His lips brushed hers lightly, tentatively, and she thought he was going to pull back and be done. But instead, he leaned in enthusiastically, his hands grasping her face in the way people kiss when it really means something.

Their lips met full on. His were soft and warm, and his hands were strong and gentle, and she had to grasp onto him—yikes, the lean, hard muscle—for balance.

He kissed like his personality—confident, smooth, and easy.

As he angled his jaw to kiss her more thoroughly, she found herself kissing him back, getting lost in his taste, in the feel of his mouth, of the way he lowered his hands to her waist and pulled her into him. Or did she do that herself?

He broke the kiss seconds later, pulling back. In front of her families, it was probably a solid PG.

Yet the effect was definitely not PG.

Because Tessa was not very clear about time and space. She felt dizzy and weak, sort of like she did in the bathroom earlier, the room spinning around her. Whatever Leo had just done with his lips, he’d made her forget all about this horrible arrangement for ten seconds. Or a year. Or however long it had lasted.

As she caught her breath and her balance, she realized that there was a lot she didn’t like about Leo, but their chemistry apparently was a time bomb. A sleeping bear that must never be poked again.

Duly noted.

She was left looking into the shocked faces of her sisters, who were staring, mouths agape. Juliet was biting her nails, and Vivienne was tearing up.

As Leo moved off to talk to Gia, Jack gave Tessa a hug. “I don’t know what’s going on here,” he said as he pulled back, “but I just wanted to ask you to please be patient with my friend Leo.”

“Patient?” Of all things. “Couldn’t you just say congrats?”

He chuckled. “Leo is… I honestly don’t think Leo has ever thought seriously about what he wants—besides his career. You’re going to force him to do that, whether he likes it or not.”

“Jack is right,” Noah said. “Leo’s never talked about having a wife.”

And now he had a wife and a cat that he didn’t even know about yet. “Well, thanks, guys, for the advice,” she managed, until suddenly Leo was at her side, steering her toward the door. She resisted.

“What is it?” he asked, his face pained.

“I have to throw my bouquet.”

He gave her a look that said really?

“It’s bad luck if you don’t.”

He dropped his voice. “Maybe you could define what bad luck is for a marriage that’s only going to last for six months.”

She ignored that. “Okay, ladies. Turn around.”

“Tessa, no,” Vivienne complained. “This is old-fashioned. It’s weird.”