Zander’s face filled with heat. No, she didn’t know. He was just being paranoid.
“Thanks,” he said. “Me too.” With that, he climbed into the limo where Kat waited. The window beside her rolled down as he settled into the seat, and the guests started chanting.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss…” they cheered.
Zander spotted the photographer and videographer waiting beyond the limo, ready to catch the action as the crowd urged them on. Kat’s guests raised arms as they chanted. Michael’s excitement exceeded theirs, his wild cheer fit for the super-bowl while Mom shook her head. The rest of his family joined in, but with a lot less enthusiasm.
He scanned the crowd until his eyes settled directly on Grandma Lo. He’d seen her speaking to Randall just after they cut the cake. She’d likely figured out then that Zander would be stuck going on the honeymoon.
So what did she think of it all?
Grandma lifted her chin once her gaze met his. Slowly then, with obvious intent, she lowered her head in an approving nod. He could hear it now, what her inner voice was saying. Go ahead. Do what you’ve got to do.
What he had to do in that moment was kiss the unbelievably sexy woman at his side.
Well, if he must…
A hot streak of adrenaline ripped through him. Grandma’s approval was the opening of a colossal floodgate. And as exciting as those waters might be, Zander felt as if he’d fallen in without a life vest.
Suddenly Kat reached over and curled her fingers around the collar of his suit coat, seizing his attention in a blink.
“Guess we should give them what they’re asking for.”
Zander shifted his gaze back to her. If he was at risk of drowning, this woman was the goddess of water herself. Capable of luring him into dangerous ocean-depths with her gaze alone.
The word kiss, kiss, kiss echoed throughout the limo’s cab. His gaze dropped to her lips, fanning an onslaught of desire he couldn’t wait to give in to.
With that, he moved in slowly, the anticipation climbing with every breath. He grazed her lips gently at first, like a whisper, and felt the effects all the way to his knees. He moved in once more, this time for a longer, lingering kiss.
Kat trailed her fingers down the side of his jaw, causing a small, helpless plea to sound in his throat.
He was in trouble now, there was no doubt.
The crowd cheered.
“Right here,” the photographer called once they ended the kiss. “One last picture.”
Kat nestled up to him, her soft cheek grazing his as she grinned.
Zander squared a look at the lens, inwardly cursing Duke and his family for what they’d done. He was in way deeper than he imagined. Heck, they were headed to the honeymoon now, and there was no stopping it.
Unless… a frightening thought came to mind. One that made his already-racing heart spike with a new dose of adrenaline.
Unless he came clean. Told—at least Kat—who he was and why he’d said otherwise.
Kat waved out the window as they pulled away. Zander fixed his gaze on her smile. As the chapel faded in the distance, that gorgeous grin remained, wide and satisfied.
Knots tangled and twisted in his gut. This was decision time. He could do one of two things.
One—tell Kat the truth once they were alone and risk the backlash that was sure to come. Not only in the public eye as the Bentons wound up in the tabloids yet again, but backlash from the network’s legal team. That is, assuming she spoke up about it. Which she likely would.
Lawyers loved deep pockets, and not many went deeper than the Bentons. The network could go after the whole family for covering it up. As far-fetched as it might sound, more ridiculous claims had scored victory.
Could Zander really put them all at risk like that? Was there even an alternative?
Yes. Option two: Go along with it. All the way through the honeymoon, then meet back up with Duke once they were back.
He could catch his brother up on everything, give him all the details, and hope that they could cover up the sham. At least until decision day, where they chose to either stay together or get divorced during a live production, of course.
