“We were rather rudely interrupted.”
“So we were. You seem to have dried off nicely.” He couldn’t help glancing downward to the front of her white peasant blouse. And since he happened to be looking that way, he might as well linger just a moment to admire the expanse of creamy, glistening skin revealed above the deep neckline, the deep shadow of cleavage, the tiny mole just above her …
She cleared her throat. “Um, Jones?”
With an unapologetic grin, he lifted his eyes. “Yes?”
“You’re being very bold, sir.”
Her tone was teasing, not offended, so his grin only deepened when he murmured, “You know how it is with us epic adventurers.”
“Sadly, yes.” She injected just the right amount of world-weary resignation into her tone to make him laugh.
Damn, but it was fun to be with her. The only real fun he’d had tonight.
Dear Reader,
Weddings are always ripe settings for fiction. Weddings so often involve drama and humour, joy and stress, smiles and tears. The most minor crises are magnified, and the pressure for everything to be “perfect” can lead to tension for everyone involved. So it seemed only natural that Dr Madison Baker wonders if the immediate attraction she feels for fellow wedding party member Dr Jason D’Alessandro is unduly influenced by their surroundings, or if their chance encounter could lead to a lifetime partnership.
Before I became a full-time writer, I made my living in advertising and photography. Serving as the official photographer at three weddings quickly convinced me that I’d rather write about weddings than participate! I was all too easily caught up in that futile quest for perfection and the stress was overwhelming for me, but those experiences have fueled my imagination ever since when it came to writing wedding stories. I remembered those three weddings and many others I’ve attended since while dreaming up challenges for Madison and Jason to encounter during their initial weekend together.
Spending time with the Baker family was so much fun for me. I loved getting to know the three physician siblings, Meagan, Mitch and Madison, and bringing them together with their own special “someones.” I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting them, too, and that you’ll be entertained by Madison’s adventures falling in love among the chaos of her best friend’s extravagant wedding weekend.
Gina Wilkins
About the Author
GINA WILKINS is a bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than seventy novels. She credits her successful career in romance to her long, happy marriage and her three “extraordinary” children.
A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, Ms Wilkins sold her first book in 1987 and has been writing full-time since. She has appeared on the Waldenbooks, B. Dalton and USA TODAY bestseller lists. She is a three-time recipient of a Maggie Award for Excellence, sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of RT Book Reviews.
Doctors in the Wedding
Gina Wilkins
As always, for my family, who are always there
for me and for each other. I’ve been so blessed.
Chapter One
A mysterious, smoky-eyed gypsy fortune-teller gazed back in surprise from the mirror’s shiny surface. Madison Baker blinked and looked again, just to make sure the reflection was her own. “I don’t know, BiBi. Maybe this costume is a little too much?”
“Too much what?” Bianca “BiBi” Lovato demanded, studying her longtime friend with a satisfied smile. “Too much cleavage? Too much leg? Too much sexy?”
“All of the above.” Twisting slowly, Madison eyed her reflection, wondering how the snug-fitting white peasant blouse BiBi had provided added the illusion of several inches to her average-size bustline. The very low, square-cut neckline with off-the-shoulder, short puff sleeves revealed more skin than Madison was accustomed to showing.
Her blond-highlighted hair tumbled from beneath a glittering purple head scarf to brush her bare shoulders. A burgundy corset accented with gold ribbons and threads laced tightly from just below her breasts to the top of her hips, making her waist look startlingly small above a cleverly draped purple sash. The flirty, ruffled skirt in burgundy, purple, gold and black was bunched high on her right thigh, baring her right leg almost to dangerous territory. Large hoop earrings swung from her lobes and bangle bracelets clinked with the movements of her arms. Ridiculously high heels on a pair of BiBi’s barely-there gold sandals added a good five inches to Madison’s already long legs. She was glad she’d made time in her hectic schedule for a mani-pedi earlier that week.
She lifted her arms a little higher, just to make sure everything that was supposed to be covered remained that way. The bracelets clanged gaily with the movement. “I like it,” she decided aloud. “It’s fun.”
BiBi clapped her hands. “I knew this costume would be fantastic on you. I’m so glad you let me pick one out.”
“I really appreciated your offer. I’ve worked like a crazy person the past couple of weeks—including two nights on call at the hospital—just to clear time off for your wedding festivities. There was no way I would’ve had time to find a costume. Nor did I have room in my luggage to bring it if I’d found anything.”
Corinna Lovato, BiBi’s younger sister and the maid of honor for BiBi’s upcoming nuptials, pushed lightly past Madison to claim the full-length mirror. “BiBi and I chose the outfits from our cousin’s costume shop. I love mine.”
Corinna did look fabulous in her alien princess garb, Madison had to admit. Sparkly gray shadow and charcoal liner made her almond-shaped dark eyes look big and mysterious against her flawless skin. False green lashes sprinkled with glitter swept her cheeks when she fluttered them. More glitter had been brushed over her cheekbones, throat and cleavage. Her dove-gray gown was floor-length, skintight and cut daringly low, cinched at the waist with an intricately detailed gold metal belt that matched the elaborate headpiece securing her dark hair. Long sleeves ended in flowing points around her hands, revealing nails polished in a gleaming jade.
“You look beautiful, Corinna.”
Corinna beamed over her shoulder. “Thanks, Maddie. So do you.”
“We all look gorgeous.” BiBi smugly included herself and Hannah Thatcher in the comment. BiBi wore a pink-and-red genie costume that bared her midriff and most of her cleavage, and displayed her legs through pinkchiffon harem pants. Her ebony hair was caught up in a saucy ponytail secured by a felt-and-chiffon genie’s cap. Hannah, who like Madison was in Dallas to serve as a bridesmaid in BiBi’s wedding, had been outfitted as a pirate wench in another low-cut peasant blouse, a short, tattered-hemmed skirt, wide leather belt and a snug faux leather weskit jingling with fake gold doubloons.
The costumes were hardly original, but no one could say they were bland, Madison thought with another glance at the mirror. She’d known when she’d given BiBi authorization to rent her a costume from BiBi’s cousin’s shop that the results would be … interesting.
Madison and BiBi had known each other since college, having met freshman year when they had been randomly assigned as roommates their first semester. By the second week of school, they’d been very good friends. Their complex, sometimes drama-filled but ultimately worthwhile relationship had survived four years of college in Louisiana, then they’d gone on