Author's note: Perhaps should read this one with a cool drink. Or a fan. Or conclude it with a cold shower. In other words, things heat up!

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty

"So what's the next step on the wedding planning list?" Adrian asked as he watched me wash dishes.

"Guest list. I only have four people to invite. How many do you think you'll want to attend?"

"Well, I don't want it to be giant. And I don't want your mom and sisters to feel too outnumbered."

"Yeah, true."

He walked over and kissed my cheek. "Leave the pots. I'll wash them later."

"You sure?"

"I am. Let's go put on a movie and make out."

I chuckled and flicked water at him. "You just want in my pants."

"That's never been a secret." He wiped his face. "So what do you say?"

"I say that I will do that after we have the guest list finalized."

He groaned. "Let me get my computer." He stole a quick kiss and then left the room. "So, your mom and sisters." He said as he sat down and opened his laptop.

"Yes. And I want to invite Ms. Terwiliger. She may not come, but I want to show her the courtesy. And Clarence. He's not always all there, but at least he's a good guy."

"Okay." He typed quickly and I sat down beside him. "And Jill and Eddie are in my wedding party." He typed some more.

"Your father?" I asked when I saw him put down the name.

"I want to at least try to get him there. He can shut me out, but I want to show him that I won't ever do the same to him."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. He continued to put down names.

"Most of these names are out of courtesy. We don't have to actually invite them. But since the church will need to be full of guardians anyway, might as well make those people feel welcome, right?"

"A lot of those names you've put down are royals."

"Like I said, they don't have to actually be invited."

"I'd rather not start a war."

"I'm marrying a former Alchemist. They probably won't come anyway." He went back and deleted several names. He scrolled down the screen. "So…twenty-five people? When it's all said and done? That's a good number, right?"

"Yeah, a very good number. Do we know for sure who the guardians are going to be?"

"A lot of these people are the usual entourage when Lissa ventures away from Court. I'll get the names finalized." He took out a phone and sent a text. "As long as you want to invite them?"

"We could send them specialized invitations. 'You are given the honor of attending our wedding while you make sure the queen and her family are safe.'" I chuckled.

He smiled. "Yeah, I like that actually." His phone went off. "Lissa will send a list of all the guardians she normally uses. And an updated list closer to the wedding if there is any change."

"Good." I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "So now that we have that settled…"

A grin broke across his face and he pulled me onto his lap.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and brushed my lips across his. He brought a hand up to cup the back of my head as he took over the kiss. I kept my lips closed. I didn't want to tempt him in any way. I knew he was tempted enough already because I was. In all the weeks since the feeding experience, I had kept my distance. I even tried to spend a few more nights at my place or send him home if he had spent the evening with me.

But my wanting of him had only increased. I pulled away. "Want to revisit the sex discussion?"

He smiled. "I thought we already agreed."

I rested my forehead on his. "We did. I just want to make sure you are still okay with it."

"I'm not. But I want to wait. At least a little bit longer. There's no rush, Sydney. We have the rest of our lives together."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

He kissed me, taking my bottom lip between his teeth for a moment. "I love you."

"You say that a lot."

"Because I don't think either if us heard it enough growing up. I want to say it as much as I can now. I love you, Sydney."

"I love you, too, Adrian." I kissed him and then stood. "Let's go get a bit more comfortable."

"I like your way of thinking." He grabbed me around the waist and backed me up against the counter.

"This isn't really what I had in mind. Not so comfortable." I pressed my mouth to his neck, sucking gently.

He moaned.

I lifted my head. "You like that, huh?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "I may have to reconsider my position on the sex thing."

I chuckled. "We'll revisit it in four months."

He nodded and swallowed. He stepped away. "Go find a movie and I will be right with you." He hurried out of the room and shut himself in the bathroom.

I sighed. Did he realize he had the same effect on me?

"How long do you get off for Christmas?" Adrian asked as he rubbed my feet.

"Hm?" I looked up from my book. "Oh, um, just Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Why?"

"Lissa invited us to Court. They're doing something giant and traditional."

I closed my book and looked at him. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Would they be comfortable with me there?" I asked uncertainly.

He let go of my foot and moved closer to me on the couch. "We'd be guests of the queen. They may not be comfortable, but they'll have to deal with it."

I contemplated a moment. "I guess I could take off the day before. Then we'd have the weekend after."

"No need to take off. We could fly in the twenty-third after you get off work. We'll have the private jet sent for us if I ask."

I nodded. "Sounds good." I picked my book back up.

"Do you ever not read?"

"When I'm kissing you." I said without looking up.

He lifted the book from my hands. "I like the sound of that." He pressed his mouth to mine.

I smiled and snatched the book back from him. "This is really good. Just let me finish this chapter."

He groaned and sat back. He rubbed his hands up my calf.

I went back to reading. After a few minutes, I was to a good stopping point. I marked my place and put the book down. "I go tomorrow to try on my dress." I said.

He looked over at me. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "Bridesmaid dresses, too. Want to come?"

"Do I get to see your dress?"

"No, but you do get to see the bridesmaid dresses in person." I moved closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. "When does Jill's dress come in?"

"It's already in."

"Really?" I was a little surprised.

"Yeah. Other than the shop being in a relatively small town, Jill is one of their best customers. So they special ordered it. She's holding off the first fitting until I can be there."

"Good. So when is the next time you're going?"

"Spirit is staying pretty calm for now. So we can probably wait until Christmas."

"Also good." I kissed him. "Mom invited us for Thanksgiving."

"And what does your dad say to that?"

"That he's going to be out of town." I kissed him again, longer this time. "So are we going?"

"As long as your dad really isn't going to be there. We hate each other and I want you and your mom and sisters to have a good time."

I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. "Zoe won't be there. She has to go with Dad. They leave Wednesday."

"Oh." His arms tightened around me. "At least she'll be here for the dress fittings."

"Yeah." I pressed my eyes into his neck. "He's doing it on purpose."

"She'll be able to make the wedding, won't she?"

"I hope so." I looked up at him and smiled. "I don't want to talk about my dad anymore. It's just over a month to Christmas and I still haven't the slightest clue what you want."

"Well, there's one thing you could give me…" He slid his hands down my back and squeezed my bottom.

I slapped his hands away. "No, sir. Not that."

He laughed. "I would like you to show me how to change the oil in my car."

"Then I would never get the pleasure of doing that myself." I pouted.

He kissed me. "I just want to see you work. It's hot to see you under the hood covered in grease and oil." He moaned appreciatively and kissed me again. "I'd really love something signed by all of Aerosmith. They are my favorite band, you know."

"I do know. Like what? A record? A picture?"

"Just something. Don't break the bank. Some of that stuff can be ridiculously expensive."

"Okay. I'll see what I can find."

"I'm excited." He kissed me hard on the mouth.

"Aren't you going to ask me what I want?"

"I already have it ordered." He stood. "Come on, it's late."

"Not very late." I looked at the clock. "It's not even eleven."

"Maybe I just want it to be bed time so I can hold you with fewer layers between us."

I smiled. "I think I like the sound of that." I got up and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You are adorable when you sleep. Do you know that?"

"You watch me sleep?"

"Don't tell me you haven't done it to me. I fall asleep and wake up first most of the time. Perfect timing for both of us to be creepy."

He smiled and kissed me. Then he stepped back and slapped my bottom. "Get in that bed."

I squeaked and pushed his shoulder. "Jerk." I giggled and then turned and ran toward his bedroom.

Adrian followed close on my heels. He gathered the hem of my sweat shirt and pulled it over my head. He kissed me softly and pushed his hands underneath the waistband of my pants, resting them on my hips.

I snapped the button on his jeans, slowly lowered the zipper, and pushed them down a little. I slid my hands under his shirt to lay flat on his stomach.

He groaned. "Getting me all hot and bothered and then you're going to just stop."

"You were the one who started pulling off my clothes." I lifted his shirt over his head and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and held him a moment. I kissed his neck and breathed him in. "You always smell so good."

"You do too. But in a completely different way." He crooned seductively in my ear.

I looked up at him. "I'm going to get in bed. I'd really like it if you would kiss me for a while before you go off to…be alone."

"I think I can manage that." He said as he pulled my tee-shirt off.

We got into bed together. Adrian stretched out over me, placing his knee between mine. He leaned down and kissed me softly. I pulled him down on top of me. I loved the weight of him holding me down. He smiled and covered my mouth with his. He slipped his tongue into my willing mouth. I kissed him back, stroking his tongue with mine and sucking hard on his.

I wrapped my ankle around his leg and dug my fingers into his skin. He moaned into my mouth. He found my hands and lifted them above my head, threading our fingers together. He lifted his mouth from mine and smiled down at me.

He slipped one hand out of mine and ran his fingertips down the length of my arm. He brushed them over my shoulder and cupped my breast. He massaged it gently as he dropped his mouth to mine again.

I arched my back and pressed myself into his touch. I tangled the fingers of my free hand in his hair. I squeezed his hand. A moan escaped my throat.

"I love that sound." He mumbled against my lips.

I caught his lips with mine before he moved his mouth away. He kissed a trail down my neck and over my collarbone. He replaced his hand with his mouth, sucking hard on my nipple. I moaned again and he hummed appreciatively into my skin. He kissed across the valley of my breasts to the other.

I felt the familiar pressure building in me as he sucked and lapped at my skin. I throbbed. I ached. I wanted him, all of him. I needed him.

"Adrian, please stop." I gasped. "You have to stop."

He sighed and rested his head on my chest.

I combed my fingers through his hair. My body still ached for him. I worked to control my desire.

Adrian shifted and kissed my shoulder. He kissed my neck. He kissed my lips. He smoothed his hand over my hair and smiled sweetly down at me. Then he left the room without another word, holding my hand until our arms couldn't reach any farther.

I covered my face with my hands and let out a long, steadying breath. I got out of bed and pulled Adrian's discarded shirt over my head. I turned out the overhead light and turned on the lamp on Adrian's side before I got into bed.

He joined me just as I was drifting off to sleep. He found my hand, but touched me nowhere else the rest of the night.