Riley Mackenzie - Beautifully Done

Why the fuck am I barefoot? The sand was cold, colder than you would expect in October, and the salt water spray only added to the chill in the air. At least I was in this monkey suit, couldve been worse. Half the women lining the beach, waiting to get this show on the road, were freezing their asses off in glorified lingerie. Not that I minded the view.

Why the fuck are we barefoot again? I clipped Chases arm to get his attention and snap him out of whatever pussy whipped La-La Land he disappeared to.

How old are you, man? Cant you stand still for five minutes?

If I didnt know any better, the bastard sounded nervous.

Ash, Im with you, Sierra chimed in from across the aisle. This wind sucks. Dont be surprised if my nipples cut straight through this dress. Sierra was Lilis best friend, maid of honor and probably the funniest chick we knew. I laughed and Chases face hardened, definitely not feeling our humor.

Dude, you look like youre gonna shit yourself. Sure you want to do this? Theres still time to back out. Cue the look of death. That was more like it. I grinned and threw my hands up in surrender. Just sayin.

Finally his brow relaxed. He was my best friend, but damn, was he one intense motherfucker.

What the hell is taking her so long? Im going back up to the house to make sure everythings okay.

There was the real truth. He couldnt stand being more than two feet away from her for any given amount of time. Overprotective was an understatement; especially after everything they went through last year.

I clutched his shoulder. No, youre not.

I lifted my chin toward the staircase slicing through the sand dunes and tall beach grass just as the music started to play. And not the traditional harp or cello, but acoustic guitar. Nice. Chases shoulders relaxed and I slapped him on the back. Lucky bastard.

Lili Porter was take-your-breath-away, instant hard-on beautiful. She was wearing one of those stark white strapless Greek goddess-looking dresses that hugged all the right places. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back, covered by a simple white veil. Her long bangs blew in the wind; the ones she cut last year to help cover one of her scars. This was why I called her gorgeous.

Everyone stood from their white folding chairs and focused on the bride. Cameras clicked and the oohs and aahs briefly muffled the music. Chase struggled to control his breathing. As head over heels as he was for this woman, he would be pissed at himself if he lost his shit in front of all these people. Half the crowd worked for him.

Really? I leaned in, trying to sound nonchalant, pointing to the sparkly pumps dangling underneath her bouquet of blue roses. Whatd you pay for those fucking shoes? And shes not even wearing them.

He turned and elbowed me in the ribs. Youre an ass. Then he shook his head and chuckled. At least he made it five minutes without crying like a pansy. Best man duty fulfilled.

The ceremony went off without a hitch. The women all cried, because women cry. Hell, I even got a little choked up. Marriage wasnt in the cards for me, but if two people were meant for each other it was these two. All the main points were hit: rings, vows, I dos and a kiss, if you could call it that. More like a teaser clip of the honeymoon. If it was anyone other than the guy who slept over every time he lost a tooth in the second grade because the Park Avenue tooth fairy sucked ass, and the girl who earned honorary sister status, it would have been hot. Screw it, it was still pretty hot. Too bad I didnt bring a date to share in the love.

Wedding dates were a huge no, bigger than Saturday night dates. It never just meant and guest, at least not to your plus one. So I didnt do either. It was that simple. I was a player, but I wasnt a heartless dick. If I stumbled across a beautiful lady who was already there, well, that was a completely different story. And luckily, this reception had no shortage.

Forget about it. Sierra sucked down half of her margarita.

What? What did I do?

Sierras eyes followed my line of sight. Standing alone at the bar, a petite brunette played with the straw in her pink drink. I wasnt a boob man, but even at this distance, I couldnt miss her rack bopping to the beat of the music. I was blessed with 20/20.

Pick someone else. Youre the last thing she needs. Lilis pint-sized sidekick excelled at blunt. No offense.

None taken. I knew exactly what she meant.

But before I got the chance to defend my honor, Dodd snaked her waist and clinked his beer bottle against mine. Whats up, Ash? My wife giving you a hard time?

Howd you guess?

Psst, I live with her, remember?

Sierra was a handful and a half, but hey, thats what he signed on for when he said I do. I laughed and we both drank.

Hey, Im standing right here. Her hand shot to her hip, assuming the classic pissed off female stance.

I wondered if she realized that it didnt have quite the same effect at a good foot shorter than everyone else. Pint-sized and feisty. It was fun having her around more since Chase and Lili moved up from Philadelphia six months ago. Those women were connected at the hip. No doubt, she would have Dodds ass destined for Boston in no time.

You- her finger jabbed my chest, need to keep it in your pants. Kates off limits. Got me? And you Now it was Dodds turn. If you want me to ever take it back out of your pants, youll back me up on this one.

Come again? Thats Kate?

Yes, so point your sexy green eyes in another direction. Like, ummm, there. How about her? Im sure youll have no problem sweet talking her way-too-tight, wannabe couture dress right off of her.

Dodd laughed at his wife. Babe, I love you to pieces, but you can be a serious bitch sometimes.

Her hand found its way back to her little hip. Come on, if you want to wear size four Lycra, you dont get double D implants. You know Im right.

Wait, back up. Thats Kate? Kate, Kate? Shit. I didnt know what I was expecting, but it wasnt a hottie. Her ex was about eight months in on a three-year sentence for assault and drug theft. Got off easy, not nearly long enough for the damage he caused. Supposedly he was more distraught over losing his license to practice medicine than the fact he almost killed Lili. The bastard bashed her skull against a wall and tossed her down a flight of cement stairs for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I sat vigil with Chase in that claustrophobic hospital cube for the longest forty-eight hours, waiting to see if shed wake up. It was pure torture. I couldnt tell you which was worse, watching him circle a scary abyss again or staring at her unrecognizable face. It was a miracle she healed as well as she did, at least on the outside.

Sierra snapped out of whatever tangent she was on. I forgot you never met her before. Probably because it took her weeks to face Lilithe poor thing was a hot mess after the accident. We all knew Lil would never blame her.

Of course she wouldnt.

Anyway, my point is that Kates finally got herself together, even started dating again. Thus, you and your giant hot self stay far, far away.

You dont have to tell me twice. I backed away with a raised hand. Kate was definitely attractive, but she screamed emotional disaster. I had no intentions of touching her with a ten foot pole. That woman needed way more than I could ever give her. Just because I had a dick didnt mean I had to be a dick.

Scanning the massive beach tent, I eyed a second bar, then a third, and then a fourth. Another beer was calling my name, so I made my way across the dance floor, enjoying the occasional bump and grind along the way. Hey, you only lived once and I was never too shy to get my groove on. And leave it to my boy to do it right, sparing no expense for his bride. Who strung crystal chandeliers up in an outdoor tent? Chase would piss money away if he could; his disdain for the almighty dollar was bewildering. Good thing the loser had me watching his back. I made us both more money than he could spend in a lifetime.