Page 68 of The Accidental Wife

Cole

Goddamn.I was on the verge of losing my mind. When I walked into that bedroom and saw Shayla all dressed up in that sexy silver dress, I felt like my soul was on fire.

I was worried they would overdo everything and turn her into one of those girls who slapped the make-up on as if their lives depended on it, but they didn’t. She had the bare minimum on, and I was thankful because, damn, she’s naturally so beautiful, she would outshine every woman in the room without a drop of make-up on.

And the dress, a simple yet classy, backless silver satin gown, hugs her natural curves flawlessly. I went for girls that had long legs, blonde hair, and a slender frame all my life. That was my type until I met her.

I have a severe case of tunnel vision. I can’t see anything but Shayla—I’m fixated. I don’t know how I’ll make it through this party without dragging her off to one of the bedrooms, slipping her out of that silk dress, and making her mine.

The chemistry and tension between us have increased tenfold, and I know she wants me as much as I do her.

* * *

The party wasin full swing and my mother kept dragging her away from me throughout the party, her socialite friends intrigued about the girl her son eloped with.

I keep my eye on Shayla as she moves around the room and converses with people politely. I’m anxious and worried my mother’s friends will make stupid digs at her, and even though Shayla can hold her own, I won’t tolerate anyone upsetting her. She turns her head, her green eyes scanning the room until they find me. Our eyes meet across the room, and I smile, observing her, not even caring who would see us giving each other the ‘fuck me’ eyes.

“Tristan?” I turn when I hear my name being called. Hollie. I groan inwardly and resist the urge to roll my eyes.

“Hollie.” I greet her distantly while glancing over at Shayla, watching us with a little frown on her face.

“Just wanted to come over and congratulate you on your nuptials.” She says with a smile and hands me a champagne flute. I take the offered drink and smile politely.

“Thank you, Hollie.” I nod, taking a sip of my drink and looking over at Shayla again, who was talking to my little cousin Louise.

“I haven’t had a chance to meet your wife yet, but she seems…nice. She’s vastly different from the women we’re used to seeing you with.” Hollie utters, taking a sip of her own drink, her blue eyes following my gaze to Shayla.

“She is different, which is why I married her and not the other girls you’re ‘used to’ seeing me with,” I tell her curtly, and Hollie brushes a strand of her bleach blonde hair out of her face and looks at me again.

“Still, I can’t say I’m not disappointed. That should have been me up there working the room as your wife.” She sighs, licking her overly glossed lips and running her finger down the length of my arm. “We would have been good together, Tristan.” I scoff and pull my arm away from her touch.

“No, we wouldn’t have. No offence Hollie, but I was never going to marry you,” I tell her coolly and scan the room, searching for Shayla, who disappeared.

“Honey,” I smile when I feel Shayla’s hand on my back. I look at her, and she smiles up at me, her beautiful green eyes alight with glee.

“Hey, Gorgeous girl,” I greet, pressing my lips to her jaw and letting them linger for a couple of seconds while I wrap my arm around her waist and bring her close. Shayla looks at Hollie and smiles warmly.

“I’m sorry to disturb you,” She looks up at me again, “Can I steal you away for a little bit?” I kiss her temple and smile.

“You can steal me away forever, sweetheart,” I murmur, and she grins and looks at Hollie again, watching Shayla enviously.

“Excuse us. I hope you don’t mind. I need a little one on one time with my husband, you know, newlyweds and all,” Shayla tells Hollie with a wink, laces her fingers with mine, and pulls me away.

I chuckle and rub her knuckles with my thumb, “Jesus, if looks could kill, you’d be dead and buried right now.” Shayla laughs softly and shrugs.

“You looked very uncomfortable, so I thought I should play my part as the dutiful wife and save you.” She tells me as we walk through the crowd of people in the garden. “Besides, your mother has arranged a first dance and wanted me to come find you.”

I nod and sigh, “Course she did.” We walked over to my mother, standing with my Dad, and talking to my aunt and uncle.

“Oh, there you are, it’s time for your first dance. Do you have a special song between you that you would like to dance to?” Shayla and I look at each other, and she shakes her head.

“I’ll be right back.” I pull away from her and walk to the band and tell them to play a song, and they nod. The band announces that it was time for a dance from the newlyweds, so I take Shayla’s hand, and we walk into the center where my mother arranged a dance floor. I pull her against me as the song starts to play, and Shayla frowns a little and looks at me.

“Oh my God, this is…”

I nod, “The song your parents would dance to every night, I know.” Shayla’s eyes water a little as we begin to sway together. “I don’t know if you remember, but this song was actually playing in the chapel while we were getting married,” I tell her, and she blinks up at me.

“It was?” She questions, her eyes filling with tears, and I nod, pulling her closer against me.

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