Firefly Mountain (28 page)

“All better?” Gini relaxed her grip on Willow.

“Yes. I’m ready.” Willow hugged Gini as a soft knock sounded on the door.

“Willow, it’s time,” Mrs. Greene called.

“I’m ready,” Willow said again. She took Gini’s hand and tugged her to the door. “Get that camera ready. I’m going to need proof that I’ve actually said, ‘I do.’”

****

Gini had never seen a more beautiful bride and groom. Willow looked like a mermaid in her fitted wedding dress that belled out around the ankles. Her long red hair was held back on the sides with mother-of-pearl combs. And Andrew was exactly what Gini would have picked for Willow. Tall and lean with short, sandy blond hair and trustworthy brown eyes, he had convinced Gini he was in love with Willow with the look on his face as he waited for his bride to make the trip down the aisle. As Willow had approached him, the smile on his tanned face lit up the night. He was dashing in his off-white tuxedo—a tuxedo color Gini didn’t usually like. Andrew pulled it off though, looking somehow beachy and debonair at the same time.

Her camera had been busy throughout the ceremony capturing every moment of Willow and Andrew’s special day. Gini had captured the entrance of the bride, the ring exchange, the kiss as husband and wife, the family and friends here to celebrate. These pictures were going to be fun to put into an album for Willow to cherish forever.

Gini found her assigned table and took a sip of water before going table to table to take photos of guests. She didn’t want to miss anyone and with four hundred guests that was a definite concern. A few more sips of water and she started for the small stage where the string quartet was set up. That way she’d get some shots of the overall crowd first then delve into individual and small group photographs. She probably wouldn’t get a chance to eat a bit of that lobster dinner Willow mentioned, but such was the life of the wedding photographer. Maybe she could get hers foil wrapped for tomorrow.

She approached the stage and caught the attention of the violinist in the quartet. She pointed to her camera, herself, and the corner of the stage. He nodded, never missing a note. Gini mouthed the words
thank you
and climbed the steps to the right of the stage. She grinned at the fantastic vantage point. She could see everyone at once, all the different colored dresses, all the suits, all the lights twinkling in the trees. Just lovely.

Gini lost herself in the scenery, snapping frame after frame of merry attendees. She got some marvelous shots of Willow and Andrew as they danced, kissed, smiled dreamily at one another. Seeing them made Gini believe that true love did exist. No two people could look at each other the way Willow and Andrew were and not be filled with love and passion.

Gini saw Lily talking to a short young man, both of them holding wine glasses. Even Lily was smiling, and the expression was lovely on her face.
Click, click.
Gini was pleased to have caught Lily on film looking happy. Something told her Lily didn’t do happy on a regular basis. In fact, she was sort of an anti-Gini. Pissed off all the time. Good thing Lily wasn’t a pyrokinetic. She wouldn’t last two minutes.

Scanning the crowd with her camera still to her eye, Gini stopped on the back of a man’s dark-haired head. As Gini panned down a bit, she took in broad shoulders under a black suit jacket. She continued the trip down and zoomed in on the tight ass contained in black dress trousers.

Nice
, she thought.
Very nice.
She snapped two photos, maybe just for herself to look at later. No reason all the photos had to be for Willow.

Gini zoomed out and waited figuring if the back view of the man was so pretty, the front might be equally so. Why not capture the complete package? She drummed her finger on the side of her camera while the man talked to a woman in front of him, probably his wife or girlfriend. Lucky chick.

The man shifted his weight, and the woman’s face filled Gini’s lens for an instant. His body leaned back to where it had been, blocking the woman again. Gini pulled the camera from her eye and willed the gears in her mind to turn. To process what—or who—she had thought she’d seen.

Can’t be.
She blinked and shook her head, curls bouncing around her cheeks.

Gini zipped the camera back up to her eye and zoomed in on the man’s head. He stepped aside again, and there was the woman. Then the man turned around, and Gini nearly fell off the stage.

“Oh. My. Goddess.” Her arms lowered the camera as her mouth hung open, and she stared at the man. His eyes flicked up to the stage, and he saw her.

Patrick Barre saw her.

“Raina, are you seeing who I’m seeing?” Patrick didn’t trust his eyes. Gini had to be a mirage on that stage right now. He had to be going crazy.

“Seeing who?” Raina touched his shoulder to move him aside so she had a view of the stage. “What’s Gini doing here?”

“Okay, so you see her too?”

“Of course I see her, you monkey. She’s right there.” Raina gave him a little shove. “I think she sees you too, Patrick. Go talk to her.”

“Talk to her. Right.” Only his feet didn’t move, and his hands were slicked with sweat.

“Before the sun comes up, Patrick. Jesus.” Raina really pushed him this time, and he stumbled forward. He glared over his shoulder at his sister. She raised a hand to wave to Gini. “She’s waving back. No doubt she’s seen us now. You better get a move on. Don’t want to seem rude.” She took a step toward him.

“Do not push me again or I’ll toss you into the ocean,” Patrick said.

“You don’t want to have to dive for the keys to drive home.” Raina shook her purse where her car keys jingled. She smirked and backed into the crowd.

Patrick turned around slowly and saw Gini walking down the stage steps. She’d be in front of him in no time. He needed a minute to prepare. To put his shields up. To…do…something.

“Hey.” Gini smiled and Patrick’s mind cleared out.

“Hey.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

God, she looked amazing, her eyes an unusual blue-green against the color of that dress. A dress that fit her incredible body perfectly. Patrick’s eyes were drawn to where the silky fabric brushed along the skin above her knee. He had to jam his hands into his pockets before they did something crazy.

“Andrew is my cousin,” Patrick said. “What are you doing here?”

“Willow was my college roommate at RISD.” Gini held up her camera. “And I’m also here on official business.”

“I see.” Where was a damn waiter when a guy needed a drink? Patrick’s throat felt as if it were lined with sandpaper.

“I thought I saw Raina with you.” Gini looked around where they were standing.

“You did. She went…somewhere. I don’t know.” Man, he couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say. He sounded like an idiot.

“And Midas? Is he here too?” Gini smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Patrick laughed. “No, Midas doesn’t do weddings. He’s actually with Jonah and Haddy. I didn’t think it was going to work out at first. Haddy brought her brood of dogs over to Jonah’s, and Midas is more of a people person. He gets impatient with other dogs.”

“Probably because they’re a lot dumber than him,” Gini said.

“Well, I didn’t want to brag, but Midas is a genius. He’s also an Alpha dog. Doesn’t like other dogs taking charge.” Patrick looked down and caught sight of Gini’s sandals. Good Lord, her feet were sexy. He returned his gaze to her face and those spirals of hair framing her cheeks.

“Drink?” A waitress slid a tray of wine glasses between them.

Amen
. Patrick looked to Gini and she nodded. He selected two glasses and thanked the waitress. As he handed one glass to Gini, his fingers brushed against hers, and the desire to touch her everywhere exploded inside him. Why did Gini keep having that effect on him?

Gini clinked her glass to his. “To Rhode Island and a night by the sea.”

Patrick watched the line of Gini’s neck as she tipped her head back to sip the wine. He wanted to slide his tongue over that delicate skin more than he’d ever wanted to do anything.

“Did Jonah know you were coming here?” Patrick asked after taking a sip of his own wine to clear his head.

“He did,” Gini said. “I’m guessing he didn’t mention it when you told him you were headed to the same wedding, did he?”

Patrick shook his head. “Must have slipped his mind.”

“Haddy’s too.”

“Interesting.”

“Quite.”

“Gini!” Willow called as she and Andrew waltzed by. Andrew stopped and shook Patrick’s hand.

“Congratulations, cuz,” Patrick said.

“Thanks, man. You having a good time?” Andrew asked.

Patrick flitted his gaze to Gini. “An excellent time, yes.”

“How about you, Gini?” Willow stood next to Gini, but her eyes were focused on Patrick.

“Great time. Got some beautiful photos for you here.” Gini tapped her camera.

“Awesome.” Willow glanced at Patrick. “You’ve met Andrew’s cousin?”

“Actually, yes. In Vermont.”

“Really? Do you swing dance, Patrick?” Willow asked.

“Willow,” Gini warned.

“Swing dance? No.” Patrick’s brow furrowed as he looked from Willow to Gini.

“You should learn. Gini could—”

“Ignore her,” Gini said, cutting Willow off.

“Not polite to ignore the bride,” Willow sang. “Especially when she’s right.”

“Andrew, you better watch your wife’s alcohol intake this evening. She’s a little loopy already,” Gini said.

“Drunk on love, girlie, and it feels wonderful.” Willow threw herself at Andrew, who automatically caught her. The two of them floated away, and Gini snapped a few more photographs of the happy couple.

“That seems like a perfect match.” Patrick couldn’t help taking a few steps closer to Gini as her back faced him. The dress looked just as magnificent from the rear as it had from the front. He knew that superb ass he’d been fortunate enough to touch was under the delicate material of Gini’s dress. Would he get to touch it again?

Should he?

When Gini turned around, she was mere inches away from him. Patrick knew he should back up. Or she should. Someone should, but neither of them did.

Gini lifted her head slightly then rested her hand on his forearm. “I’ve taken enough pictures for now. You want to take a walk with me?” She angled her chin toward the water.

Patrick followed Gini away from the reception, off the grass, onto the sand.

He had a feeling he’d follow her anywhere.

****

Gini had wanted to get away from Patrick. Part of her trip to Rhode Island was to accomplish that mission. To sort out her mixed up feelings and get back in control of her quiet life. With Patrick following her down to the water right now, however, she wondered why she had wanted to be away from him.

What she wanted was Patrick.

The moment she had seen him through the camera lens, she knew she didn’t want to run from him. Her body had responded to his body, but when he’d turned around and she realized it was Patrick, something else responded. Something deep inside her. Taking photographs for a living, Gini ran into many attractive people—attractive men—but none of them had awakened that empty place in her soul. She’d shielded herself from their advances, ignored their interests, and hadn’t felt bad about doing so.

But Patrick. Patrick. She couldn’t ignore him. She didn’t want to. Gini wanted him close. Closer.

“It’s beautiful here,” Patrick said.

They stood together, moonlight shimmering off the ocean and casting a white glow on the sand. Gini peeled off her sandals and swiveled her feet around until they were covered with cool sand. She watched her toes disappear then looked at Patrick.

“C’mon. You too. You know you want to.” She elbowed him and could make out a smile sliding across his beautiful face.

Gini handed him her camera, and he slid it into the pocket of his suit jacket. She bent, careful not to let her dress touch the sand, and untied Patrick’s shoes. He didn’t try to stop her, didn’t move. When she’d gotten them both loosened, he lifted his left foot and let her pull the black dress shoe off. He stood solidly on his other leg, no waver at all.

“That’s some balance you got there.” Gini’s gaze combed upward, and she enjoyed the view up the length of his body. The light green, button-down shirt he wore under the black suit complemented his dark complexion. The first two buttons were unfastened and revealed a smooth V of his neck, just a sneak peek. Gini longed for the full show.

“Tai chi. Good for balance.” Patrick poised as perfectly on the left leg as Gini slid off the other shoe.

“Yoga fan myself.” She pulled his socks off, handed them up to him, and cuffed his pant legs.

“Yoga’s for girls.”

Gini rose to her feet and stood, mere inches separating her body from Patrick’s. “If you haven’t noticed,” she whispered, “I am a girl.” She slid her hand into his.

“I noticed.” Patrick trailed the fingers of his free hand up Gini’s bare arm. “I can’t seem to
not
notice.”

Gini shivered and leaned a bit closer. Still not close enough to satisfy her.

Singing floated on the night breeze, bluesy and sensual.

“Raina?” Gini asked.

Patrick nodded. “Her gift to Andrew and Willow. She actually wrote the song and music for this one.”

Gini angled her head to hear the words.

The sun will set, the moon will rise

But I’ll only see the love in your eyes.

The earth will turn, seasons come and go

But my love is all you’ll know…

“Nice.” Gini closed her eyes, letting Raina’s smooth voice carry the weight of her. She felt like flying, over the ocean, into the night. She wanted to take Patrick with her.

Gini opened her eyes when Patrick’s arm came around her waist and drew her closer.

“I don’t swing dance,” his breath tickled her ear, “but I do slow dance.”

Patrick edged them both toward the water. With the sea licking their bare feet, he turned them slowly with the music. Their bodies were like the sand, shifting, moving to fill in the gaps. His hands were firm against her lower back, and Gini felt aroused and safe at the same time. She circled her arms around Patrick’s neck, her head resting on his shoulder.