilled at his words, at the promise of belonging to each other.

"Thank you," he said with a grin. "I'll admit to some degree I am."

The elevator dinged, announcing our floor. As I stepped off, Oliver surprised me by scooping me up in his arms. He pressed me against his sweaty body, and the familiar throb of desire I'd worked so hard to quell roared back to life.

I groaned inwardly, torn between frustration and anticipation. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

"Let me down," I demanded, squirming in Oliver's arms.

He tightened his grip, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Why?"

I huffed, blowing a strand of damp hair out of my face. "Because I feel icky and smelly."

Oliver's lips brushed my ear, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "You're anything but. Any other time and I would eat you out until you screamed."

A shiver ran through me at his words. I wiggled out of his arms in front of our door, my heart racing. The last thing I needed was the vivid image of him between my legs, licking me to a mind-blowing orgasm. I glanced at my watch, groaning inwardly. The next thirty hours or so couldn't move fast enough.

"Behave yourself," I warned, pointing a finger at him before slipping into our bedroom.

I peeled off my damp clothing, tossing it into the hamper before turning on the shower. Through the wall, I could hear Oliver using the bathroom in the guestroom. So much for any chance to try and convince him to break our pact.

Under the spray, I took my time, washing my hair twice and using the loofah to exfoliate. Every few minutes, I turned the water temperature down until it was closer to cold than lukewarm. It helped a little, but not much.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered, pressing my forehead against the cool tile. I was usually much more controlled than this.

We spent the rest of the day going over small details with the caterer and wedding planner. Our rehearsal was at 6 p.m. in a small banquet room at the SW since the chapel was occupied that evening. After, we would be eating dinner in a private room at The Diamond Square. We spared no expense for a sumptuous buffet with open bar.

It was hot out, and despite the air conditioning in the venue and limo, I’d still gotten sweaty. The first thing I did when we walked into the penthouse was take an ice-cold shower—I’d spent most of the day with Oliver’s touch on my back, enduring his constant kisses, and I needed something to cool down.

Chapter 8

I was frantically blow-drying my hair when Oliver's knock came at the bathroom door.

"Sweetheart," he called, his voice muffled through the wood. "We should leave in fifteen minutes. Are you ready?"

I glanced at my reflection, hair wild and face bare. "Almost!" I lied, wincing. "Just putting on the finishing touches!"

In truth, I was nowhere near ready. I'd spent too long under the cold spray, trying to calm my nerves and cool my overheated skin. Now I was scrambling to make up for lost time.

As I hurried through my makeup routine, keeping it light due to the oppressive heat, my mind raced through our plans. Vlad was en route to Westchester to collect my parents, Lisa, Diane, and Benny. Oliver had secured rooms at The Diamond Square for them overnight. Laura, already in the city, would join my bridesmaids at Sadie's in the morning to prepare.

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