Best Man for the Bridesmaid

“I think that you’re amazing and the strongest person I know.” He meant every single word. She had impressed him before this, and now he was just in awe of her. “And above it all, I still believe you can achieve whatever you set your mind on. But none of that changes what I see when I look at you. You’re beautiful. From the wrinkle in your forehead when you’re confused to the tip of your nose to your rosy lips that are just ripe for tasting.”

And without thinking of the ramifications of what he was about to do, he leaned forward and lowered his head. The only thing that mattered now was making her feel better. He had to let her know that those scars didn’t define her. She was beautiful in spite of them. And her beauty resonated from the inside out.

His lips gently brushed against hers. He didn’t want to scare her off. When he pulled back a little, he heard her undeniable sigh of enjoyment. She liked his touch, and he liked touching her. What would it hurt to follow up that kiss with another one?

He sought out her lips again. They were sweet like chocolate. His hands slipped around her waist, and she leaned into him. He’d been waiting so long to do this again. And it was even better than what he’d remembered.

The kiss went on and on. She should be kissed like this and often. Jules deserved to be cherished and loved. And if somehow he could convince her of this, he would. He couldn’t imagine her throwing her life away because of some scars that weren’t even that noticeable.

Her soft curves molded perfectly to him. And when a soft moan reached his ears, he wasn’t so sure which of them had made the sound of pure pleasure. Not that it mattered as her fingers wrapped around his neck and raked through his hair, sending a whole new wave of excitement through him. Every nerve ending stood at attention.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

The sound of his father’s distant voice sent them flying apart as though lightning had struck the ground between them. Her cheeks turned a dusty pink and her lips a shade of deep rosy red. She looked as if she’d been ravished. And he’d never seen her look more beautiful.

Stefano gave himself a mental jerk. What in the world had he just let happen? His gaze sought out Jules. He meant to send her a sympathetic look, but her eyes wouldn’t meet his. Instead of making things better, he’d only succeeded in making them worse.

Him, the man who’d sworn off relationships, was standing in the open, drowning in the sweetest kiss. Not that the kiss constituted a relationship. He combed his fingers through his hair. Somehow he had to put things back on track between them. He promised himself that he wouldn’t lose control around her again.

With his father just far enough down the path, Stefano lowered his voice to say, “That shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know what I was thinking. It...it was a mistake. I know neither of us is looking for a relationship.”

He steeled himself and turned to his father, who was making his way to the house from the winery. His father’s eyes danced with merriment, but his face was devoid of the mischievous smile that Stefano could only imagine would materialize after he passed them.

“I...we were just on our way back from a tour of the winery.”

His father nodded. “I guess I don’t need to ask how it went.”

Stefano couldn’t believe he was having such fun at his expense. This was something his father never would have bothered with when he was a kid. Back then his father was quite stoic and didn’t joke around. But lately he’d been seeing more and more changes in him. Any other time Stefano would have welcomed this transformation, but not now—not with Jules. And not when he’d made such a monumental mistake. Whatever made him think that kissing her was such a good idea?

“Stefano, did you hear me?”

His father was staring at him expectantly, but Stefano hadn’t heard a word. “What?”

“I said you better hurry or you’ll never catch up to her.”

Stefano glanced around, finding that Jules had taken off toward the house. Great! Could this get any worse? He stopped that line of thought as he knew all too well that things could always get worse. He swore under his breath.

He started after her. He didn’t have a clue what he would say to her. Maybe it’d be best to just let her go. She’d get over the kiss quickly enough. After all, it hadn’t meant anything. Nothing at all. Except it felt as if it had been the beginning of something—something profound. His teeth ground together as he stifled a groan of frustration.

His world had been orderly until Jules had entered it. He was a widower of his own making. Being alone was punishment for his actions. If he hadn’t been so stubborn, if he hadn’t pushed Gianna into marrying him, she’d still be here—still be alive. His footsteps faltered.