Page 81 of Gracefully Yours

“Oh.” I thought about some of the stuff I’d packed in my bag. The lacy thing I’d gottenjust in case. Oh god. We were doing this, weren’t we? Did I want that?

Yes. Yes, I did.

He extended out his hand. “Come on. Let’s go. Your carriage awaits, darling.”

“Okay.” Placing my hand in his, I couldn’t help the surge of rightness that came in the moment. It might not have been real, but there was no one else I’d rather do this with than him.

Even if he was being secretive and sneaky by not telling me his plans beforehand, I trusted him enough that I’d go with him anywhere.

He placed a kiss on my lips before sweeping me off my feet and hefting me into his arms. I was grateful for my small stature and how tall he was with how effortlessly he picked me up, even in my wedding gown.

I nuzzled into his tux jacket as he carried me to the car, hoping my makeup had set enough that it wouldn’t rub off on his jacket.

The snow was falling down around us as he gently placed me on the passenger seat of the car and helped me get buckled in my dress. “Wouldn’t it have been a better idea for me to take this off before we left?” I mumbled, but he just shook his head, closing my door to go around to the other side of the car and slide into the driver’s seat.

“Where to, babe?” I asked, suppressing a yawn. The buzz the champagne had given me of had long since worn off, and now I was just sleepy.

“I got us a hotel.” He looked over at me mid-yawn and winced. “I hope that wasn’t too pretentious, but—”

I silenced him by putting a finger over his lips. “It wasn’t. And that’s perfect.”

He nodded, starting the car. “We talked about how we weren’t going on a honeymoon before, and even if this is fake, I still wanted tonight to be special.”

My heart lept in my chest at the gesture. How caring and thoughtful this man I’d married was. “It will be.” Looking up at him as he intertwined our fingers, kissing my knuckles, I couldn’t help the way my heart stuttered in my chest. “Take me away, Daniel.”

I was certainly in for a night I’d never forget.

* * *

The hotel was beautiful,and he’d reserved the honeymoon suite for two nights. Theroom was enormous,complete with its own jacuzzi, something I wanted to take advantage of later.

But first, I wanted my husband.

I reached around his neck, pulling him down to my lips.

Ever since last night, I’d wantedmore.The kiss had set me on fire, and every touch throughout the day, every little kiss, left me wanting more.

Which was dumb. Because it was fake. None of this was real.

Except why was my heart racing faster as he lifted me up, carrying me bridal style into the bedroom? Why, when I was firmly back on my feet, did we not break apart?

I wove my arms around his neck, curling my fingers into the nape of his hair. And brought my lips to his.

Fuck, I needed him. I wanted him, too. Desire was pooling low in my gut, and if I didn’t kiss him now, I was going to lose it.

“Need you out of this tux,” I muttered, pawing at his jacket to push it to the ground. A three-piece suit shouldn’t be this attractive on anyone. Like he was a modern god, dressed specifically to make my stomach flop just from the sight of him.

He chuckled, letting the garment fall from his shoulders. “Easy there, darling.” Daniel nipped at my earlobe as his fingers tried to undo the buttons on my back.

I couldn’t help it—I laughed. “We should probably get this off of me before we rip it.”

He looked me up and down. “It would be such a shame to rip something this pretty, huh,wife?”

Spinning me around, he undid the long row of pearl buttons, far faster than I’d gotten into them.

“What else can those fingers do?” I murmured to myself, thinking of the delicate way he could play the piano. Of the way he’d pushed them inside of me, making me come faster than I’d ever thought possible.

And now we were…married.

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