Page 24 of When it Sizzles

If it weren’t, how could everything have worked out so?—

“Rings!” I bleat to my own startled reflection as Seraphina reenters the room. I spin to face her, my heart in my throat. “We forgot the rings! We were going to buy them at one of the shops in the hotel. But then we ended up adopting a parrot, and by the time we made it to the pet store and back to the hotel to drop Sharkbait at the front desk, we were running late and completely forgot about the rings.”

“Sharkbait is the parrot?” she asks as she sets a gorgeous bouquet of white roses and pale pink peonies on the edge of the vanity.

“Yes,” I say, noting that she seems remarkably unphased by my strange disclosure. But then, this is Vegas. I’ve seen more odd things today than I can shake a stick at, and I’ve only been here for a few hours.

“Cool, love that name,” she says, holding out a pair of tiny lace gloves. “Try these on. They’ll look amazing with the dress.”

“Okay, but…the rings?” I ask, not wanting to be annoying, but genuinely concerned that this might be a dealbreaker. “Can you get married without rings?”

She grins, her dark eyes dancing above her full cheeks. “Well, of course, you can, but you won’t have to. I have silicone rings on hand, just in case. And they’re painted gold, so most people won’t even realize they’re temporary unless they shake your hand. I’ll tuck a man’s size and a woman’s size in my pocket before I sit down to be your witness.”

My shoulders sag with relief. “Wonderful. Thank you so much. You’ve been amazing.”

She laughs. “Thanks, I try. Now, don’t stress. Everything is going to be perfect. You look like an angel, your man is a heartbreaker in that Dean Martin tux, and you’re going to live happily ever after, no doubt in my mind.”

I grin as I murmur, “There’s no doubt in mind, either.”

“Then grab your bouquet, girlie, and let’s get you married.”

She guides me to a set of closed doors and tells me to step through when I hear the wedding march begin to play. I do, my heart lifting as I see Connor beaming at me from the front of the chapel. It’s all cream and white, with stained glass windows behind the officiant and pews covered in a profusion of flowers.

The flowers are fake, but they’re still gorgeous…nearly as beautiful as the look in Connor’s eyes as he watches me walk down the aisle toward him.

“I can’t believe you’re going to be mine,” he whispers once I’m standing before him.

“And you’re going to be mine,” I say, reaching out to take his hand, happy tears in my eyes. “How lucky are we?”

“So lucky,” he agrees with a laugh.

“As far as I’m concerned, those are beautiful vows,” the man with salt-and-pepper hair says with a grin. “Would you like me to pronounce you man and wife now, or should we do the traditional thing, too?”

“Let’s do the traditional thing, too,” I say. “I need more time to soak this all in.” I do a quick sweep of Connor in his 1950s style suit with a skinny tie the same pale pink as my peonies. “You look like a million bucks.”

“And you look like a dream come true,” he says.

We beam at each other some more, both get choked up during the vows, and linger on the first kiss so long that Seraphina hoots for us to “get a room.”

“Sounds good to me,” I murmur, grinning against his lips.

“Best thing ever,” he agrees, before pulling back to turn toward Seraphina. “Please add the clothes to our bill. We’re going to need them for our renewal ceremony in ten years.”

Seraphina nods. “You absolutely will. Congratulations, you two. Here’s to a lifetime of love and laughter.”

We toast with a small glass of champagne provided by the chapel, collect our other clothes from the dressing rooms, and walk out onto the strip hand in hand with only one thing left to do to make the night complete.

“Dinner?” he asks. “I could look and see which restaurants have open tables.”

I shake my head. “Room service, please. I need you naked, sexy. ASAP.”

“Yes, please,” he says, taking my hand.

We run giggling like teenagers past the drunk people wandering the street, past the fountain exploding into the night in celebration of our marriage, and straight to the elevator, dashing inside just before the doors close, both of us too eager to wait for another car.

It’s a decision we regret almost immediately…

Chapter 9

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