by Toni Aleo
“Do you understand me, Wren?”
Slowly, she nodded, her eyes holding his. “I do.”
He could see the hesitation in her eyes. “But you don’t believe me?”
“I’m trying,” she admitted, a grimace on her face, and he scoffed.
“You’re going to give me a run for my money, aren’t you?”
“I told you I’m not easy.”
“You did,” he said before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. Her eyes fell shut first, and he loved how perfect she looked when he kissed her. Her lashes were long, her nose fit into the crook beside his, and he could spend the rest of his days kissing her and die a damn happy man. Tasting her was his first mistake, because now he wouldn’t be able to let her go. Ever. He’d take a bullet, he’d lay his life down for her in a second.
And while he knew she might not do the same, right now, he didn’t care.
He loved her. Passionately.
Pulling back, he dropped his hands from her face as her lips stayed parted and her eyes shut. If he didn’t get away, he’d take her right there in the booth; he knew that to be true. Getting up, he headed back to his side, taking his fork in hand as he sat. When he looked across the table, her lips were still parted. “You okay there?”
“You weren’t kidding about being a better kisser.”
He snickered as he nodded. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she agreed with a smile before reaching for her fork.
“Well, good to know,” he said, resting on his elbows.
Recovering slightly, she leaned against the table. “No one has ever talked to me like that.”
“Good. I like being the first.” They shared a sweet smile before she went back to inhaling her food. “So, let me ask you something. Are we good with the agreement on the baby?”
She looked up. “What do you mean?”
“Like you won’t renege on that, right? You’ll let me be the father if for some far-off chance we don’t work out?”
“If that is what you want.”
“It is.”
“Then, of course. I promise.”
Swallowing hard, he asked, “And the biological dad, he won’t try anything?”
She exhaled, shaking her head. “I called him today, actually.”
His heart stopped as he met her gaze. “Oh? I didn’t know you still talked to him. Or knew him.”
“Wow, thanks,” she said dryly, and he smiled an apology. “He’s still a big fucking douche, and yes, my child will only know you as his father until he is old enough for us to tell him otherwise.”
Jensen nodded. “And you’re fine with that?”
She nodded. “In a way. I mean, I would have asked for you, Vaughn, and Wells to be in my son’s life anyway. To guide him, y’know? We’re all so tight-knit.”
“Yeah, but he’ll be mine.”
“I know,” she said, but he still could see the hesitation in her eyes.
“Okay.” Jensen looked away, biting his lip. “I heard about what he had said to you.”
“Oh?”
“About you not being trophy wife material.”
“Brie can’t keep her mouth shut, I swear. Yeah, he’s a douche.”
“Well, I think you’re trophy wife material.”
She looked up, a grin on her face as she sputtered with laughter. “It seriously is okay. It didn’t bother me.”
She was lying, and he knew it. “Okay. I’m not saying it to make you feel better. I’m telling you the truth.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, I’d take you over my Cup any day.”
Her lips curved more, her whole face rising in the motion of that gorgeous smile. “Liar.”
“Nope. Truth.”
Shaking her head, she waggled her fork at him. “You’d better stop. You’ll have me thinking you really have feelings for me.”
He shrugged. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Um, because it isn’t true.”
“Who said it isn’t true?”
Her brows touched as she held his gaze. “What are you saying?”
Swallowing hard, Jensen put down his fork and laced his fingers together. “Wren, surely you know?”
She shook her head. “Know what?”
“That—” He stopped himself. He didn’t want to tell her over tacos. If she truly didn’t know, then he needed to find the perfect time. Not now. He met her gaze once more and was a bit frustrated. It pissed him off that this amazing, beautiful, smart girl didn’t know her worth. That she was the light of his life. That he hadn’t started living until she’d asked him to be her fake husband. Swallowing hard, he smiled. “That you mean the world to me.”
“I know that, but as a friend. Not a wife.”
“No, as more.”
She held his gaze. “Well, obviously, since you want to marry me.”
“So you know.”
“I know this is all insane and scary, but I’m in,” she rambled. “I don’t even know how it’s gonna work, but you’re convinced.”
“And you should be too. We know each other inside and out. We’ve fought, we’ve laughed, and everything else—”
“We have never fought.”
“Yes, we did. When I got engaged, you told me not to marry her.”
She thought that over. “I did call you a dumbass, didn’t I?”
“That and some other choice words because you thought it was a horrible idea,” he said dryly, but she hadn’t been the only one. Everyone didn’t like Ophelia and thought he had rushed into it. Maybe he had. To forget the girl across the table.
“It was, and I was obviously right.”
They held each other’s gaze. “Touché.”
“Exactly. I can call them a mile away.”
“Is that how it is with your guys? You can call them a mile away?”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s low.”
“Hey, just asking. You know they’re assholes before you get with them, right?”
“Well, considering I’m only using them for sex at first, I guess so. But then things get a little sideways.”
“Is that how little man came along?”
She bit her lip. “I truly thought he loved me. No, it wasn’t a relationship, but we had been on and off for over three years, so it sucked.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, and he was also racking his brain as to who the hell it could be. She hadn’t been with anyone, or yet, he hadn’t met anyone she was with. She was always solo at events, so he really had no clue. He ran his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip. “Are you over him?”
She rolled her eyes. “If I wasn’t before the phone call today, I am now.” He nodded, and she held his gaze. “He’s not on my radar, I promise.”
“Yeah, I’m not worried at all.”
He was.
“Good.”
“Great.”
They shared another smile, and then he clapped his hands together. “You look happy about that,” she observed
He held her gaze, nodding his head. “I am. But also, I’m just happy.”
She shot him a sneaky grin. “It’s a good look on you.”
“It looks good on you too, when you let it.” She pursed her lips at him, and he chuckled as he started to eat once more. “So a boy, huh?”
She grinned. “Yup.”
“Excited? Or did you want a girl?”
Her face lit up a bit. “Well, since I didn’t want a kid to start with, at first, it was just a shock. In fact, it was for most of the time until I saw his little face on the ultrasound, and then I decided I just wanted a healthy kid. And he is. Which is awesome.”
“It is,” he agreed, his heart swelling in his chest. “Has it been an easy pregnancy?”
“No, not at all,” she laughed, leaning on her elbow. “Lots of sickness at the beginning, and the cravings are out of this world.”
“Good thing you like food, then.”
She smiled. “Yeah, but I hat
e leaving my bed.”
“I can understand that.” Taking the last bite of his taco, he leaned back in the booth. “Have you thought of names?”
She shrugged. “Not really. Just kiddo.”
“Well, Kiddo Monroe won’t do.”
She laughed, her eyes bright as she nodded. “Agreed.”
“You’ll have to pick out a name. My mom will want to know.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, taking a sip of her water. “Any ideas?”
His heart shattered as he stared into her eyes. “I get to help?”
Her face was full of compassion. “I thought he was your kid.”
“He is,” he said automatically, even though it was hard to breathe. “And thanks.”
She gave him a look that was a mixture of fear, but also something more. Almost heat, desire, and soon his body was on fire. More so than it usually was around her. He wanted her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and take her. Make her truly his, but it wasn’t time. He had to lay the groundwork, get her full trust before he gave her his body. She already had his heart, but he wanted her everything, and for that to happen, she had to trust him. Believe in him.
As they stared heatedly at each other, her fork pressing into her bottom lip, he was on fire within seconds. He didn’t care what anyone said. They had an understanding between them, and he, for one, felt right about it. Good, even. Was he scared? Out of his mind. The people who had problems with this would be people he loved and respected, but he was starting to realize, as he looked across the table at the girl he had loved for so long, that he might love her more than the lot of them.
When her phone started to ring, she broke from his gaze as she let out a long breath. “What time is it?”
He glanced at his watch. “Almost seven.”
She exhaled loudly. “I need to take this before the wrath of Elaine Lemiere is upon us.” He just laughed as she answered. “Mom. Yes, I’m fine. No, I’m not crazy. Oh, look, Jensen wants to say hi.”
As he rolled his eyes, she put her mother on speakerphone. “Hey, Elaine.”
“Hello, honey, how are you?”
“Great.”
“Well, I’d say so, marrying my daughter after knocking her up. At least he asked your father. Did you know that, Wren?”
“I did, Mom.”
“Good, because he’s a gentleman.”
Jensen beamed as Wren rolled her eyes. “I know, Mom.”
“About time you found a good one.”
“I’ve known him forever.”
“Well, I always said you two would be perfect together.”
Wren made a face. “When did you say that?”
“To your father and Wells. We all thought so.” Wren rolled her eyes again, but Jensen just grinned. He might have heard Elaine say that. “Emma is excited. I already spoke to her since you wouldn’t answer my calls.”
“Cool. I’m excited to see her.”
“Okay, so this is for real happening?”
“It is,” Jensen said softly. “Are you okay with that?”
“Of course, I am. I love you, honey.”
“I love you too.”
“And I won’t have to worry a bit for her. She’ll be taken care of.”
“She will—completely,” he admitted, and Wren looked at him, a little surprised by his promise.
“I’m going to be a grandma.”
“The hottest one in the town,” he teased, and she cackled like an old biddy.
“I knew I would love you for the rest of my life when I first met you, Jenny,” Elaine admitted, and Wren pursed her lips. “But okay, I’ll let you two get back to dinner. Call me later, Wren?”
“So you can yell at me for not telling you anything? No, I’ll have Jensen with me every time.”
“You are too smart for your own good.”
Jensen laughed at that while they said bye, and Wren hung up. “She won’t yell at me when you’re around.”
“Then I guess I’m not going anywhere.”
As her cheeks filled with color and she looked away, he didn’t care that she didn’t believe him. Because, while they were just words, and she was used to words with no promise in them, he was about to show her he meant business.
He’d been waiting a very long time to do just that.
“Ready to get out of here?” he asked, throwing some money on the table with a hefty tip since Wren had made a bit of a mess.
Cleaning up the rice that fell off the plate, she laughed. “Yeah, but man, I’m messy.”
“Which is why I left a big tip.”
She continued to laugh as she scooted out of the booth to where he waited for her. Once she was beside him, they headed out. “So, two tomorrow? At the courthouse?”
“Yeah, do you want me to pick you up?” he asked as they walked toward her car.
“No, ’cause I’ll have to go back to work,” she said, obviously immersed in thought. “That’s okay, right?”
He nodded. “It’s fine. We can have dinner to celebrate. If you want.”
“I mean, I love food,” she said as they reached her car. Turning to look at him, she shrugged her shoulders. “Did you want to go back to my house?”
He eyed her. “To pack?”
“Ugh, no. I’m too tired for that, but not for other things,” she hinted, and he shook his head.
“No, you need to go home and get some rest.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Did you just turn me down?”
He smiled. “I did.”
“Rude.”
“You’ll live.”
“My ego—”
“Is fine,” he answered for her. Though his cock was begging to go home with her, he knew it was a bad idea. He wanted this to mean something, not just be another hookup she’ll be able to throw away.
“So, yeah, tomorrow.”
He nodded, taking a step toward her, his hands moving to grasp her hips. “Tomorrow,” he said, biting his lip as his eyes zoned in on hers.
She swallowed hard, her eyes swirling with desire. “Are you sure?”
“About tomorrow? Or about going home with you?”
“Both.”
“Yes,” he answered simply before leaning in and capturing her lips with his own. She leaned into him, and his hands slid along her back, holding her in place as she drew the kiss out, her tongue playing hard against his. His whole body wanted her, and he felt like a complete idiot for pulling away and putting space between them, but he knew things would go right where they shouldn’t if he didn’t.
“Your kisses say something else.”
He chuckled, running his hand down his face. “I have no control over my body.”
“Obviously, you do,” she said as he backed away.
“Goodnight, Wren.”
She scoffed as she shook her head. “Night, Jenny.”
They shared one last heated grin as he got into his car, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His body was shaking and his heart was beating out of control, but he knew he did the right thing. She was reverting to what she knew best. Keeping it to just fucking, and he wasn’t going to let her do that. This was real. Yes, he did the right thing by sending her home. Alone.
Didn’t he?
Wedding day. Let’s do this.
Wren was getting married.
Married.
To Jensen fucking Monroe.
Yeah. Married.
Wren. Married. To. Jensen. Fucking. Monroe.
Fuck, she was getting married today.
To Jensen!
Glaring at her computer screen, Wren saw her face was wrinkled to the max, and she looked like she had to poop. Not very sexy, but she couldn’t actually wrap her head around what she was about to do in a matter of hours. She understood that she wanted this, that she had asked him, but when she did that, she’d thought it was going to be easy peasy, lemon squeezy. But now it was fucking hard. It wasn’t a simple marriage anymore. No, now it was real.
; Well, Jensen wanted it to be real.
Damn it.
Running her hands down her face, she inhaled a harsh breath as she begged her heart to slow down even a little bit. Just a tad so she didn’t feel like she was about to pass out. Or worse, have a panic attack. Pushing her shoulders back, she sat up straighter, staring at her screen as she chewed on her lip.
“You’re going to be a married woman.” The words seemed foreign. “Mrs. Monroe. Or maybe Mrs. Lemiere-Monroe. No, Jensen is old-fashioned. He’d want me to take his name. Yeah. So, okay. Hi, I’m Wren Monroe! Okay, girl, let’s be honest, you don’t even talk like that. Too cheerful.” She swallowed hard, wiggling her nose at her reflection. “Hello, I’m Wren Monroe. My husband is Jensen Monroe, the goalie for the Nashville Assassins. We’re having a baby, a little boy.”
Well, it didn’t sound that bad. Actually believable. Go her.
Who was she kidding? She was a fraud. She didn’t believe anything that came out of her mouth. But that wasn’t even what was bothering her the most. She still didn’t understand why he didn’t come home with her. She basically put her vagina on a silver platter, presenting it to him, and he just told her to go home and get rest. What the heck! Did he not want it? He seemed to want it, especially when he kissed the stuffing out of her. Yet, he didn’t want to come home with her.
It was weird. This was weird.
She was really doing this.
Dropping her head to her desk, she took in a deep breath before looking at her little belly. “Kiddo, we’re getting married today.” When he kicked, Wren smiled. “Well, at least one of us is excited.”
When her phone sounded, she sat up as Leah said, “Ms. Lemiere, there is a call for you on line one. They said it was about the tube steak you ordered?”
Her face wrinkled. “I didn’t order any tube steak.”
“That’s what I assumed, but he was very persistent in speaking to you before your next client.”
“Weird. Okay, thanks,” she said, but just when she pressed line one, it hit her.
Wells.
“Crap.”
“Yup! Gotcha,” her brother cheered, and she closed her eyes, leaning on her hand.
“You suck.”
“I rock, and you know it.”
“I don’t even kinda agree. I’m avoiding you, especially after the douchetastic email you sent me.”