Her lips are soft as they part under mine, like her body already knows what my brain is working double-time to catch up to.
The crowd’s cheering fades to a dull roar that turns into nothing more than background noise. I slide one hand up behind her head, tangling my fingers through that wild, untamed hair, and pull her closer.
I know we just met; I know there’s nothing about this that’s real.
Except… it is.
For better or worse, this woman is my wife.
At least for the time being.
And every part of me is ready to make the most of that time.
I try to keep the kiss chaste and respectful, but the ridiculous man in the rhinestones leans in close to my ear and says, “That’s all you got for her, cowboy?”
Not. Even. Close.
I pull back to look at her. Really look at this woman who just agreed to marry me. Her cheeks are flushed, her breath a little unsteady, her eyes bright with a mix of nerves and something else I can’t figure out.
She offers me a small smile, the tiniest token of permission.
It’s all I need to pull her close and kiss my new wife properly.
My lips crush hers. This time, there’s nothing tentative or controlled about the kiss. I hear it when a soft groan slips from her lips. I feel it when her body curves into mine, just like it belongs there.
Her hand comes up and clutches at my shirt, pulling me to her.
As if I’m going to let her go now.
“Woo-ee!” Rhinestone Man screams into the mic. “What do you say, ladies and gents? Do these two need to get a room or what?”
A room?
Fuck yes.
I want to take this woman upstairs, lay her down on the bed and?—
A firm grip on my arm pulls me away from my sweet little wifey. “But not yet,” the man says to me, wagging a finger in my face.
I bite back a growl and the urge to tear his finger off completely.
“Thanks to our extensive list of sponsors, the celebrations are just getting started,” the rhinestone cowboy sings into the mic. “First up, a test for the happy couple brought to you by Bodacious Bubbles.”
Maisey and I are pushed and pulled around the stage, made to pose for one ridiculous photo after another, while Rhinestone Man runs through all the prizes from the various sponsors that are responsible for this crazy event.
After what feels like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes, the music starts up again, and we’re shoved back together and out into the crowd.
I grip Maisey’s hand before she’s swept off into the throng of people on the dance floor. “How about a dance?” I whisper into her ear. “After all, it is our wedding.”
She tips her head back in a laugh, and I swear, it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. Moments later, she holds her hand to her mouth to cover a little burp. Her eyes are wide with mortification.
“Oops. Maybe mixing tequila shots with Bodacious Bubbles was a bad idea.”
I keep a hand on her back as she stumbles backward a bit. “I’ve got you, little filly.”
She stares at me, her mouth open, as if she might object to the nickname. Instead, she laughs.
“Come on,” I say, leading her to the dance floor, where I pull her into an easy two-step.
