Make It Known

Bonus Chapter #2: Weddings

"Weddings"

early marriage, before kids • Dylan's POV

***

They are so in love that it's bloody sickening.

I gulp down the last of the dark liquid in the crystal tumbler in front of me and set it back onto the polished wooden bar, yanking a little at my bow tie to loosen the bloody thing before it suffocates me.

Apparently, the marriage ceremony in Gavin's kitchen eight months ago, officiated by yours truly, wasn't enough for those two.

No, they needed a white dress and flowers and cake and about a million other frivolous things as well.

Being a best man is bloody exhausting.

"Hey, handsome," a sultry voice purrs. A feminine hand comes to rest suggestively onto my shoulder. I lean against the hotel bar and turn to my right to find a busty, brown-haired woman gazing up at me through smoky eyes. She's wearing an indecently short black dress with her breasts nearly spilling out of the top and is looking at me like there's only one thing on her mind.

I don't recognize her from the wedding party... It doesn't matter.

For some reason, the prospect of an easy lay is doing absolutely nothing for me tonight.

"You look like you could use some company," she says. She purses her lips that are painted a dark red and gives me a look that I know is supposed to get me going, but fuck, I feel nothing besides the slight buzz from the whiskey thrumming through my veins.

I sift my fingers through my hair, rake my gaze over her from bottom to top. Tall stiletto heels, long tanned legs, perilous curves and firm, round, generous tits. She's undeniably attractive, and she's quite forward. She'd be a wild lay. Would like it rough, would give excellent head, say lots of filthy things and moan like a fucking porn star.

Again, not as appealing as it usually would be.

"What's your name, darling?"

She licks her bottom lip and her eyes widen and darken with lust. Yeah. Something about North American women and an English accent. And of course I look quite dapper in my tux, a little rumpled and rugged because it's the end of the night and people are leaving the reception and I'm standing here in front of the bar drowning out my sudden sullen mood with some hard liquor.

"Carmen."

I roll the name around in my mouth a little to see if I like the way it tastes.

"Carmen." I give her a faint, tired smile. "Do you ever get bored of it? Going home with strangers whom you'll never see again after the morning?"

She looks a little taken aback for a second, but then raises a perfectly-applied eyebrow and replies, "You look like you could use a stranger tonight."

"Honestly? I'm not so sure anymore these days."

Those expertly-lined lips open to say something else except a familiar, unimpressed female voice interrupts by quipping, "I wouldn't sleep with him unless you want to wake up with some kind of strange sexually-transmitted illness."