What would the gossip columns say about the wedding? That the womanizing twin got stuck with a geeky duckling at the altar?
Heat rushed into her cheeks. Her face and lips felt tingly, almost numb. In fact, her whole head was fuzzy, and things were starting to blur. This was all happening too quickly. And on live TV. Who signed up to do anything on live TV?
Suddenly a new voice spoke up.
“Just a moment, Pastor,” the groom said, lowering his head to catch Kat’s gaze.
Snap out of it, Kat. She blinked, her eyes shifting back into sharp focus on the man across from her.
There was something about his expression—those pools of deep, peaceful blue—that lured her away from the panic in her head. From the chaos in her heart.
He rubbed a thumb gently over the top of her hand before giving it a squeeze. Warm flutters circled around her heart in response.
“Looks like she’s got her color back,” a woman mumbled from the crowd.
“You with us, Kat?” the pastor asked. It took effort to tear her eyes off the groom, but she did, just long enough to give the pastor a reassuring nod.
“I’m good.” The funny thing was, she meant it. The man before her—no matter his fame or his name—had comforted her in the impossible moment. That fact filled her with a renewed boost of hope. Perhaps this guy really was her match.
The pastor nodded and grinned. “Alright then. In front of God and these witnesses, do you, Kat Morgan, take Duke Benton to be your husband?”
The swarm of butterflies kicked up once more, only now, excitement took the reins. “I do,” she said.
“And Duke,” he continued, “do you take Kat Morgan to be your wife?”
A gulp slunk down his throat, disrupting her newfound certainty in a blink. What if they’d gone to all this trouble, live cameras rolling and all, only to have the whole thing go wrong with a rejection?
At last he nodded the slightest bit, blew out a breath through pursed lips, and replied. “I do.”
Celebratory whispers sounded from the crowd. Relief calmed the tightness in Kat’s limbs. He’d said yes. This was actually happening.
The pastor grinned. “It’s time for the rings.”
Her brother-in-law Craig stepped forward with the ring box. One of Duke’s brothers did the same, but it wasn’t Zander. Which got her thinking. Just where was Duke’s twin brother? Would he really miss something so important?
Seemed like kind of a jerk move to miss your twin brother’s wedding.
“Kat,” the pastor said as Craig handed over the ring. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed. And then slip the ring onto your groom’s finger.”
Kat kept her focus on the act as she slipped the white gold band onto his finger. Yet as she repeated the words, her gaze drifted up to meet those deep blue eyes once more. Testing. Would she feel the connection again, or had the feeling come more from his kindness of putting her at ease?
His hypnotic gaze locked on hers, forcing the answer to come on fast and strong. Heat, passion, and a magnetic draw she couldn’t deny. A deep thrill shot through her, causing warmth to flare in her cheeks as well.
The pastor instructed the groom to do as she’d done.
He did, taking his eyes off Kat long enough to slip the gorgeous diamond ring over her finger. Their eyes met once more, and she couldn’t help but get lost in the sapphire depths.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Kiss. She’d almost forgotten that part was coming.
Her new husband shuffled one foot forward, bringing his blessed scent and warmth closer still. He slid a hand along her forearm then, his fingers gently caressing as he leaned in.
Goosebumps rippled over her skin. Kat pulled in a shaky breath, holding very still as he cradled the side of her neck, ever so softly. At last his gaze dropped to her lips.
A rush of fresh tingles zipped over her skin. Anticipation skittered through her chest in one, hot streak. This gorgeous stranger, who was now her husband, was about to kiss her!
Tentatively, she lifted a hand, rested it softly on his shoulder, and glanced down at the perfectly sculpted shape of his mouth in return. More heat flushed through her.
