Page 29 of Made For You
Heat started crawling over my skin, as all of this was supposed to happen within the next few minutes. “What…?” I licked my lips. “What about Dean?”
“He’s going to perform the ceremony.”
My mouth hung open as I looked at Dean again. His smile was wide and showcased a set of perfectly straight teeth. He must have had braces, because I’d never seen a natural smile so flawless.
“Ah, Mr. Daniels. Did you bring it?” Talon went to greet a newcomer at the door, who held a small black bag in his hand.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.”
“Uh, hello,” I said in greeting as the man briskly walked by me and placed two velvet boxes in Talon’s waiting hands. The marriage license shook like a leaf in a strong breeze within my hold as I witnessed the exchange.
The man paid me no mind as he moved to the back corner of the office, as Talon placed one box on his desk. In one step, he came closer to me, slipped the paper from my hand, and placed it back on the desk behind him. Then he faced me. His lips were downturned, and his eyes looked… sad.
My breath caught in my throat as he held the box between us and lifted the top. I glanced down quickly, afraid of what I might find, only to breathe a sigh of relief when it was two simple wedding bands. One in classic gold, the other in a dark metal I wasn’t familiar with.
“Ready?” Talon asked, and I glanced up to find his stare on me, waiting for my reaction.
“Um… yes, I am.” I wasn’t at all, but he didn’t need to know that. I didn’t wake up this morning thinking I’d be Mrs. Beckett before I even hopped on the plane to go home.
Talon called Dean’s name, and as the man approached—in far better spirits than when we entered the room—he took the rings out of the box, placing them in his pocket. Dean then reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled free a slip of folded paper.
“Please turn to face each other. I assume you want the quick version?”
Talon nodded, and I replied with a brisk, “Sure.”
Dean bobbed his head once and then began speaking, but I couldn’t recall a single word he said. I felt like I was in an alternate universe, and it was all happening far too quickly for me to catch up. Talon must have sensed my incoming panic, because I suddenly felt his fingers on mine before he clasped my hand within his firm grip. His touch immediately soothed me, and I thought maybe he needed my touch to anchor him as well.
I turned my head to look at Dean, who winked in my direction as he continued to read the passage.
“Do you, Talon Beckett, take Aurora Easterly to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” my almost-husband said with a genuine smile I could get used to.
Dean repeated the section for me.
“I do,” I replied, excitement building in my stomach as my heart pounded like a bass drum in my chest.
Soon, we were reciting the second part. I thought it was interesting that we were repeating the very old, traditional vows, when there were modern and less… oath-like versions these days. Either way, Talon smirked when he heard me promise to obey, even though he had made the same commitment just moments before. That was a line most of the ceremonies at our event venue left out.
Reaching deep within his pocket, Dean captured the rings in his fist. He lifted his hand, opened it with his palm facing up, and exposed the two gleaming bands.
“Talon, please place this ring on Aurora’s finger and repeat the following: ‘I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.’”
Talon lifted the ring from Dean’s palm, and I swore I saw just the slighted shiver in his hand before he slipped the ring onto my finger, reciting the words.
I did the same when it was my turn, and Dean concluded the swift ceremony with the pronouncement of us being husband and wife.
“Talon, you may kiss your bride.”
I heard Dean chuckle as I quickly exclaimed, “Oh, you don’t have to—!” But the rest of my words were left unspoken, as Talon sealed his lips over mine after sliding his hands on either side of my face, his fingers delving into my hair.
I stood there motionless as our mouths connected, and when his tongue begged for entrance, there was nothing I could do but grant him access. My internal rebel wanted this kiss more than my next breath. She didn’t care what happened to average-Joe Rory; she wanted her taste of Talon.
Off in the distance, someone coughed. Then I vaguely heard Dean say, “Knock it off,” before Talon pulled away. He looked as dazed as I felt.
The kiss had been a surprise, but so was my reaction. I’d never been kissed like that before.
