Scarlett paddled into the next wave and hopped up as it began to crest. Her heart soared as the wind blew her hair out of her face while she rode her board all the way in. She hopped off into the shallows and noticed that the group of teenagers had grown. They were all looking toward her.
Do they recognize me?she wondered.Or maybe they’re just watching us surf.She smiled.Or they’re admiring Brayden.Being spotted would normally stress her out, but given they wanted publicity, it didn’t really matter. She shrugged it off.
They surfed until Beni complained he was hungry. Scarlett gave him money for food, and while they waited for him to return, she stood next to Brayden on the sand and tugged him toward her, eager to taste the ocean on his lips.
Brayden didn’t hesitate, pressing his wet mouth to hers. The taste of the saltwater on his lips was delicious.
“Scarlett!” shouted a voice.
Scarlett, who’d been too lost in Brayden’s kiss to notice anything else, broke away and turned toward it. Two middle-aged photographers were standing thirty feet away in the sand. Their cameras clicked as she spun around to face them.
She gestured for them to come closer. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
“Good morning, Lady Heroux,” said Tom Bowles, a heavyset man with gray hair and glasses. She’d met him before at photo shoots for theSoleil Timesand thought he was a good guy. He’d always respected her privacy when she’d asked him to stand down, and now was her chance to pay him back for that.
“Thanks for coming,” said Scarlett, nervous but excited for the photo shoot with Brayden.
“Our pleasure. Appreciate the invite,” said the second, a thin blond man she didn’t recognize.
“This is my husband, Brayden Maddox. We got married two days ago,” said Scarlett. “Please mention that in the article.”
“Congratulations,” said Tom as he adjusted the lens on his camera.
Scarlett went on. “I’ve also got some wedding photos. They aren’t professional, but it’d be great if you could print at least one of them.”
“Be happy to,” said the second photographer. He pulled a card out of his pocket and dropped it on Scarlett’s towel. “You can send the pictures you want printed to that email address.”
“Perfect.” A few photos, and proof of her well-being would be all over Soleil, announcing her new relationship status the same week she joined Parliament. “Where do you want us?”
Brayden held Scarlett in his arms, and she was hyperaware of his body next to hers as the photographers’ cameras clicked. The group of teenagers Scarlett had spotted on her way into the water had gathered and were eagerly taking pictures with their phones.
Scarlett would never understand why people found her so interesting.
“Can you two look at each other?” asked Tom.
She stared up at Brayden and couldn’t help but grin. “Do you find this tedious?”
His lips curved into a smile. “Nothing is tedious when you’re in a swimsuit.”
“That’s great stuff,” called Tom. “Now can you two kiss?”
Brayden leaned down, and their lips met as she shut her eyes. His face was rough, but she liked it. His tongue brushed against hers, and her fingertips trailed over his stomach. The kiss was so good she forgot about their audience.
Someone whistled, and Brayden pulled back, glancing at the onlookers. He draped his arms around Scarlett’s shoulders. The cameras hadn’t stopped clicking.
“Who’s your new boyfriend, Scarlett?” called one of the teenagers as Scarlett beamed for the cameras from her comfortable spot in Brayden’s arms.
“I’m not her boyfriend,” he said. “I’m her husband.”
His declaration was met with excited giggles and laughs.
“What about Alastair?” yelled one of the girls.
“We broke up a while ago,” said Scarlett.
One of them gasped, and when Scarlett glanced their way, several of them were on their phones, probably texting their friends the huge scoop.
It felt unnatural to expose her private life like this. She’d been trained to be polite but distant to anyone who photographed her or spoke to her in public, but for once, Scarlett’s goals were aligned with theirs. This was an announcement she wanted to share with the world. She was more than fine, she was married, and she was here to put things right.
