Page 13 of Rival Heart
TEN
Rebel
Standingin front of Elvis the next morning, I try to catch my breath stunned with how fast this is moving. I look up at my “fiancé” and wonder what the hell he’s thinking.
We used to know each other so well. Used to know every thought in each other’s heads. But now? I don’t know this man at all.
Oh sure, I know he’s offered to marry me to protect me from my father’s machinations. But I don’t know why. I find it hard to believe he doesn’t have his own reasons for doing it. Nobody does something for someone with no advantage for them.
He looks down at me and those heated teal blue eyes make my heart race.
“Dearly, beloved… uh-huh. We are gathered here to bind these two in marriage.”
I tune it out. Only coming back in when the man starts hip rolling and thrusting and I hear Jace huff next to me. His face is turning an alarming shade of red, and his fists are clenched at his side.
Luckily, the officiant finally notices and turns pale as alabaster. He clears his throat and continues. This time sticking to the traditional vows… mostly.
“And if anyone out there can think of any reason why these two cannot be joined in holy matrimony… speak now or forever hold your peace.”
I cringe and glance around, like I’m expecting my father or Jefferson to leap out from the flower-bedecked but empty pews.
Nothing happens and Jace holds my hand tighter, his fingers steady and warm and calloused. My belly clenches when Elvis looks at us and grins, “I now pronounce you man and wife. It’s now or never… you may kiss your bride.”
My chin lifts quickly, my eyes jumping to his. He smirks.
“Forgot about that, didn’t you, Reb?” But before I can do anything but open my mouth, his firm lips are on mine and my entire body catches fire like a vortex of flames rolling through me.
He growls low in his throat and I moan, shocked and massively turned on. His soft, full lips suck and lick at mine until the officiant clears his throat.
He finally lifts his head, his mouth inches from mine and his teal blue eyes shooting sparks of blue flame. “I think this will work just fine, Reb. Yes indeed.”
Drawing in a sharp breath, I frown and step back from him. My arms come around my front, holding in my pounding heart as Jace grins at me with a smug smirk that makes me want to smack the hell out of him.
Elvis grins. “Good luck to you both. Now if you’ll follow me, we’ll finish the paperwork and get you two lovebirds out of here so you can go get started on your honeymoon.” He waggles his eyebrows
Both of us nod but I can’t meet either of their eyes. Jace smiles and then pulls my hand up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, his eyes boring into mine when I lift my head, startled. My breath freezes in my throat.
Lord, he’s gorgeous. So much prettier than he was when we were growing up. Fierce and granite-hewn but still pretty. I think it’s the damn teal blue eyes. The color is such a revelation that I find myself lost in the deep blue-green depths.
We follow Elvis’s sparkly white jumpsuit (really, I think the man should have picked a different color). Unless I’m mistaken, you’re not supposed to wear white to a wedding. Only the bride.
I pull my scattered brain back from wherever the hell it’s gone. The longer I stand here and watch Jace Carter, the harder it is to keep my brain under any kind of control. It’s running as haywire as my weeping pussy right now.
I want my former friend and love. But that would be a huge mistake. This isn’t permanent. We haven’t really discussed how long we’ll stay married, but I imagine it won’t last forever. He’s going to want to get on with his life at some point. It’s not likely that I’m any part of it. No matter what he says about this being a real marriage. He left with no word. It wouldn’t be that hard to do it again.
As a matter of fact, I don’t know what he’s doing with his life. I know that he left. But I don’t know what he did after that. Maybe he’s got this whole other life somewhere else and I’m mucking it all up.
I glance down at the large diamond ring he bought me at the all-night jewelry store as soon as we hit Vegas’s borders. I swear I can see this thing from space and he didn’t even blink when he bought it.
And he has a private jet. He said we were gonna talk but I was exhausted from running away and fell asleep as soon as the flight took off. “Who has a private jet?” I mutter under my breath, jumping when Jace chuckles.
“Yeah. We probably have things to talk about. But it can wait until after we talk to your attorney later. Find out exactly where things stand for you.”
“It’s where they stand for you too.”
He nods and signs the papers and then holds the pen out for me, those teal blue eyes unwavering, steady and true.
I hold out my hand and I take the pen, my hand shaking slightly when I take a deep breath and steady myself. Putting the pen to paper I sign my name and jump when Elvis throws his head back in an insane laugh and grabs me tight, his mouth coming down to kiss my cheek.
