She bristles, “What the hell does that mean?”
“Seriously?” I glance at the truck. “The courthouse is an hour away, will that thing even make it that far?”
She winces and opens her mouth to argue but then closes it quickly. “Fine.”
I open the passenger door of the Ranger and offer her inside, which she does, but her face is less than pleased. Her arms cross over her chest.
“Put your seatbelt on,” I order once I’m behind the wheel.
Blue eyes cut to me. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Oh, the next twelve months with this one are going to be interesting. “Put it on.”
She raises one groomed brow, and then she turns away, angling her body to face the window. Something comes over me, a tingle that works down my spine, and before I can even think about what I’m doing, can even stop myself, I lean over her, yanking the belt until I can pull it around her.
“Roman!” She shrieks.
“Wear your fucking seatbelt,” I growl, my nose an inch away from hers. Fuck, she smells good, floral, like the wildflowers that grow at the edge of the woods in late spring. There are darker spots in her eyes, giving that crystal blue so much depth I could easily lose myself in them. Her plump lips part as she drops those eyes to my mouth and swallows hard.
I feel the edges of my mouth tip up into a grin. “Sure you don’t want to kiss me, sweetheart?” My voice comes out as a rasp, breath whispering against her lips.
She shoves me away. “We’re not in public now, stay on your side of the car.”
A laugh rumbles out of me as I return to my seat, satisfied she’s now secured, and hit the button to start the engine.
The ride across town is quiet and tense, with Niamh stewing in the passenger seat.
I pull up at the address Niamh had given me, looking toward the two-story townhouse with the white picket fence and swing set in the front yard.
“Just wait here,” Niamh sighs, “I won’t be long.”
“Just what exactly are you going to tell her?”
“What I need to,” Is all she offers back as she hops out of the truck and lets herself through the gate, following the path to the front door. She raps her knuckles once but doesn’t wait for it to be answered before she opens it and heads inside.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, watching the house intently. Ten minutes pass, then twenty, thenthirty, making my skin crawl with irritation. We still have time, but if she takes any longer, we might not make it. I want this donetoday.
Forty-seven minutes later, she comes out of the house with Ashley in tow. I recognize her as the girl from the bar the night I went there with Silas, the one who had talked to her after she had demanded I leave. I can see the skepticism written all over her face, and before they can reach the car, I hop out to get their doors.
“This is insane,” Ashley says the moment they’re close enough. “What the hell are you two thinking?”
I roll my lips inwards and look to Niamh, who cringes and lets out a long sigh. “It’s just for a year.”
“Niamh!” Ashley shrieks, “It’smarriage.”
“Look,” I hold my hands up, “I know it’s unconventional, but this helps both of us.”
“If you needed money, why didn’t you tell me!?” Ashley demands of her friend. “I could have helped you!”
“Ash bash,” Niamh sighs, looking to the toes of her boots, “You’re always helping me. Everyone is always helping me, but I’m in too deep now. I can’t and won’t ask you to help me with this.”
“No,” She laughs humorlessly, “But you’ll ask me to watch you ruin your life.”
Okay, ouch.
“It’s just a year.” Niamh says again, “I understand if you don’t want to witness, I do, but you’re the only person I trust with this.”
Her friend stares for a long time, the clock ticking down. If this isn’t going to work out, we need to figure something else out, and we’re running out of time. I shift on my feet, waiting.
