Page 28 of Billionaire Lumberjack's Bride

It wasn’t really something I wanted to bring up in front of Ronald. While this is all contractual, discussing potential intimacy with anyone else as a witness would have surely pushed me over the edge.

My shaking legs weaken more, threatening to give out from under me. Silas keeps his eyes locked on mine but doesn’t move to take the man’s suggestion.

The justice of the peace doesn’t know what to do, glancing between the two of us and chuckling awkwardly. “All right then, I’ll just finalize the paperwork.”

“One for the photos, please!” Ronald’s command echoes in my ears.

Silas takes a minuscule step forward until I can feel his body heat radiating off him and the scent of pine and sandalwood envelop me. “For the photos…”

His large, rough palm slides over my cheek, and a shiver rolls through me as he tilts my head up toward him and slowly lowers his mouth to mine.

* * *

SILAS

The moment my lips hit hers, electricity flows through my blood, lighting me from the inside out and making my cock stir to life for the first time in years. Her mouth moves against mine, slow and unsure, and my hand involuntarily tightens against her cheek, urging her chin up higher, giving me a better angle.

Against my better judgment, I give in to what my body wants and deepen the kiss, dragging my tongue along the seam of her lips, requesting entry, wanting to know what she tastes like. Needing it. Craving it more than I have anything in recent memory.

But Whiskey shifts against my leg, causing reality to slam into me like an out-of-control semi-truck.

What the hell are you doing?

I’ve made a tremendous mistake.

I could barely breathe with her in the cabin and my truck. If I had tried to talk to her last night or on the drive this morning, that scent that clings to her would have invaded my lungs again, the same way it did when I got close to her yesterday to sign the damn contract.

And now I’ve gone and kissed the damn woman.

Inhaled her taste—mint, passion, and the kind of sunshiny happinessotherpeople get to experience.

But not me.

Before I can let this go any further, I jerk away from her, tugging my hand free from her smooth cheek and stepping back, almost knocking Whiskey over with my abrupt movement. Her eyelids flutter open, and the green staring back at me has darkened in a way that makes my heart stop momentarily.

Tiny breaths slip from between her perfect pink lips, and her chest heaves in the tiny white dress that barely contains the swell of her breasts.

Fucking hell.

What have I done?

Ronald barks out a laugh and slaps me on the back. “Congratulations.”

I tear my gaze from her to glance at him. “What?”

He squeezes my shoulder. “You’re officially a married man now.”

I can’t even acknowledge the words. Rather than being something to celebrate, each syllable sends ice shards through my veins, instantly snuffing out the conflagration the kiss sent surging through me only moments ago.

It’s a frigid reminder of what we’ve done and of what’s coming.

And he’s the one who got me into this mess.

If Ronald hadn’t shown up to tell me about Father’s death, I’d still be blissfully unaware, living my life on the mountain, not giving a fuck about what happened to any of the Boltons. The past would have stayed buried where it belongs. But instead, I have allowed myself to be thrust back into the life I fought so hard to leave behind forever.

Now, I face an uncertain future—and I’ve dragged this woman into it without her knowledge.

Things are about to get very messy, and as my legal wife, Lyla’s going to have to suffer some of the blows that are sure to come.

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