Free All I Want Is You by Kayla Perrin

night of passion, even though she was definitely aroused. So she said, “You’re a cousin of Ken’s. What are the chances?”
    â€œSecond cousin,” Barry explained. “It’s a big family. We weren’t that close growing up, though, but we reconnected when he came to Illinois for some golf tournament and we hung out.”
    â€œAnd is he a decent guy?” Mikki found herself asking. “Is he going to do right by my sister?”
    â€œWhy would you ask that?”
    â€œI don’t know . . .” Mikki had simply been making conversation, but maybe there was something more to her question. She said, “When I met Ken in New York, he seemed like a pretty nice guy . . . but I just got a sense about him. I don’t know. Maybe that he’s the kind of guy who knows how to charm a woman.”
    â€œWow,” Barry said. “You got all that from one meeting with him? I’m impressed.”
    â€œSo what does that mean?” Mikki asked. “He’s a player?”
    â€œKen’s had his share of women, no doubt about it. But I think his player days are behind him.”
    â€œYou think ?”
    â€œAs far as I know, Ken’s a changed man. He was always spoiled, but even the most entitled kids have to grow up at some point.”
    â€œI guess you’re right,” Mikki said, but hadn’t she thought the same thing about Alex?
    The difference, of course, was that Ken had proposed to Chantal. Alex had dumped her.
    And they were getting married in two days. That spoke volumes about his commitment to her.
    Ken wasn’t Alex.
    â€œAh, here we are,” Mikki said as Barry pulled onto the street where her parents lived. By the time he reached her house, Mikki was already unlocking the door.
    She exited the vehicle the moment it came to a stop. “Thanks again.”
    Barry put his hand on her arm. “Wait.”
    Mikki turned to look at him. “Yes?”
    â€œWhy do you make it sound like you’re heading into the house and not coming out? I’ve got to take you back to the mall.”
    â€œRight.” What was wrong with her?
    But then Mikki realized that her sister’s car was there. Which meant Chantal could drive her to the mall. “Actually, my sister is home. So either she or my mother can take me to the mall.”
    â€œAre you sure? Because I don’t mind.”
    Mikki opened the back door and collected her bags of purchases. “Yeah, I’m sure. But thanks for the ride home. I’ll see you later.”
    And then Mikki closed both doors and hurried to the house.

Chapter 9
    Mikki had felt like a different woman as she’d gotten dressed for tonight’s dinner, but stepping into the wine cellar at the club for the bridal party dinner, she saw the difference in everyone’s expressions.
    Eyes swept over her body from head to toe. Eyebrows rose with interest. The people who had seen her yesterday dressed like a librarian had to be wondering if she was the same person.
    The black skirt she was wearing hugged her hips like a second skin and stopped a good couple of inches above the knee. She was wearing black leather boots with a spiked heel higher than she normally wore, but as she’d checked out her image in the mirror, she had acknowledged that the high heel definitely made her legs look sexier.
    The bright red scoop-neck blouse with the plunging neckline completed the outfit. No blazer tonight.
    Mikki scanned the room, which was a more intimate setting than the much larger Crystal Room. From what she could tell, all the groomsmen and bridesmaids were here.
    Everyone except Barry.
    No one was seated at the large L-shaped table. Rather, people were mingling around the room.
    Ken, who had been standing at the far end of the room with one of his buddies, a glass of wine in his hand, looked at her with widened eyes. He promptly excused himself from his friend and approached her.
    â€œWow.”