As they waited for the justice of the peace to arrive, Rayne tried to unobtrusively study Calvin. He was dressed in a light-blue buttoned shirt that was open at the neck, white casual slacks, and white canvas slip-on shoes. She’d chosen to wear a white strapless summer dress that buttoned down the front, and white sandals. The dress was one of her own creations and had a slanted pattern on the heart-shaped bodice. She’d loosely pulled back the sides of her hair and used a diamond-studded hair comb to hold her hair in place.
She noticed that whenever Calvin looked at her, his green eyes darkened, and a lazy smile touched his handsome face. Rayne really wished her heartbeat wouldn’t speed up during those times. And when he took her hands into his, she felt the tips of his fingers slide softly along her palms. He did this on purpose, she just knew it.
The justice of the peace arrived and their guests took their seats. Still holding her hand, Calvin leaned closer to her ear. His warm breath sent shivers over her, and his musky scent of pine weakened her legs.
“You look adorable today,” he whispered.
Oh, heavens... why had his words left her breathless? “You... don’t look half bad yourself.” She smiled.
Chuckling, he winked at her before leading her toward the bow of the yacht. As the ceremony started, she could hardly pay attention to the words being said by the justice of the peace. Instead, Calvin’s gentle stroke of his fingers along her fingers and palm distracted her more than she was prepared for. She swallowed several times, hoping to get rid of her dry throat.
Suddenly, she heard her name and was asked to join hands with Calvin. Her heart hammered faster as she faced Calvin and took his hands. As the justice of the peace began the vows, she repeated them. “I, Rayne Marie Kennedy, take you, Calvin Jay Gates, to be my lawfully wedded husband...”
When Calvin repeated his vows, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. She was lost in his gorgeous, smoldering eyes. She’d met many handsome men in her life, but they were never memorable. Calvin Gates was definitely someone who would stay on her mind for a long, long time.
“By the power vested in me,” the justice of the peace said loudly, “by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The middle-aged man’s smile widened, and he rocked back on his heels as his gaze shifted to Calvin. “You may now kiss your bride.”
The kiss!Rayne’s breath stilled. How had she forgotten that they were going to kiss... and in front of the wedding guests?
Her mind quickly replayed the passionate moment in the elevator. Yes, she could do this in front of these people she didn’t know, especially if she was able to do it in front of Rona.
Slipping his arms around her waist, he gave her a teasing grin. Her hands shook when she rested them on his chest as he pulled her closer. Once he bent his head toward her, she closed her eyes and waited...
The second his lips touched hers, fireworks erupted inside of her head, booming loudly in her ears. Or maybe the noise came from their cheering guests. Either way, it was noisy, but it didn’t take her mind off the way his mouth slid back and forth over hers, and oh, so incredibly tenderly that she could hardly breathe.
This kiss was so very different from the one they’d shared in the elevator. Her body immediately melted against him as her mind screamed at her to stop. The longer they kissed, the more she gradually pushed away the negative thoughts and concentrated on their first passionate kiss as husband and wife.
He was the first to pull away, but he kept her close against him as he smilingly gazed into her eyes. He’d put her under a spell. That could be the only reason why she was unable to look away. If it hadn’t been for his friends coming to congratulate them, who knows how long Rayne would have kept them in this position.
Embarrassment crept over her as she politely shook hands with the wedding guests. For someone who wasn’t happy about being married to Calvin Gates, she sure wasn’t acting like it now. Shame on her!
And yet, she enjoyed the way his arm stayed around her waist as though he didn’t want her moving from his side. And when he kept looking at her with so much emotion in his eyes as if he thought she was so pretty he couldn’t look away... Heavens, no man had ever made her feel so special or so lovely.
Inwardly, she groaned. What had she gotten herself into? How was she going to make it through the next twelve months and still want to marry... um... what’s his name? Eddie, yeah, Eddie – after being with such an attentive man as Calvin Gates?
This marriage was truly going to play havoc with her nerves. Perhaps she’d be the one losing her mind once all was said and done.
