Two Weddings (and One Near Funeral)

T-1 Day

He found Mackenzie in front of the mirror, smoothing the fabric of the deep red bridesmaid dress over her hip. “It’s not so bad,” she murmured, meeting his eyes in the mirror. “For a bridesmaid’s dress, I mean.”

“No,” he whispered, sliding an arm around her. “You’re beautiful.”

“You’re biased.” But she smiled and leaned back against him. “Are you going to put on your tux so I can admire you?”

His lips brushed the side of her neck. “Last minute alterations. Gotta pick it up tomorrow before we head out to Alec’s.”

“Too bad.” She shivered and tilted her head, a quiet invitation he recognized by now. “Suppose it’s good, though. I’ve been a little unsteady. Don’t want to accidentally rip it off of you.”

He clutched her tighter for a split second. “Aren’t you supposed to be making Carmen’s life easier instead of ripping up the groomsmen?”

“Sera took her to a spa to hide from Alec’s mother.” Mackenzie’s eyes drifted open, bright blue and full of mischief. “If Geraldine Jacobson gets irritated that she can’t find her future daughter-in-law, I get to have at her.”

“Finally?”

“Maybe you should save her from herself. Help me get this dress off and distract me.”

Peeling the satin up her body would distract them both. Jackson eased the dress up her legs. “You gonna wear your hair up or down?”

“Up.” Every deep breath she dragged into her lungs pressed her breasts against the dress’s low-cut bodice. “Out of the way, in case a brawl starts. You know I’m hoping for one.”

“Better forgo the dangly earrings then.”

“Jackson?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“Will you marry me?”

The words stopped him stock still, and he stared at her in the mirror. “What?”

“Tomorrow,” she whispered, meeting his gaze. “After Carmen and Alec survive their ceremony. Can’t we just...get on a plane and go to Vegas?”

His mother would flip her shit, but Mackenzie had faced down enough mother-in-law crap to last a lifetime. “Just us?”

“Mmm.” She twisted in his arms and rocked up on her toes, lips sliding along his jaw. “I made friendly with Alec’s pilot buddy. I bet he’d fly us out there. He’s a spell caster too.”

“I know.” Jackson turned her and met her gaze evenly. “Do you really want to do this, or do you just not want what Carmen and Alec are getting? Because I swear, Kenzie, I wouldn’t let anyone make you.”

She swallowed hard. “I don’t know. I just...I want to already be married to you. I need to be already married to you.”

The emotion that welled at the thought threatened to choke him. “I know the feeling. If you really want to do it... Fuck it. Let’s go.”

Her brilliant smile was reward enough, but a second later she had both hands in his hair and her mouth crashed into his, kissing him like she couldn’t help herself, like she needed him more than life.

Like she needed him as much as he needed her.

“We’re crazy,” he murmured against her mouth.

“Always have been.” She bit his lip. “Get me out of this dress before we rip it.”

He tugged at the zipper and groaned when it held fast. “One problem. Zipper’s stuck.”

Mackenzie dropped her head to rest against his shoulder and whimpered. “I hate weddings.”