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“It’s fine. I’m fine. I just didn’t expect…It doesn’t matter. I just need a minute to regroup and prepare for tonight. I can’t imagine what my mom and Aunt Vickie have up their sleeves for us. I mean, they’ve already been plotting to push us together by putting us in the same room with one bed. They’re probably planning on taking you ring shopping while I’m tied up with wedding stuff. Hell, they’re probably expecting you to propose at Sunday brunch. God, this weekend is going to be a nightmare.”
BB placed his hands on her upper arms. “It doesn’t matter what they’re plotting. This is about what you want. I’m here to support you. No matter what, Gen, I have your six. I always will. I mean it.”
Despite her feelings about his player ways and too-charming-to-be-real personality, she believed him. Having worked with him on cases, sometimes with danger imminent, she knew he was someone to be counted on. If he promised to cover her back and support her, he meant it. The thought comforted her even if she had to remind herself to keep the barrier up between them when they were alone.
“Thanks, BB. I appreciate it. Go ahead and shower. I’ll be fine after I have a moment to myself.”
He dropped his hands with a nod. “Alright then. I won’t be long.”
When she heard the bathroom door close behind him, she released a long breath and closed her eyes. Her skin burned underneath her shirt sleeve where he touched her. The concern she’d seen in his eyes touched her heart. His encouragement broke through her resolve to keep him at a distance.
This weekend was going to be a long one with her not only battling her family’s meddling but also her changing feelings toward BB.
Chapter Ten
BB barely heard the instructions the minister gave the wedding party as they took their places in the backyard. The couple stood in front of an arbor with vibrant displays of flowers.
Their parents hovered nearby, beaming with pride. The wedding party smiled, but he would bet they were all wondering when the rehearsal would be done, and they could sit down to dinner. It should have been what he was thinking since his stomach was rumbling. Instead, he was thinking about being back by Gennessey’s side.
After his shower, he dressed in a charcoal gray suit paired with a white shirt but minus a tie. He decided to give Gennessey some privacy while she readied for the evening and went exploring around the hotel and grounds.
Their accommodations screamed luxury and were definitely more posh than he was used to. He didn’t require much when staying away from home because whether he was on vacation or on a mission, he never spent much time in a hotel. He hated to admit it, but he could get used to staying in a resort hotel which offered a full restaurant and bar, indoor and outdoor pool, a fully equipped gym, a spa complete with sauna, and walking trails which wound through exotic flower gardens.
When the time for them to leave for the rehearsal was close, he made his way back to their room. Opening the door, he only took two steps inside before he stopped, his brain short circuiting.
Gennessey stood in front of a mirror with her back to him. She concentrated on putting in her earring, so she hadn’t noticed him gaping at her. The mirror offered him a complete 360-degree view of her in the cocktail dress.
The shiny navy fabric complemented her creamy skin. The sleeveless bodice showcased her muscled arms. The front dipped low enough to showcase her delectable cleavage, but the back dropped in an open vee down to her waist. Her back was perfect, smooth and inviting. The tiered skirt swung around her, stopping just shy of her knees and giving an unobstructed view of her long legs.
The style was simple but sexy, accentuating her trim figure. Her thick hair was pulled up in a riot of curls framing her face and neck. She kept her make-up basic, as she usually wore it, but the effect was stunning. BB had considered Gennessey pretty, which was why he’d spent their first year of working together asking her out at every opportunity, but Gennessey dressed for her family’s celebration dinner was gorgeous.
His brain refused to form a coherent thought, but his cock was alive and well. His body responded to her like he was a horny teenager alone with his high school crush.
Fortunately, she hadn’t noticed. She was focused on the evening ahead and used the drive to her grandparents’ house to brief him on what to expect. He hadn’t heard a word she said.
When he wasn’t watching the road and following her directions, he was distracted by her cleavage and her shapely legs. Images of dropping hot kisses along the valley between her breasts while those legs wrapped tightly around his waist floated through his mind, and his cock pushed painfully against the zipper of his pants.
He’d barely had time to wrangle his libido under control before he was meeting her grandparents, Joseph and Helen Taylor, a tall, regal couple who welcomed him even if they regarded him with measured glances.
With them, BB opted for the straightforward approach. He greeted them with sincere compliments and respect while keeping his touch and interaction with Gennessey light and unassuming. He wanted them to see he valued their granddaughter.
Then came the meeting with Gen’s parents, Carolyn and Russell Croft. Russell barely acknowledged him, instead pouring his attention on Gennessey. She was a daddy’s girl, and BB filed the information away for when he had a moment to talk with Russell alone. Carolyn, though, hugged him with a wide smile and practically gushed over him, which only seemed to make Gennessey more tense.
The rehearsal started soon after, and BB settled on one of the folding chairs in the back row to quietly watch the rehearsal. The summer evening was warm, so he shed his suit jacket.
Two sections of the white chairs like the one he sat on lined the lush green backyard in several rows. White drapes covered the backs and were secured with gauzy white sashes tied in bows. Small bouquets of flowers were attached to the end chairs on each row, the vibrant colors suited to the season. The arch had matching flowers interwoven among the branches and added greenery. The set-up was simple but wedding-worthy.
He tried to take his mind off of Gennessey by focusing on the others in the wedding party. Autumn’s parents sat in their assigned spots on the front row of the section opposite him, and Cohen’s parents and grandparents sat on the front row in front of him.
Autumn stood off to the side, smiling brightly, as her maid of honor stood in for her as was a long-standing tradition with wedding rehearsals. Autumn was just as Gennessey described — pretty, soft-spoken and very much in love with Cohen if her longing looks at her fiancé were any indication.
Then there was Cohen. Slender, thick dark hair, mischievous quirk to his mouth, and a loving gleam in his eyes when he watched Autumn. From BB’s first impression, he found Gennessey’s assessment to be correct. Cohen and Autumn were well matched.
BB sensed he wasn’t alone, and though he wasn’t ready for his space to be invaded, he kept his composure when one man sat beside him and another occupied the chair in front of him. He recognized Gennessey’s brothers from a family photo she kept in her apartment, so he wasn’t taken aback to see them though he was surprised they would choose to size him up at the rehearsal.
He caught Gen’s eye and could almost feel her tension from across the yard. His wink was quick, but he knew Gen would notice it.
“So, you work with our sister?” the brother beside him started.
