The Best Man Read online

  The Best Man

  Callie Vegas

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Callie Vegas Books

  Every woman has a dream about their wedding.

  Everything goes perfect and it’s the beautiful start to a forever relationship.

  Sometimes that doesn’t happen. This book is for those who don’t have their happy ending – yet!

  Keep strong, enjoy life and your soul mate will come along when you least expect it.

  Callie

  1

  Joss

  “No way. I’m not wearing that!” Ashleigh holds a scrap of cloth up to me. The look of disgust on my face is obvious and must be answer enough. “That doesn’t cover anything, they won’t even let me in the club when they see me wearing that.” It’s white, with a low-cut front, and a split right down to my navel. There’s no back whatsoever, only a cowl backline over my ass. It’s outrageous even for Ashleigh, and she knows it, it’s why she’s grinning.

  With a wink she says, “Ah, come on, Joss, this dress is the very reason why you will be let in.” She thrusts the material at me but I’m still not taking it. “It’s your bachelorette party and we’re in Vegas. It’s the only time we can dictate what you wear and you know our choice is the final word.” She throws her hands in the air, clearly exasperated.

  This is why I don’t let her come shopping with me, ever! She likes slutty dresses, whereas my tastes are less…trashy. I prefer my clothes to cover my assets

  “Ash, I need a bra on. I can’t go anywhere without a bra, look at my tits!” I lift them with my hand. They are huge and in need of support.

  Ash smiles and starts rummaging around in the bag she brought with her. “Ta da,” she announces waving a small packet of something white.

  “What is that?” I ask, scrunching up my eyes, trying to work out what she has.

  “This is body tape to hold your tits in. And this.” She holds another packet up. “This pulls your tits up so they don’t fall down and flat. They also cover your nipples, so no one can see them. Don’t worry Joss, I’ve thought of everything.”

  I groan. She really has thought of everything. The suppressed giggles of Ash’s accomplices remind me that Katie and Lena are in the room witnessing my embarrassment.

  “Joss, please.” She puts her hands together as if she is praying. “Just this one night and then you won’t ever have to wear anything so revealing ever again. I promise.” How can I keep resisting her when she looks so cute?

  “Oh god, none of you are going to give in until I’ve said yes. Are you?”

  They all start shaking their heads saying, “No!” in unison, causing them to start laughing again. I must be in a dream or something, I seem to have come away with kindergarten kids.

  “Well then I need a drink if I’m going to wear this dress. Open that bottle of prosecco, Katie while I change, and keep the drinks coming. I’m definitely going to need it.”

  As I’m taking off my robe, something whizzes past my ear with a loud pop, and I jump. What the—oh. I laugh at myself. It was a cork. Which is really the least of my problems.

  The bubbles in the champagne fizz as Katie hands me my glass. As I turn around, I’m greeted by the other girls who lift their champagne flutes, waiting for the toasts.

  “Here’s to your last night of freedom, Joss. What happens on your bachelorette, stays on your bachelorette.” Katie leads the toast before taking a sip.

  “What do you mean by that, Katie? Nothing’s going to happen,” I say.

  “Never say never, Joss, you might meet that man on a white charger who’s going to sweep you off your feet like you’ve always dreamed of.” Katie throws back at me, bringing my teenage dreams of being Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman back to the surface.

  Having resigned myself to never having my one true love come and take me away from my life, I take a large sip of my champagne and savour the bubbles tickling the inside of my mouth. Each time one pops, my dreams of finding my one true love fade further and further away.

  “I’m marrying Jeremy in ten days, Katie. He’s the man of my dreams.” Romance novels and movies have tarnished my ideal expectations. And while I really would love someone to be spontaneous and do something that takes my breath away I know my husband-to-be isn’t that man. Jeremy is not that kind of person, and since he came into my life, I have realised that those things only exist in movies and books, not in real life. Not in my life anyway.

  “Really? Look you know how I feel about Jeremy.” Katie has always been off the fence where Jeremy is concerned. She is not his number one fan. “I think he’s hiding something. You know he creeps me out. You’ve been together for two years and you’ve never even had sex with him. What’s that all about?”

  Everyone goes quiet. You know like when you are shouting to be heard and the music stops just when you shout the word cock or something. Yeah, that’s what it’s like right now. I can’t believe she just said that in front of the others. No one else knows that about my relationship with Jeremy. “Katie,” I hiss hoping the other girls didn’t hear her comment. When I glance over, I see they not only heard but judging by their open mouths they can’t believe it.

  “Joss, is that true? Have you not slept with Jeremy yet?” Lena asks.

  “Not that it’s anyone’s business, but no, we haven’t slept together yet. We’re waiting for the wedding night. He’s traditional like that.” Heat travels up my chest and over my face. I am so embarrassed. If I’m honest with myself, it’s caused me many a sleepless night. I’ve asked Jeremy what’s so wrong with me that he doesn’t want to sleep with me, but he explained that he is an old-fashioned guy and wants to wait until our wedding night to truly make me his. I thought that was romantic, at first. Sexy even. But recently it’s been bugging me. Not only does he not want to have sex, he doesn’t want to do anything sexual. Maybe he doesn’t find me sexy enough, but then why marry me?

  Ash takes my glass and puts it down. With an arm wrapped around my shoulders, she guides me until I’m sitting on the bed. Kneeling down in front of me she asks, “I know it’s not my business, but are you a virgin, Joss?”

  Katie starts laughing and I glare at her. “No, I’m not a virgin. I’ve had a healthy sex life up until Jeremy.”

  “So why’ve you let it get this far without having sex? I don’t know how you can marry a man without having had sex with him. What if he’s … “Ash trails off as she stumbles for the word she is looking for. “What if he’s no good in bed, and you’re tied to him for the rest of your life, Joss.”

  “But our relationship is more than just sex,” I say exasperated. Katie know this, but I’ve not told anyone else. I know Ash is a best friend too, but she can be really judgemental so I didn’t tell her. “He’s everything I want in a husband. We understand each other, we talk about everything.”

  “Apart from sex apparently,” Ash mutters, turning away from me.

  I’m annoyed that Ash has brought this up and is questioning me, again. Annoyed we are discussing this, again, but in front of an audience. Looking at her, my eyes pleading for her to let the matter drop, I continue, “We talk about everything, even what we like sexually, Ash. He loves me.”

  Katie clears her throat, “Do you love him, Joss? Like, do you really love him?”

  I don’t answer her questions. Do I love Jeremy? Yes, I think so. We’ve been together for two years and you don’t stay with someone that long
if you don’t love them, right?

  “You’re taking too long to answer that question, Joss.” She shakes her head and hands me another drink.

  “I do love him,” I protest, feeling tearful that we are talking about this when we should be having fun.

  “Do you think about him when you go to sleep? Is he the first thing you think of when you wake up?” Ash asks.

  Do people really feel like that? Is that really a thing? “No. No I don’t.” I can feel the tears coming to the surface. Standing up I start pacing the room. “Girls, you don’t understand. You’re all thin, sexy and good looking. I’m not like that. I have big hips, big tits, a bigger belly than any of you.” They all start protesting, but I hold my hand up to stop them. “I know what you’re going to say, but that’s how I feel.”

  “But you know how gorgeous you are, right? All the men stare at you.” Katie tries to put her arm around me.

  “Yeah, because I’m the token fat person.”

  “Now hold on. Stop right there!” Ash says standing in front of me, stopping me from pacing. “You are not fat, for one. You are gorgeous and, yes, you have bigger tits than the three of us, but do you know how much I hate having teenager tits? I hate it, I use chicken fillets to try and get bigger ones. I would operate if I could afford it. Look at my ass.” Ash turns around and bends over slightly showing us her ass. She slaps it before continuing, “It’s so flat it’s like an auntie’s ass that we used to laugh about. I can’t fill out a good pair of jeans like you do. You’re seriously looking in the wrong mirror if you think that you’re fat, babe.”

  “Jeremy is the first guy who didn’t care about my extra fat, he loves me for being me. That feels good. Whenever I was with a guy before they would either be just for one night or they would try to get me to lose weight. I wanted someone to want me for who I am, and Jeremy does. He doesn’t want to change me.” I look down at the floor because after listening to the girls, I’m not sure I believe myself anymore.

  “I understand that, babe,” Ash says, softly reaching a hand out to my shoulder, giving me some comfort. Smiling softly, she continues, “But what about someone who loves you for you, loves you because you’re sexy, and they can’t think about anything else but you. You deserve that, not just a mediocre kind of love, which is what you have with Jeremy.” “Listen, Joss, we know you miss your parents and are desperate for a family again, but this isn’t the right way….”

  “Look girls,” Lena says breaking into the increasing tension. I had forgotten she was even in the room. “Joss is getting married in ten days, tonight is about her having her last night of freedom. Let’s try and find her someone who will show her what that kind of all consuming passion is all about. Then she can forget about them, get married, have sex with Jeremy and live the life they both want.”

  I smile at Lena. “Thanks. Let’s just enjoy our night. Now fill my glass up again,” I say laughing, before putting on the scrap of white cloth that is my dress for the night.

  Two hours later we’re drunk. We’ve been drinking prosecco and champagne cocktails all night in the hotel bar and we’re now leaving to go to the latest VIP club on the Strip, Silk Tie. It only opened last weekend and Ash has somehow managed to bag VIP tickets for the night. As part of the VIP package we have our own cordoned off area, five bottles of complimentary champagne and waitress service. Bring it on!

  After queuing to get in we’re shown to our special area. As Katie pours the first glass of champagne I take a look around before the club fills up. It’s very opulent with glass everywhere. Huge chandeliers hang from the ceiling over the dance floor, and smaller ones over each of the VIP areas giving it a luxurious flare.

  We’re about five glasses of champagne in when an attractive guy saunters towards our table. My head lifts to watch him. He is tanned with a short haircut, with a close cut beard that I would love to run my hand against. What am I thinking? Turning my head away from him so that I don’t catch his eye, I take another sip of my drink. “Who is Ashleigh?” He asks, voice so deep I’m sure it vibrated inside me.

  Ash’s face lights up with a huge smile. “I am, sir,” she says.

  As he returns her smile, his whole face changes. He has a dimple in his cheek that only appears when he smiles. His eyes sparkle when he looks at me and he holds my eye contact as he speaks. “Welcome ladies, I hope you have a good time. I understand this is a bachelorette party, so I just need to make sure you abide by the rules.”

  Rules? What the fuck?

  Ash’s face turns serious as she nods at him. Turning to us, she says “We know, we need to behave at all times. No lewd behaviour and no drunkenness. If we are drunk and unruly then we could be thrown out.”

  Turning to face Ash he breaks our eye contact. “Someone has done their homework. But you missed the most important rule of all!”

  “I didn’t see another rule,” Ash is staring at him, chewing her bottom lip while she tries to remember the invitation.

  “You have to have fun. We want all our customers to have lots of fun and enjoy the whole experience.” When he says experience he looks back to me and winks.

  Blushing I bend my head to look at the floor. Regardless of what the girls said earlier, I don’t get a lot of male attention when we are out. This guy is staring at me and clearly giving me the eye and honestly, I don’t know what to do about it.

  “Now ladies, enjoy your night and if you need anything then come and find me, my name is Paul.” The volume suddenly increases, so we barely hear what he is saying. It looks like a stag party have moved into the area next to us.

  I look over to them and then back at Paul who rolls his eyes heavenward as if he is expecting trouble from them tonight. Smiling at him, I nod my head and take another sip.

  Watching him walk away from our group is almost as exhilarating as watching him when he came over first. He has a spectacular ass. I can just imagine grabbing hold of those and thrusting him closer to me. Wow, where is this coming from? It must be because I’m wearing this dress. It looks tarty and it’s making me feel tarty. Laughing I take another sip and look over to the girls who have all been watching me stare at Paul’s ass.

  “What?” I ask them, shrugging my shoulders as if I haven’t done anything wrong. They laugh with me.

  “Anyone feel like dancing?” Ash asks all of a sudden, grabbing my hand and not waiting for an answer.

  The music is great and we dance for what feels like hours. There are bodies everywhere and I feel someone come up behind me and dance along with me. I don’t stop them, I feel free, behaving like a totally different person. Hands slide on my waist and they feel good; hot and heavy. Suddenly, Katie grabs my hand and pulls me away from him and back to our area for some more drinks. “Come on, I’m thirsty,” she says.

  “I was having fun.” I sulk.

  She laughs. “I could see that.”

  We have another couple of drinks and the bubbles are starting to tickle on the way down my throat. I’m enjoying the way it makes me feel. Leaning back in my seat I close my eyes for a moment, listening to the beat of the music, feeling it thrumming through my body. When I open them again I’m on my own, the girls must have gone back out dancing. I need a break, so I take another sip of my drink.

  “Are you having fun?” A deep voice startles me, and I get the same feeling as earlier. I look up to see Paul standing in front of me and sit up straighter, like he has commanded my attention.

  “I am, yes. I just needed a break from the dancing.”

  “Do you mind if I join you?” He looks into my eyes, waiting for my response.

  “Please do, I could do with the company, my friends have deserted me.” I move so that he can sit on the curved couch next to me.

  The music is so loud it’s kind of hard to hear him speak. “So you know my name, what’s yours?”

  “My name’s Joss, pleased to meet you.” I shake his hand.

  “Are you enjoying your night? You all look like you’re having fun.�
��

  He asks looking around for the other girls.

  “Yeah, it’s a bachelorette party and we’ve been drinking for hours.”

  “I saw you earlier, you’ve got some great moves. Do you want to dance with me?” He stands, taking my hand and not really waiting for an answer.

  “I’m not sure…” I start to say, shaking my head.

  “You only live once, right?”

  Damn, everything the girls said earlier comes into my mind. With a small laugh I meet his eyes, giving him permission to pull me up onto my feet. “C’mon then, let’s go show them what it’s all about.”

  He laughs and with his hand on my lower back, leads us towards the dance floor. The area where we touch warms up and heat rising through my body like a flood.

  When we get on the dance floor, I can’t see the girls anywhere. My body starts moving to the beat, and it’s not long before Paul moves in behind me, grabbing my waist, and pulling me back into his hard, lean body. We move in sync together, as though it’s the most natural thing. “You feel good against my body,.” he whispers in my ear, making my body erupt with goosebumps. Instead of moving his mouth away from my ear, he surprises me by dragging the lobe between his teeth and gently biting down.

  Moaning, I turn my head to his.

  He smiles. “Sorry I wanted to hear you moan.”

  “I liked it,” I blurt, as feelings I haven’t had for such a long-time start flooding my body. He uses his hands on my hips to pull me closer and we sway with the music as he moves his hands to trap me in his embrace.

  “I like the feel of you against me. And I like the way you moan.” He kisses along my neck to my shoulder. “I want to taste you. Would you like me to taste you?”