Must-Have Husband

saucer.
    “Ladies and gentleman,” Elizabeth went on, “may I present to you our daughter Connie’s newly betrothed, Adam ‘Mac’ McCormack.” She gestured grandly in his direction, and people applauded. Mac wanted to crawl under the table, but Connie stopped him by taking his hand.
    “I can’t dance,” he whispered to her, his pulse picking up a notch.
    “Of course you can,” she said with a smile.

    Mac heard cups clattering against saucers and dessert forks scraping dishes as Connie led him toward the center of the room. Was it his imagination, or were people actually whispering behind their hands about his boots?
    Wendell Junior gave a signal to the bandleader, and the quartet began to play something with a lot of swing and dip. Mac had no clue what he was doing, so he let Connie lead as she pulled him along. Soon he was following her example, rocking back and forth and stepping sideways to the beat, all the while holding Connie’s hand. He didn’t know how she made it look so easy as she moved gracefully to the music, employing that seductive sway to her hips. Suddenly she eased forward, and Mac realized he was supposed to lift his arm so she could pass underneath. The moment he did, he felt something pop behind his right arm. The next thing he knew, Connie was passing behind him and circling around on the left, taking that hand and yanking back hard as she stepped out in front. Rip . Mac was sure he’d heard it, another seam tearing in his jacket. He hoped no one would notice, because there was no stopping Connie now. She was alive with the beat, her sweet face pink with exertion. Or maybe it was perspiration. Her pearl necklace bobbed in time to the music. Swish. She flung him forward, then pulled him back with both hands, tugging him up against her, as threads gave way in the seat of his pants. He had to say something, get her to stop. But then Elizabeth saved the moment by urging the rest of the guests onto the floor.
    Once they were surrounded by a sea of gyrating bodies, Mac forgot all about his failing wardrobe. All he could think of was Connie, with her gorgeous blue eyes and that beautiful smile on her lips. Any man who’d walked away from her must have been an idiot. She was lively and fun and — Holy Cow , he thought as she spun him around again — built to last! Suddenly, Mac realized the music had stopped, and he had Connie pressed right up against him as she wound her arms around his back. Party guests clapped and oohed and aahed at the lovely couple, knitted closely together on the dance floor.
    Out of nowhere, a chorus erupted. “Kiss, kiss, kiss!” The crowd became more and more insistent, cheering and clanking goblets with silver spoons.
    Connie gazed up at him, her cheeks bright red. “We don’t have to.”
    But if that was how she felt, why was there expectation in her eyes? Mac had seen that look in a woman before, and he knew exactly what it meant. It meant she wanted him to, oh yes, she did. And boy, in the heat of this crazy moment, didn’t he want her too. Mac lowered his mouth to hers, unable to fight its magnetic pull, as the crowd raged on, hooting and hollering as their lips drew closer. Mac cradled her head in his hands, enjoying the silken feel of her hair while his mouth hovered over hers.
    “Mac,” she breathed, panting lightly. “Don’t…stop.”
    And he didn’t. He laid it on with all he had as people cheered and clinked glasses around them in celebration. And man, didn’t her mouth taste good, all sweet and sugary like… Wait a minute. Bananas Foster? No sooner had that thought hit when a cold blast of air assaulted his bottom. Mac pulled back in shock to see his trousers had slid down to his ankles, and both of his jacket sleeves had popped off!
    “Wow,” he heard an older woman say from nearby. “Does she have that effect on all her fiancés?”

Chapter Six

    Mac heard a knock at his door and cracked it open.
    “Are you all right?” Connie asked with a worried look. She was still in her nice dress and pearls, looking as beautiful as ever. After his extremely embarrassing moment, Mac had hustled to his room to change back into his flannel shirt and jeans and hadn’t resurfaced since. Despite the dancing, his ankle seemed relatively back to normal, so he’d dispensed with the ace bandage and dropped it in his pack. He’d since heard car doors popping open and vehicles driving away, so figured most of the guests had left by now.
    “I’m