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Heather tried getting ready in time for the rehearsal dinner, but when she had gotten back to Kim’s room, Kim had still been busy in the bathroom and her things were strewn all over the vanity. Since Kim would be at the dinner Heather told her that she would be at cocktail hour for sure. Luckily Kim was too focused on getting ready and get downstairs to ask her  any questions. Heather had simply told her that after she found out she couldn’t get a room, she stopped off in the bar for a drink. That part was true and she would probably fill her in on the rest later, after her insides stopped shaking.

She showered and as the water activated the scents on her skin she caught a subtle whiff of the aftershave Gavin was wearing. She didn’t count herself as a connoisseur of men’s cologne so she didn’t recognize the brand...but she knew from the moment she smelled it on Gavin, she would always recognize the scent.

After she dried off and slathered herself in the lotion she always carried in her purse, she slipped on the dress that she had bought earlier in the day. It was a dark blue cocktail dress, off the shoulder on one side and ending just above her knees. She didn’t put panties on because she hadn’t been able to find a pair in the shops that she thought would be smooth enough not to show underneath the dress. The cocktail ‘hour’ would probably only be a couple of hours at the most and most of that time she would be on her feet, so she wasn’t worried about it.

Once she was dressed she sat down at her vanity and began to apply her make-up. While she blended and contoured her mind drifted back to Gavin once again. She regretted not letting him ask her what he had wanted to now. She was sure he was going to ask for her number and at that moment she had convinced herself it would be a bad idea to give it to him. Since then however she had been repeating Kim’s words in her head about just having fun and not always looking at a man as a potential relationship. She had definitely had fun with Gavin and now that she ran out without even giving him her last name or getting his, there was very little hope that she would be able to have that kind of fun again. Her body flushed with warmth and a tickle ran through her belly when she thought about just how much fun they did have. Being with him had opened her eyes to what sex was supposed to be like. Most of the time that she and Phillip had sex the last two years they were together, she simply felt like an outlet. His narcissism was such that he seemed to believe she should just be honored that he was sharing his manhood with her. Things with Gavin that afternoon had been the complete opposite. She almost felt guilty that he had made her feel so good. But damn if she didn’t want to feel like that again. She wondered if she could find him, or if it was too late.

Heather got downstairs just as the staff were finished setting things up for the cocktail party. Kim had done an amazing job with the decorations. Lavender tulips and purple lisianthus’ not only gave an elegant touch to each of the linen covered tables, but they gave off a pleasing fragrance that stimulated the senses. The champagne fountain in the center of it all was understated, but the golden liquid that bubbled out of it held an elegance of its own. Each table held silver platters of prosciutto and cheese and water crackers and the waiters were preparing trays of hot hors d'oeuvres to circulate. Heather couldn’t wait until the business was doing well enough to give Kimberly and Rosie a raise. They both deserved it for all of their hard work.

The wedding party hadn’t arrived yet but the wedding guests staying at the lodge were beginning to show up. She stationed herself near the door and welcomed each and every one of them individually and thanked them for coming. By the time she saw Kimberly approaching from the ball room across the hall, the place was almost a full house.

“Hey, you did an amazing job on this place,” she told her when she got close. “How did rehearsal go?”

“Good.” Kimberly looked beautiful in a strapless green A-line cocktail dress that brought out the green in her hazel eyes. Her light brown hair was straightened and hung in smooth lines down across her bare, porcelain shoulders and Heather wondered not for the first time why none of the men she dated had stuck. “Dinner was amazing and the staff was incredible. We should use this place more often...but in the summertime from now on.”

“I second that idea,” Heather winked. “Where is the wedding party?”

“They’ll be here in just a second. You can go grab a cocktail if you want, I’ll wait here for them.”

“I’ll go grab us both one. What do you want?”

“I’ll take a cosmopolitan,” Kim said as she tugged on her skirt.

“You look gorgeous,” Heather told her. “Stop that.” Kim had a thing about her thighs that she thought were ‘too thick.’ Heather and anyone else with a brain as far as Heather was concerned, saw them as shapely. Some idiot Kim dated had told her they were fat and she had taken it to heart.

Heather made her way over to the bar and while she waited for the drinks she once again questioned the very idea of finding Gavin and trying to make something more of it than a one-night-stand. You just never knew about people. Maybe she had dodged a bullet by not giving him her number. After all he had to be in his mid-thirties and he’s not married. As hot as he is that could have a lot to say about him as a person. “Here you are miss,” the bartender placed the two drinks on the bar. She thanked him and the second she turned back toward the door, every thought in her head was gone. Gavin was walking in, dressed in a smoke gray suit with a plum tie. The suit fit him like a glove an now that Heather knew exactly what was underneath all of that expensive fabric she could almost picture him without it. As she stood rooted to the floor, her heart sped up, her mouth went dry and she regretted the fact that she hadn’t worn any panties. 

She was torn between feelings of running toward him and those of running away. When he glanced up and his eyes met hers a slow, sexy smile spread across his face and there was no longer any question. As if propelled without a brain to tell it what to do, her body began to migrate in his direction. He was a few feet from Kim when she reached him. She handed Kim her drink without taking her eyes off of his face and she could feel a smile of her own taking up residence there.

“Heather, what a surprise to see you here.”

“You too,” she told him.

“A very, pleasant surprise,” he said as he held out his hand to her. She put hers in his and caught Kimberly’s surprised expression over his shoulder. She tried to will away the blush she felt building but as soon as he brought her hand to his lips and gave it a feather soft kiss she felt the heat rise from somewhere in her chest all the way to the roots of her hair.

“Yes...you’re part of the wedding party?” Reluctantly she took her hand back. It was still warm where his lips touched it.

“I’m Jim’s best man. He’s been my best friend for almost as long as I can remember.”

“Well...that’s...hmm...”

He raised an eyebrow. “So are you one of Sadie’s guests?”

“I’m actually Jim and Sadie’s wedding planner. Heather Blair. Blair wedding creations.”

Gavin laughed. “Well, I guess the next time my best friend wants to introduce me to his wedding planner I’ll say yes.”

“Jim wanted to introduce us?”

Gavin held out his arm and Heather slipped her arm through it. He led her over to one of the empty tables and they sat down. “He thought we might hit it off.”

She laughed. “Imagine that. Maybe instead of an attorney he should run a dating site.”

He was smiling but something had changed in his eyes as he said, “I’m really glad I ran back into you. I’ve been thinking about you all day, Heather. I was afraid that I’d never see you again. You ran off without giving me your number...or your last name for that matter. Do you not want to see me again?”

Heather took a deep breath and looked around. The guests all seemed to be enjoying themselves and no one was close enough to hear their conversation. There was a blonde woman with large breasts several tables away that seemed to be staring at them but since Heather was sitting with the hottest man in the room she didn’t think much of it. “I’ve never done that before,” she whispered. “I’m sure all women say that, but honestly, I’m not the adventurous type.”

“That’s hard for me to believe.” She cocked an eyebrow at him and he smiled and said, “Not that you don’t leave bars with men. I believe that. But you own this business that does amazing things to make people happy. To me that says adventurer. Maybe you underestimate yourself.”

She dropped her gaze. She could smell his cologne and it brought back memories of having his body against hers and inside of her. Those images flitted through her mind and she wondered if they were running through his as well. She wanted to tell him that the woman he had been with last night wasn’t really her. It was her alter ego...the one she rarely if ever let come out to play. This was awkward. She had never had sex with a man and then had no idea what to say to him the next time she saw him. That was because she never had sex with a man she didn’t know. She started to try and put that into words, “I just don’t...”

Gavin reached out and softly ran his thumb down her jawline. It was an intimate touch and she wasn’t prepared for it. She closed her eyes and shuddered. It wasn’t the touch of a man that didn’t know her...or at least it shouldn’t be.

“You just don’t...” She swallowed hard and pulled out of his touch slowly. “I just don’t know what to say. I didn’t think that we would see each other again.”

“Are you disappointed?”

She was looking down, staring at his neck. He touched her again. It was amazing how the simple touch of his fingers felt like a jolt of electricity. He only used two fingers and he tipped her face up so that she was forced to look into his eyes. Those sexy, bedroom, cerulean eyes. If he thought that was going to make it easier for her to speak, he was wrong.

“No, of course I’m not disappointed.” It was just so complicated. “It’s just that I’m not really looking for anything permanent right now...” She stopped. That sounded like she thought he was offering something permanent. He hadn’t even said anything about a date. God, she hated this. She felt like a fool.

“Permanent is a strong word,” he said.

“I know, that’s not what I meant I just meant...”

“You’re not looking for a relationship. Neither am I, Heather.”

“You’re not?”

“No. But what happened between us was...”

“Gavin!” She saw him tense before turning toward the voice. It was one of the groomsmen. “It’s time for your toast.” He nodded and turned back toward Heather.

“Promise me you won’t run away so that we can finish this conversation?” She nodded, but her body already felt like it was in fight or flight mode. She was going to have to fight it to keep from running. He seemed to sense what she was thinking and with a sexy grin as he stood up he repeated, “Promise me,” and then added, “Out loud.”

With a shaky smile of her own she said, “I promise.” Heather tried not to stare as he walked up to the front of the room. Not that anyone would have noticed if she did since everyone else’s eyes were on him as well. He was not only beautiful, he had a commanding air about him that made you want to stand up and take notice. She realized she was still smiling only when her eyes landed on the blonde that had been staring at them earlier. Apparently she was the only one in the room not looking at Gavin. She was staring at Heather again only this time the curious look she had on her face earlier had been replaced by a glare.