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NIKA MÜHL (narrative)
That little shi—
I stopped mid-thought, my lips pressing into a tight line as I tried to focus on the list in front of me. My wedding planning notebook was spread open on the counter, my laptop beside it, and my phone cradled between my shoulder and ear. I was in the middle of confirming the seating arrangement for our big day—something that had taken me hours to finalize. This was not the time for distractions.
But Rylee? She didn't care.
At first, she'd been subtle. I'd heard her humming faintly as she leaned against the kitchen island behind me, her good arm casually resting on the countertop. Her broken arm was still in its cast, so she had the perfect excuse to avoid helping me with anything remotely productive. She wasn't being annoying—yet—but I could feel her gaze on me, heavy and curious, like she was plotting something.
I should've known she couldn't keep her mischief contained for long.
The second I'd turned my attention to the wedding planner on the phone, Rylee had made her move. I felt her presence before I saw her, the soft warmth of her body brushing against mine as she slid up behind me. Her good arm snaked around my waist, her fingers grazing my hip lightly, almost absentmindedly.
I tried to ignore her. I really did.
"Yes, I understand," I said into the phone, flipping through my notes to find the right page. "But we need to make sure the tables are set up before the ceremony starts, or there won't be enough time—"
Rylee's lips brushed against the side of my neck, featherlight and teasing. I stiffened, my fingers gripping the edge of the counter.
"Rylee," I warned, my voice low.
She didn't answer. Instead, she pressed another kiss just below my ear, her lips lingering a little longer this time.
"Uh-huh," I said to the wedding planner, forcing my voice to sound steady. "That sounds fine. We'll—"
Rylee's thumb started tracing slow circles on my stomach, her touch warm even through my shirt. I could practically feel the smirk she was wearing as she pressed her body against mine.
I turned my head just enough to glare at her, but she only looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. "What?" she mouthed, her lips quirking upward.
"You know what," I mouthed back, my glare sharpening.
She shrugged, clearly unrepentant, and leaned in again. This time, her kisses were firmer, more deliberate, as if she were testing how far she could push me.
I gritted my teeth, trying to block out the heat rising to my cheeks. "Yes, that works. Thank you," I said, barely registering what the planner was saying at this point.
