Page 39 of Wed to You-
“You okay?”
She looked into his crystalline blue eyes and mustered a smile. “Yes.”
“Can we go on the rides now?” Kaden ran up to them.
“Sure thing, champ. Just one thing before we go get sick on the rides.”
“I won’t get sick.”
“Here. Come sit with us.” Jagger took Kaden’s hand and led him to a fallen tree. He lifted Kaden to sit on it, while he stood in front of him. He turned his head back, his brows lifting in a “join us” expression.
Shaking the surrealness of the situation from her brain, she stood alongside Jagger, wondering how he was going to explain this to Kaden.
“What would you think if Miss Beemer came to live with us?”
“Really?” Kaden’s eyes widened with joy.
Jagger nodded. “Yes. She says she’ll marry me and we can be like a family.”
Kaden looked from Jagger to Chelsea and back again. His blankexpression suggested he didn’t quite understand.
“Will she be my mom?”
Chelsea’s breath hitched, feeling pleased and yet guilty at the idea. Kaden had a mom. A mom who wanted him back.
“Well, no. She’d be your niece. She’d be with us. Like a family.”
Kaden nodded. “Okay.”
Jagger studied Kaden a moment and apparently decided that was all that needed to be said. He lifted his hand for a high-five, and said, “Let’s go ride some coasters.”
“Yay!” Kaden jumped off the stump.
“What about you?” Jagger turned his attention back to her. “Are you okay with this?”
She knew he was letting her know it was time to play their parts. Going to the rides meant being in public; they’d need to act like a couple. An engaged couple.
She swallowed the lump of worry in her throat and nodded.
“Come on.” Kaden took Jagger’s hand on his left and Chelsea’s on his right.
“By the way, can you come to dinner tonight? I’d like you to be there when I tell Mrs. Stanton and the rest of my staff,” Jagger whispered over Kaden’s head as they walked back toward the fair.
“Can you come to dinner?” Kaden’s blue eyes shone at her.
She smiled. “Yes.”
“Yay!”
Chapter 6
Jagger took Chelsea’s hand as they watched Kaden ride along the small roller coaster track. When he’d seen her walking toward their picnic area, relief the size of a tidal wave washed through him. She was his best hope for retaining custody of Kaden, and if she hadn’t come, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.
Her showing up told him she was in on the ploy and he decided to start right there by giving her a kiss. Not a kiss a friend would give, but one of a lover. Of a man in love. The minute his lips touched hers, another wave swept through him, although it wasn’t relief. It was something different. Chelsea was the ideal choice for a wife in this situation because she was the girl next door. Wholesome. But there was something in her kiss that hinted at sensuality and daring. It had taken him off guard. Just for a few seconds and then he wanted more. So he kissed her again, this time not to start the show, but to discover more about what was hidden inside Chelsea Beemer.
At first, she seemed taken aback by his sudden display of affection, but almost immediately, she’d sunken into the kiss, adding to the thrill of it. Her eyes were dreamy and dazed when he’d lifted his head to look at her; pulling off this scam might not be so hard after all. He’d glanced around the area to see if anyone had noticed their interlude. He was sure they were convincing.
At that point, something in her had changed. He’d promised not to touch her in the bedroom, but if they were to succeed, they’d need to look like a couple out in public. People in love held hands, kissed, and showed affection, so she’d need to allow him that.
