Catherine handed Heather her bright pink bouquet, and she took hold of it and gave herself one last, purposeful look in the mirror before the two of them walked down to the chapel.
It was absolutely packed full of people, because who could resist coming to gawk at this?
Not many that had been invited, it turned out.
The whole thing looked like an elegant wonderland, with twisting branches woven together with fairy lights wound around them. Making an arbor for her to walk beneath as she made her way up the aisle. And there he was. Stern and stoic in his black suit, his black hair ruthlessly styled off of his forehead.
Romeo. Her stepbrother. The father of her baby. Her husband.
Hers. Inevitably. There was no escaping him, and she didn’t even want to.
She wanted him. She wanted this. Forever. He took her hand, and looked at her. His gaze drifted down to her cleavage, and back up. And just like when they had been teenagers, she knew.
He had made a mistake.
He wanted her.
When they spoke their vows, her heart began to beat harder. Faster. She meant every word. This was no performance.
Standing there in front of all these people, in front of Catherine in her pink bridesmaid dress, and Carla in her kelly-green mother-of-the-bride gown. This was real for her. The only wedding she would ever have.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
They hadn’t discussed this beforehand. But there was no need to discuss it. She knew what she wanted.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Deep and long. With all the desire that she had inside her body. He captured the back of her head, his tongue sweeping over hers, clearly overcome just as she was. He wasn’t going to stop this now. He wasn’t going to stop.
No. He kissed her deep and long, the desire that was building inside of her aching and desperate, even in front of all these people.
This was what everyone had come to see, so they might as well see it. This need that existed between the two of them.
It was real.
And it was strong. No matter what he said.
He pulled away from her, his breathing hard, the color in his cheekbones dark red, suggesting pent-up desire.
Oh yes. He did want her.
She was going to get her wedding night. And what she had that. He wouldn’t be able to have anyone else, not without consequences.
She loved him. That wasn’t making her feelings soft.
She could try to be his friend. But she wanted to be his lover. His wife. His woman.
She wasn’t going to give the man peace.
He was going to have to work for it.
On that she was determined.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
He had seenthe challenge in her eyes. But worse was the moment that he had first seen her coming up the aisle in her wedding dress.
Like a dream. All white satin and glimmering jewels.
The shape of her body tempting him. Calling to him.
