And The Wedding Is Off! (Now Published so Sample only)

Chapter 3 - Invitations abound

Chapter 3 – Invitations abound

I swear when I woke up this morning that my lips still tingled from Alec's kisses. With a grin on my face, I dressed in my running clothes and prepared for the day ahead. A pang of loss hit me when Bernard's space against the wall remained blank.

I sighed but then grinned as I recalled that Alec promised he would buy me a new bike. He said because the bike had disappeared from the front of his building that he should replace it. No matter how much I protested he insisted so I let the matter go.

I stretched and prepared myself for my run as I recalled my time with Alec yesterday. Dreamy, delicious and desirable were my words for Alec, oh and don't forget single. Once I absorbed that he wasn't destined for Maddie and he existed in the world of singles like me, I might have felt a tad smitten.

Opening the front door to my building I stopped and my mouth gaped open. Alec stood there with a grin and a dark purple bike that appeared similar to Bernard.

"Hi." Damn, I sounded breathless already.

I stepped down from my front steps of my apartment building and my eyes glued to the fit figure in front of me. Alec in a suit was a mouth watering sight. Alec in running shorts and a singlet, where I could see his toned body, well that stole my breath.

"Morning, Gracie."

"What are you doing here?" I gulped in a breath also wondering how he knew where I lived. Yesterday I caught a train home when he had a meeting he couldn't delay.

"I've brought you your new bike." He waved a hand towards said bike.

"I can see that. They took a month to make Bernard, so that's fast work."

"They already had your details and I told them you needed it for work."

"I do and I don't. I've got the van I use for deliveries." I shrugged.

"Gracie, I'd like you to meet Bernice." Alec waved his arm at the bike.

"Bernice?" I raised my brows at him.

He placed a hand over the side of his mouth and whisper yelled, "Bernice is Bernard's girlfriend. She's sad that Bernard's gone, but she's willing to wait around until he comes home."

I grinned with happiness that he played along with my game of naming inanimate objects, "you gave Bernice a backstory."

"I did." He shared my grin.

"I don't think Bernard will return anytime soon." I sighed.

"Don't be surprised."

"Alec, I won't see that bike again, I know that." I shook my head and he said nothing.

"Are you going for your run?"

"I wanted to start before the heat of the day rears its boiling head."

"Do you want some company?" he sounded hopeful.

"Sure."

I didn't know how to react to this handsome man wanting to join me. Jogging for me had always been a private time, so it seemed strange to have company. None of my previous boyfriends had shown interest in running, they had watched sport on the television and not much else.

"Lets put Bernice away and then we'll run." Alec gestured to the bike he held.

"Thanks for this, it's a great surprise." I reached out to clasp hold of the bike.

"It's my pleasure." The way his voice thrummed had me stumbling over my feet.

I tightened my fingers on the handlebars so I didn't fall over in front of him for the second time. The attraction between us tingled and something inside me mellowed. I darted my eyes to his and the warmth within his made me suck in a breath.