Read Her Wedding Escort: A BWWM Alpha Male Romance for Free Online Page B

nodded at his side, her eyes shining happily.
    Derek met the rest of them: Kevin’s best man Eli, and both of the other bridesmaids, Bea and Shelly, who both gushed over him, grinning and giggling. Then he noticed another man of medium height and a slight build, standing just off to the edge of the group, his eyes locked on Julia. Derek felt her tense and saw her looking everywhere but at the man who was staring at her and he knew. He led Julia to him, though he could feel her not wanting to go, but his strong arm around the back of her waist gave him no choice and she plastered a smile on her face as they approached the man.
    Derek held out his hand and finally the man took his steady gaze from Julia and lifted his eyes to Derek’s. “I’m Theo. You must be Ronald Williams. I’ve heard so many good things about you.”
    Ronald didn’t take his hand immediately, but rather looked at him intently and then shifted his gaze back to Julia for a moment and staring into her before looking back at Derek. “I’m Ronald,” he said quietly.
    He shook Derek’s hand and Derek gave him a firm and friendly squeeze, though Ronald did not return it. Then Ronald moved toward Julia and gave her a half hug, kissing her cheek softly.
    “It’s so wonderful to see you, Julia. I’ve missed you so much. I couldn’t wait for this day. It’s been a long time since we were around each other. Your mother told me that you were probably going to come alone.” His eyes flicked back to Derek for a split second, and then they returned to Julia’s face. “You look so beautiful. Even more beautiful than I remembered,” he told her quietly.
    She looked supremely uncomfortable. She smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Ronald. It has been a long time. I hope you have fun at the wedding.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say to him. She refused to lie to him and tell him that it was good to see him; it wasn’t good, it was awkward and she didn’t want to see him.
    Derek knew she had hit her limit with Ronald and he reached his hand to the smaller man and clapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Well, we’ve got to get over to our seats for dinner. I’m glad I got to meet you.”
    With that, Derek turned Julia on the spot and led her closed in his one arm embrace over to where their seats were beside Samantha and Kevin. Ronald, not being part of the wedding party, made a quiet exit and gave Julia a long lingering gaze from the doorway before he left. She glanced at him and gave him a half-smile, but then turned her attention toward her sister. It was Derek who saw Ronald’s look.
    Dinner was served immediately and the room grew a little more quiet as they ate. Julia had ordered the chicken and Derek had gotten the salmon. He smiled at her and offered her a bite of it, and as she turned to him, he lifted his fork filled with fish to her mouth and let her taste it. It was an intimate gesture that she wasn’t prepared for, and she tried not to look surprised at him.
    “Do you like it?” he asked her with a smile.
    Maggie, one of the twin sisters, looked at Julia over the table and made a face. “She doesn’t like fish,” she said matter-of-factly. “She never has.”
    Julia’s eyes caught her sister’s as she swallowed the bite and looked back at Derek.
    Derek grinned at Maggie. “Don’t you let her fool you, this lady of mine loves fish.” He winked at her sister in a friendly teasing way and Maggie stared at Julia as Julia smiled.
    “It’s delicious,” she said to Derek and he nodded at Maggie.
    “She’s just pulling the wool over your eyes.” Then he looked back at Julia and winked slowly, leaning in to kiss her cheek and then smiling at her. “Aren’t you!” he said with a knowing gaze.
    Julia kicked his foot beneath the table. “Oh, my tastes have just changed over time, that’s all,” she said quietly.
    Maddie, the other twin raised her eyebrows and laughed. “Yeah, we all guessed that right away,” she said