Tell Me You Crave Me (Search and Seduce 3)

“I’m not good at speeches, even worse with speeches about love and marriage. But a very wise woman once told me to just try to speak in a way I can relate.”

He saw Natalie’s eyelashes flutter on a few hard blinks, as if she was physically trying to not look at him. That just wouldn’t do. She had to hear him. He wasn’t done trying for her. He would never be done trying for her. He was going to do everything in his power to earn her.

“I can only give this speech because of Natalie St. Clair,” he called out and looked directly at her. It was time everyone knew how he really felt. Especially Matt, Lemon-Anne, and Natalie.

Everyone looked where he was looking. Right at her. Her gaze snapped up and then hit his. “That’s right. I’m talking about you, gorgeous,” he said to Natalie.

She glared at him. And that’s when he knew he had a chance. The words might not come out right sometimes, but if Natalie got pissy with him, then she cared, which meant there was a chance. And he’d take pissed off over hurt and sad any day.

Matt made his way back to Bridget, and Lemon-Anne slowly moved toward her table, obviously in shock.

“Matt and Bridget are in love. Clearly. They got married. And honestly, I didn’t get it. For the longest time it didn’t make sense how you could be happy with just one person. But they are. And I get it now. Well…sort of.”

A few chuckles rang out, and East went on.

“See, turns out to talk about love, you have to feel something. So I’m going to talk to the one person that makes me feel, and that’s you, baby. Natalie St. Clair.”

Everyone’s heads turned to Natalie again. Matt darted his eyes between East and his little sister in disbelief. Bridget looked confused. Natalie looked ready to throttle him.

“What?” he asked her. “You don’t like that? Don’t like that I want everyone to know I’m in love with you? That you’re the only person on this damn planet I’m terrified to lose?”

Her eyebrows shot up, and she looked at him questioningly.

“It’s true, baby. I thought we were risking too much, that it could never work for—for whatever the hell stupid reasons we came up with. But it can.” He glanced at Matt. “I’m in love with your sister, bro. A hundred percent, stupid in love.” He shifted his focus back to Natalie, but he caught a glimpse of Matt turning red and looking like he was going to come out of his seat and murder him. Which he’d deal with later. He’d even take a beating, because yes, he’d lied. But loving Natalie and being honest about it was more important than anything else.

“You’re the only one I want to hang out with,” he said to Natalie. “Which is something I know Matt will understand, because when he was trying to explain this crazy idea of love and commitment and all that, he talked about Bridget like she was the only person that he wanted to be near. Like things were better when she was around. I get it now.” East shook his head. “Even when we’re fighting, and you’re being a pain in the ass, and I’m being a prick, I still would rather spend every annoying minute with you than anywhere else.”

He watched Natalie’s big eyes well up with tears, and he had to pause to clear his throat.

“Love is ridiculous,” he continued. “I mean, think about it. It’s like a really bad drug, a hangover and a high all rolled into one. You get all fidgety for a fix, then it knocks you on your ass, then if you’re real lucky, the woman you happen to be in love with literally knocks you on your ass and laughs as she walks away. Which is good, because some of us”—he adjusted his tie—“have an ego that needs to be kept in check.”

A few more chuckles rang out.

“But sometimes you need to get beat up a bit to realize what you’ve been missing. What’s right in front of your face. Yeah, love sucks. It’s frustrating as hell. But when it’s with the right person, it’s so fucking amazing.”

Everyone laughed, poor Lemon-Anne gasped, and East realized he’d just dropped some cursing in his best man speech.

Fuck it.

“Sorry,” he said a little sheepishly and looked at Lemon-Anne. “I’m just speaking in a way I can relate. It’s clear that Bridget and Matt have that kind of love. It’s something to aspire to. And I can honestly say that I’ve only had one amazing experience in my life…and that is you, Natalie. You’re the reason I’m up here botching this shit speech and pretending I have even half a clue about this love crap, because I don’t. But I want to learn about it with you.”

He raised his glass. “And to Matt, bro, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I love your sister, and I hope you can be cool with that. I’m just doing what you asked, being the best man I can be. Congratulations to you and your lovely bride. Because if love keeps going the way I think it doe

s, the next rest of your life is going to suck so wonderfully you’ll never know what hit you.”

He drank his champagne, and so did everyone else as they clapped. More than a few people looked stunned, and when he walked off the stage, he saw Matt and Natalie get up and head toward him at the same time.

Natalie made it there first.

“Have you lost your mind? What the hell was that?” she hissed.

“My speech,” he said calmly. She was pissed at him, but she was talking to him. So he’d take the win.

“This is Matt’s wedding, and you are such a prick for saying what you said. This isn’t all about you, you jackass.”

“I am a prick and a jackass, but you love me anyway, and it was all true. Besides, I circled back around to Matt and Bridget, just like you said.”

She threw her hands up. “You’re impossible. You think that you can say whatever you want, wherever you want, and that I’m just going to deal with it?”