Bedding The Billionaire (Bedding the Bachelors Book 3) (18 page)

“No,” Jamie gritted out. “You know I’m not. But you’re completely ignoring what Brianne is saying.”

“Because it’s bullshit.” Gabe turned to Brianne and pointed a finger at her. “You don’t deserve this. And the fact my former best friend did this to you is not something I can forgive.” Turning on his heel, Gabe stormed away. Brianne let out a muffled cry of dismay before taking a deep breath and turning back to Jamie, crossing her arms protectively at her waist.

“Thank you for staying calm and listening to me.”

He gathered his sister in his arms and hugged her tightly. “I don’t know what’s going on, Bri, but whatever you need I’m here. If you want me to hunt down Eric…”

She shook her head.

“Or just help you get rid of all the guests…” He looked over the agitated crowd and saw

heads bowed and close together. People were talking. Gossiping. About his sister. Anger flushed over him, but then he caught sight of Lucy. He calmed, and turned his attention back to Brianne.

To his surprise, Brianne shook her head again. She tipped her head back to look at him. “As embarrassed as I am right now, this is for the best, Jamie. Things…things were going on with me and Eric, things you don’t know and you don’t need to know, and if he’s had doubts, he can’t help that. I encouraged him to dig deep and make the tough call, and he did. In return, I have to deal with an uncomfortable situation, but bottom line—I’ve avoided marrying a man who wasn’t sure about me. That’s something that should be celebrated.” She pulled out of his arms and smiled bravely. “Good thing we’ve already got a party in the works.”

“You still want to go ahead with the wedding reception…just without the wedding?” Brianne had always had a flair for the dramatic but this…

“Yes, I—”

At that moment, Gabe returned. When Brianne looked at him, he simply walked up to her, put his hands on her shoulders, and stared down at her. Then he said, “Whatever you need, squirt. You know I’m here for you.”

Brianne blinked rapidly, obviously trying to hold back tears, and mouthed, “Thank you.”

“So how do you want to do this?” Jamie asked her.

“Let’s get the party started.”

“You’re sure?”

“Very sure. I want you to go out there and have fun with Lucy.” She looked at Gabe. “And you, grab a bridesmaid and have a great time. I’m fine, I promise.”

Frowning, Gabe opened his mouth to say something, but abruptly closed it when Brianne walked away.

Gabe looked at Jamie. “I’m not buying it. She’s not telling us something.”

“Maybe. But we’re not going to get anything out of her right now. We’ll give her what she wants and keep our collective eyes on her. That work for you?”

Gabe looked in the direction that Brianne had disappeared. “For now,” he said.

Jamie sought out Lucy again. If his sister wanted them to party, he had the perfect person to be by his side.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

As best man, Gabe insisted he be the one to notify the guests that Eric had been “delayed.” That there would be no wedding that day. He then continued, “The family and the rest of the bridal party ask, however, that you all join us for dinner, dancing, and a whole lot of fun in the ballroom as planned.” His words were gracious, but the expression he pinned on the crowd communicated loud and clear that he wasn’t asking, he was telling, so they damn well better do as he said or face his imminent wrath. Mutters from the crowd began immediately, but Jamie and his friends, along with his parents, went into damage control and directed everyone to the ballroom.

Lucy followed the rest of the guests as they filtered into the ballroom where the reception was being held. As she stepped through the ballroom doors, she couldn’t help gasping at the elegantly decorated room. She wasn’t easily impressed, but with this place, and this party, she was. She doubted that she’d ever get married, but if she did, this might be how she imagined it. The tables were draped with floor-length tablecloths, some in burgundy and some in black. Linen napkins were folded on top of china plates and set in front of stylishly draped chairs. The centerpieces were crystal and all contained fresh orchids and burgundy lilies that you could actually smell in the air. The lighting was bright over the dining area but more subdued near the stage where the band was setting up in front of the maple wood dance floor.

What Lucy loved the most was the dazzling chandeliers, shaped like crowns, that hung from the ceiling.

“Hey, there you are,” Jamie said from behind her. When she turned to face him, he immediately took her hand. “I’m sorry for abandoning you.”

“Don’t be silly. How’s your sister?”

With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck, then looked at his sister, who was standing by the ballroom doors, greeting guests with a strained smile. “I’ll explain later, but she insists this is a good thing. I’m just worried she’s in shock and the fallout isn’t going to be pretty.”

“Then go be with her. I’ll be okay on my own.”

He shook his head. “I have orders to show you a good time. And right now, whatever Bri wants, I’m going to give her, even if that means leaving her alone. Here, why don’t you sit and I’ll grab you a drink.”

She was about to take the seat Jamie pulled out for her at the head table when she sensed someone standing to her right. She turned and saw Diana, Mason’s sister.

“Hi, Lucy.”

She nodded warily. “Hello.”

“I just wanted to congratulate you both,” Diana said. She looked at Jamie. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen legally, but if you’d like…I can try to make time for you both to visit with Milly.”

Lily didn’t miss the implication that Diana didn’t want Lucy to visit the baby on her own. For a minute, the words threatened to fall from her tongue:
So now that I’m engaged to a billionaire, I’m suddenly good enough to visit my own niece? Why don’t you go—

She suddenly felt Jamie’s arm around her shoulders. He gave her an encouraging squeeze. “We’d love that, wouldn’t we, Lucy?”

She looked up into Jamie’s brown eyes and took a calming breath. “Yes. That would be wonderful, Diana. Thank you.”

“Good,” Diana said with a wide smile that Lucy suspected she’d practiced all day; she should know, considering she’d been practicing the same smile. Then Diana looked at Jamie and said, “I also wanted to let your family know how thrilled we were to be included on the guest list today and what wonderful accommodations we’ve been given here on the Island.”

“I’m glad you could make it. I’ll pass that on to my sister and parents. Thank you.”

“It’s a shame about the groom. Frightfully embarrassing. But your sister is a trooper.”

Jamie’s smile stiffened at the mention of the missing groom, but he simply nodded and said, “Thank you.”

As Lucy watched Diana walk away, she growled low in her throat. “Frightfully embarrassing, my ass. I’ll show her something frightening—”

“Hang on there, spunky pants,” Jamie said, laying his hand on her shoulder. “Diana only spoke the truth. Despite the act she’s putting on, Brianne is embarrassed. Who wouldn’t be?”

“Still, Diana didn’t have to bring it up. She only did it to…to make herself feel superior.”

“Or maybe she’s just feeling awkward and uncomfortable and isn’t as good in social situations as you’d like to think,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re giving her too much credit.”

“Yet how well do you know her, Lucy, that you don’t think she deserves some credit?”

“I know her well enough that she’s trying to stop me from getting custody of my niece. Or are you saying that’s some kind of misunderstanding, too? Have you changed your mind about helping me?”

He gripped her arms and shook her slightly, looking as close to pissed as she’d ever seen him. “Stop it! Of course I haven’t changed my mind about helping you. I was simply suggesting you not be so quick to assume the worst of people. Yes, some people, like my cousin Gretchen’s dickhead of a husband, deserve your censure. But even now, even when I’ve done nothing to make you doubt me—”

“I’m sorry,” she said, placing a hand on his chest and standing on tiptoe to kiss him. “You’re right. She just…threw me. Made me feel out of place. And I hate feeling that way.”

“I know. But you’re not out of place, Lucy. You’re fitting in beautifully. And she’s already agreed to let you see Milly. Don’t you think that’s a good enough sign that you can just relax and enjoy the rest of the evening with me?”

She nodded. “I’d like that. Let’s just put it all away for tonight and have fun.”

Jamie grinned. “Yes, let’s,” he agreed.

They were served a delicious dinner of salmon and rice pilaf and fresh vegetables. Jamie’s sister, who’d left the reception briefly to change into a cute cocktail dress, sat with them and bantered with Jamie and the groomsmen, hardly seeming like a girl who was just dumped at the altar.

Jamie’s parents were great, too, though Lucy could see the edge of worry beneath their determined-to-give-the-appearance-of-having-a-good-time demeanors. The person who seemed to be having the most difficulty, however, wasn’t Jamie or Brianne’s parents, but Jamie’s friend, Gabe.

After dinner and dessert was finished, Brianne took the stage and used the microphone to announce she wanted everyone to have fun. That no one should worry that she was sad or heartbroken. To Lucy’s surprise, even though a couple of the bridesmaids looked like the girls Lucy remembered from her private school days—rich and spoiled and just looking for someone to “mean girl”—they obviously had Brianne’s back. They were already encouraging guests to find their dance partners with the enthusiasm of soldiers carrying out a beloved general’s orders.

Brianne thanked everyone for their generous gifts but said that she would feel better if they would take them with them when they left. Laughing, she said, “I don’t want to keep anything I didn’t earn.”

A curse came from across the room followed by a crash. Lucy turned just in time to see Gabe’s back as he stalked out of the room. An awkward silence followed, then Brianne said loudly into the microphone, “Looks like the party’s gotten started!” Music began to play and the bridesmaids practically dragged couples onto the floor as Brianne hurried off the stage.

Jamie stood.

Suspecting that Brianne and Gabe would be having a word or two, Lucy grabbed Jamie’s hand. “Why don’t you give her some privacy?”

When he looked like he was going to protest, she said, “Come on. Your sister wants everyone to dance. So let’s dance.”

After a brief hesitation, he nodded and squeezed her hand, then followed her out onto the dance floor. The band was playing an upbeat Latin style instrumental and the few couples already on the floor were doing varying versions of the tango. Cole and Luke were each dancing with a bridesmaid. Jamie’s parents were dancing, too, as was Diana and her husband.

“Do you know how to tango?” Lucy asked Jamie when they made it to the middle of the floor.

He grinned and said, “Are you kidding? I was born doing the tango.”

“I can’t say the same.”

“Just follow my lead, sweet thing. I won’t steer you wrong.”

He wrapped one arm around Lucy’s waist and with his arm outstretched in front of him, he took her hand in his. He used the hand around her waist to pull her up flush against him, and her nipples rubbed against his chest through the thin material of her dress. Little jolts of electricity traveled down to her nether regions, and she immediately felt her panties get wet.

As they danced, Lucy quickly discovered Jamie had been telling the truth. He was the best dance partner she’d ever had. Effortlessly, he led her so that their dancing seemed more like floating…and foreplay. As she stared into Jamie’s face, she knew he felt the same way.

Another sure sign was his hard cock rubbing against her belly.

Wanting to tease him to even greater hardness, Lucy waited until they were tucked into a corner, mostly hidden by the dancers now crowding the dance floor, then slid her leg slowly up his body until the split along the side of the dress opened up, exposing her leg and thigh until just a hint of her lacy panties were visible.

Of course, Jamie noticed. He grew harder, and his cheeks flushed with color. She leaned forward to give him a kiss but he pulled back and grinned.

“So you’re in the mood to tease, are you?” she pouted.

“Maybe,” he told her, still grinning.

“I know how to play that game,” she said.

The band switched the tempo from the quick and intense tango to a slow, romantic love song. Jamie wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her hips into his as she slipped her arms around his neck. As they swayed in time to the music, Lucy felt a sudden rush of warm air against her ear; Jamie was blowing into it, and sending waves of goose bumps down each of her arms.

She arched her back slightly so that she could get a better angle, then ground her pelvis against his erection. Jamie groaned, leaned his forehead against hers, and said, “I’m not going to be able to walk back to our table without drawing a lot of attention, you know.”

“Then we’ll just have to stay here until you can.”

“If we stay here, if you stay in my arms, that’ll never happen.”