What Happens at a Wedding: A Short Story Anthology Read online

  Table of contents

  Honeymoon Suite by Elle Christensen

  Who We Were by Melissa Collins

  Fake It Until You Make It by Renee Ericson

  Mine by Lucy Gage

  Here’s To You Mrs. Robertson by Jessica Ingro

  Totally Screwed by Elle Jefferson

  Malcolm’s Sun by Cheryl McIntyre

  Just Our Luck by Vanessa Morse

  Halfway Gone by Tessa Teevan

  Honeymoon Suite

  Copyright © 2018 by Elle Christensen

  All rights reserved.

  [email protected]

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Checking the mirror one last time, I nodded in approval of my appearance.

  Long, honey-blonde hair up in a stylish twist – check.

  Smokey look to give my large green eyes a “come hither” effect and red “don’t you want to fuck this mouth” lipstick – check.

  Ivory bustier and a barely-there thong – check.

  Floor-length, strapless, gold vintage gown (Damn, the girls look good…) – check.

  Sexy as hell nude stilettos – check.

  Matching gold, beaded clutch containing a fresh pair of underwear, deodorant, and condoms – check.

  If you were wondering, the answer is “Damn straight I was looking to hookup tonight.”

  I grabbed an ivory silk wrap and headed out of my condo, locking the door behind me. My best friend’s wedding was in Midtown, Manhattan at The Peninsula New York Hotel. It was black tie and open bar, which translated to guys in tuxedoes and liquid courage. Thank you, Selena. The hookup was her idea anyway.

  I’d never been a one-night stand kind of girl, but after a series of deadbeat boyfriends, followed by two years of celibacy, I was ready to take Selena’s advice.

  “You need to have a single wild night with a hot stranger” she’d said while we were shopping for my dress. “You need to be uncorked, sweetie. And, Mario has plenty of friends with the right cork-screw.” She gave me a saucy wink before pulling another gown from the rack. Rather than choosing a single style and color for her bridesmaid’s dresses, Selena had decided to let us pick our own with the only requirement being that it was vintage, 50’s glam. She was the fashion designer, and I was hopeless in that department, so I’d pleaded with her to help me find my dress.

  It was a gorgeous summer evening, and a slight breeze ruffled the fringe of my wrap. As I walked toward the subway for the ride uptown from my West Village apartment, I carefully held up my skirt, keeping the hem away from the grime on the New York City sidewalks. I probably should have changed at the venue, but not only was I running late, but I’ll also admit, my vanity was in charge, and I wanted to show off my dress to more than just the wedding guests. Unless you’re rich or in politics, it’s rare that there is an occasion to dress so spectacularly.

  A block from my building, I took the stairs down to the underground entrance of the subway. I swiped my card and maneuvered through the turnstile, narrowly avoiding brushing the fabric of my dress against the metal cylinders. The subway Gods were smiling down on me because a train was pulling into the station. It was late afternoon on a Sunday, so the cars weren’t packed tight with people.

  I entered the train and eyed the seats. Yeah, who knows what has been all over those…I decided to stand and grabbed a pole. It was only a few stops anyway. The car jerked slightly as it began to move, but being a native New Yorker, I knew how to brace myself and stayed steady, even in my five-inch heels.

  I pulled out my phone, but a tickle on the back of my neck gave me the sensation that someone was watching me. Lifting my head, I glanced around, trying not to be too obvious. But, when my eyes locked with the most beautiful man I’d ever seen sitting near the door, I forgot all about being subtle. His ocean blue eyes were surrounded by thick, dark lashes that matched the midnight color of his hair. His face was a sculptor’s masterpiece, with hard angles that were only broken up by lush lips. His muscular chest was defined through the dark green Henley he was wearing, the long sleeves rolled up to show his corded forearms. Jean-clad, long legs extended out in front of him and I estimated that he was likely over six feet and would tower over me, even in my high shoes.

  But the thing that kept me entranced was the way his eyes were devouring me. If he continued to stare at me hungrily, I was going to need that extra pair of panties much sooner than I’d anticipated.

  I shifted my stance, squeezing my legs together, hoping to alleviate the ache that was suddenly pulsing in my sex. He smiled wickedly as if he knew exactly how he was affecting me and I cursed my fair skin as I felt a blush creeping up my neck to color my cheeks. No, I told myself. Tonight was about being confident, brave. I smirked brazenly at him in return, making him chuckle. The sound went straight to my pussy, and I was definitely going to be using the spare thong when I reached my destination.

  He continued to eye-fuck me silently for a few more stops, and I was so lost in him that I almost missed mine. I moved toward the sliding doors, which meant passing right by him. Before I stepped out onto the platform, I took a deep breath to gather courage and squared my shoulders assertively. Leaning down, I gave him a great view of my cleavage and wasn’t disappointed when his eyes dropped and turned to a dark shade of blue as they heated further.

  “I’m headed to a wedding at The Peninsula New York. It starts at six, and I’ll be getting drunk by eight, and ready to be fucked by nine.” Then I marched out before he could see the fire blazing in my cheeks, likely turning me an unattractive shade of tomato red.

  “Fuck,” I cursed under my breath as I shifted on the hard, plastic seat to find a more comfortable position. I brought my ankle up to rest on the opposite knee in hopes that it would hide the sizable bulge from the hardon I was sporting.

  I’d been enraptured by the tall woman with incredibly lush curves from the moment she entered the subway car. Her skin was smooth and pale, like porcelain, with honey-blonde hair, and gorgeous green eyes. Her mouth had plump lips with a perfect Cupid’s bow and was painted in a shade of red that I immediately knew would look hot as fuck on my dick.

  Though I’d briefly wondered at her clothes, I was more grateful than curious because they showed off her best assets. Ones I could barely take my eyes off.

  Then she’d told me about the wedding and…her plans afterward.

  Ready to be fucked.

  Damn, that would fuel my spank bank for months.

  Chuckling softly, I shook my head at the idea. I didn’t even know her name. I certainly wasn’t going to crash a wedding with the sole purpose of fucking a wedding guest, no matter how hot she was or how much my cock begged. Right?

  Ready to be fucked.

  Okay, so I was considering it.

  I checked my watch and noticed that it was just after five. I had a dinner reservation at an Upper Eastside restaurant with som
e friends at six. But, if I left there by seven, I could swing by my place, change into the tux I kept on hand, and I’d be at the wedding just in time to make sure green eyes didn’t get too drunk. I didn’t want her ever to forget who it was that fucked her into a coma tonight.

  I made it to the pub in time to get a table and order a pint before my friends started showing up. Ian, Ben, and Gage, old college buddies, arrived one by one and after grabbing their own beers, we ordered some food.

  We shot the shit as we ate and even though I was having a great time, I couldn’t help but be distracted as I kept a close eye on the clock.

  “Got somewhere else to be, Jake?” Ben asked with a knowing smirk. “Any man who stares at his watch that hard is most likely counting down the minutes until he gets laid.”

  I didn’t reply but responded with a wicked smile before taking a long drink of my pint.

  “Jake, please tell me you aren’t hooking up with that psycho ex of yours,” Gage said, his eyes narrowing as he studied me.

  “Fuck no.” I grimaced at the thought of Ashley and her crazy ass antics. “She backed off once Ian had a chat with her.” Ian was an NYPD officer, and though I didn’t abuse his status often, Ashley was worth calling in a favor.

  Ian rolled his eyes as he drank from his mug of beer. “You sure know how to pick ‘em, dude. Your last two hookups were bat-shit crazy.”

  “Third times the charm.” I grinned and rechecked my watch. If I was going to go through with my plan, I needed to leave in ten minutes.

  “Who is she?” Gage inquired.

  “I never said I met someone,” I hedged. “Just that if I had, this one might be different.” For some reason, I didn’t want to share the details of the green-eyed temptress. An odd sense of possession flickered through me, but I chalked it up to discretion or some shit like that.

  “Whatever, brother,” Ben goaded. “You’re a shit poker player, and you know it.”

  I shrugged and stood up from my barstool. “Got somewhere to be, boys.” After tossing down some cash for the food, I threw back the rest of my drink, then waved as I beat a path to the exit.

  The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding, and as I strode purposefully toward the subway, I imagined green eyes and pale skin flushed with passion as I ate her in the moonlight.

  I shook away the thoughts as I waited for a train to arrive. I didn’t need subway ride where I spent the whole time trying to hide the bulge in my pants. Best laid plans and all that bullshit…because I couldn’t stop picturing all the ways I intended to have her. It was certainly an uncomfortable ride.

  My penthouse was just on 55th, near Park Avenue, which meant it would be only a quick jog to the hotel. Anticipation was slowly growing inside me, and I barely had the patience to stand still during the elevator ride up to my apartment. I quickly traded my jeans and long-sleeve T-shirt for my tux, grabbed some condoms from the bathroom (I didn’t carry them in my wallet because I was thirty-one, not sixteen…), and headed back out into the night.

  It occurred to me that I should probably be second-guessing my decision. I’d stopped having casual flings and one-night-stands in my mid-twenties. Yet, once I’d decided to go through with crashing the wedding and ravishing the green-eyed goddess from the train, I hadn’t wavered.

  When I reached the hotel, I took the elevator up to the rooftop event space. Security was manning the doors and asked for my invitation. Since I couldn’t very well tell them that I’d been invited solely for the purpose of banging a guest…I called the owner of the hotel. We’d met several times at charity events and other boring social functions that are required when you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

  The guard stepped aside and motioned for me to enter. My heart sped up to epic proportions, and I took a deep breath to try and calm my raging hormones. I couldn’t very well burst into the room and throw her over my shoulder, then find the nearest dark corner and strip her naked. No matter how tempting that scenario was.

  My eyes swept the room, taking in the hundred or so guests milling around and searching for a gold dress that hugged mouth-watering curves. I spied the bar and started to make my way toward it, and as I drew close, I saw her.

  She was even more fucking beautiful than I remembered, and it had only been a handful of hours. For a moment, all I could do was stare. After a moment, her head turned in my direction, as though she could feel my penetrating gaze. Her stunning green eyes locked with mine and the world fell away.

  I was standing near the bar (just in case) and talking to my friend Delilah when I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. My head twisted, and I was suddenly drowning in a deep blue ocean.

  Holy shit.

  He was here.

  There were moments when I’d honestly wondered if I’d imagined that whole encounter. But, there he was, looking impossibly sexy in a midnight black, tailored tux. It appeared as though it had been made just for him and I wondered briefly what the man did for a living that he would have something like that on hand. The question flitted away as quickly as it had come because who the fuck cared? All I cared about was seeing what was under it.

  Our eyes locked and the hungry look in his made the tingle spread down to my core. Butterflies burst in my stomach and heat rushed over my skin. His lips spread into a smile that promised naughty things and we moved toward each other like magnets.

  Once we were no more than a foot apart, I stopped and tilted my head back, so I could continue to hold his gaze.

  “I didn’t get the chance to tell you how fucking gorgeous you look,” he whispered silkily. “I came to tell you that.”

  I almost came right there from the dark, rich sound of his voice. My head cocked to the side, and I shivered as his eyes slid down my bare neck, over my breasts, and back up to my face.

  “Thank you,” I said in the most seductive tone I could muster. “You came all this way, just for that?”

  He shifted a step closer, and when he spoke again, his voice had dropped even lower. “I think you know that’s not the only reason.” He trailed a finger down my bare arm, and his wicked smile grew at the goosebumps he left behind.

  “Avery!” I tore my eyes away from my tall, dark, and handsome stranger and looked to my left, spying Serena. She was threading her way through the guests, making her way over to me with a wide grin on her face.

  “Fuck,” I heard him groan softly. “Even your name is sexy as hell.”

  Damn, the man had me dripping with want. For the first time in my life, I wanted to strangle my best friend. But, my fervent wish for her to disappear went unfulfilled, and in seconds, she was standing next to me, curiously eyeing the uninvited guest.

  “And who might you be?” she asked as she planted her hands on her hips, her eyes ogling him from head to toe.

  I faced him again just as he answered with a panty-melting smile, “My name is Jake.”

  Serena observed him for a moment, before turning to me with a smirk. “I don’t remember this hunk being on the guest list. He your addition?” Her eyes were dancing with laughter and giddy hope as she grinned at me.

  I felt my cheeks heat because I knew what she was thinking. She’d guessed the truth right away, and she was unmistakably ecstatic over it.

  “It’s my fault,” Jake cut in when I started to say yes. “I saw her and followed her here. I crashed your wedding because I had to meet her.” His attempt to keep me out of trouble was sweet, and it took my desire up another notch. If he got any fucking hotter, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I burst into flames.

  Serena laughed and threw her arm around my shoulders. “I get the feeling there is more to the story, but as long as you take care of my girl and don’t turn out to be an asshole, I don’t care how you ended up here.” She gave me a sidelong look fraught with meaning. Yeah, she didn’t care right now, but she’d expect every detail later.

  “You have my word. I will take excellent care of Avery.” Jake’s word
s were thick with hunger, and when he reached out and took my hand, I felt a shock of electricity that lit me up like a firecracker.

  Serena smiled secretively and removed her arm, then turned so she was facing behind me and we were shoulder to shoulder. She dipped a hand in her small, beaded clutch and pulled something out, pressing it into my empty palm. “Zack booked the honeymoon suite,” she whispered.

  I sputtered at the sight of the room key. “Are you kidding?” I hissed. “Zack would go ape-shit if he found out.”

  “Trust me, we made good use of it last night,” she murmured with a satisfied smile. “He only booked it again today, so I could use it to get ready for the wedding. We are leaving for the airport at eleven.”

  I opened my mouth to refuse again, but I felt Jake’s large hand lightly squeeze mine, and it drew my eyes back to him. I suddenly didn’t care where we went as long as I got to see him naked and feel his hands all over my body.

  “Go.” Serena stepped away and gave me a small push in Jake’s direction. Then she hurried off, likely to find her groom.

  Jake and I were hardly alone, standing in a crowd on the roof-top. But, it felt as though we were the only two people in the world when his blue orbs raked over me and darkened even more as he caught sight of what I held in my hand.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

  He was giving me an out, which was sweet, but I had no intention of taking it. Tonight, I wanted to be wild and free. I gripped his hand tightly and guided him to the glass doors that led to the interior of the hotel.

  The sexual tension between us grew thicker and hotter with every step we took. We stood side by side as we waited for the elevator to arrive and when the doors opened, we silently stepped into the empty car.

  The doors had barely closed, and I found myself backed against a wall with Jake’s hands planted on either side of my head. He bent at the neck and inhaled deeply before running his nose along my jaw, over to my ear. “You smell incredible,” he practically purred. “From the first moment that I saw you, I wanted to know what it would be like to bury myself inside you.”