Page 69 of Wed to You

Collier Talbot took her hand in both of his and leaned forward, with a smarmy twinkle in his eye. “She’s not your usual type.”

Chelsea jerked back. “I think that’s why he married me.”

Collier threw his head back in a hearty laugh. “Oh, she’s fiery. All that red hair, I guess. I bet she’s a feisty one in bed—”

“Stop.” Jagger stiffened next to her. “For once in your life can you pretend to have manners?”

Collier rolled his eyes. Then he leaned toward Chelsea again with a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. “If you ever want to know what it’s like with a real Talbot man, you let me know.”

Chelsea couldn’t stop from gaping. She looked to Gabrielle, who, if she was bothered by her husband propositioning his daughter-in-law, didn’t show it. She looked to Jagger, who had his eyes closed as if he was trying to calm himself or was maybe wishing he was anywhere but there.

Chelsea turned back to Colin, who stared at her with a smug expression, amused with himself. “Great day, ain’t that something? He thinks he can show me a better time than you, sugar.” Then she reached out and patted Colin on the arm. “Well, bless your heart.”

This time, Jagger barked out a laugh. He even pulled the handkerchief from his coat pocket to wipe his eyes. “Jesus, is it any wonder I married you.”

Colin jerked back, his brows furrowed in confusion. He was the butt of a joke and didn’t know it. Well, bless his heart again.

“Come on, Chels. You deserve another drink.”

“Jagger.” His father’s stern voice stopped Jagger. “We need to talk.”

“Not now. I’m on my honeymoon.”

“It’s important.”

Jagger was about to brush him off again, but Colin added. “It’s about Kaden.”

Chelsea realized that while she might be a target for Colin Talbot’s misogynistic, narcissistic behavior, Kaden was the weapon he used to control Jagger.

Jagger’s amusement fell away and Chelsea hated Colin for it. “Give me a minute. Go find Marlena. She’s safe.”

She wanted to offer to stay, but Jagger clearly wanted to deal with his father alone. “All right.”

The minute Jaggerhad asked for turned into thirty. But Chelsea, with Marlena as her ally, felt she did all right. Yes, she was a bit of a novelty because of her accent, especially when she realized how much they liked it and she allowed for a little more of the color and colloquialism of southern language into her conversation. A few of the guests she was talking to shared the peculiarities of their own regional dialects.

“In New York, they say ‘get on line’ not to mean the Internet, but to stand in a line. I’m from California and it took me forever to realize they weren’t talking about computers.”

“Really?”

“People say New Yorkers have an accent, but I don’t hear it.” The woman standing next to Marlena said.

“Many people from New York and New Jersey retire in my area and we can hear the accent.” Chelsea sipped her wine.

“Well, New Jersey, yeah.”

“Chelsea.” Jagger took her arm.

“Oh hey, sugar.”

“Sugar. That’s darling. I’ll have to use that,” the woman next to Marlena said.

Chelsea’s smile fell when she saw Jagger’s face. It reminded her of when he’d arrived home earlier that day. As if all the happiness and life had been sucked out of him.

Before he could say anything, she pressed close to him. “I know we only just got here, but I’m not used to fancy parties. I’m a little tired.”

He stared at her for a moment, and she swore she saw only emptiness in his eyes. Didn’t he get that she was giving him an excuse to leave?

He gave his head a quick shake. “Yes, of course.” He looked to the ladies Chelsea had been talking to. “It is our honeymoon.”

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