“You’re going to be a pain in my ass, aren’t you?” I grinned.

“I’ll count it my new life goal.”

“Well then.” I lifted my water bottle and tapped his glass. “Here’s to hoping you fail, Twilight.”

“I want a new nickname.”

“Not happening.”

He rolled his eyes and stood. “I’m going to go find the wife and seduce her.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Luck.” He rolled his eyes. “Please. Luck is never needed when it comes with pleasing my woman. It’s a skill… one you probably lack… but hey, there are always manuals. If you need any pointers, I think there’s an app for—”

I flipped him off.

Gabe burst out laughing and walked off in the direction of Saylor who was busy dancing with Kiersten.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Alyssa’s smooth voice said from behind me.

Chills erupted across my arms. I turned and pulled her into my lap.

“You ready to go?”

Alyssa nodded, her lips finding my neck.

“Yup, it’s time.” I breathed, my body barely able to restrain itself from attacking her in front of friends and family.

“Should we say goodbye to our guests?” Alyssa stood and held out her hand.

“Is this thing on?” Jaymeson tapped the microphone.

At least the reception had gone as planned. Then again, it was Jaymeson’s back yard, so yeah.

“If we move really fast, he won’t see us. Think superhero. Think Flash,” I whispered into her hear.

“Oh, there you guys are!” Jaymeson pointed.

A spotlight followed.

“It’s time for the toasts!”

“It’s time for the wedding night.” I swore under my breath while Lyss pinched my arm.

“And since I’m the best man—”

“Actually, that would have been Alec,” I whispered to Lyss. “Had he not gone and impregnated his wife.”

Another pinch.

“I remember the first time I met Demetri.”

“He punched me in the face,” I mumbled.

“I punched him in the face!” Jaymeson confirmed into the microphone. “But to be fair, he was kissing a girl I was dating.”

“Oh good.” I nodded. “This is going downhill real fast.”

Alyssa nudged me. “Be nice. He’s trying to make a speech.”

“He’s drunk.”

“He is not drunk!” She laughed. “Just let him… be him.”

“Yeah, because that’s always a good idea. Let Jaymeson be himself.”

“But here’s the thing…” Jaymeson cleared his throat. “I never knew that after meeting Demetri, he’d become more than a best friend. He’d become my actual brother.” Jaymeson shrugged. “The best brother a guy could ask for.”

“Shit, he’s going to cry,” I mumbled.

“I won’t cry.” Jaymeson thrust his finger into the air. “But I will say this. Demetri Daniels, you’re a good guy, and nothing makes me happier than seeing you and Lyss get your happy ending.”

“Haven’t gotten that ending just yet, my friend,” I whispered.

“Demetri!” Alyssa elbowed me again. “Pay attention.”

“Can’t. All blood has left the top half of my body and gone… south for the winter.”

She turned. Her eyebrows furrowed. “Huh?”

“It’s the dress.” I sighed. “It makes me want to do things I probably shouldn’t do in front of your parents. We may be married, but the things I want to do… are very… very… bad.”

“So, cheers to the happy couple!” Jaymeson shouted as everyone clinked their glasses together.

I took Alyssa’s mouth with mine, raised my hand to a wave, then picked her up into my arms. “If we don’t leave now, they’ll never let us.”

“But—”

“Bye, everyone!” I shouted and practically stormed out the door and across the yard to our townhouse.

One stair.

Two stairs.

Ten stairs.

Good God, how many stairs did we really have to get into our place? Finally, I reached the end, placed her on her feet, and pushed open the door.

Alyssa giggled and followed me in.

The entire place was lit with candles. Rose petals made a trail all the way into the kitchen, rather than the bedroom.

“The kitchen?” Alyssa pointed. “Why do they lead there?”

“Oh, that’s easy.” I nodded. “Follow me.”

I gripped her hand and led her into our immaculate kitchen and then lifted her onto the granite countertop. “Dem?”

“No moving,” I scolded and reached into the fridge. I pulled out a platter of fresh fruit and chocolate. “I’ve been fantasizing about doing this for days, weeks, years —. probably my entire life, even my sordid childhood.”

“How… romantic. You want to eat fruit off of me?”

“Hell no.” I dipped my finger in chocolate. “I want to devour you.”

“Not the fruit.”

“Screw the fruit.”

Alyssa grinned.

I pressed a chocolate-covered finger to her lips then licked it off with my tongue. “You see, ever since I gave up drugs, I’ve has this addiction. It started with taffy and ended with you… and I thought, why not combine the two of them? So I took my favorite flavor… chocolate… and decided to put it on my other favorite flavor… you.”