Paige Tyler: Mr. Right-now

She looked at her friend. “Do you really think I should tell him?”

“Yes!” both Rachel and the manicurist said in unison.

Kate couldn’t help but smile as she looked from one girl to the other. “Okay, I’m outnumbered, I guess.”

“So, that means you’ll tell him?” Rachel asked.

She nodded. “I’ll tell him. I don’t know how, but I’ll tell him.”

Kate wanted to run up to Dawson ’s room right then and tell him how she felt, but she knew if she did, they’d never make it to the wedding. So she forced herself to stay where she was and let the spa staff pamper her along with the other girls, something that was much more enjoyable now that she was no longer depressed. As a result, the rest of the day seemed to fly by and before Kate knew it, they were all making their way outside to the bluff where the ceremony was being held.

Since she was standing behind the other bridesmaids, Kate couldn’t see Dawson from where her vantage point and she ran her hand down the front of her peach colored gown nervously.

“You look beautiful,” Rachel said in her ear.

Kate turned to give her friend a smile. “Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that?”

“You told me upstairs, remember?” Rachel wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug, then pulled back to give her a grin. “ Dawson won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”

Kate hoped so. She smoothed her gown again, then realizing the hand holding the bouquet was trembling, she steadied it with the other. Sheesh, she was so nervous, she felt like she was the one getting married. Her pulse skipped a beat at the thought.

As Kate followed the other bridesmaids up the aisle a few minutes later, her gaze automatically went to Dawson, who was standing with the other men up front near the beautifully decorated gazebo where Rachel and Bob would say their vows. She caught her breath at the sight of him. Good heavens, she’d never seen a man look more handsome in a tuxedo in her life. But Dawson was so gorgeous she almost stopped right where she was just so she could gaze at him. Then he gave her that devastating grin of his and she practically melted on the spot.

Abruptly realizing she actually had stopped, Kate blushed and forced herself to continue up the aisle and take her place with the rest of the bridesmaids at the front. As she turned to watch Rachel’s father escort her up the aisle, Kate couldn’t help but notice that Dawson hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Kate barely registered when Rachel held out the bouquet for her to hold. Hoping none of the guests had seen, Kate blushed and quickly took the flowers before turning to watch her friend step into the gazebo with her soon-to-be husband.

Kate tried her best to focus on the ceremony, but her gaze kept straying to Dawson. Each time it did, she found him looking her way, so it wasn’t surprising when the priest had to ask him twice for the rings. As he hastily dug in his pocket for them, Kate saw Rachel give her a knowing smile from the steps of the gazebo.

Fortunately, she and Dawson didn’t have to do anything else but stand there for the rest of the ceremony. When Rachel and Bob descended the steps of the gazebo after it was over, Kate surprised herself by actually remembering to give the other girl her bouquet of flowers. As soon as the couple started down the aisle, Dawson offered Kate his arm and they followed.

Thankfully, Rachel and Bob had to stand in the receiving line when they got to the back of the bluff, which gave Kate a few moments alone with Dawson before they had to pose for pictures.

He reached up to gently finger a tendril of hair that had been artfully left loose from the updo to frame her face. “You’re enough to take my breath away.”

The compliment warmed her all the way to the tips of her French-manicured toes. “Thank you,” she said softly. “You look pretty breathtaking yourself in that tux.”

His mouth quirked. “It’s uncomfortable as hell to wear, but I’m glad you like it.”

She laughed. “I most definitely like it.”

Dawson glanced around, then lowered his voice. “You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now.”

“So, what’s stopping you?” she teased.

Chuckling, Dawson bent his head to kiss her, but just as his lips were about to touch hers, the wedding photographer loudly announced he needed the bridal party to gather together so he could take pictures. Dawson groaned and lifted his head.

“Think they’d notice if we slipped upstairs for a quickie?” he asked.

“I think they might,” Kate laughed. “Since it would probably take me an hour to get out of this dress.”

He sighed. “I don’t know why you’d have to take the dress off for a quickie, but I suppose you’re right. Okay, pictures it is then. But I’m going to thoroughly ravish you after the reception.”

Kate smiled up at him. “I can’t wait.”

While Kate wouldn’t have minded going up to his room for that quickie Dawson suggested, posing for pictures along with the rest of the wedding party was rather fun, especially since she and Dawson were together in almost all of them. When they were done with the photos, they all went into the ballroom, where the bride and groom made their big entrance to a round of applause from their guests.

Although the chicken cordon bleu Rachel and Bob had decided on for dinner looked delicious, Kate was too busy having a good time with Dawson to pay much attention to what they were eating. She hadn’t even realized it was possible to fall for a guy as quickly as she’d fallen for Dawson, but as she listened to him give the toast, she realized he was the man she’d been searching for her whole life and this time, she hadn’t even been looking. Maybe that was why she’d found him.

Kate was still marveling at that as she and Dawson walked out to join the rest of the bridal party in the traditional first dance a little while later. As he took her in his arms and pulled her close, she discovered he was as talented on the dance floor as he was in the bedroom. But then she’d always thought dancing was a little like making love. All those rhythmic motions were quite erotic. And feeling his body move against hers as they danced was one very erotic experience.

She would have been content to stay on the dance floor for the rest of the night, or at least until they went up to Dawson’s room, but a little while later, the DJ announced it was time for the bride and groom to cut the cake. As they sat down along with everyone else, Kate eagerly reached for her water glass and took a sip.

“I’m glad we decided to hook up for the weekend,” Dawson said as he reached for his own glass and took a long swallow of water. “It was a good idea.”

Something about the offhand way he said the words made Kate’s heart suddenly squeeze in her chest. Was this his subtle way of reminding her that he was only in this for some casual sex? Had he somehow figured out she’d started having feelings for him and wanted more than a simple weekend fling? Her hand began to tremble and she quickly set the glass down on the table.

She forced herself to smile. “Yeah. Me, too.”

Kate supposed she should have said more, but right then, she couldn’t trust herself to speak. She wasn’t even sure she could breathe. Tonight was it. This thing with him was really going to end. But how could she spend the night making love to Dawson now when all she wanted to do was go up to her room and cry her eyes out? At the same time, how could she not? It was her last chance to be with him. There would be time enough for tears on the ferry ride home tomorrow. Tonight at least, she was going to enjoy herself.

But that was easier said than done. Fortunately, Dawson didn’t seem to pick up on how quiet she’d gotten and Rachel was too busy being the blushing bride to notice. Or so Kate thought. Unfortunately, the other girl was still observant enough to realize Kate hadn’t gathered around with the rest of the single women when it was time to catch the bouquet.