“Not everyone can have your vocals. I’ll just leave the singing to you then.” He looked so hopeful as if she’d ever get in that studio to record anything again. The one-time deal was enough.

“I’d really like for us to kiss and make up now if that’s okay with you?” He wet his lips, the damn tease.

“I should make you suffer more.”

“Haven’t I suffered enough? Didn’t you see me almost pee my pants up there?”

Cherisse grabbed onto one side of his suspenders. “I think we suffered the most. For the record, please never try to serenade me for any reason. Ever. And if you have to work with Sean again, please tell me. I’d rather not walk into your studio unawares.”

He placed his hand over his heart. “I promise.”

“Good. Then go for it.”

He leaned in to brush his lips against hers. It was brief, chaste. He leaned back before she could even reciprocate or really get in there, grinning as she narrowed her eyes because surely, he could do better than that.

She wrapped her hand tighter around that damn suspender, tugged him close, and licked her way into his mouth, relishing the taste.

“Think they got any supply closets around here?” he asked.

“That isn’t going to become a thing.”

A commotion headed their way had them drawing apart. The bride and groom were leading the charge.

“What’s happening?”

“Ha! They’re really doing it. Those nerds.”

Cherisse was confused until she really paid attention to the song the DJ was playing. “Oh my God.”

People were lining up on either side of the deck as Heavy D & The Boyz’s “Now That We Found Love” pounded through the speakers. Leave it to her sister and her new hubby to recreate a Hitch scene. Rom com-loving nerds. She giggled as Ava and Eric made their way down the center as all around them, the guests clapped and cheered them on. Cherisse spied her mother, scowling her way, but she also got thumbs up from Remi, Reba, and Scott, who were waiting their turn to go down the line.

“Well?” Keiran was looking at her expectantly. “It’s our duty as best man and maid of honor to get jiggy with it.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. There went that damn blushing again, and a chorus of awwws from the side.

“Alright, let’s do this.” She meant so much more than the silly dancing.

It was scary, thinking of this, of them together as something more. She squeezed his hand, and Keiran smiled down at her. Or maybe, it was the start of something sweet. And she liked sweet things, a lot.

#

Acknowledgements