Last Dance Before the Vows

Chapter 1: The Escape

The reception hall buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses, the air thick with the scent of roses and champagne. Lila, dressed in a sleek, ivory gown that hugged her curves like a lover’s caress, stood at the center of it all—her engagement party in full swing. Her fiancé, Mark, was somewhere in the crowd, charming relatives with his dimpled smile. But Lila’s mind wasn’t on him. It was on her.

She caught sight of Tessa across the room, leaning against the bar in a black leather jacket and jeans that clung to her like sin itself. Tessa’s dark eyes locked onto Lila’s, a smirk playing on her lips as she raised her glass in a silent toast. That look—it was a challenge, a promise, a fucking dare. Lila’s heart raced, heat pooling low in her belly. She had to get out of here. Now.

'Excuse me, just need some air,' Lila muttered to a gaggle of aunts, her voice smooth as silk despite the storm brewing inside her. She slipped through the crowd, her heels clicking on the marble floor, every step a countdown to something reckless. She pushed through the double doors to the garden, the cool night air kissing her flushed skin. She didn’t have to wait long.

'Running away already, bride-to-be?' Tessa’s voice was a low purr behind her, dripping with mockery. Lila turned, her breath catching at the sight of Tessa sauntering closer, all confidence and raw edge. 'Thought you’d at least wait until the wedding night to ditch the poor bastard.'

'Shut up, Tess,' Lila shot back, her lips curling into a smirk of her own. 'I’m not running. I’m… strategizing.'

Tessa laughed, a sharp, wicked sound that sent a shiver down Lila’s spine. 'Oh, is that what we’re calling it now? Strategizing?' She stepped closer, the space between them electric, charged with unspoken need. 'Because it looks to me like you’re dying to get out of that dress and into trouble.'

Lila’s eyes narrowed, but her pulse hammered. 'And you think you’re trouble, huh? Big talk for someone who’s been eye-fucking me all night.'

'Baby, I don’t just talk,' Tessa said, her voice dropping an octave, rough with intent. She reached out, her fingers brushing Lila’s bare arm, sending sparks skittering across her skin. 'I deliver. One last time, Lila. Before you’re all… domesticated.'

Lila’s laugh was sharp, biting. 'Domesticated? Please. I’m not some tame little kitten, Tess. I’m a fucking lioness, and you know it.' She stepped closer, their bodies nearly touching now, the heat between them palpable. 'So, what are you waiting for? Make your move.'

Tessa’s grin was feral, her hand sliding to Lila’s waist, pulling her in with a grip that was all possession. 'Oh, I’ve got moves, sweetheart. Let’s see if you can keep up.' Their lips crashed together, hungry and desperate, the taste of whiskey on Tessa’s tongue igniting Lila’s senses. The garden faded away, the party a distant hum as their hands roamed, grasping, claiming. Lila’s fingers tangled in Tessa’s hair, pulling hard, a silent demand for more.

They stumbled back against the stone wall, hidden by shadows, Tessa’s thigh pressing between Lila’s legs, grinding just right. Lila gasped, her voice a low growl. 'Fuck, Tess, don’t tease me. I’m already wet for you.'

'Good,' Tessa murmured against her neck, her teeth grazing skin. 'Because I’m gonna make you drip before I’m done.'

Their breaths came fast, panting already, the promise of something explosive hanging heavy in the air. Lila’s hands slid under Tessa’s jacket, nails digging into her back. 'Then stop talking,' she hissed, 'and show me.'