Free Weddings Suck... by Shara Azod

Weddings Suck...
    One
     
            Weddings just sucked. China gritted her teeth as she concentrated on not jerking her arm away from the hateful best man. In three days it would all be over and she would never have to see or hear from Reese Matthews ever again. Of course she had thought that once before, when she had been so much younger and dumber. What had she ever seen in this asshole? As for right now, all she had to do was get through the rehearsal, then the following dinner. A few more hours and she could tactfully say her good nights and scurry home far away from the rude, overbearing, arrogant asshole who was holding her way too tightly right now.
            “I get the feeling you want to run away, China Girl,” the oversized oaf had the nerve to lean down and whisper in her ear. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to the man, so she ignored him. “Just like back in college. I’m afraid I’m not going to let that happen.”
            If she could think of a smart-ass retort, she would’ve hit him right between the eyes with it. Unfortunately, that damn voice of his keep knocking her slightly off kilter whenever he spoke. The whole speaking low right against her earlobe thing only made it worse. Much, much worse. By the time they reached the front, she still hadn’t come up with anything, so she gave her arm a quick jerk and swiftly moved away from him. Unfortunately, she almost stumbled when she swore she heard him growl. Like a low, sexy rumble that should be left in the bedroom. Wait, no, she was NOT going to think of Reese and bedrooms.
            Asshole.
            Impossibly tall, built like a brick shit house and waaaaaay too handsome for a normal woman’s piece of mind, China preferred to think of Reese as a backwoods redneck, albeit one with a degree from MIT. That way she wouldn’t waste her time thinking about the drop dead gorgeous man who managed to offend her down to the roots of her all-natural ’do. Not five minutes after being back in his presence, the man had the audacity to ask her if she knew there was a very famous porn star with her name. Oh, and she was black too. Like that was a fucking compliment?
            If that wasn’t bad enough, Reese had gotten it in his head Tanner was only marrying Purity, her very best friend on the world, out of some kind of obligation. She shuddered to think what the hell kind of obligation Reese could possibly think that might be. ’Cause really— WTF? Like Purity was some kind of charity case? And he says this with a straight face like China was really interesting in hearing it. Apparently, Mr. Know-It-All Matthews thought Purity Winthrop and Tanner Longford was a huge mistake. According to the man who speaks far too much, the couple had nothing in common but sex. China was willing to bet anything he was talking himself hoarse trying to get Tanner to stop this before it was too late.
            Although China told herself Reese was doing this because Purity was lack and Tanner was white, she knew deep down Reese was right. She also knew Reese wasn’t really prejudiced, just stupid. Tanner and Purity rarely did anything together; hell, they barely even talked. Every chance she got, China tried to convince Purity to reconsider what she was doing. Not only had Purity thoroughly pissed off her family with this travesty, the woman was miserable. It was like once Purity had started this whole wedding business, she was terrified to end it.
            That didn’t mean Reese was off the hook for being a jackass. He was what he was. And she hated him. Despised him. But holy hell he could fill out a pair of jeans.
    *****
            Damn, but that woman could fill out a dress. Reese didn’t bother to hide the fact he was staring directly at the maid of honor. China was more than sexy, more than beautiful—she was the total package. And he knew he had offended the hell out of her, but that was mainly