Kiss the Bride by Melissa McClone, Robin Lee Hatcher, Kathryn Springer Page A

he’d ditched his suit jacket after visiting the church. His shirt would dry faster.
    Rain pelted the roof, coming down harder. Thunder sounded. Jenna shivered.
    “Cold?”
    “Wet. I’ll dry.” Jenna wore a camera strap across her body. She checked the display. “But I don’t think we’re going anywhere for a while.”
    He didn’t mind spending more time with her. “Is your camera okay?”
    “Yes, thanks for asking.” She stepped toward him and raised his tie. “This didn’t fare as well.”
    Water splotches darkened the plum fabric. “The puppy drool dried. Rain will too.”
    “This is your fault for mentioning the gray skies.” Jenna smiled.
    “You brought up Arizona.”
    Another clap of thunder sounded. She stepped closer to him. “We’re both to blame.”
    He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. “We’re safe here.”
    Jenna hadn’t let go of his tie. She nodded.
    “You’d rather be inside.”
    She nodded.
    “You don’t like storms.”
    “Hate them.”
    He hadn’t known that. “Why?”
    She stared at the wood floor.
    “Tell me, please.”
    “One time, Colton and I were left alone during a thunderstorm. Driving rain. High winds. The electricity went out. A tree branch hit the house. Everything shook. A window broke. Scary when you’re a little kid.”
    “Or a big one.” Ash raised her chin with his fingertip. “Jenna . . .”
    Her eyes were bright and warm. So beautiful.
    His heartbeat rivaled the rumble of thunder.
    She parted her lips.
    An invitation? Ash needed to find out. He lowered his head.
    She met him halfway and kissed him.
    Warm and sweet. Jenna’s kiss took him to the place he’d forgotten—home. He wrapped his arms around her. She went eagerly toward him, as if they hadn’t been apart for two minutes, let alone the past two years. She fit against him perfectly. Her hands moved up his neck, and she wove her fingers in his hair. He soaked up the taste and feel of her as if he might not get this chance again.
    Ash had missed this, but more importantly, he’d missed her. He wanted Jenna in his life. Today, tomorrow, always.
    The way she kissed back suggested she might feel the same way. Thank you, God. Maybe Ash hadn’t messed up completely. But he couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.
    Not a second time.
    He wanted to get closer but drew the kiss to an end.
    Her eyes were wide, her face flushed, and her lips swollen. Beautiful, but Jenna’s true beauty came from the inside.
    She blinked. “What—”
    Ash placed his finger against her lips. “Shhh.”
    “We kissed.”
    She was adorable. “Yes, we did.”
    “But we’re not a couple.”
    “Not yet.”
    Worry filled her eyes. “Ash . . .”
    “This is unexpected.” But welcome. “The rain isn’t letting up, so let’s figure out what’s going on and what we want to do about it.”
    Jenna started to speak, then stopped. “Okay.”
    That was more than he’d hoped to hear. He’d expected a no. Hope surged. There must have been a reason he hadn’t thrown away her wedding gift. He fought the urge to kiss her again. He had to be patient, careful. This time things would work out between them. He was positive.

    Sitting on the floor of the gazebo, sheets of water falling from the sky, Jenna leaned back on her hands to keep from touching her mouth. Her lips tingled. Her body missed Ash’s warmth. And worse, she wanted another kiss.
    Crazy, or a smart way to forget about the storm? She couldn’t decide.
    No doubt crazy.
    The rain wasn’t letting up. Lightning streaked the sky. Thunder boomed. She inched closer to Ash.
    Fear. Not attraction. At least that was what she told herself.
    “So what did you want to talk about?” Jenna asked.
    “Us.”
    “O-kay.” But she wasn’t. Her fingernails dug into the narrow space between the floorboards. She crossed her legs and raised her chin. Maybe she would look more confident than she felt.
    Ash took a breath, then exhaled slowly.
    Nerve