Melissa McClone - His Band Of Gold

She adjusted the veil slightly. Oh, my. Kelsey blinked. Once. Twice.

The unbelievable happened. She looked like a bride and felt like one, too. Glowing, radiant, you name it. Love, happily-ever-after, even magic seemed to fill the room. An unexpected rush of emotion overtook her. Kelsey sighed.

Was this how all those brides felt when they found “the” gown to wear? Was this what caused the tears to spike their lashes and their smiles to widen? Was this it?

She took a deep breath and smelled the sweet scent of roses, but that wasn’t possible. The only roses in her office were the dried blossoms from the royal wedding bouquet she’d caught, preserved and put on display for her clients to see. It was her one perk for catching the flowers—the pop culture value of having a piece of history from the royal wedding.

Thinking about the bouquet made her think of her cousin. No doubt Christina would have a good laugh if she saw Kelsey right now. On second thought, Christina would probably be thrilled and tell Kelsey what a lovely bride she’ll be when she finally walked down the aisle herself.

But that wasn’t about to happen. Not even catching the wedding bouquet or wearing this breathtaking headpiece would change what she already knew in her heart to be true. Marriage wasn’t for her. Not now, not ever.

Frowning, she stared at her reflection once again. Trying on the veil and wreath had been a stupid idea. “Why didn’t I just eat a two pound bag of peanut M&M’s instead?”

“I prefer plain myself.” The one-hundred-percent male voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Even though she was alone, she didn’t feel threatened. Having a suite of offices in one of the most exclusive buildings in Beverly Hills afforded her some security. Kelsey turned.

Standing in the doorway of the reception area was a man dressed in a pair of khakis, a white oxford shirt and a brown leather jacket. Casual yet classic. A man’s man kind of outfit. And that hair…His deep brown—almost-black—hair fell just above his jacket collar and was brushed back off his forehead as if it were a careless afterthought.

He was, in a word—spectacular. Considering her aptly earned title, “Wedding Consultant to the Stars,” that was saying something. He could have been a model except for the slightly crooked nose that gave his face personality. Lots of personality. Kelsey smiled. His chiseled cheekbones could have only been sculpted by a great artist. His full lips hinted of hot, slow kisses. And his eyes made her feel as if she were the most important woman in the world.

This is the man I’m going to marry.

The thought came from out of nowhere, and she tried to understand the motivating factor behind it. She’d been surrounded by gorgeous men most of her life and knew better than to be taken in by a pretty face. Still, his relaxed stance and easy smile appealed to her on a gut level.

He’d hardly said five words, but his charm reached across the expanse of her office. Too bad she hadn’t heard bells when she first saw him, then she’d know…

Know what? That she was acting like a teenager with her first crush? “May I help you?”

“I’m looking for Kelsey Waters.” He smiled, a charming smile that showed off straight white teeth, and her legs turned to linguini. Okay, she was a sucker for a great smile.

“I—I…” Hoping to quell the butterflies churning up her stomach, she breathed deeply and exhaled. Slowly. She couldn’t remember the last time a man—any man—had her so tongue-tied, and she didn’t like it. She was twenty-six years old, not thirteen. Time to get control. “I’m Kelsey Armstrong Waters.”

“So you’re the one I’ve been looking for.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Breathe, she ordered herself. Just breathe. “How can I help you?”

“I need help planning a wedding.”

Reality hit Kelsey, low and hard. The handsome stranger was a potential client—someone else’s groom.

Disappointment shot through her. Not that she personally wanted a groom. Maybe she could borrow him for a date or two. What was she thinking? Oh, boy, she needed a vacation more than she realized. Time away from nervous brides and jittery grooms and treasury-breaking weddings…Only a few more hours until her flight.

She forced a smile. “And you are…?”

“Will.” As he walked toward her, he grinned. The smile crinkled the corners of his green eyes and made him even more appealing. “Will Addison.”

Addison. The name sounded familiar, but she hadn’t met him before. She knew that for certain.

“Nice to meet you.” She forced the words from her drier-than-dry mouth and extended her right arm. As his hand touched hers, tingles shot up her arm and straight down to the tips of her leather pumps.

Ignore the tingles, Kelsey told herself. Concentrate on something else, anything else. Like his handshake. His handshake was solid, firm, as was the man in front of her. She was nearly five-nine, but she felt almost petite standing in front of his six-foot-plus frame. Realizing she’d allowed the handshake to last longer than was appropriate, she pulled her hand away.

“Nice veil,” Will said in that deep, warm voice of his. “You’ll make a lovely bride.”

A bride? Kelsey touched the top of her head. Great, she still had the headpiece on. She could only imagine how ridiculous she looked in the getup. The least he could have done was mention it earlier so she didn’t look like such a fool. Kelsey removed the wreath and veil and set them on a nearby table. “I’m not getting married. Just trying them on. I like to keep certain one-of-a-kind items in stock for my clients.”

“Whatever bride wears that veil will be one lucky lady.”

The compliment warmed her cheeks. What was happening to her? She wasn’t the blushing type.

“What can I do for you?” The words came out sounding husky, a way she hadn’t meant them to sound.

“My sister’s getting married and wants you to coordinate her wedding.”

His sister. Kelsey’s pulse picked up speed, racing faster than a car chase on the 101. The knowledge that Will Addison wasn’t the groom-to-be made her feel as though one of her weddings had been featured on “Weddings of a Lifetime.” She really did need a vacation if this was what a handsome stranger could do to her. Kelsey motioned him to the area where she consulted with clients. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

“Thanks.” Will sat in one of the overstuffed chintz-covered down chairs. “Nice place.”

“Thanks.” He should have looked out of place among all the feminine decor and bridal accessories, but he didn’t. Not one bit. And it annoyed Kelsey. This was her turf, her home field advantage, so to speak. Yet he didn’t seem uncomfortable among all the ruffles, ribbons and frills. “So when…”

As he picked up one of the bride magazines from the table and set it back down, Kelsey caught a flash of gold. She glanced at his left hand. At the ring finger of his left hand. At the gold wedding band on his ring finger.

Married. The man of her dreams was somebody else’s husband. No doubt another woman had realized he was a keeper. Yet he had flirted—well, maybe not flirted, but he’d—

Stop it.

This wasn’t like her. Not one bit. Will Addison was not the man of her dreams. Such a man didn’t exist. Kelsey of all people knew better than to engage in any sort of romantic fantasy. Not even for the briefest of moments. And definitely not with a married man. She straightened. “When is your sister’s big day, Mr. Addison?”

“Friends call me Will.”

“I’m sure they do.” Business demeanor back in place, Kelsey pulled out the five-year calendar planner from a nearby shelf and flipped it open. “So when does your sister want to get married?”