Page 26 of Attached At Heart
“Never, Lane.” His gaze lowered, slowly taking me in. My cheeks heated with the attention, even though I knew he was eyeing me up for show, trying to drive home the point that I wasn’t the disappointment I felt like. When his eyes lifted to my face again, he held my gaze, even though it seemed to pain him slightly to do so. The slight clench of his jaw didn’t go unnoticed as he dropped my hand and took a single step back. But his words were sincere when he said, “I could never be disappointed to see you. You look amazing.”
I couldn’t handle Blake’s intensity, not today, so I dropped my focus to my shoes for a moment, clicking the pumps together while I got my shit figured out.
“Thank you. It’s my debutante dress.” I smoothed my hands over the silky fabric, which cinched around my waist with a tiny bow detailing before flaring in an A-line fashion, stopping halfway between my knees and feet. “But I altered it enough thatI doubt anyone could tell.” I cocked my head to the side as I studied the dress. “In fact, I actually kind of like it now.”
I gave a half-hearted laugh before looking up to see Blake wearing a funny expression as he watched me.
“What?”
“I’m just thinking it’s too bad you don’t love it. You should love your wedding dress, Delaney.”
“Well, it’s not, you know, arealwedding. So whatever works, right?”
I smiled at him, but Blake’s features grew tight.
“Right.” He gave a tight nod. “Whatever works.”
I forced an even brighter grin onto my face as I held out my hand for him to take. “Wanna go get married?”
His expression softened as he shook his head, hiding a slight grin. He took my hand and said, “Yeah. Let’s go get married.”
We walked together through the courthouse, my heels clacking on the marble floors as we made our way to the correct room, following the directions they’d given us when we’d made the appointment.
And then there was no looking back. Everything moved in a whirlwind around me, and before I knew it, I was standing before a judge with Blake across from me. The elderly officiant was saying words that would tie us together, at least for the next year, and asking us to exchange rings.
My pulse had been hammering since I’d walked in to see Blake waiting for me, but now it wasracingas Blake pulled a ring out of his pocket. And then it stopped. My heart, the thing that kept me alive, that organ I’d spent years of my life studying, halted. Because the ring that Blake presented to me was the most extraordinary piece of jewelry I’d ever seen in my entire life.
There was something about it so perfect, so precious, that I couldn’t hold back my gasp. It echoed through the courtroom,making the judge chuckle in delight, and I slapped a hand over my mouth, slightly horrified that I’d let that slip.
When I looked up at Blake, an unrestrained grin spread over his face, one that told me he felt damn good about shocking me, trying to best me as usual.
Well, I’d give it to him this time. The wedding band I’d gotten him was nice but nothing compared to the extravagance of the ring he slowly slid onto my finger. I marveled at how perfectly it fit, at how confident Blake seemed as he pushed the band into place, at how lucky I was in this moment. And not just because of the ring.
“Blake,” I said, my voice a mix of admonishment and awe. I had no idea where he had gotten a vintage sapphire and diamond-encrusted ring, but it was too much. Way too much. “Blake, I can’t?—”
“Shh,” he murmured, his voice brushing against my senses like velvet. Soft and smooth. “You think anyone would believe I wouldn’t get my wife a ring as stunning as she was?”
He winked at me before shooting a glance at the judge as if to remind me that we were being watched.
I cleared my throat and nodded as I pulled out his wedding band from the hidden pocket in my dress. He let me slide it on his finger, smiling as I fumbled with slightly shaky fingers.
I’dbeen the one who’d been preparing for a fake marriage for years, but for some reason,hewas the one who was so calm and collected about it, even though this had only been his reality for all of a week.
Especially when the judge told Blake he could kiss the bride, akame, and Blake didn’t even blink in response. Meanwhile, panic bubbled up inside me because while I’d thought of the dress and the ring and the marriage license, I had not given one single thought to the very real possibility thatthiscould happen.Which was ridiculous, as evidenced by how Blake leaned in, clearly prepared to seal our marriage with a kiss.
People kissed at weddings.
I wasn’t sure why this hadn’t crossed my mind before, but now it was the only thing in it as Blake’s palm slid across my cheek, cupping my face and angling it up toward his.
“Hey,” he breathed, and the sound of his voice instantly put me at ease.
“Hey.” I blinked up, our eyes meeting in a moment of mutual understanding. What that understanding was, I couldn’t really pinpoint. But I felt it. I felthim, and I leaned into his touch, letting him guide us closer together.
“I’m going to kiss you now.” His words were a low murmur brushed across my lips, and my body reacted on autopilot, seeking the kiss. Suddenlywantingthe kiss. We were so close, and the proximity was intoxicating in a way I didn’t understand but didn’t care to.
“Okay?” he checked when I didn’t reply, and I barely nodded before Blake’s mouth slanted over mine, capturing it.
A feverish need flooded my senses in a way I never imagined possible as Blake kissed me. His tongue swept into my mouth as if that was where it belonged, tangling with mine in a way that made it seem like he’d always wanted to do this, like he’d always wanted to taste me.
