The Best Groom

Sneak peek 2 - Maddy

The party's in full swing by the time we arrive, and my head immediately twists to try and spot the others in the thick group of people. Aiden's two steps behind me, his hand firmly wrapped around mine as he trails me through the crowd. I catch a glimpse of what I think is the pink mask Nora picked out for tonight and turn abruptly in that direction. Following the familiar splash of shimmering colour she needed with her white dress. We find them on a high table with two other sets of people I've come to know well. Pete and Emily being work colleague's of theirs, and my favourite brother in-law Tom and the newly single Amy. Aiden's hand flexes around mine before he gives Pete a tight smiling nod, the most civil greeting I've ever seen him extend to the guy. I'm not exactly sure what the problem is but I know the friendship is most definitely one sided. Clearly demonstrated by Pete's genuine warm smile back.

Personally, I could take them or leave them. As far as I can tell they're lovely people, but way more into Vince's ridged long term planning way of living and a high end lifestyle. Things that seem so foreign to me and makes small talk with them especially painful. I mean, who honestly gets that excited over and pays that much for a bloody vase?

The multiple sets of rings on Emily half blind me as they catch the light above, and I only just see Nora's eyes roll dramatically as soon as she eyes Aiden. If truth be told, I had the complete opposite reaction when I caught a glimpse of his whole outfit tonight. If the cut in the right way pants wasn't enough to make my mouth run dry, the casually half buttoned shirt he's rocking would be. The peek of skin that begs, almost screams out for me to touch it. The hair that's been ruffled in a laid back look or the mask, for some reason, that does all kinds of good things for me.

"How, exactly, can you be dressed head to toe in white, but still look slightly evil?"

"I blame the mask. I've been told it brings out the twinkle in my eyes."

Winking at Nora, he shifts our linked hands behind him, rotating them just enough to grab a piece of my butt. I may have been the one to tell him that, although I believe I used the words 'delightfully wicked'. Her eyes roll again as she extracts herself from Vince and wraps me in a big unsteady hug. Cementing the fact that she's started sampling the menu without us as she half cuts off my oxygen.

"Hands to yourself, Mr. You may be dating my sister, but there are somethings I can still smack you for, and continually groping her is one of them."

Aiden's eyes widen innocently before taking on a mischievous tone that I've become well acquainted with, and without words I know he's taken that on as a silent invitation to mess with Nora. However his hands rise either side of him in a surrender, his voice dead serious as he runs his words smoothly together.

"Of course, my apologies. I'll save that for the bedroom, or even the newly installed leather sex swing in the den. Goes rather well with the wall of whips and industrial handcuffs actually. Drinks anyone?"

Nora chokes out a splutter while I laugh my freshly groped butt off as Aiden grins widely before disappearing with Vince into the crowd in the direction of the bar.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get the hang of talking to him." Nora croaks out after she's recovered.

I smile softly at her, nodding along. I think that's one of the things I like most about Aiden. I never know what he's going to come back with. That playful banter spikes something inside me, not to mention the ease in which it flows, is something that makes me love him just that much more. I smile a fond hi at Tom and Emily, before wrapping one arm around Amy as I pull her in for a brief hug. She's dressed to the nines tonight and looking utterly incredible. So much so that I think Tom's cheeks will remain a matching colour to her mask of beetroot red for the whole night. But I may be secretly glad that she's single again. If I had to put up with that colossal, chauvinistic jerk-head of a boyfriend one more time, I may have left a handprint on that guys face. A woman belongs solely at home, my fine ass.