Page 32 of The Acquisition

All my roadblocks were falling apart. Despite what Colter said, we could always get divorced. I mean, it would be great if it worked out between us, but if it didn't, well it wasn't the Middle Ages. I had options, and unlike a lot of women my age, I had resources. Or at least I would after we were married and my inheritance was under my control.

"Okay," I whispered. Even that small sound had to be forced from my throat.

He grabbed my hand and started pulling me through the apartment. I would have dug in my heels, not knowing where he was taking me, but my ridiculous heels made that impossible. "Where are we going?" I demanded instead, finding my voice again.

"Courthouse," he clipped out. With his free hand he pulled his phone out of his pocket and started a text. "I've got a friend in the Clerk's office who can get us a marriage license. It's a three day wait, and well, today is almost over."

"We could just go to Vegas this weekend," I protested.

"Or we could be married on Thursday," he replied.

I nodded. It was better this way. Given too much time, I'd think of all the reasons this was a bad idea. We didn't know each other well. His daughter was my best friend.

"Okay, let's do it."

* * *

Idon't know what I expected in getting a marriage license. Like most little girls, I'd fantasized about my wedding. This was about as romantic as paying a bill.

Colt’s friend let us into a drab office. Everything was brown or beige, and the only decorations were a few fake plants that somehow also seemed wilted. The clerk asked us a few standard questions, and within minutes we were signing our names for our marriage certificate.

“What’s wrong?” Colt asked as we were exiting the building.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” I wrapped my arms around my stomach.

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him. “It’s not nothing if you’re upset. Talk to me.”

“I guess I just expected more, I don’t know, a ceremony or something."

Slowly, his hands slid from my shoulders and grasped both my hands. "We aren't getting married at the courthouse on Thursday."

I pulled my hands away. "I understand if you've changed your mind. This is too much to ask anyone to do. Marriage isn't a business venture, and I don't ever want to be the type of person that will lower herself to marry for money. Thank you for offering to help me, but you're off the hook."

"I can't tell you we're marrying for love. We have never even been on a date," he began.

My heart sank, because a small part of me was hoping he'd deny every word I just spoke and declare an undying love for me. Although that might have freaked me out just as much, since I wasn't sure how I felt about anything right at that moment, especially about him.

"But," he continued, "I'm not marrying you for the money. I've got plenty, and I've never been one of those assholes that can't be happy with what I have. I am, however, a man acutely aware of what I don't have."

I chuckled. "What could you possibly not have?"

"Someone to share my life with." He was telling me the truth, it was clear from the way he looked at me.

"So, you're willing to marry me, in what, the hope that we will become more?"

He shrugged. "You already know I want you in my bed. You are the first woman in a long time to invoke strong feelings in me."

Cocking my head to the side, I gave him what I felt was my most skeptical look. "You threaten to spank me almost daily."

Colter smirks. "That's because you're a brat. But, you'remybrat and that's the way I'd like it to stay."

I swallowed hard. "So, what are you saying then?"

"You want the ceremony, the romance."

I nodded my head. A part of me, the silly part lingering from the girl I used to be, couldn't stop hoping for a happily ever after.

"I plan to spoil you. You should get used to it."

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