Nate helps me out of the back of Gracie's car and pulls me to his side while we wait for Gracie to lock up her car. "This is so exciting!" Gracie tells me as she grabs my hand and yanks me away from Nate's side. I look back and see that he is grinning from ear to ear. At least he's amused by all this. I turn back forward and fall into step with Gracie as she leads me towards a big dress store. Nate follows behind us but doesn't say a thing. "I'm so glad you agreed to be my bridesmaid," she tells me and I smile.

"Me too," I respond honestly as we make our way inside the store. "Do you know what color you want your bridesmaids to wear?" I ask her, getting into my work mindset.

"I was thinking a mint color."

"I love it."

"Really?"

"Yes, mint is a gorgeous color for bridesmaid dresses."

"That's a relief to hear."

"Are there any other colors you had in mind?"

"No, just mint and probably white."

"That sounds perfect."

"Let's find your dress," she says excitedly.

"My dress?" I ask confused. I thought we were looking for the dress that all the bridesmaids were going to wear but apparently, that's not the case.

"Yeah, your dress."

"I'm confused," I admit honestly.

"I'm going against tradition," she explains.

"What do you mean?"

"Each one of my bridesmaids is going to wear a different dress. You're all going to wear the same color but each dress will be unique."

"Really? That's definitely not traditional but I like the sound of that."

"Yeah, I just want each of my bridesmaids to be their own individual rather than clones of each other."

"I love that because dresses don't always flatter all body types."

"True but it's not just that. I want all my bridesmaids to feel beautiful on my wedding day, which is why I decided that all my bridesmaids will wear a dress that not only suits them but makes them feel beautiful."

"That's really sweet of you," I admit. Brides-to-be tend to only think about themselves when it comes to their wedding day but not Gracie. She's keeping everyone in mind and is doing everything to make everyone happy on her wedding day.

"I just want my bridesmaids to be as happy as I'm going to be on my wedding day."

"You're like the most thoughtful bride-to-be I've ever met," I tell her and give her a side hug.

"Awe shucks. You're going to make me blush," she responds with an embarrassed smile just as a female employee approaches us.

"Hi. How can I help you ladies and gentleman?" the female employee adds at the end for Nate's sake.

"We're actually looking for mint colored dresses for my bridesmaid," Gracie informs her and she nods her head.

"Is there any style you're looking for in particular?" she asks and Gracie immediately looks at me.

"I want something strapless," I tell the employee.

"That shouldn't be too hard to find. Come with me," she tells us and we follow her to a large dress rack that is full of strapless dresses. "Some of our dresses come in other colors besides the one that you see on the rack, so if you see one you like just let me know so I can find out if it also comes in mint."

"Okay, thanks," I tell her gratefully and start looking through the rack of dresses with Gracie at my side while Nate just takes pictures of us. Typical Nate.

I grab a few dresses off the rack and ask the employee if I can try them on. She takes me to a fitting room in the back where Gracie waits patiently outside the door so she can zip up the dresses for me like I did for her at the bridal store.

"Here's the first one," I tell Gracie as I step out of the fitting room in a mint colored floor length gown. I turn my back to her and she zips it up before turning me back towards her.

"Very pretty," she comments as she looks me up and down.

"Yeah but I don't feel like it's the one."

"Let's go show Nate anyways." She takes me by the hand and leads me to where Nate is waiting for us. The moment he sees me he starts taking pictures.

"Are you going to do this every time I try on a dress?" I question him and he just grins. "I take that as a yes."

"Pretty much," he says with a chuckle and takes another picture of me.

"So what do you think?" Gracie asks him and he doesn't think twice to look me up and down.

"It looks good but it's not what I envision you in," he tells me truthfully and I can't agree more.

"What could you see her in?" Gracie asks him and he turns to look at me with a mischievous grin.

"Something that shows leg. A lot of leg," he adds with a wink and I gulp.

"More leg. Okay, got it," Gracie says as if she's mentally taking down notes. "Alexa, you go back to the dressing room while I find some other dresses for you to try on."

"Wait!" I tell her but it's too late, she's already gone off in search of more dresses. I sigh and turn towards Nate, knowing he's my only other option. "Could you uh... please lower the zipper for me?" I ask him feeling embarrassed. It doesn't help that I don't have a bra on underneath the dress, but I need to get the dress off and since Gracie is looking for dresses I really have no choice but to ask him.

"Are you asking me?" he asks with fake surprise and looks around before turning back to me with a big goofy grin on his face.

"Yes," I respond with a laugh. "Now will you help me or not?"

"Turn around," Nate tells me with a gesture of his finger.

I turn my back to him and pull my hair forward, completely exposing my back to him. Before he can unzip the dress, I hug the top of the dress to my chest so it doesn't slip down my body. Seconds later I feel his breath on the back of my neck and nearly shiver the moment his fingers come in contact with my skin.

He slowly lowers the zipper on the dress and doesn't miss the opportunity to lightly graze my skin with the tips of his fingers. It takes every ounce of control I have not to react to his touch. Every nerve ending in my body is going haywire with just his soft caress that is light, yet so unnerving.

"There," he says, finally getting the zipper all the way down.

"Thanks, I should get back to the dressing room," I blurt, needing to put distance between us.

"I'll wait for you here," he tells me and I nod, unable to find my words but I don't look at him. I avoid his gaze because I don't want him to see my blushing cheeks.

I make my way back to the dressing room and breathe a sigh of relief when I'm back in the confines of the small dressing room. I take off the dress and put it back on its hanger.

"I'm back," Gracie announces as she comes back into the dressing room area. "I have lots of dresses for you to look at."

I slightly open the door and peek around it to see her holding a handful of dresses. "I'll take those," I tell her and pull them inside the dressing room with me. "Should I hand you back all these other ones?" I ask her as I look at all the floor length gowns.

"Yeah, Nate wants you to show lots of leg, so I definitely think you should show at least some leg. It'll make him happy if you do."

"Fine. I'll do it but I'm not doing it for Nate. I'm doing it for you."

"I'm not going to be the one looking at your legs. That's all Nate and if I know my brother well, he'll be staring at your legs all day long."

"I don't think I want to show leg anymore," I say nervously. I'm not a fan of showing off my legs as it is and knowing that Nate's eyes are going to be on them a lot just makes me want to show them less.

"Do it! I bet you'll make Nate the happiest man alive if you do."

"I don't know," I say unsure and bite my lip nervously.

"Come on! He's your date after all and you want to impress him, right?"

"Yeah," I say a bit uncertain.

"Do you or do you now want to impress, Nate?" Gracie asks me as if she's coaching me through all of this and I just sigh.

"Yeah, I guess I kind of do," I admit.

"Then there's nothing to think about. You're going to show some leg. No question about it."

"Fine. I guess it can't hurt to show some leg," I say more to myself.

"Not at all. You're going to look so sexy, just wait until you see yourself in the perfect dress!" she says excitedly and I can't help but hope she's right. I grab the first set of dresses we picked out and hand them back to Gracie just as the female employee enters the fitting room area.

"I'll take those," she tells Gracie and takes them off her hands. "Is everything good so far?"

"Yes, thanks for asking," Gracie responds politely.

"Okay, let me know if there's anything you need help with."

"We will," Gracie tells her and she leaves. "Now look at all the dresses I brought and try one on," Gracie tells me and I lock the door of the dressing room behind me before making my way over to the pile of dresses.

"I will. Just give me a second," I respond as I pull the first dress off the hanger. I put it on and know that Nate will love the way it shows off my legs while I love how it accentuates my curves, but it still doesn't feel like the right dress. "Ready," I tell Gracie as I step out and turn my back towards her.

She zips it up and turns me around so I'm facing her. "I definitely am liking how it looks, but how do you feel?"

"Well it shows off leg like Nate wanted and it flatters my curves but it still doesn't feel like the right dress for me," I admit slightly disappointed.

"Don't worry. We'll find the perfect dress, but lets at least go show Nate so he can eat his heart out," Gracie says with a wink and takes me to where Nate is standing with a bored look on his face. Gracie clears her throat and Nate finally focuses on us, well mostly me, because he takes the moment to look me up and down.

"Nice," he comments.

"That's it?" Gracie asks disappointed.

"I'm not going to make a big deal out of a dress she clearly doesn't like," he responds defensively.

"He's right. It's really pretty but it's not my dress," I tell her as Nate takes a picture of me.

"Fine. Let's hope the third times the charm."

Gracie takes me back to the dressing room and I try on the next dress but sadly the third dress isn't the right dress either, but I show it to Nate anyways. He takes a few pictures of me in the dress and we go on like that for what feels like forever. I try on dress after dress and Nate takes pictures of me in all of them until I practically lose hope.

"I feel like I'm never going to find the indicated dress," I tell Gracie as I take off yet another dress that is pretty and fits me well, but it's just not my dress.

"I'm sure you will. Don't give up," Gracie tells me and I realize that she is basically doing for me what I do for brides-to-be on a daily basis.

"How is everything in here?" I hear the female employee ask from outside the dressing room.

"Good. We're just looking for that one dress that wows us," Gracie tells her. I peak my head around the dressing room door and smile at her.

"I actually wanted to ask if you'd be interested in trying on a new dress that just came in this week. It comes in mint, coral, and many other colors, and if by any chance it doesn't fit you perfectly we can always order it a size up or down. And just so you know we also do modifications here, so size isn't a problem."

"Yeah, that sounds great actually. Can I try it in the mint color?" I ask her and she nods.

"Yes, of course. I'll be right back with the dress."

"Thanks," Gracie and I tell her as she walks out of the dressing room area.

"I have a feeling that this is the one," Gracie says excitedly and I really hope she's right, but I'm not about to get my hopes up.

"I really hope you're right."

"Just have faith," she tells me and I nod just as the female employee reenters the dressing room area.

"Here it is. I really hope you like it." She hands me the mint dress and I take it from her. "If you need anything else just let me know," she tells us before leaving us alone.

"Cross your fingers," I tell Gracie before closing the dressing room door behind me.

"I am," Gracie says with a giggle as I put the dress on. "I'm telling you, I have a really good feeling about this one."

"I know. Let's just hope you're gut is right." I finish putting the dress on and open the door for Gracie to enter the dressing room. She zips it up and I lower my hands to my side so I can take it all in.

The dress is a strapless, high low dress that comes up to my knees at the front and falls a little below my heels at the back, but I know that with a good pair of pumps it will be the perfect length. It is made from chiffon, which is a really light material that is perfect for weddings. It also hugs my curves in all the right places, which is a definite plus in my book. Although what captivates me the most is the intricately beaded pattern on the top. It's made from mint and clear colored beads that make the dress unique but also beautiful. It's simply stunning.

I smile at my appearance in the mirror and know immediately that this is the one. There is no doubt about it in my mind.

"This is it, isn't it?" Gracie asks me and I smile and laugh.

"This is it!" I confirm with a big smile.

"This is so exciting!" Gracie cheers while jumping up and down.

"What's going on in here?" Nate asks as he steps into the dressing room area and the moment he sees me, he stops in his tracks. "You look beautiful," he tells me, as he slowly trails his eyes up and down my body. I blush and thank him before looking away embarrassed, and right as I do, I hear a shutter go off.

"Work it," Gracie says and I laugh out loud, which Nate doesn't hesitate to capture on his camera.

"Stop it, Gracie," I tell her with a straight face but lose it and break into a smile.

"That's what I thought," she says with a grin and poses with me for a couple of pictures before grabbing the camera from Nate to take pictures of us together. "Stand close you two," she instructs us, but I don't make a move.

"Come here. I don't bite," he tells me and I hesitantly approach him.

"I have a hard time believing that," I say out loud and he chuckles.

"I can definitely be persuaded," he whispers with a wink, making me gasp. Nate grins, knowing he got just the reaction he wanted out of me and wraps his arm around me before pulling me into his side. "Smile," he whispers into my ear and right on cue we smile for the camera. "Now look surprised."

"What? Why?" I ask confused and turn just in time to see him closing in on me.

I freeze in place and just watch in shock as his face inches closer and closer to mine. Before I can even blink or so much as breathe, he kisses me smack dab on the lips. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but what I do know is that my heart skipped a beat the moment his lips touched mine.

I slowly close my eyes and block out the sound of the shutter that is going off incessantly while Nate and I just stand there with our lips locked.

"Got it!" Gracie says triumphantly, shattering the moment.

I open my eyes and see that Nate is in just as much shock as I am. I pull away from him in an attempt to hide my blushing cheeks, but there is no doubt in my mind that he saw the effect he had on me. "You two are so cute," Gracie comments as she looks through the images on the camera.

"Gracie for once in your life, please be quiet," Nate tells her with a sigh and she just grins and laughs before walking out of the dressing room area, leaving Nate and me alone.

"I-I should change back into my clothes," I stammer and he quickly steps away, giving me room to close the door. I try to slip the dress off and remember that it's still zipped. I curse and bang my head on the door for being so stupid.

"Is everything okay in there?" Nate asks in a concerned voice.

"No. Not exactly."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Could you unzip my dress?" I ask embarrassed from inside of the dressing room.

"Yes," he says with a nervous chuckle.

I open the door and turn my back to him and unlike last time, he unzips the dress quickly before stepping away from me. "Thanks," I respond and close the dressing room door behind me.

"I'll wait for you outside," he tells me before exiting the fitting room area.

I sigh and slowly slip off the dress, trying to be careful with it while remembering the fact that Nate pretty much just kissed me. It wasn't a kiss per se, but his lips definitely made contact with mine. I could tell by the look on his face that he was just as surprised as I was. He clearly did not mean to kiss me. If anything, he meant to kiss my cheek, but I turned and that changed everything. And I mean everything! If anyone is to blame for what happened it's me but I don't regret it. Not one bit. I know I probably should, but I honestly don't, and now I can't help but want more.

I get dressed and put the dress on its hanger before walking out of the dressing room with my purse and dress in hand. I walk up to Gracie just as the female employee approaches us.

"Are you all set?" she asks us and I nod.

"Yes, thank you so much for showing us this dress. It's perfect," I tell her gratefully.

"I'm always more than happy to help. Do you need the dress to be modified in any way?"

"Not right now but if I happen to lose some weight for the wedding I'll let you know. Wish me luck," I tell her with a wink.

"You look perfect. You don't need to lose weight," Nate interjects.

"I agree," Gracie chimes in and I can't help but sigh.

"You two don't get it," I mutter because they really don't. They both look like they could be models. I, on the other hand, don't and could afford to lose some weight before the wedding.

"I can't speak for Gracie but believe me, I get it," he says, pointing to his chest. "I just don't think you should ever try to change yourself for anyone, much less some big event. If you want to change, do it for you. Don't do it because you want to look a certain way."

"But-" I start and he cuts me off.

"But nothing. You are beautiful as you are and you don't need to change. Not now. Not ever," he tells me and I smile at his words but that joy is short lived.

"Are you single?" The female employee asks Nate straight-out and I wish I could say it doesn't make me jealous in the least bit, but it does big time. I'm so jealous I want to claw her eyes out. Does that sound a bit crazy? Probably. Especially since he's not mine to protect, but the jealousy is simmering and I am not liking the way she's looking at him one bit.

"I am," he responds and I feel my heart drop at his response but it's the truth. He's single and could date her or anyone he wanted for that matter. He doesn't have to wait for me like he said he would, and that more than anything crushes me. I want him to be mine and mine alone. I don't care if it makes me sound possessive. I want him all to myself.

He turns towards me with a cocky smirk and I'm not sure what to make of his expression when he opens his mouth and says, "I'm single but I won't be for long. Right, Alexa?" I feel my mouth gape open and my heart rate spike at his admission. If I ever doubted his feelings for me, I don't now. He just made it more than blatantly obvious that he wants to date me and only me and just the thought alone has my heart beating a mile a minute.