Page 26 of His Wild Seduction

I didn’t have any back then. But I had plenty now. More than Franklin Gray ever had.

“I understand,” she repeated, her voice soft and hesitant.

Shit. I was fucking this up.

“You look beautiful, Meredith. Pink suits you,” I said, trying to make up for my temper.

“Thanks. So do you,” she replied instantly, a smile teasing the corner of her mouth.

“I look beautiful?” I repeated, and fuck, was I smirking?

When was the last time I did that? I hardly knew.

“You know what I mean, Josef,” she replied, rolling her pretty green eyes at me.

“Boss? They’re ready for you,” Mario said, letting me know the officiant was all set up.

I extended my arm and waited. A pregnant pause filled the room, but Meredith finally, gingerly, slid her small hand into the crook of my elbow.

I pressed it against my side. I knew better than to enjoy the way she felt tucked close to my body.

But I couldn’t help it. I did enjoy it.

A lot.

Exhaling softly, I led the way inside the small private room I booked for the ceremony.

The overhead lights were turned almost off, but the wall fixtures were on, and the effect was a soft, ethereal glow. It was nice.

The officiant was an older man. He stood between two large flower displays, and I looked down, frowning at Meredith’s empty hands.

Fuck.

I should have bought her flowers. Regret slammed into me, almost making me trip. I felt her questioning gaze on my face, but I just kept walking.

There were papers to sign, and we went through the motions. First her than me. She handed me the pen when she was done, and I frowned.

Meredith didn’t take time to read them. She had no way of knowing I’d arranged for ownership of her stepfather’s company to be transferred back to her the second the ceremony was complete.

I didn’t want her beholden to me from the start. Even though I’d used Gray Corps as leverage to get her to marry me to begin with, I wanted her to know it was hers.

But how the fuck was I supposed to admit that now?

So I kept my mouth shut.

“Are you ready?” the officiant asked.

I looked at Meredith and noted with pride the way she nodded immediately.

Goddamn. She’s perfect.

I was dangerously close to believing she wanted to marry me.

And that was not okay.

This woman had played me for a fool before and there was no way I could allow that to happen again.

This time, I held the reins. I decided the when and how and what of our relationship.

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