Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) by Krista Lakes Page A

slightly, but didn't push the issue. Women were weird when it came to weddings. And, given that she probably had done a ridiculous amount of work preparing this one, Ella had more reason than most to be weird.
    Feeling her drift away from him, he quickly added, “But, I'm actually out here to escape the wedding.”
    “Escape?” Her eyes narrowed and suspicion filled in. She couldn't possibly know he was hoping to find her, could she?
    “It's peaceful out here,” he explained. “No one's chasing me down and pestering me about what floral arrangements. I mean, really- do you think I care if the roses on the table settings are white or off-white. They're both beautiful and they both smell nice, and no one at the table is going to notice them because they are going to be too busy looking at all the celebrities.”
    The suspicion in her eyes vanished and she giggled. Her smile was infectious and he found himself grinning along with her. This was better than he had expected. It was just the two of them leaning against the railing and looking out at the water. They weren't even touching, yet it felt like he was in heaven. She was making sure to stay at least a hair's width away from him. It was him that kept inching closer, trying to close the gap. He could feel her body next to his, distracting him from everything but how loud his heart was pounding.
    No one had ever had this kind of effect on him. He felt as giddy as a twelve-year old with his first crush, a feeling he hadn't experienced in over fifteen years. He'd dated plenty of beautiful women, but none of them ever made his brain fog quite like this. It wasn't just her looks or her sexuality that made his heart race. It was something so much more.
    “I'm sure you'll be glad when it's all over,” she murmured. “I saw the bride this morning, by the way. She's beautiful.”
    “That she is,” Jace agreed. “This is all for her. If I had my choice, I'd get married with just an officiant and immediate family. Maybe even just elope.”
    “Really?” Ella sounded surprised. Her eyes went out to the lake and she bit her lip. Good lord, the things he wanted to do with that lip.
    “Yes, really.” The idea of Ella and him at a chapel in Vegas popped into his mind, and for the first time he wasn't put off by the idea. “I don't want any of these crowds and white or off-white roses.”
    “Me too,” Ella agreed quietly.
    Her response made him smile just as she looked up at him. Upon seeing his face, she blushed, tucking her head and letting her hair spill over her face. Her hands pushed the warm strands of hair from her face, and she looked up at him again.
    “So why all the hoopla then?” she asked. “If small is what you want, then why have the big fancy wedding?” She indicated to the resort behind her.
    “Because it's Madelyn's wedding,” he explained. “I can't say no to her. It's what she has always dreamed of.”
    “She's lucky to have you,” Ella remarked, watching his face. Something in her eyes went distant and she quickly looked out at the lake, wrapping her arms around her and leaning away.
    “That's what I'm always telling her,” Jace said, hoping to make Ella laugh. He was barely rewarded with a smile, so he changed tactics. “So, other than grooming horses, what do you do for fun around here?”
    “Fun?” Ella sighed. “I work most of the time. The inn keeps me pretty busy.”
    “Oh, come on,” he pressed. His plan to have her talk about herself wasn't working. Most women loved talking about themselves, so it surprised him. “There must be something you like to do.”
    She smiled and shook her head, avoiding his gaze. It was as if she were embarrassed by her hobby, or perhaps trying to keep her distance from him. Most of the time, he was the one trying to put distance between himself and women, so the reverse was incredibly intriguing.
    “Horseback riding?” he asked. She shook her head. “Bird watching? Knitting? Swimming? Karate?