dress.
Mortified, she had an overwhelming urge to cross her arms, but resisted, not wanting him to know he'd embarrassed her. Instead, she gave him a frosty look. "You flatter yourself." Then she leaned forward a bit more and graced the man on the detective's other side with a seductive smile.
John frowned and she turned her attention back to the front, a smug smile spreading across her face.
"What I want to know," John whispered, moving close enough that she felt his body heat warming her, and his breath against her neck stirring the small hairs, "is where you're hiding your sword."
Before she could say anything, the blaring of the Trumpet March announced the bride's appearance, and Jess found herself lost in the moment. Jess had seen Beth several times before in her wedding gown, but she'd never seen her looking lovelier than she did at that moment. Walking beside her father, it was clear to all present that the sole object of her attention and love was the man who waited for her at the end of the aisle.
Jess felt her breath catch, and despite previous vows to not get too emotional, her eyes filled with tears. The thought that a vampire slayer shouldn't be this emotional raced through her head, and she tried to discreetly wipe the moisture from her eyes.
Beth reached the front, and the look in Dirk's eyes was hot and hungry. It was the kind of expression every woman deserved to see in her husband's eyes, especially on their wedding day. Reaching up to dab at her eyes again, Jess was surprised when a tissue suddenly appeared before her. Even more surprising was the source, but there was nothing in John's expression to lead her to think that he was about to tease her for crying or in any other way belittle her.
"Thank you," she said softly, taking it from him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, she thought. Then her attention was fully focused on the ceremony for the next twenty minutes.
Afterward, as Charles, Julia, and most of the guests left the church to head over to Charles's mansion for the reception, Jess waited patiently for Mac and Lanie to finish with the photographer who was taking pictures of the wedding party. For a while, she stood and watched the pictures being taken, but eventually she had to find the ladies' restroom.
When she returned to the chapel a few minutes later, she found it completely empty. Thinking the party had moved outdoors to take a few moonlight photos, she hurried outside to find the yard dismally empty and the last of the guests just driving off.
"There you are." John's voice came from behind her, giving her a start.
"It appears that my ride has left without me." She gave him a baleful glance.
"No, it hasn't." Standing beside her, he gestured to the lone vehicle in the parking lot. "Your chariot awaits ."
He put his hand at the small of her back and ushered her toward his car.
"Thank you." She walked beside him, feeling ill at ease. "I guess Mac and Lanie forgot me." She tried to sound like it didn't bother her, but it did.
"They didn't forget you," he said as they stopped at his car and he unlocked the passenger door.
"Are you trying to imply that they left me on purpose?" She knew that she shouldn't let anything he said affect her, and yet—
He smiled. "What I meant is that you're not that forgettable."
"So you're suggesting that they left me intentionally? Because I'm a nuisance to be with?" she accused as she got into the car.
"You? A nuisance? Don't be ridiculous," he said in mock protest, closing the door and walking around to the other side to get in. "I know that I enjoy being with you, but then, I like dodging sword blades and getting the crap beat out of me by vampires."
"Sorry," she muttered as he started the car. "You getting beat up wasn't supposed to be part of the plan."
She fell quiet as he maneuvered the car out of the parking lot and onto the street. They arrived at the mansion several minutes later and John parked his car in the back, where Mac had
Mortified, she had an overwhelming urge to cross her arms, but resisted, not wanting him to know he'd embarrassed her. Instead, she gave him a frosty look. "You flatter yourself." Then she leaned forward a bit more and graced the man on the detective's other side with a seductive smile.
John frowned and she turned her attention back to the front, a smug smile spreading across her face.
"What I want to know," John whispered, moving close enough that she felt his body heat warming her, and his breath against her neck stirring the small hairs, "is where you're hiding your sword."
Before she could say anything, the blaring of the Trumpet March announced the bride's appearance, and Jess found herself lost in the moment. Jess had seen Beth several times before in her wedding gown, but she'd never seen her looking lovelier than she did at that moment. Walking beside her father, it was clear to all present that the sole object of her attention and love was the man who waited for her at the end of the aisle.
Jess felt her breath catch, and despite previous vows to not get too emotional, her eyes filled with tears. The thought that a vampire slayer shouldn't be this emotional raced through her head, and she tried to discreetly wipe the moisture from her eyes.
Beth reached the front, and the look in Dirk's eyes was hot and hungry. It was the kind of expression every woman deserved to see in her husband's eyes, especially on their wedding day. Reaching up to dab at her eyes again, Jess was surprised when a tissue suddenly appeared before her. Even more surprising was the source, but there was nothing in John's expression to lead her to think that he was about to tease her for crying or in any other way belittle her.
"Thank you," she said softly, taking it from him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, she thought. Then her attention was fully focused on the ceremony for the next twenty minutes.
Afterward, as Charles, Julia, and most of the guests left the church to head over to Charles's mansion for the reception, Jess waited patiently for Mac and Lanie to finish with the photographer who was taking pictures of the wedding party. For a while, she stood and watched the pictures being taken, but eventually she had to find the ladies' restroom.
When she returned to the chapel a few minutes later, she found it completely empty. Thinking the party had moved outdoors to take a few moonlight photos, she hurried outside to find the yard dismally empty and the last of the guests just driving off.
"There you are." John's voice came from behind her, giving her a start.
"It appears that my ride has left without me." She gave him a baleful glance.
"No, it hasn't." Standing beside her, he gestured to the lone vehicle in the parking lot. "Your chariot awaits ."
He put his hand at the small of her back and ushered her toward his car.
"Thank you." She walked beside him, feeling ill at ease. "I guess Mac and Lanie forgot me." She tried to sound like it didn't bother her, but it did.
"They didn't forget you," he said as they stopped at his car and he unlocked the passenger door.
"Are you trying to imply that they left me on purpose?" She knew that she shouldn't let anything he said affect her, and yet—
He smiled. "What I meant is that you're not that forgettable."
"So you're suggesting that they left me intentionally? Because I'm a nuisance to be with?" she accused as she got into the car.
"You? A nuisance? Don't be ridiculous," he said in mock protest, closing the door and walking around to the other side to get in. "I know that I enjoy being with you, but then, I like dodging sword blades and getting the crap beat out of me by vampires."
"Sorry," she muttered as he started the car. "You getting beat up wasn't supposed to be part of the plan."
She fell quiet as he maneuvered the car out of the parking lot and onto the street. They arrived at the mansion several minutes later and John parked his car in the back, where Mac had
Similar Books
