Look After Us by Elena Matthews

continuous laughter as she forces her dark, pissed off eyes into her direction. “I hate you. The chisel that has taken residency in my head is your fault.” She points her head in my direction. “Ava can be my new maid of honor. You’re fired.”
    If it weren’t for the uplifted tilt of her mouth I would have thought she was being serious. Riley’s smile stays in place. “Don’t be a bitch because you can’t handle your alcohol intake. I only planned the bachelorette party. I didn’t force those drinks down you.”
    “Like hell you didn’t. You practically force-fed me those jello shots. And don’t even get me started on the stripper.” I feel myself blush as last night comes back to me as the highly explicit sex positions he was simulating on her comes to mind. I’m pretty certain he was tenting an overly large erection through his tight boxer shorts at one point.
    “Oh, you loved it! Just admit it. It was the best bachelorette party ever.”
    Mia pivots her head to one side and a smile brightens her face. “It was an awesome bachelorette party,” she admits with a nod of the head. “But no more strippers. Ever. Tyler would barely speak to me at breakfast this morning—once I finally managed to stop puking my guts up that is.” She winces, no doubt from the not-so-fond memory of vomiting. “It’s not exactly the way I want our marriage to begin.”
    Riley walks the few steps over to Mia and kisses the top of her head. “No more strippers, I promise.” She steps back, clapping her hands together as if trying to mentally prepare for the big day ahead. “Okay! We have a busy day today. The delivery guys have just pulled up with the chairs, so I’m going to need some muscle to carry them.” Her eyes land on Ashton, and she smiles as if she’s won the jackpot. She walks over to him with an extra shake to her hips—yep I see it—and slides her manicured fingers over his bicep, a move that gets my blood boiling in an instant.
    “Just the perfect kind of muscle,” she says giving his arm a squeeze, giggling as she does. Is she seriously groping my fiancé’s bicep right now?
    She glances at me. “Do you mind if I borrow him for a couple of hours?” Her words come out in a syrupy sensual tone, as if every word is dripping with a hidden innuendo, while her hand still stays wrapped around his bicep.
    Yep. She is definitely groping his bicep. And why the hell is he just letting her?
    I bite back my irritation with a tight smile. “Sure.”
    She must hear the irritation in my voice as her fingers loosen their hold and her hand drops. However, it doesn’t go far; she drops her hand only to loop her arm through his.
    “I’ll bring him back in good shape, I promise.”
    She begins to lead him out of the kitchen as Tyler walks in frowning. Riley’s eyes pin him down with a purposeful stare.
    “Oh perfect timing! I need your muscles, Bailey. Come with me.”
    “O … kay ...” he says with a delayed reaction, shooting Mia a terrified glare; one that says ‘help me’ which only makes her laugh.
    Riley loops her other arm through Tyler’s arm and laughter escapes her mouth. “Oh, my own Bailey sandwich! It’s like a dream come true,” she says excitedly and even though I can hear the humor in her voice, it still pisses me off.
    Before they’re whisked away to help with the mammoth lifting, Ashton’s eyes connect with mine and with the most heartfelt stare he mouths the words, “I love you.”
    I give out a dreamy smile before mouthing, “I love you, too.” He sends me a wink and then he’s gone. All previous agitated thoughts instantly vanish and it takes Alana a few clicks of her fingers to bring me back to the now.
    “You have it bad for my son, huh?” I blink as her words sink in, my cheeks blushing as a burst of laughter escapes my lips.
    I do have it bad for her son.
    Ridiculously so.

    My feet ache. No, actually, ache is an understatement.
    My feet feel as if I’m walking on