Page 71 of One Hotlanta Night
We said I love you’s only last night… and he told me I was going to marry him… but this? Breath whooshes from my lungs as my head starts to spin and I lean forward, putting my heavy head between my knees to offset the fainting feeling threatening to take over. This is moving even faster than I was prepared for. Everything with Michael has been fast… too fast? I don’t know. Is it really?
It took three long years for me to finally realize that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with that douchebag… and here I am telling the most amazing man I’ve ever met, who I’ve known forunder a monththat I love him… and now he’s calling himselfhusband? Yeah, there was that bit about marriage last night, but I haven’t really had a chance to wrap my head around it yet. We’ve been moving at lightning speed, and it’s all so dizzying. I sit there trying not to pass out, unheeding the scene playing out before me and the words slung back and forth. Until I hear Trent snivel, “Are you sure you want to saddle yourself with that little wh—”
Michael’s fist crashes into Trent’s face before he can finish the sentence.
“Open your mouth again, and it’ll be the last thing you’ll ever do. And if youevertry to come around her…” Michael starts dragging a bleeding Trent toward the front door where Sheila holds it open for him, smirking. “If you so much as darebreathein my wife’s presence, I will end you. Got that?” I don’t hear Trent’s reply as I’m still frozen in place, but from the look on Sheila’s face, she approves of the situation unfolding in the parking lot.
“Girl, you done got yourself a good one there. He’s got gumption.” She comes to the bar where I’m still somewhat shell-shocked and wraps a motherly arm around me. “I knew he was good for you when you guys were in here a couple weeks ago.” She shakes my shoulder as if she’s going to scold me, buther eyes are twinkling. “But what’s this I hear about you being married? Luuucy, you’s gots some es’plaining to do.” She pokes at my shirt, long wrinkled after this crazy-ass day, and grins at me.
A burst of high-pitched, hysterical laughter bubbles up from my chest as I shake my head. Today really has taken the cake. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I chirp out.
“Don’t you, though?” Michael asks as he comes back inside and slips behind the bar to wash his hands at the small sink hidden there. Sheila quickly leaves me in the storm cloud of myhusband.
“Michael…” I hesitate as I take in his eyes that are still fiercely flashing, and his delicious chest that is lightly heaving. I think it’s more from emotion than exertion because he clearly had no problem taking down Trent.
His eyes lock on mine as he practically stalks toward me, hands reaching out and capturing mine before I can take a single step.
“What you said before…” My words stumble just like my heart and I swallow thickly. “I’m not–we’re not—”
“Not what, mi amor? Not married?” He grips my chin, those golden flecks in his eyes shining even brighter against the chocolate brown. “Oh, but you are my wife. Maybe not legally—yet,” his voice drops even lower, “but the certificate doesn’t matter. I told you last night… I knew from the moment I saw you that you were mine. And I’m the only one who will ever get to have you for the rest of our lives.” He runs his hand across my cheek, and I lean into his touch.
How does this man make me feel like I’m floating on air and yet more grounded than I’ve ever been?
“Which means when you have a problem,anykind of problem, you come to me and we’ll handle it together.Comprende?” At my nod, he clasps me to him, holding me close and stroking my hair, creating a sanctuary just for the two of us.
Drawing away so he can look at me, his eyes are filled with love and determination. “You’re engraved in my soul, mi amor,” he brings my hands to his heart, “just like I am in yours. A piece of paper doesn’t determine that.Wedo.”
His lips land on mine right in the middle of my workplace. And I don’t even care.
The kiss is claiming, all-powerful and possessive. I’ve never felt more owned than right now as he moves his mouth over mine, crushing me to his chest.
And I realize just how much I love it, being this essential to someone.
But not just anyone.Him.
The way my heart is tethered to his, the way it feels like it can’t possibly expand anymore to contain the love I feel for him. Our foreheads rest against each other, both of us breathing hard as his arms embrace me. I finally feel like I hold Michael’s heart just as much as he does mine.This man has become my everything, and I don’t ever want to be apart from him.
“Me neither,” he says with another soft kiss as I realize I said that aloud. A blush steals across my face as Sheila starts to clap, quickly joined in by Derrick who has just walked in the door. It must be about closing time then; he said he’d come help prep for tomorrow so Claire could have a whole day off. I hope she’s keeping track of his brownie points.
“What are we celebrating?” Derrick asks as he sets his keys behind the bar and starts to wash up.
“Well, Vivian over here has been holding out on us,” Sheila rats me out. “Apparently the girl’s gone and got hitched.” She arches a brow as I start to protest. Whoa now, let’s slow this rumor mill before it gets started.
“We’re notactuallymarried—”
“Yet. But close enough,” Michael says as he pulls something from his pocket. In an instant he’s taken my left hand and slipped something cool and smooth on my fourth finger. He kisses it quickly, then takes my hand and wraps it around his waist behind him so my hand’s out of view.
“Tomorrow? Wanna make it official?” He tilts his head at me and grins, serious demeanor replaced with mischief.
“What?” I startle, my heart doing little flip flops in my chest.
“Is tomorrow good for you?” The smile on his face grows broader at my reddening face.
“We–we need to talk about this.”
“Fine. We can make an appointment at the courthouse tomorrow.”
My head is swimming, and I feel almost faint.Again. To go from confessing my love to him wanting to make this official—like,permanentlyofficial–well, it has been a long day and this is all too much for me to process.
