Page 75 of Wedlocked
“Don’t pout, J. We can sneak off alone tonight.”
I took the faucet to rinse any remaining soap off her while she dodged the overhead spray to keep her hair from getting too wet.
“I’m not waiting ‘til tonight.”
Her stare whipped up. “What?”
“You think this is all I planned? A wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am?”
She half smiled. “It’s not?”
“What kind of boyfriend do you think I am?” I lamented. “I know we’re here for Kruger’s wedding, but I got some romance. And I meant it when I said I wanted some solo time with you. You’re my number one, Maddie. I want to make sure you know it.”
“Is this because I called you bro?”
I laid my hand over my heart. “How could you do it to me, Maddie?”
She giggled. The sound was a damn weapon. It made me weak.
“I already told you it was a joke,” she said for the tenth time. “And maybe I was a little grumpy that day because we hadn’t seen each other much.”
I set the faucet back in its cradle and wrapped my hands around her waist, pulling her in until we were plastered together. “There’s gonna be days coming up when time is spread thin. All the more reason for me to make sure you know how much you mean to me.”
“I know, J. I do.”
“Maybe I should hijack Kruger’s wedding and make it ours instead.” It was kinda soon, but I could do it.
She gasped. “What?”
“You didn’t say no,” I mused.
She smacked my shoulder. “We are not hijacking our best friend’s wedding.”
“You know you’re going to marry me someday, right?”
“Who else would I marry?” she wondered.
“No one. I’m not letting you go.”
Her arms wound around my waist, palms pressing against the small of my back. My heart did a little skip, and her wide brown eyes gazed up. “We don’t need to get married right now for me to know how much you love me. I know. And I hope you know how much I love you.”
“Iamirresistible.”
She smiled. “You need to focus on the Olympics, and I need to finish college, see if I can get my foot in the door in Hollywood so I can work my way to being a director.”
Bros, you hear that? My Maddie is gonna be a badass female director. Putting all these sexist old dudes to shame with the epic movies she’s gonna make. After everything that happened with the half-brother who shall not be named and her deciding not to pursue acting, I thought maybe she’d find her way back. Nah, she found a new goal. I think that maybe creating safe sets for actresses and actors while directing box office smashes (because, bro, what else would they be?) had become a passion.
“You already got a whole leg in the door over in Hollywood,” I told her. “Just make sure your leg’s got pants on.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t just use my mother’s name. I want to earn my place too.”
“You will, baby. Of that I am sure.”
“Just like you will earn your spot on the Olympic team.”
I grunted. “So long as you know we’re doing all that together.”
Her arms looped around my neck. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”