Page 13 of Pin-up Girl

This time I was the one squeezing Clint’s hand for reassurance. I understood still being married to Regina was one of those worst things ever that could happen to him. We both knew it wasn’t true, so we just needed to get things sorted out here.

The clerk came back a few minutes later, with another woman I assumed was the supervisor. They muttered between themselves, and the supervisor took over the computer. Her fingers flew across the keyboard with practiced confidence, and every few seconds she would point to the screen and quietly explain something to the clerk.

A few minutes later, she pulled a piece of paper from the printer and slid it across the counter. “Here you go, Mr. Marsh. Miss Lantrey. You’re all set and I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thank you.” Clint’s sweet side was back, along with his smile.

“That’s it?” I asked.

The supervisor pointed behind us. “Follow the hallway down, until you see the sign for weddings. They’ll call your name when it’s your turn.”

“Oh. Okay. Thank you.” I smiled as well, and let Clint lead me from the room.

Our destination was right where the supervisor said, and we picked two of the chairs to wait in. There was no one else here, and they called our name within a few minutes.

Everything that came next happened in a sort of surreal blur. We didn’t bring any witnesses, but they had two on hand we could borrow. The judge asked if we had any vows of our own to exchange, and we didn’t. He recited a line for each of us to repeat, about being lawfully wedded, then pronounced us husband and wife.

“This is where you can kiss, if you’d like,” he said.

What now? If we were in love, we’d probably kiss. What should we?—

Clint cupped my face between his palms, cutting off my thoughts. He pressed his lips to mine, in the softest, sweetest kiss in the history of kisses.

At least until he deepened it. I couldn’t help but kiss back, and fall into the intensity and the way it tingled through all of me, from my fingers to my toes.

This wasn’t what we had. It wasn’t what we’d ever had. How had I never kissed this man before?

Clint pulled away, and I let out a soft sigh before I could think about what I was doing. My fingers flew to my mouth, but if I touched my lips, would this feeling vanish?

The smile he gave me was a dangerous combination of playfulness and sin.

The judge cleared his throat, drawing our attention, and heat spread across my cheeks.

We still had to sign the final paperwork, so we did. Our official certificate would arrive in the mail in a week or so, but in the meantime, they had a pretty, frame-able one for us to take with us.

Clint and I headed out to the truck, and now my mind was on a whole new race. This marriage was basically a business arrangement.

But that kiss.

All for the insurance.

So incredible.

Clint opened the passenger door for me and offered me a hand as I climbed in.

What’s going on?

“As soon as we get home, I’ll add you to the insurance,” I said the instant he dropped into his seat. “Crap, I’ll need info from you. You can help. We’ll grab my laptop. Do it in the shop. At your house? Not if Dee’s there. And not do it, but fill out paperwork?—”

Clint grasped my fingers, and my mind stopped. “Thank you for this,” he said.

Right. “Of course. Always.” It was a simple exchange, but it was enough to reset my brain, so we could talk like normal on the drive home.

This was the right choice. I may have little nagging doubts, but none of them were significant compared to what this would do to help Dee and Clint. They were what mattered.

“Do you mind if I pick up Dee from her friend’s on the way home?” Clint asked as we got closer to our exit.

Of course I didn’t mind. “Totally fine.”

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