The Best Man's Bride Read Online Free PDF Page B

maybe no one should have been surprised that she’d backed out of the marriage. But Molly wasn’t flaky, as Nick had said. Once she set her mind on something, she followed through—like becoming a doctor. While Colleen liked volunteering at the hospital, she would never have been able to handle the studies, as Molly had, taking time off from medical school only for her wedding. Her wedding-that-wasn’t.
    Josh’s wedding, too.
    “How is the groom?” she asked, as Nick led her in between the other dancing couples and kids to a remote corner of the floor.
    “Groom?” he snorted as he pulled her into his arms.
    “Groom implies that there was a wedding.” His jaw taut, he ground out his words. “There was no wedding. There was no bride. So no, there is no groom.”
    Colleen’s reluctance to dance with him had nothing to do with her wounded ego. She couldn’t dance with a man this angry with her sister. He acted as if he were the jilted groom. She stopped moving and tried to pull away, but his hands continued to hold her close.
    His breath shuddered out, stirring her hair. “He’s my best friend.” Emotion cracked the deep smoothness of his voice. “I hate to see him go through this again.”
    “Again?” Oh, God, the poor man…
    “He didn’t get left at the altar before. But when the twins were babies, their mom, Josh’s first wife, just took off.”
    Like Molly had. Probably not out a window, but still she’d abandoned her husband and children. Colleen knew what it felt like to be abandoned. Shortly after her dad died, Molly and Brenna had left for college, Eric had enlisted in the Marines and Abby had just… left. Colleen had never felt so alone. She lifted her hand to Nick’s shoulder and settled back into his arms, moving her feet to follow his lead as the music played, low and smoky. “I’m sorry.”
    Nick shrugged, muscles rippling beneath her palm. “He says he’s staying in Cloverville.”
    Waiting for Molly. Men waited for Molly. They didn’t even notice Colleen. Usually.
     
    N ICK SHIFTED HIS HAND against her back. Moving his palm over the smooth red satin, he longed to touch her, to see if her skin was as silky as the dress. She was so slender his hand nearly spanned the back of her waist. He nudged her closer, so that she settled against his chest. His pulse leaped as he breathed in the scent of lilies from a small sprig of flowers clasped in her hair. Some of the chocolate-colored strands brushed his chin and throat. He’d never felt anything as soft except for the kitten he’d once bought the twins. But the boys’ rambuctiousness had scared the little thing so much he’d had to rescue it from them.
    When he tilted Colleen’s chin, she stared up at him with enormous dark eyes, as vulnerable and frightened as the kitten had been. Why did she fear him? Did she feel his barely controlled anger over how her sister had humiliated his best friend?
    Or did she feel the desire he could hardly control at this moment—for her? “Colleen…”
    Something about her, that vulnerability, her youth and air of innocence, suggested she needed rescuing and compelled him to step up and save her. But Nick knew, the only one from whom he could save her was himself. His anger still simmered, but he couldn’t hurt her.
    As she blinked, thick black lashes brushed her cheekbones. She had the face of a model, with huge expressive eyes, exquisite cheekbones, delicate nose and generous lips. Kissable lips.
    He jerked up his chin, tearing his gaze from her face. Over her head he glimpsed another couple on the dance floor, and watched as the tall man leaned over the petite woman in his arms. Clayton McClintock was kissing the blond bridesmaid with hunger and passion. The way Nick wanted to kiss Colleen.
    What the hell was he thinking? Even if her sister hadn’t left Josh at the altar, he wouldn’t want to get mixed up with some young girl from Cloverville. Small-town women expected commitments. They wanted