She’d never met anyone like him. He had no reason to help her, and yet, he was determined to do everything he could to make her look good.
She wanted to hug him. For real.
“Now, congratulate your man.”
McKenzie’s brows started V’ing together, then she recalled they really were the second most-watched couple at the wedding.
“Congratulations, Ryder.” She smiled beatifically, leaned close to his ear and whispered, “You planning to wear that for me later tonight?”
* * *
If she’d been trying to leave Ryder speechless, good job.
Because, although he could think of dozens of responses to her comment, he couldn’t form the words to say a single one.
Because his brain kept getting stuck on the fact that she’d been flirting with him.
For real.
Self-preservation demanded Ryder keep his guard up.
Because staying away from McKenzie once they were back in Seattle was going to be more difficult.
He’d do it, though.
The wedding couple’s first dance was announced, then the groom danced with his mother, and the bride her father. Then everyone was invited out onto the dance floor.
Knowing he’d keep his promise to her for the rest of the weekend, that keeping that promise was his motivation for wanting to take her out on the dance floor, Ryder stood, held out his hand. “How about it, McKenzie? You up for a foot-stomping two nights in a row?”
Hesitating only a moment, McKenzie placed her hand into his. “I’m not worried. I’ll just be sure not to stand next to you during any line dances, and I should be fine.”
* * *
Perhaps McKenzie had drunk too much of the free-flowing champagne. Perhaps it was how Ryder was putting on such a great show of being enamored with her that even she was convinced.
Perhaps it was how her body melded against his during the slow songs and how their eyes held each other’s during fast ones as their bodies moved to the music.
Perhaps it was like he implied and the attraction she felt was simple genetically embedded chemistry that a gorgeous, intelligent man was near and she was DNA coded to respond.
She didn’t believe so, but what did she know? She’d gotten things all wrong in her past relationships.
What made her think she’d do any better in a fake one?
Regardless of the reasons why, her body was responding.
To every look, every touch, every whispered comment, every laugh at something she said, every gentle kiss he bestowed on her hair while he held her close and they swayed to Reva’s playlist.
Each song was like another round of foreplay, building tension within her, wearing down her reasons why she shouldn’t invite Ryder into her bed that night.
It had been a while since she’d had sex.
But she didn’t recall ever wanting it quite as badly as she did at the moment.
So badly that she was ready to ditch the wedding, take Ryder home and do all the things to him that her family and friends thought she should already have done.
“What are you thinking?”
McKenzie lifted her gaze to Ryder’s. What would he say if she told him she was thinking about how much she’d like to strip his clothes off him and find out if he was as good in bed as she suspected he was?