Unwrapping the Best Man

He refocuses on his wife and shakes his head, his eyes flitting between us as he rubs the back of his head.

‘Nothing. I’m sure everything’s fine.’

Fine. I have to stop myself from probing. I try to remind myself it’s none of my business. ‘Okay, back to our prior discussion, my hunky request...’

‘What’s got you so—’

‘Okay, so what have I missed?’ Jackson comes up behind Ash, cutting him off, his voice loaded with a forced nothing to see here tone.

Well, two can play at that game.

‘Not a lot.’ I raise my brows at him. ‘Did we miss anything, or anyone, in particular?’

I see something flicker in his face, something akin to guilt, but hell, based on how he’s treated me these past four months, why feel guilt now?

Unless he truly was making out in the back office...

‘No, just business.’

‘Just business?’

No, it’s not guilt...panic. It’s panic I can see and my insides twist and gripe. Fuck.

I grin more and fight it all off as I give him a playful shove in the chest. ‘Only joshing with you; it’s none of our business anyway. I’m just drilling Ash on whether he has a sexy double hiding out somewhere; I quite fancy me a hunky husband.’

His eyes flare and I think maybe I’ve gone a step too far, but to hell with it. I want him to know I’m moving on

. I’m on the market. And I’m not hanging about.

I slide off the bar stool to emphasise my point and lose my footing in the process, my, ‘Oopsie,’ smothered by Ash’s chest as he goes to steady me.

I grin up at him as I stand and my head spins just a little. But it’s enough to know the alcohol is going straight to my head. The joy of spirits. One minute you’re fine and the next minute... I reach out for the bar, my hand closing around something warm, solid...tattooed.

Not the bar.

Jackson.

I look from my hand on his arm to his face and another, ‘Oopsie...’ hiccups out.

My lashes flutter and my lips part. He’s too close and he smells too good. Ah, hell, his concerned smile is setting off thrilling little flutters in my lower belly and I should step away, out of his reassuring warmth.

‘You okay, Cait?’ Coco asks.

Am I okay?

No.

Do I want her to know I’m not?

No.

‘Sure am.’

She gives a little giggle. ‘I think that last drink was one too many.’

‘You’re probably right, but it’s been fun.’

‘Hey, you sound like you’re calling it quits?’