“You look delicious by the way,” he growled as his eyes roamed up and down my body in the fitted, floor-length gown.

“Thank you, but back to what I was saying. We’re already getting married.”

“Right. Tonight.”

My eyes doubled and mouth fell open. “Robert, where is this coming from?” He’d never shied away from the fact that he desired a short engagement, but we had originally planned for our wedding to be six months out from the night of our engagement party.

“From the fact that we’ve waited long enough.”

“We haven’t even been dating six months.” How he had managed to get me to say yes to marrying him in such a short amount of time, I didn’t know. I’d dated Cohen for two years, was friends with him for two years prior to that, and the idea of marrying him had never entered my mind.

“What’s your point?”

I sighed.

“Additionally, this is coming from the fact that you nor I even like half of these people here.”

“Half?” I questioned, giving him a look.

“Okay, ninety-nine percent of these people. And yes, it’s mostly me who doesn’t like them. You hardly know anyone here.”

I snorted. A handful of my friends had come to the party to congratulate Robert and I, but the bulk of the people in attendance had been invited by Robert’s parents. Needless to say, I didn’t know any of them.

“And what does that have to do with us getting married tonight?”

“Because these same people will be at our wedding if my parents have anything to do with it. And look, I’m willing to give you the wedding you want. Anything you want. If you want the big, fancy dress with a long train and all that shit, I’ll do it. But all I need is for you to be my wife. Tonight. We can still plan a big, opulent ordeal if you—”

“Yes.”

His mouth hung ajar as if he was ready to keep making his argument.

I moved closer, hands cupping his face. “I’ll marry you. Tonight. You know more than anyone, I don’t need a big wedding. Hell, this engagement party was enou—” My words were captured by his lips covering mine.

Abruptly, he pulled back from the kiss, grabbed my left hand, and I found myself having to run in heels just to keep up with his long strides.

“Robert, slow down,” I hissed. “I’m in heels.”

I went to protest more, but almost ran right into him when he stopped short.

“What the hell are you doing here?” His voice was low, a tone I recognized he spoke when he was attempting to stave his anger.

“Just here to say congratulations.”

A voice I hadn’t heard in years, but recognized immediately had the hairs on the back of my neck standing. On its own accord, my face formed into a scowl at the sound of Jack Lassiter’s voice. I peered over Robert’s shoulder to see my suspicions confirmed. It’d been over five years since I’d seen Jack’s face, but he still wore that same cocky grin he always seemed to have in college.