Read Online Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding (Crimson Romance) by Elley Arden - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elley Arden
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
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she’d missed the loud whooshing, pulsing noise permeating the glass sliding door.
He sighed. “I could lie here forever and listen to that sound.”
God help her, because she could, too, and she hated the romantic notion, mostly because it was another impossible dream. Congressman Mitchell didn’t have the freedom to stay here. Back home he had a mess to clean up. And in three weeks, when congressional recess was over, he’d be back to D.C., listening to the yapping of all the yes-men and women who followed him around, basking in his glow. Alice didn’t want to bask in the glow of anything but her own accomplishments, and being here put her theatre behind schedule.
A list of construction projects left undone formed in her head. The rotting hardwood floors. The ripped cushioned seats. The lack of lighting. The need for sound. Foggy incoherent thoughts garbled the list, but when she stirred a moment later, the words inside her head were loud and clear: Nothing mattered but the theatre.
On an exhale, Alice released the remnants of tension preventing sleep. In the morning, she’d wake up ready to go, ready to make her theatre a success. And Congressman Mitchell could do whatever he damn well pleased — as long as he stayed away from her.
CHAPTER FIVE
So much for Congressman Mitchell keeping his distance. When Alice woke to darkness, his arm was behind her neck, his opposite hand on her waist, and she was thoroughly confused. The ocean thrashed beyond the sliding door. Mouse snored at the foot of the bed. Justin slept on the pillow beside her. Several seconds passed before she knew she wasn’t dreaming.
On a shallow breath, she lifted her gaze to Justin’s shadowy face, and tried to imagine how they got to this overly-friendly — entirely too comfortable — position. Maybe she tried to wake him again. Maybe he was the one who’d been dreaming.
Don’t wake him now.
If she could slip out of his arms and his bed, she could spend the rest of the night in the guest room, alone, pretending the whole world hadn’t jumped its axis the moment she stood up in church.
Before she could make a move toward freedom, her stomach grumbled, echoing over other noises in the room. She held her breath and waited for Justin to stir. He only inhaled, lifting her body on the strength of his chest. She rode the wave, savoring the peaceful moment while studying his face. Moonlight peppered his cheek and sparked in his hair. The deep lines of worry that etched his forehead earlier had disappeared.
Alice’s heart swelled, crowding her lungs, making it hard to breathe. This was dangerous.
She tore her gaze from his face and stared at the flash of stars outside the window. How did she get here? She closed her eyes and struggled with a shaky breath. It didn’t matter how she got here. She
was
here, not here in North Carolina on his honeymoon where she didn’t belong — that was bad enough — but
here
in his arms. If she were being honest, she’d have to admit she liked it here. She liked it, because she liked him. A lot. She breathed again, deeper this time, taking in his fresh scent and stoking her desire.
Now was a terrible time for honesty.
His arm tightened around her shoulder, fusing her to his side. She opened her mouth to breathe and swallowed a mouthful of him as her lips pressed against his chest from the force of his hug. Reflexively, she hugged him back. He felt good, strong. She’d never felt so safe.
His thumb strummed the curve of her bare shoulder, churning the emotion in her chest. She loved him. Still. She should leave. And she would have, if she’d ever been the kind of girl who did the sensible thing.
While she struggled with herself, he nuzzled his cheek against her forehead and flattened his palm on the curve of her waist. Her breasts heated against his rolling chest, and the sensation opened a pit in the lowest part of her stomach.
This was crazy. She was wrapped in Justin Mitchell’s arms. One tip of
He sighed. “I could lie here forever and listen to that sound.”
God help her, because she could, too, and she hated the romantic notion, mostly because it was another impossible dream. Congressman Mitchell didn’t have the freedom to stay here. Back home he had a mess to clean up. And in three weeks, when congressional recess was over, he’d be back to D.C., listening to the yapping of all the yes-men and women who followed him around, basking in his glow. Alice didn’t want to bask in the glow of anything but her own accomplishments, and being here put her theatre behind schedule.
A list of construction projects left undone formed in her head. The rotting hardwood floors. The ripped cushioned seats. The lack of lighting. The need for sound. Foggy incoherent thoughts garbled the list, but when she stirred a moment later, the words inside her head were loud and clear: Nothing mattered but the theatre.
On an exhale, Alice released the remnants of tension preventing sleep. In the morning, she’d wake up ready to go, ready to make her theatre a success. And Congressman Mitchell could do whatever he damn well pleased — as long as he stayed away from her.
CHAPTER FIVE
So much for Congressman Mitchell keeping his distance. When Alice woke to darkness, his arm was behind her neck, his opposite hand on her waist, and she was thoroughly confused. The ocean thrashed beyond the sliding door. Mouse snored at the foot of the bed. Justin slept on the pillow beside her. Several seconds passed before she knew she wasn’t dreaming.
On a shallow breath, she lifted her gaze to Justin’s shadowy face, and tried to imagine how they got to this overly-friendly — entirely too comfortable — position. Maybe she tried to wake him again. Maybe he was the one who’d been dreaming.
Don’t wake him now.
If she could slip out of his arms and his bed, she could spend the rest of the night in the guest room, alone, pretending the whole world hadn’t jumped its axis the moment she stood up in church.
Before she could make a move toward freedom, her stomach grumbled, echoing over other noises in the room. She held her breath and waited for Justin to stir. He only inhaled, lifting her body on the strength of his chest. She rode the wave, savoring the peaceful moment while studying his face. Moonlight peppered his cheek and sparked in his hair. The deep lines of worry that etched his forehead earlier had disappeared.
Alice’s heart swelled, crowding her lungs, making it hard to breathe. This was dangerous.
She tore her gaze from his face and stared at the flash of stars outside the window. How did she get here? She closed her eyes and struggled with a shaky breath. It didn’t matter how she got here. She
was
here, not here in North Carolina on his honeymoon where she didn’t belong — that was bad enough — but
here
in his arms. If she were being honest, she’d have to admit she liked it here. She liked it, because she liked him. A lot. She breathed again, deeper this time, taking in his fresh scent and stoking her desire.
Now was a terrible time for honesty.
His arm tightened around her shoulder, fusing her to his side. She opened her mouth to breathe and swallowed a mouthful of him as her lips pressed against his chest from the force of his hug. Reflexively, she hugged him back. He felt good, strong. She’d never felt so safe.
His thumb strummed the curve of her bare shoulder, churning the emotion in her chest. She loved him. Still. She should leave. And she would have, if she’d ever been the kind of girl who did the sensible thing.
While she struggled with herself, he nuzzled his cheek against her forehead and flattened his palm on the curve of her waist. Her breasts heated against his rolling chest, and the sensation opened a pit in the lowest part of her stomach.
This was crazy. She was wrapped in Justin Mitchell’s arms. One tip of
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