You stare at Gail and try to reply, but your mind has other ideas. The room behind you falls quiet and suddenly, you can hear your blood pumping in your ears. Her gaze is crippling. Her dress is cut an inch or two shorter on both ends than that of the other Bridesmaids. It wraps over her breasts, pushing them from her chest, high enough to be whisked by the longest strands of her softly curled brown hair. Slowly, she tips her head to the side, ever so slightly, and smiles. Her straight, white teeth appear behind her lips, gleaming with malice.
“Too late,” she laughs. “It’s time to go.”
Then, without acknowledging anyone else in the entire room, she holds her arm out and asks for your escort upstairs. You can feel that now, more than ever before, you are the center of everyone’s attention. But, they are not just talking about you anymore.
Now they’re talking about you—and Gail.
You gently reach out and slide your arm around hers, feeling the soft touch of her silk, elbow-length gloves brush across your suit. You step to her side, letting your eyes pass across her body, from her chest to her exposed, well-defined collarbones and up the entire length of her smooth, white neck until you’re momentarily lost in the wandering curls cascading from her head.
“This is it.” she whispers as you begin ascending the stairs toward the church. You begin to hear the organ music again. With each step, it grows louder and soon you can hear the Reverend’s voice as he speaks to the late arrivals. Looking back at Gail, she puckers her lips and bats her eyelashes back at you.
“You’re never gonna get to fuck me again.”