Free Nick Of Time (Blue Ridge Romance 2) by Allison B. Hanson

waiting was Tucker. He was usually late for everything.
    She smiled and felt kind of shy as she walked over to him. Why did she feel shy? It was just Tucker. Tucker who had seen and touched and licked pretty much every square inch of her body. She shivered at the memory.
    “Wow. Don’t you look nice?” he said, taking in her short gray dress.
    “Thanks.” Her heart fluttered at his compliment as the others filed into the room.
    “Seeing you in that dress makes me start wishing for an ice storm.” He grinned at her and she was immediately affected.
    “Shh.” She looked around quickly. “You didn’t tell anyone, did you?”
    “No. Why are you so worried?” he whispered.
    “It was a good time. That’s it. I don’t want people reading more into it.”
    “Don’t worry. I haven’t tarnished your good-girl reputation.” He smiled, and she felt herself wishing they had a few moments alone. “Don’t look at me like that, Nic, or I’ll drag you upstairs to my room and won’t care who knows.”
    She quickly looked away, not realizing she was projecting her thoughts so clearly. He chuckled next to her.
    “We’re both staying here for the next two nights,” he said in that sultry voice.
    “Knock it off.”
    “Fine.” He held up his hands, palms out. “I was just pointing out a fact.” He frowned and went to go speak to his mother, who immediately started fussing with his shirt.
    The minister herded the wedding party into position, and Nichole gave Cooper a nudge when Roslyn was standing at the end of the pretend aisle.
    “Are you ready for tomorrow?” she asked.
    “You have no idea,” he answered with a big grin.
    The thing was, Nichole did have an idea. She had been in love with Dennis. She’d thought she was going to spend her life with him, and it turned out he wasn’t who she’d thought. Somehow she’d forced herself to turn it all off and push it away, but it wasn’t fair. She should have someone.
    Tucker interrupted her little pity party by scooting up next to her as the bridesmaids were instructed on how slow to walk.
    “I just noticed another reason why I should have been the best man.”
    “And what is that?” She half-turned to look at him. It was just the rehearsal. She already knew what to do: stand there. No one cared how fast or slow she walked when she came out with Cooper and Tucker.
    “Having to stand behind you gives me a nice view of your ass, and I don’t think my tux pants are going to hide my massive hard-on during the ceremony.”
    To her surprise, she burst out laughing, causing the minister to look over.
    “Sorry,” she said quickly to everyone. Then to Tucker, she whispered, “Maybe you should wear underwear tomorrow.”
    “No. I paid good money so I would own that tux and not have to worry about who else had worn those pants.” She glanced over her shoulder to see he was joking.
    “You’re a piece of work,” she said.
    “You’re a piece of—”
    “Quiet,” she scolded as Roslyn’s bridesmaid, Lexi, walked down the aisle for the third time. Then Riley stepped into the room.
    “Can I just say I have no urge whatsoever to sleep with the maid of honor?”
    “That’s good, because she’s off limits.”
    “Usually off limits makes it more of a challenge, but not this time,” he said by her ear.
    “Maybe you’re growing up.”
    “Maybe I have something better right in front of me.”
    She couldn’t help but smile.
    “Riley is very pretty,” Nichole pointed out as the girl took her turn down the aisle.
    She was. Long blond hair and big hazel eyes with long eyelashes. She was petite and perfect. Almost like a doll.
    “She’s short,” Tucker said bluntly. “I like long legs wrapped around my waist while I’m—”
    “Shh,” she said, not because anyone was paying attention but because she was starting to get turned on, and it was inappropriate given that his mother was sitting twenty feet away.
    He chuckled behind her but was otherwise well