I blink and shake my head, thumb immediately moving to fiddle with the ring on my finger.
“Wait!” She widens her eyes at the ring. “The rumors are true?”
“What rumors?” I clear my throat and purposely keep my eyes on her so I don’t go back to staring.
“You two got married.” She grins, “Is it true?”
“Yes,” I swallow thickly, pushing down the need to run and hide.
“How? When!? Tell me everything! I didn’t even know you two were dating.”
Shit. I knew this would happen eventually, but naively, I had hoped I’d be able to avoid it for a while longer. I am a terrible liar at the best of times, but when I’m put on the spot like this, I fumble. Confirming we’re married is one thing, having to provide details of our non-existent relationship is another.
“You know Roman, he likes to keep to himself. We, uh, we didn’t want to become small-town gossip.” I rush out breathlessly. “Listen, I’ve got to get some stock from the back. You all good up here?”
“Oh, we’re fine!” She has a dreamy look on her face. “But really! I want to know it all! Definitely didn’t havethaton my bingo card for this year. You’ve been holding out on us, girl. I mean, he’stheRoman Knight.Swoon.”
“Sure,” I squeak and start backing up toward the door, “Of course. Let me just get this sorted.”
“Okay!”
I spin and make a break for it, slipping out of the bar and turn the corner, heading to the back room to hide. The door closes behind me, and I lean on it so I can catch my breath. We really just rushed into this and what? Just hoped no one would ask questions? Simply telling people we have been dating in secret will never be enough; we need a better story.
Chapter 12
It’s a little after three when Niamh shows the last customer out the door and sends her staff home. I’ve remained in the booth, but now it’s empty and quiet in here, I unfold myself and cross the space to her.
“Busy night,” I muse. It had been packed when I got here and didn’t let up once, and Niamh looked in her element. She’s a natural when it comes to people, knows exactly what to say to get a laugh or a smile from her customers.
“Why are you still here?” She asks, moving through the bar to collect the empty glasses and bottles people have left on the tables, so I do the same to help. She looks tired now though, her movement sluggish, feet dragging over the sticky floor.
“To takemy wife home.”
A scoff sounds from her. “You’re loving the wholemy wifething, aren’t you?”
“It has a ring to it,” I rasp. I didn’t figure I’d like it as much as I do.
“Well, get it all out now.” She flicks her eyes to me, a smirk playing on her lips. “You only have it for a year.”
“Maybe I should start saying Mrs. Knight instead.” I suggest, cocking my head to watch her reaction. I have no right to feel any sort ofpossessionover her, but damn,Mrs. Knightsounds fucking good.
A flurry of images flick through my mind, nights spent at home in front of a fire, a bottle of wine shared beneath the stars while we sit beneath a blanket, her legs draped over mine as my fingers leisurely trace the constellations we see on her skin. Waking up beside her, sleepy and content, life ticking on beyond the window. A world of possibilities that are out of reach.
“I didn’t take your last name,” She reminds me cooly and I clear my throat.
“That can be changed.”
“Absolutely not.” She pins me with a sharp glare, but I just meet it with a slight grin, unable to erase the fantasy of her from my mind.
“I won’t be much longer; you can head home.” She shakes her head, letting her hair fall down to cover the slight tilt of her own mouth, but I saw it anyway.
“I’ll drive you.”
“I have my truck.”
“I’ll drive you,” I repeat, knowing she’s far too tired to make the drive now.
“Listen, I’m sure you get what you want most of the time with everyone else, but you don’t control me.”
