King Asshole

Tears filled her eyes, and she watched them walk down the aisle again, to kiss.

The photographer was there.

“You clean up nicely. I love the flowers,” Jax said, teasing a strand of her hair.

“Lily took control. She dressed me.”

Jax wrapped his arm around her waist. “They look so happy together.”

“They do.”

“Jax, come on, man, you’ve got to be here,” Ryan said.

“That’s my cue.” Jax ran down the aisle, and she watched as the three friends stood together. She’d seen a few of his pictures of the three of them over the years. Lily was always turned toward Ryan and Jax stood close. They were the best of friends, and she saw that love.

“Dani, come on,” Lily said. “It’s about time I have a few of Jax with his woman. Come on.”

She walked down the aisle, and Jax pulled her into his arms, holding her close. The photographer kept on clicking away.

Staring into Jax’s eyes, time didn’t matter.

Nothing seemed to make sense, but she knew one thing.

She was completely in love with him.

Dani didn’t know when it happened or even how it happened, just that she’d fallen for him, and if his questions were to be believed, she had broken part of the agreement in the apartment.

Jax cupped her cheek, and when his lips touched hers, she didn’t care. Wrapping her arm around his neck, she held him close as the photographer kept on clicking away.

“You two, come on. We’re heading to our reception and party. It’ll be a lot of fun,” Lily said.

Jax took her hand, leading her toward his car. He opened the door, helping her inside, and she thanked him.

Her heart was pounding, and as they drove back toward town, she knew she was never going to be the same again because she’d never been in love before, and she’d just fallen for the kind of asshole who didn’t do love.

What the hell was she going to do?

Chapter Twelve

The reception was held in an Italian restaurant that catered to weddings for the town. Jax recalled being here many times growing up. At the back of the restaurant there was a large picnic area and even a play park for kids. Past that was a small river where people could feed the ducks. It was a quaint spot, and one he knew Lily had wanted for a long time.

“It’s beautiful,” Dani said.

The first dance with Lily’s matron of honor, who happened to be her mother, had already happened. He now had Dani in his arms, and he had no reason to let her go.

“This was the wedding she always wanted.”

“You know a lot about weddings?”

“Lily has been planning hers since we were kids. It would be hard not to see some comparisons to those books she used to keep.”

Dani looked so beautiful today, not that she didn’t look so every single day. She did. Today, though, was different. She was in his hometown where he held a lot of memories and a lot of pain. He’d already gone to see his mom. Her resting place was still well-kept, not that it mattered to him.

Ryan had told him that his father had been in touch with his parents. He wanted to talk, but Jax wasn’t interested.

Right now, back home, with the woman he loved, he was trying to hold his shit together. He’d not been with this woman in his arms, but he knew without a doubt that he loved her. He loved watching her sleep late at night, and seeing her get dressed. He loved that she wore his shirts and wasn’t afraid to call him on his bullshit. She didn’t take any of his crap, and she did the dishes while letting him play with her body.

He loved being with her, and when they weren’t together he was thinking about her.

Stroking his fingers down her cheek, he offered her a smile.

“It has been an amazing day,” she said.

“Yes, it has.”

She seemed kind of nervous.

“You want to get out of here for a little while?” he asked.

“Sure. You’re taking me to your secret spot?”

“Yeah, come on.”

They moved toward the edge of the dance floor, and while everyone was distracted, he ran with her to the edge of the restaurant. Stepping over a large boulder, he waited for her to do the same as they crossed the small river.

“This is completely crazy. We’re leaving your best friend’s wedding,” she said.

“We’ll be back before they even realize we’re gone.” Taking her hand, he ran through the forest, heading back toward the other side of the lake. He’d found this after being forced to attend one of his uncle’s weddings and he’d been so fucking bored that he decided to see what was on the other side of that small river.

He remembered the path from all the times he traveled it as a kid.