Page 12 of Help Wanted: Wife

He tugged up his sleeve to examine his arm. The gliteri sparkled. He rubbed his arm to ease the tingling. What had gotten into him? He’d indirectly invited her to touch him.

Angst returned, along with a surge of guilt and shame.How could I have touched another woman? Let her touch me?

But was it so disloyal? We’re going to be working in a small booth, living together, sleeping in the same bed. Some physical contact is inevitable.Better to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. How would they work side by side if they had to be on guard against accidental physical contact?

Her touch had stirred a disturbing sense of peace and contentment. Grief, like a badge of love, was the heartache that never ceased. Except, while touching her, letting her touch him, it had. For a minute in time, he’d felt normal. How dare he be normal when Sala was dead? How could he have forgotten her even for an instant?

He yanked down his shirt sleeve.Get to work.Work was a legitimate way to seek solace if he neededit. He put the kitchen to order, then retrieved his hovercart and began loading it up.

He was almost done when she appeared. “You’re a fast worker.”

“I’ve had a lot of experience,” he said, giving a silent nod of approval to her choice of attire.

She wore a cream two-piece outfit, a straight skirt with a matching long-sleeved jacket. A little formal for working in a bakery, but spilled powders like flour and sweetener wouldn’t show up. He approved of her pragmatism.

“If the last loaves you baked aren’t cool enough by the time I’m ready to go, we won’t wrap them. We’ll load them on the cart still warm.”

She nodded. “I, uh, hope it’s okay, but I invited my friend Hope to the wedding. I didn’t know where it would be held, but she seemed to think she did.”

“There’s only one officiant close by,” he said. “I’ll go shower. It won’t take me long.”

Using the bathroom steamy and redolent of citrus seemed disconcertingly intimate. Shying away from further contemplation, he showered and dried his shoulder-length hair. On impulse, just before leaving the bath, he dabbed some emollient in his hair to enhance the natural gleam.

This was his wedding day. While not a love match, the relationship deserved to be treated with respect. Eschewing his usual work pants and tunic, he opted for newish brown pants and a tan dress shirt with pearlized buttons.

In the kitchen, he found Prudence bending over the cart, loading the rest of the bread. Her skirt stretched taut over firm, rounded buttocks. He couldn’t drag his eyes away, continued to watch her while berating himself for doing so.Why am I staring at her ass?What matters is her work ethic, how she naturally knows what to do, that she will help save the bakery.

She straightened and turned around. “Oh! You’re out. That was quick.” Her gaze roved over him, and an appreciative smile tugged the corner of her mouth. His breath caught in his throat, and his gliteri prickled. “You scrub up pretty nice,” she said.

“You have a nice ass,” he blurted out.

Chapter Seven

“Do you, Prudence McKenna, agree to enter into a legal union with Larth as your husband for the term of one year to be extended indefinitely should you both concur?” the officiant asked.

You have a nice ass.What a male thing to say. But the small compliment coupled with the admiration in his eyes had put her in a good mood that lasted throughout the morning while they worked at the bakery. She hadn’t realized how much she needed a self-esteem boost. William’s betrayal had delivered a crushing blow to her self-confidence in addition to her trust.

It was reassuring that men—or at least one man—considered her attractive.At least my backside.

She was glad now she’d dressed up. She hadn’t intended to, but then had decided while the marriage might not be genuine, the partnership was, so why not commemorate it? Before she’d left Terra Nova, her mother had surprised her with the cream-colored suit. “You might want something nice forwhenever,” she’d said, but Pru knew she’d made it for the wedding. She’d accepted it to avoid hurting her mother’s feelings but had no intention of wearing it. A civil ceremony for a temporary marriage of convenience wasn’t anything special.

Thanks, Mom.She missed her mom and dad, who had worried about her, and wished they could have been here. Thankfully, she had Hope. She clutched the bouquet her friend had thoughtfully provided. Krogan had been unable to attend, his attention claimed by important government matters.

She glanced at her friend. Brows arched, Hope stared at her.Everyonewas staring at her expectantly—the officiant, his assistant, and Larth.Why are they looking at me?

Oh!They were waiting for an answer to the officiant’s question. Her face flamed, and she shot Larth an apologetic glance. “Yes. Yes!”Sorry. Sorry.

Next to her, he relaxed.I probably scared the crap out of him.She would never jilt him at the altar, not after what she’d gone through.

“Do you, Larth, agree to enter into a legal union with Prudence McKenna as your wife for the term of one year to be extended indefinitely should you both concur?”

“I do.” His voice rang out strong and clear.

“Then, as an officiant of Caradonia, I proclaim you legally bound in matrimony in accordance with the aforementioned provisions,” he announced.

That’s it. I’m married.We’re married.

“Yay! You may kiss the bride!” Hope clapped.

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