Marrying the Wrong Man (23 page)

Authors: Elley Arden

“Come on.” Alice stood and grabbed his hands. “Let’s dance.” She tugged, jumping to the disco beat.

Will stayed put. “Don’t you have some theatre donor to schmooze?”

“At my wedding reception? That would be tacky. Besides, Justin is busy gathering support for his mayoral run.”

Because
that
wasn’t tacky. Will managed to keep his eyes from rolling while Alice ducked beneath one of his raised arms and twirled. She danced around him like he was reciprocating, and he suddenly felt like the miserable fool Justin had accused him of being. This was a wedding. His big brother was right; Will needed to work on his mood. He stood, smiling at Alice’s shocked squeal when he spun her around again.

“There you go!” She pulled him away from the table. “Three more steps and you’ll be on the dance floor.”

He’d had just enough whiskey to make following her seem reasonable.

“I’m in shock.” Justin said when they’d reached the dance floor.

Alice released one of Will’s hands and laced her fingers with her husband’s. “He’s not as boring as you think he is.”

Maybe not boring, but he sure felt like a third wheel. Will released Alice’s other hand but not before he gave it a squeeze. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She kissed him on the cheek. “But you’re not allowed to sit down again. Got it?”

Will nodded. “I’m just going to find my own partner.”

“Excellent. Our job here is done,” Justin said, spinning his bride toward the center of the floor. “We’ll be watching you.”

Will shook his head and smiled at the goofy, wide-eyed look his brother gave, and then he set his sights on the crowd. There had to be someone who would tolerate his mediocre dance moves and not mistake his offer to dance for something more.

His mother still sat alone, surprisingly without his younger brother Mark, who was better known as her shadow. Asking her was probably the least complicated option.

“Mother,” Will said, inclining his head when he reached her side. “May I have this dance?”

She wrinkled her narrow nose as she watched the dance floor. “I’ve danced enough for one night.”

Will winced at the easy brush-off. He’d seen her dance exactly twice: once with Mark during the bridal party dance, and once with Justin during the mother-son dance. He didn’t want to take it personally, so he told himself even two years after her heart attack, she hadn’t regained all of her strength, but it was hard not to feel rejected. With hands in his pockets, he glanced at the full dance floor, having lost his drive to change his mood. Maybe he’d just sit here and talk business. At least his position and achievements as Chief Operating Officer of Mitchell Company, Inc. could be counted on to endear him to his CEO mother.

“I sent Mark for drinks,” she continued, and then she looked at him. “Well, don’t just stand there blocking my view. Either sit or move along.”

On second thought, there had to be a better option for company.

“Enjoy your drinks,” he said, deciding he’d rather deal with Justin and Alice’s disappointment over seeing him back in his seat at an empty table than weather his mother’s sour attitude and disapproval.

He’d only made it halfway across the dance floor, when Carole Flemming caught his eye.

“Will,” she preened, sweeping toward him, dragging Kory behind her. “This is beautiful! Your family sure knows how to put on a wedding.”

Money could do that for a person, money and Alice Cramer Mitchell’s flair for the dramatic. He took a quick glance at the glistening red and gold ballroom and smiled. “Thank you. You look like you’re having a good time.”

“Oh, I am.”

Kory was dead silent. She’d moved on from holding hands with her mother to locking elbows with the woman. And she was looking everywhere but at him.

“But I’m beat,” Mrs. Flemming added. “Kory is suddenly an Energizer bunny.”

On that comment, Kory’s emerald eyes widened to full moon proportion. “Well, I…”

“Should dance with Will,” Mrs. Flemming said, shoving her daughter toward him. “He doesn’t have a partner. Do you, Will?”

Will shook his head. “I do not, and my brother and his new wife made it perfectly clear I need to find one.”

Kory stepped back. “On second thought, I
am
tired.”

“Nonsense.” Mrs. Flemming smacked her daughter’s hand a few times and pulled away from her grip. “Dance for heaven’s sake. Once you get back to Chicago it will be all work and no play.”

If Kory’s teeth were nails, Will had no doubt she would’ve spit a mouthful at him.

“Come on, Kory. It’s one dance. Don’t tell me you’re afraid I’ll be so good I’ll make you look bad.”

“Hardly.” She huffed but took a step closer. “One dance, Will, and only because I don’t want to disappoint my mother, but I’m warning you. If you mention calculus, I’ll knee you in the balls and walk away.”

He chuckled. “Deal.” Sliding a hand around her waist and pulling her closer, his laughter evaporated. For a skinny woman, she sure was soft, which may have had something to do with the miles of satin covering her. He opened his mouth for a shallow breath, drawing her the last couple inches against his chest, getting a mouthful of air tinged with something even sweeter than wedding cake. His rusty libido groaned. Somewhere in the distance beyond the physical sensations of Kory’s palm pressing against the back of his neck…and her fingernails grazing his hairline…and her opposite hand nestled hot and tight in his…his brain whispered to his body,
she’s not interested in you.

Acoustic guitar music registered, and then her breath tickled his earlobe. He froze for a moment before instinct had him twisting his wrist and rotating her arm so he could hold her hand against his chest. Swallowing was inexplicably difficult, so he cleared his throat to aid the process, and felt her body tense.

He should’ve stayed at the table with his mother. At least he knew where he stood over there. Here, he was just a man, feeling things for a woman, who, he was damn near certain, wasn’t feeling anything at all for him.

“You know, you can speak? When I said don’t mention calculus, I wasn’t suggesting we dance in awkward silence.”

He nodded, loosened his fingers around her hand, and lightened his palm on her back. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to behave. It seems like I say something stupid every time I open my mouth around you.”

Tipping her head back, Kory studied him. Her brows pulled together, wrinkling her forehead, and her glossy lips pursed. She looked…beautiful. Will squeezed his eyes shut for a split second, trying to reset his brain.

“That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all weekend.” She released a bona fide chuckle that lit her green eyes and showed off the prettiest smile.

Will laughed, too, and that bit of cordial commiseration fanned the spark in his gut.
Bad idea
, his brain said.
She still doesn’t like you.
But his body had a mind of its own, pulling her closer until she settled her chin on his shoulder and somewhat relaxed.

Apparently, sixteen years hadn’t changed a thing. When Kory Flemming was near, Will Mitchell acted like a fool.

He noted the song winding down and battled a burst of disappointment, because he wasn’t ready for her to leave—not when they were finally playing nicely. A few strands of silky hair brushed his lips, and he darted out his tongue, taking a not-so-innocent taste. He really was a strange bird.

“You know, when I get back to Chicago tomorrow night, I’m going straight to ophthalmology and requesting they zap my eyes with laser. Maybe they can erase some of the whacked out things I’ve seen since I’ve been back here.” This was more than she’d said to him the entire weekend, and all he could take away from it was she was leaving tomorrow. He had no idea when she’d be back again, especially with her poor opinion of small-town Harmony Falls. And that felt like a terrible shame.

Suddenly, he wanted to alter their entire history or at least press rewind on the weekend. Maybe with more time he could’ve found his footing with her, and they could’ve had a little fun. After all, she was the only person he knew who might share his excitement over the discovery of a Higgs boson subatomic spec. Then again, if her mother was right, fun—scientific or otherwise—didn’t seem to be a high priority to Dr. Flemming.

“Is it true what your mother said?” Will asked.

“What did my mother say?”

“That Chicago is all work and no play?”

“I like to work.”

He could appreciate that. Heck, he lived that way, too. “You don’t like to play?”

A charged silence lingered between them, and the music changed to a fast song not conducive to holding her close, but she surprised him by not backing away.

“I play,” she whispered.

A hot flush greater than anything the whiskey had delivered heated Will from the inside out.

“Get a room,” Mark called as he cut across the crowded dance floor, two highball drinks in hand.

That did the trick. Kory rocketed from Will’s arms like he’d burst into flames—he felt like he did. She blinked fast and furious, adjusting the belt around her waist. “Thanks for the dance,” she managed before scurrying away.

Will turned to his younger brother and glared. “Nice.”

Mark laughed. “Here.” He held out a small glass of amber liquor. “Consolation.”

Will threw it back, because, hell, he’d rather be drunk and numb than wondering why he was hot for Kory Flemming after all these years.

To purchase this ebook and learn more about the author,
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For more books by Elley Arden, check out:

Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding

Chad’s Chance
in the Emerald Springs Legacy series

And look for her Kemmons Brothers novella in
Take Me Out