Vaughn fell into the crowds of people who stood behind the occupied chairs and checked his watch. It was a hot afternoon. Too hot to be stuck outside in a tux for too long. He clocked the refreshments tables that had been set up on the other side of the chairs. Waiters stood patiently with iceboxes that Vaughn knew were filled with champagne bottles, orange juice, and water. Empty wineglasses and flutes were set up on the tables. Hiding somewhere, he couldn’t see where, was a catering van with canapés for the guests. He licked his dry lips, wishing he had a glass of water in his hand already.
Mutterings moved through the crowd and Vaughn turned with the rest of them to see a white limo pull up on Main Street. A chauffeur got out first and opened the back passenger door. Dahlia was helped out, appearing in a teal blue bridesmaid dress that molded to every amazing curve that woman had. She was followed by Emery, who wore the same dress, but it transformed from sultry to graceful on the fair, willowy woman. His breath held as Bailey emerged from the limo.
She was stunning.
All of the women had left their hair down in soft waves, and Bailey’s auburn curls were striking against the color of the dress, a dress that was both sexy and elegant on her.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, watching as she waited while a fourth woman Vaughn didn’t recognize got out.
This must have been Jessica’s aunt he’d heard all about. Cooper said they’d been estranged for years and had only gotten back in contact in the last year. The woman didn’t look that much older than Jessica, her blond hair swept up elegantly from her face. She wore the same color as the bridesmaids but she didn’t wear a dress. Instead she’d donned a sexy waistcoat and high-waist tailored trousers. The aunt and Bailey bent down to help Jessica out of the car. Vaughn knew he was supposed to have eyes only for the bride, and she did look beautiful in her bridal gown, but he couldn’t stop staring at Bailey.
He followed her with his eyes as she walked behind Jess, holding the bride’s train off the ground for her. The closer she got, the more impatient Vaughn felt. He had the absurd urge to claim her right there and then in front of everyone.
Restraining himself, he made do with just staring at every beautiful inch of her.
As if she felt his hot gaze, Bailey frowned and searched the crowd as the musicians began to play. To Vaughn’s surprise they weren’t playing Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” but what sounded like Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.”
It was a good song.
And very appropriate for the moment Bailey’s gaze found his.
She seemed to hesitate for just a second, probably because he was pouring every ounce of heat and longing and determination he felt into that one look.
Her cheeks flushed a lovely pink and she jerked her gaze away, concentrating on arranging Jessica’s train just so. When they were ready, the bridesmaids began walking down the aisle. Vaughn turned to follow them, to follow Bailey, and his breath caught when he saw the back of the bridesmaid gown. It was a halter strap and it was backless, the fabric meeting just an inch or so above her ass. That’s when he realized all the dresses were slightly different. Dahlia’s wasn’t backless but had a fifties-style V-drop at the back and lower-cut cleavage.
Emery’s was strapless with a pretty sweetheart neckline. It was probably the most sedate of the three.
Bailey’s was the sexiest. Of course it was.
He devoured the sight of her creamy, smooth skin, remembering vividly what she felt like to touch, what she tasted like . . .
Blood hot, Vaughn cursed her inwardly. It was official: Bailey Hartwell would be his undoing.
Trying to pull together a measure of control Vaughn attempted to focus on the bride as she was walked down the aisle with her aunt. He studied the look that passed between Jessica and Cooper as her aunt took her hand and handed it to the groom in a symbol of giving her away.
The look was fierce, and not just from Cooper, but Jessica, too. Fierce love. The kind he’d only heard about when his father spoke of his mother.
But now he knew, as he turned his attention to Bailey, that he’d felt that fierceness. He just needed—God how he needed—her to return it, the way Jessica returned Cooper’s.
As if she heard his thoughts Bailey glanced over at him. Uncertainty. Confusion. That’s all he saw in her eyes. No fierce love.
Determined not to feel deflated, Vaughn reminded himself that he could do this. He’d had worse odds in his career and he’d turned those situations around.
It was a quick, sincere, not overly sentimental ceremony that Vaughn could get on board with. He appreciated the simplicity of the wedding. It appealed to the tortured wedding guest in him that had had to endure unbelievably lavish weddings over the years. Weddings weren’t really his thing and he was grateful to the Lawsons for not dragging theirs out.
As the bride and groom made their way down the aisle, smiling in unadulterated bliss at their guests, Vaughn tracked Bailey as she followed with Cat and Joey at her side. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was deliberately avoiding his gaze.
The bridal party, led by Vivien, Vaughn’s events coordinator, met with the photographer, who then led them down the boardwalk.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Vivien announced, “the bride and groom would like to invite you to enjoy some music and refreshments while the photographer is with the bridal party.”
Everyone began to make their way over to the tables as the band struck up. Vaughn, however, found Vivien. “I’m heading back to the hotel. Are you alright here?”
“Yes. Of course. And everything seemed fine at the hotel when I left,” she said. “You could stay, enjoy a glass of champagne.”
“Yes, stay!” Kell and Jake were at his side, thrusting a glass of champagne in his face.
Not wanting to be rude, especially to people he’d been making an effort to turn into friends, he accepted it with a smile.