As if realizing what he was saying, he snapped his mouth shut and swore again.

“Whatever lets you sleep at night…” Priscilla held up her hands and slowly backed away from the door and walked down the hall.

“Shitty proposal man.” I hit Jaymeson on the back. “You didn’t even bring Demetri flowers.”

“How do these things keep happening to me?” Jaymeson was still staring at the empty doorway. “You think she was serious? I mean, I scream masculinity! I drive a Ducati for crap’s sake!”

“Motorcycles equal testosterone?” Demetri asked lamely. “Funny, I thought it was having balls, yet clearly you lack those since she just cut ’em off for you. So hmm, I’m stumped.”

“I know I keep saying this,” Jaymeson muttered. “But sometimes I hate you guys.”

“We know.” I grinned. “Now, it’s time for me to get married.”

“Right.” Jaymeson exhaled. “Let’s go trounce through that sand.”

“Huzzah!” Demetri yelled thrusting his hand into the air.

“Still doesn’t work. You aren’t British,” I said.

“Damn it,” he whispered under his breath. “I’ll keep trying.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Jaymeson called from in front of us.

Chapter Fifteen

Demetri

“My tux is scratchy.” I pulled at the bowtie and swore.

“Stop acting like a two-year-old.” Jaymeson slapped me on the back. We were on the beach waiting for the girls to pull up so we could get the wedding pictures taken care of.

A car pulled up, and all three girls piled out. Alec had his back turned and was facing the ocean; I exhaled not really realizing how loud I was.

“How does she look?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“Freaking gorgeous,” Jaymeson answered for me. “Lucky bastard, her dress is like…”

“Perfect,” I mumbled. But I wasn’t staring at Nat; I was looking at Alyssa. Her dark hair was curled and hanging in heavy waves around her face. Her pale pink strapless dress brought out her olive skin that much more.

“Hopeless.” Jaymeson shook his head. “Both of you.”

“One day, Jaymeson—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” He held up his hand. “Every time you say I’m going to fall I get this weird sensation that the universe agrees with you, and I’m perfectly happy in my whorish state.”

“Guys! Not romantic — wedding day!” Alec cleared his throat.

The girls made their way toward us as the photographer snapped pictures of them smiling and laughing. I wanted this. I wanted what Alec and Nat had. I wanted to be the one with my back turned. I wanted to be the guy that whose woman was walking toward him with every expectation in the world. I needed to be that to her.

Alyssa and Nat were still taking pictures a few feet away from us when Priscilla made her way over to my side and sighed.

“They look beautiful.”

“So do you,” Jaymeson said in what I could only imagine was his lady killer voice, though it sounded like he was choking on a walnut.

“How original.” Priscilla turned toward him and smirked. “And easy.”

“Pardon?” Jaymeson adjusted his bowtie and smirked.

“Your lines. Tell me, how often do girls jump into your bed solely based on your good looks?”

Jaymeson seemed to think about that for a minute before answering. “At least eight times out of ten.”

“And when you tell them who you are?” Priscilla crossed her arms.

Where the hell was she going with this?

“Sweetheart, they already know who I am. Everyone does.”

I groaned into my hands.

“What?” Jaymeson threw his arms into the air. “It’s true! I’m not being cocky, just honest!”

“At least you know how to be honest.” Priscilla rolled her eyes. “That’s a bonus, don’t you think?”

“Big enough bonus for you and me to spend some time together later… alone?”

There he went with that voice again. Seriously, did he lose all his game on the plane?

“Uh, no.” Priscilla shook her head. “I mean, I’m flattered. I must be, what? The sixth girl you’ve propositioned in the past three hours?”

Jaymeson licked his lips. “Third, maybe fourth.”

Alec had his back still turned but I could see his shoulders shake with laughter.

“Right.” Priscilla nodded. “Tell you what… I’ll spend time with you when I’m your first.” Which basically meant never in Jaymeson’s book.

“Honey, don’t you mean, when I am your first? We all know you’re as pure as the driven snow.”

“Dude, put the damn shovel down and start groveling!” Alec whispered under his breath.

“Right.” Priscilla’s face tightened as color splashed across her cheeks. “So I guess that’s where this little affair ends. You’ll never give up your player lifestyle for more than five seconds.”

Jaymeson seemed to think hard for a few minutes while his eyes examined Priscilla, then his face broke out into a grin. “Admit it. It’d be a really great five seconds.”

“Oh look, Jaymeson just dug a tunnel to China!” Alec called out.

“China?” Alyssa repeated as the girls joined us. “What’s going on?”