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

behaved for the duration of the rehearsal.
    She made sure to keep her distance from Tucker, choosing to sit at the far end of the large table for dinner. She didn’t think she would be able to contain herself if she had to sit next to him and his roaming hands. He had pulled out a seat for her, but she’d walked past and taken a seat at the other end. They couldn’t get any farther apart and still be at the same table.
    The offered seat went to Riley. The girl doll smiled up at him as she sat, and he pushed her chair in chivalrously. Nichole looked away from them as Cooper sat next to her at the head of the table, Roslyn directly across from her.
    “You guys excited?” Nichole asked, showing her enthusiasm.
    “Yes,” Roslyn answered while gazing at her groom.
    “I’m not looking forward to sleeping alone tonight,” Cooper said.
    “It’s a stupid tradition,” Roz complained. “Just come to my room.”
    “I might take you up on that.”
    “Seriously? You guys can’t hold it for one night?” Nic said, making them laugh.
    She glanced down the table at Tucker, where he was chatting up the forbidden maid of honor. A twinge of something cold and ugly twisted in her stomach until he looked up at her and winked.
    She looked away quickly but found herself locked in his heavy gaze a few times as dinner wore on.
    “Oh, no,” Cooper said next to her.
    “What?”
    “My brother is sitting next to Riley and he’s got that look.”
    It amused Nichole that Cooper recognized Tucker’s look . What made it even more amusing was that she was fairly sure the look was being directed at her and not at Roslyn’s younger sister. Especially when he took a bite of his dessert and seductively licked the cream off his upper lip. He had been looking right at Nichole.
    She’d never wanted a man so badly in her life. And still there was no regret or shame. Just need and desire.
    When he stood up, she stared at him as if in a trance.
    Shit. He was walking over to her. She would most likely explode into an orgasm at the sound of his voice. Maybe she’d faint like women in historical romances.
    Please don’t let me faint , she prayed as he came closer. At the last minute he turned to his brother, giving her a moment to prepare herself.
    “Could I steal away the best man for a second? We have some groom trickery to work out.” Cooper flashed Nichole a worried look. “Don’t worry. She’ll rein me in if necessary.”
    She surely didn’t want to rein him in.
    “I’ll be back soon,” she said as she stood up and followed him out of the banquet room. Her heart was already pounding in anticipation.

Chapter 6
    T ucker was a little surprised she’d agreed to leave with him. It was obvious what he wanted, which could only mean she wanted the same thing if she’d left with him so readily. When they were in the hall he took her hand, and she held on as he picked up his pace. He led her down another hall, where he’d spied an empty office earlier.
    She didn’t ask any questions when he led her inside and closed the door.
    He leaned her back against it and started kissing her. She immediately kissed him back while unbuckling his belt.
    Yes. She was definitely onboard with this plan.
    He tried to roll up her dress, but there seemed to be something else underneath. He tugged at it, but it didn’t move. Finally, he was distracted enough by the resistance to pull away and look down to examine the problem.
    “What is this?” he asked, tugging at a black, shiny skirtlike thing under her dress.
    “Compression wear. It’s like a New-Age girdle.”
    “Why the hell are you wearing it?” She was perfect. She didn’t need a girdle, New Age or otherwise.
    “It makes my butt look smaller.”
    “Ridiculous. How do I get it off?” That was the more important question.
    “Oh, uh. Well . . .” She tried rolling up the dress first and then the black thing, but it wouldn’t go.
    “Just take the dress off and we’ll toss that thing in the