CHAPTER 023 : I Believe In Rules ~~KNOX~~ ItsapproximatelytwentyminutesbeforeHunterandDelilahsrehearsaldinner.ImintheirhotelsuitewatchingDelilahcomplainabouther outfittoHunter.
Ilooklikeaballoonin thisdress,shesays,blinkingsomanytimesthatyoudthinkactualtearswouldbefallingbynow.
Honey,youlookasglamorousas ever.Absolutelybreathtaking.
Youreonlysayingthattomake mehappy.Youknowitsnotthetruth.
ThisismewonderingwhyIeveragreedtodrivethemtothevenue.
HunterandIhadbothshippedourcarsherefromNewYorklastweekairfreighted.ButHunter,inallhismatrimonialperfectionism,insistshiscarhastoremainuntoucheduntiltomorrow.Ceremonialreasons,hesaid.Whateverthatmeans.SoImthedesignatedchauffeur.WhichmeansIhavetosithere,onthis goddamncouch,watchingDelilahglideoutfrombehindtheslidingbedroomdoor,thenlistentohercomplainaboutherdresslikeIwouldntratherbedriving myskullintoawall.
They arebothsittingonthecouchoppositemine,whisperingto themselveseventhoughtheyknowIcanhearthemclearly.Iwouldneverlietoyou,Huntersays.Ifyou lookedlikeaballoon,Idsayit.
Delilahchuckles.Youmeanthat? Ido.YourethemostbeautifulwomanIveeverseeninmylife,andyoudlookgoodinanything.Butifyourenotcomfortablewith thedressandwantadifferentone,justsaythewordandIllaskKnox totakeusshopping.
Nofuckingway.
Iftheyincludethatinmylistofthingstodotoday,Idjustswerveusalloffabridge.
Delilahsmiles,runninghermanicurednailsacrossHuntersshoulder.Itsfine,baby.IllwearapotatosackifyouthinkIlookgoodinit.
Areyousure?Wecouldgetasackrightnow.
Shegigglesand lightlypuncheshischest.Stopplaying.Youwouldntreallydelayoureventtobuymeanewdress,wouldyou? Iwould,hesays,completelyserious.Anythingforyou,myangel.

Shesoftensandtakeshischininherhand.Yourethebestthingthathaseverhappenedtome,Hunter.IwouldntknowwhatIamwithoutyouinmylife.Yougroundme.Youspoilme.YouseemeevenwhenIdontwanttobeseen.IneverthoughtIdhavesomethingthisgood.Yourekind,steady,selfless.YoumakemefeellikeIcanbeabetterpersonjustbylovingyou.Iloveyousomuch,Hunter.
Anyoneelsewouldbetearingupwatchingthis.AndHunteris.Hiseyesare wet,histhroattight.ButhehasntbeeninthesameroomwithDelilahwhenshesaidthoseexactwords,keepingthatexactfacetoo.ItsashameshedidntconsideraHollywoodcareer.ThosemoviestarswouldhavenothingonDelilahCrestfield.
Iloveyoutoo,honey,Hunterwhispers.Butyoumightwanttosavesomeofthoselinesfortomorrow.Imworriedyouvealreadypeaked.
Myloveforyou,Hunter,willalwaysmanifestinsweetwords.Sodontworryaboutmyweddingvows.Theyreinmyheadandmyheart.
Shedigsintoherpurse,pulls outatissue,anddabshiseyeswithitlikeamothercomfortingatoddler.Hetakesit,sniffles,andkissesherhand.
Irollmyeyes.
AnymoreofthisandImgoingtodevelopa brainaneurysm.
DelilahpullsHuntertoherchest,lettinghimsob.Herhandrubssoothingcirclesonhisback.
NowthatHuntersnot looking,sheliftshergazeandlockseyeswithmeacrosstheroom.
Asatisfiedsmilespreadsacrossherlips.
Smileallyouwant,Delilah.
Youwontbesmiling tomorrow, Successfullyunlocked! Thisdinnertonightisjustaformality.Therealrehearsalhappenedearlieralltheaislepacingandbouquetclutchingalreadydone.Dramatic.Exhausting.IfIevergetmarried,itwontbelikethis.Hellno.
1/2 CHAPTER023:1BelieveInRules WhilewaitingforHuntertoregaincomposuresowecanallbeonourway,Iglancedownatmyphone,searchingfortheonlythingIminterestedinrightnow.Onemessage.
Sloane:Tonight.See youthere.

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Simple.Direct.Oddlystimulating.
Ihadntexpectedhertocave,atleastnotyet,notafterwhathappenedattheclub.Sheseemedlikesomeonewhoheldagrudgeforalongtimeandwouldneedalotofgrovelingtoconvince.ButmaybeIdontknowheratall.ButIplanto.ThereareseveralwaysandpositionsImgoingtousetofind out.
Someoneclearstheirthroat.
Ilookup.HunterandDelilahareboth standingjustafewstepsinfrontofme.
Whatsupwithyou,Knox?Hunterasks.
Me? Iveneverseenyouthischeckedout.Yourealwaysspatiallyaware.Butyoudidntevennoticeusstandinghere.
Reportsfromtheclub.
Right.Soyourclubmanagersmakeyousmileatyourphonewithasmittenlook? Smitten?Youresonosy,Hunt.Letsgo.
Igetupandgrabmykeys,headingforthedoor.
Whosthegirl,Knox?Hunterpracticallysings behindme.
Idonteventurn.Doyou want metodriveyouandyourbridesafelyor not?Ifyoudo,stop askingsillyquestions.
Iswingthedooropenandwalkout.DelilahandHunterarerightbehindme,whisperingtothemselvesastheyalwaysdo.
Bythetimewereintheelevator,DelilahsarmsarelatchedontoHuntersleftarm.Herheadisonhisshoulder,smilingupatherbeau.

ButHunterseyesareonme.
Atleasttellmeitsnotyour brothersbestfriend,hesays.
What? Thegirlthatmadeyousmileatyourphone.Pleasetellmeitsnottheonefrom theclub.
Delilahliftsherhead,alertnow.
Yourereallynosytoday,Imutter.
And yourebeingreallysecretive.
Dontyouhaveaweddingtoworryabout? Itsgoingtobeperfect.ButKnox,asyourfriend,letmesaythis:itsneveragoodideatodateorhavesexualrelationswithsomeonewhosaffiliatedwithyourrelative,especiallyyourbrother.Iknowyoullsaytheyrejustfriends,buthewasangrywhenhepunchedyouatthatclubyesterday.Hehasfeelingsforthatgirl,andyoudatingherisgoingtogetverymessy.Theelevatorstops topickupsomeoneelse.Wefallsilent.
Delilahlookslikeshewantstochipinbutcantbringherselfto.Afterall,itwouldseemweirdtoremindyourfiancéaboutyourex,whoyouwerestillscrewingwhileinarelationshipwithhim.
Itsafreeworld,Hunter,Isay.Idontbelieveinthosesentimentalrulesyouallattachtodatingorsex.IfIwantsomethingorsomeone,nothingstopsmefromtakingthem.Brothersbestfriendornot.
Thestrangerintheelevatorshiftsuncomfortably.
Toeachtheirown,Iguess,Huntersays.Wereadults.ButIbelieveinrules.IfIeverfindoutthatsomeoneIminlovewithhasahistorywithmyrelativeoraverygoodfriend,Illendtherelationshipimmediately.Noquestion.Thingslikethatneverendwell.
Theelevatordings.Groundfloor.
As thedoorsslideopenandwestepout,IglanceatDelilah.Thecolorhasdrainedfromherface.
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