Hannah’s heart skipped a beat at the certainty behind her sister’s words, even as the rational side of her brain instantly dismissed that crazy notion.
“No, you’re wrong. Logan doesn’t do love, he made that perfectly clear, which is fine by me. I’m only using him for sex, anyway, or at least I will be once we’re married.”
Sarah burst out laughing, and Hannah followed suit, ‘cause, really that sounded ridiculous when you thought about it.
Once they got their merriment under control, Sarah shook her head.
“Yes, well, believe that, if it makes you feel any better, but I know you. You’ve got a soft heart, and lord knows if ever there was a man who needs the love of a woman it’s Logan. Just be careful. I can see you getting hurt, and we both know that emotional scars run far deeper than physical ones, and some might never heal.”
Hannah opened her mouth to refute that silly notion, but the words of denial stuck in her throat. She took the glass of fizz Sarah handed her, and frowned at the bubbles.
“There’ll be no danger of that, I can assure you, sis.”
The lie lay like a brick in the bottom of her stomach, and made the excellent champagne taste like sawdust as she swallowed.
Come what may she had to guard her heart. She could do this, right?
****
Logan straightened the cuffs of his monkey suit for the umpteenth time, and scowled at the elderly registrar. Where the fuck was his bride to be? It didn’t take that long to walk down the castle steps and make her way into the garden where the ceremony was to be held. The photographer aimed her camera into his face, and he flexed his fingers against the urge to wrench that piece of equipment out of her hands and throw it into the stream which formed a small lake. An idyllic setting the brochure had said, and he supposed that was true.
The way Hannah’s eyes had lit up in silent joy, when they’d pulled up the long gravel drive yesterday afternoon had certainly been worth the organizational nightmare to get them all up to Scotland and everything put in place in just under a month.
It had given him a far too suspicious glow inside to know he’d made her happy. He wasn’t going to examine his motives too closely, that’s for sure. This was a means to an end, that’s all. Admittedly one with pleasurable side benefits, or at least it would have those once little Hannah was finally his. What had possessed him to instigate the no sex until they were married rule, anyway? He needed his head examined, but he hadn’t wanted to muddy the waters.
If the one night of sex which was indelibly imprinted on his brain was anything to go by, he’d lose himself in her soft body at the detriment of all else, and Logan had needed his head in the right place for this all to work out.
So far, so good. The prenup his solicitor had drawn up was as watertight as one could make these things, and as per Hannah’s request—one that still didn’t sit right with him—she would leave the marriage with nothing more than the clothes on her back.
Maybe that’s why he seemed addicted to seeing that joyous light in her blue eyes. If she was determined to not avail herself of his money, he could spoil her a little in other ways. Like the engagement ring. He’d chosen the deep sapphire, set in a cluster of priceless diamonds and platinum, because it reminded him of the color of her eyes. Not that he’d been foolish enough to mention this to her.
That would give her entirely the wrong idea. Logan had resented the ache in his chest when he’d all but thrown the box at her. That moment shouldn’t have meant anything more than making sure she wore the required jewelry to make them look real.
Her gasp of surprise and the way she’d looked up at him, blinking away tears—Logan cursed under his breath—it had stirred emotions he didn’t want to acknowledge. It had started a seeming deep-seated need to make her happy, to see those expressive eyes light up in joy and hope, and it felt damn good to know that he was the reason for that smile. A smile she’d hitherto bestowed only on Rhia.
“Relax, she’ll be here soon. It’s the bride’s prerogative to be late.”
George, Hannah’s sister’s fiancé and his best man by the sheer necessity of having to keep things in the family, slapped him on the back and grinned. “And wipe that scowl off your face. This is supposed to the happiest day of your life, yet you look like man about to face the gallows.”
Logan shook his head, made a non-committal grunt, and forced his tight shoulders to relax as he looked around the select few people who’d been invited.
His side of the guests looked far too empty. His solicitor and his wife, a few business clients, chosen specifically with future deals in mind—it always helped to butter them up—and the empty slot where his mother ought to be. Unfortunately, she was recovering from a nasty chest infection, and thus unable to attend.
Hannah had urged him to postpone the wedding a couple of weeks, but Logan couldn’t afford that luxury. The custody hearings were looming, and he knew his every move was under scrutiny by the authorities. While he’d been granted temporary custody of his niece—as per the terms of Claudia’s living will, a fact which still astonished him—her grandparents had started a vicious battle to smear his name.
This wedding was damage limitation of the highest order, and it had to work. While he was far from suitable daddy material, he owed Claudia this much.
The wedding march started up, and George’s low, appreciative whistle raised the fine hair on his neck. Even without that warning of his bride-to-be’s approach, he’d have known Hannah was near. The breeze kicked up, bringing with it the scent of her light perfume, and inhaling deeply, he turned around. He blinked at what he saw. Rhia came first, her little face screwed up in concentration, as she clutched her basket to her chest and threw handfuls of rose petals on the red carpet that had been laid to form the makeshift aisle.
Hannah came next, her gaze trained on Rhia, an indulgent smile kicking up her soft lips as she followed the little girl, while her sister made up the rear of the little parade. And that’s as far as he took in the surroundings, because his little dove chose that moment to look up and hold his gaze. Her eyes widened, and her smile grew, while the photographer’s rapid click signaled her capturing every moment of the happy bride’s arrival.
And fuck him six ways ‘til next Sunday, he had to give it to Hannah. She played her part well. From the bouquet of wildflowers which she held in her trembling hands, to the gossamer veil which fell over her face, and skimmed the top of her impressive cleavage, where her breasts shook with her rapid breaths, she looked every inch the happy, expectant bride. The strapless gown she’d chosen complemented her curves beautifully. Cinched in at the waist, the lacy cream fabric fell to the floor in gentle waves, and ended in a small train that made her look taller than she was.
“Wow, just wow. You’re one lucky son of a bitch, Logan.” George’s murmured exclamation didn’t require an acknowledgement, even if he had been able to get his voice to work. Right now, the mere act of drawing air into his suddenly constricted lungs seemed an impossible task to achieve, as Hannah drew next to him, smiled, and handed her bouquet to a beaming Sarah.
Rhia grinned, hopped from foot to foot, and then grasped Sarah’s free hand and stood to one side.
“Hey.” Hannah’s soft whisper as she addressed him shot straight to his groin, and he barely suppressed a groan. Talk was impossible, so he simply inclined his head and forced the semblance of a smile on his face. It must have worked, because Hannah kept on smiling and turned to face the registrar, who started his spiel which would end in them becoming man and wife. Not that Logan really heard what the man was saying.
This close to Hannah, with her scent tickling his nostrils, and the knowledge that this woman would soon he his and his alone, his inner caveman woke up with a roar.
Logan had never been the possessive type—he didn’t hang around one woman for long enough to get possessive—but Hannah was different, had been from the first moment she’d registered on his radar, which was why he’d kept his dist
ance at first. He should have stayed keeping his distance truth be told, and now … well now he felt the noose tightening around his neck. For the first time, he doubted himself. Hannah deserved so much more than to be tied to him for his convenience, and as result he hesitated when it came to saying his vows.
“Mr. Bryce?”
The concern in the registrar’s voice finally registered as did the utter stillness surrounding them. He could hear the stream bubbling over the rocks, George clearing his throat, as he stared at him, eyebrows raised, the sound of Rhia sucking her thumb, as though she, too, felt the sudden tension, and he pulled a much-needed breath into his lungs. Some of the panic floating around his system, threatening to strangle him passed with that breath, and his frantic heart rate slowed with each in- and exhale he managed to do.
“Are you all right, Mr. Bryce? Do you need a moment?”
“Come on, buddy, pull yourself together.”
“Logan, look at me.”
Hannah’s voice, an urgent whisper in his ear pulled him back from the brink, and the place came back into focus, and with it the weight of dozens of accusing eyes.
“Are you okay? Have you … changed your mind?” Hannah voice hitched on that last part, and Logan shook his head. The concern in her blue eyes—genuine worry for him—worry that he didn’t deserve hit him in the chest with the full force of sledgehammer, and he shook his head again, more forcefully this time.
“Of course not, let’s get on with this.”
The registrar’s frown deepened, but one stare from Logan and he picked up where they’d left off and this time Logan’s voice rang out loud and clear.
Hannah’s responses were quieter, but no less sure as she pledged her life to him, and in no time at all the registrar announced them to be man and wife. Logan didn’t wait for permission to kiss his bride. Lifting the veil out of the way, he pulled his wife—Christ, I have a wife—flush into his body and slanted his lips over hers. Her surprised gasp gave him entry, and he poured all of his conflicting emotions into the kiss. One that grew evermore passionate as Hannah responded in kind, kissing him back with the same ferocity that thundered through his veins, the need to mark her as his, to claim her, until nobody would doubt that this woman was his. That this, here, the passion they shared, at least was real, unlike this pretense of a wedding born out of necessity. Logan ground his erection into her belly, and Hannah whimpered, drew even closer to him, as his hands found her ass through the layer of her wedding gown and he yanked her up higher to take the kiss even deeper.
Wolf whistles and the thunder of applause eventually broke through the cloud of pure lust and desire that held him in its grip, and he released his wife with a smirk. Her eyes fluttered open, she inhaled sharply, and her kiss-swollen lips broke into a tentative smile, as he looked up at him.
“We did it.”
He nodded at her whisper, and keeping his arms around her waist gave a mock bow at the assembled guests. More applause, a back slap from George, a hug from Sarah, and with Rhia attaching herself to his leg in the monkey hold she was so fond of, they signed the register to make this whole thing official.
The inevitable pictures took ages, and Logan’s jaw ached in tune with his rock-hard dick by the time they were finally finished. Being this close to Hannah, as the photographer made them pose in more and more revealing poses, was torture and bliss rolled into one, but eventually they were left on their own while the rest of the guests traipsed back up to the castle to start the celebrations.
The wind kicked up, and Hannah’s veil went flying off into the distance to be snared at the top of a tree, and she giggled.
“Whoops.”
“Whoops indeed, but I guess you won’t be needing that anymore, Mrs. Bryce.”
“I guess not.”
Hannah shivered as the wind picked up even more and the sun disappeared behind menacing clouds which rolled across the mountain range.
Logan scowled at the darkening sky, and tugged her along.
“Come on, let’s get out of here. Let me ask you something. How badly do you want to join the circus in there?” He gestured to the castle, where lights spilled out of the function room, and the music started up.
Hannah pulled a face, and he had his answer.
“Well, we’re expected to sit through all that, so we best—”
“Not go? Good, I thought you might say that. Give me a second.”
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit George’s speed dial. The man answered on the third ring.
“Yo, Logan, what’s up? Hurry your asses in here. It’s gonna piss it down, and they’re waiting on you guys to bring the food out.”
Logan smiled at Hannah’s confused expression, and shook his head.
“Tell them to serve without us, and have fun. We won’t be coming. I have the sudden urge to start my honeymoon right now. Margaret has the details of where we’ll be. You and Sarah are still okay to look after Rhia, right?”
He ignored Hannah’s gasp, and George’s sharp intake of breath.
“Yes, of course we are, but you can’t just not turn up. Your guests—”
“Are only there for the free food and booze anyway, you know that. They’ll be fine. Put Rhia on the phone for me, will you?”
“What the fuck, sure, man, but is Hannah okay with this? I mean. Ow, what was that for, baby? Okay, here, Sarah wants to talk to you.”
Sure enough, there was rustling, as he handed the phone over, or more accurately had the phone wrenched from his hand if he knew his new sister-in-law, and then Sarah’s amused voice spoke in his ear.
“Might have guessed you’d pull a stunt like that. Give your new wife a kiss from me and don’t you worry about Rhia. It will be our pleasure to look after her.” Her lighthearted giggle made him grin, especially as Hannah’s frown deepened, and she held her hand out for the phone. He shook his head and hit the loudspeaker button instead.
“You’re on speaker now, Sarah. Tell your sister not to worry. She looks ready to argue with me, and she should know what happens to her when she does that.” He raised his eyebrows, and Hannah closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Logan, seriously. Ignore my impossible husband, Sarah.”
Another one of those terribly infectious giggles came down the line, and sure enough Hannah smiled and rolled her eyes.
“Oh, I don’t think I will. That sounds like all sorts of delicious fun is right in your future. You’ll have to fill me in on the gory details when you’re back in London, sis.”
Hannah turned an endearing shade of pink, and Logan was hard pushed to contain his amusement.
“Sarah, stop it.” She glanced up at him and shook her head. “You know full well I won’t tell you anything.”
“Phtt, more’s the pity. Here comes Rhia now. Hey, sweetie, say goodbye to Logan and Hannah. You’ll see them when they come back from their holiday.” More rustling and then Rhia’s soft voice came through the line.
“You’re going away?” She sounded so small and lost, it almost made Logan abandon this impulsive idea, but before he could respond, Hannah did.
“Only for a little while. We talked about this, remember? You’ll have lots of fun with Auntie Sarah and Uncle George, and Logan and I will be back before you have a chance to miss us. I’ll phone every day to see how you’re doing, okay?”
Logan’s chest tightened at the emotion in his new wife’s voice. Rhia had blossomed under Sarah and Hannah’s care and lived for the nightly ritual of Hannah’s phone call to wish her sweet dreams. He should have known that Hannah would know the right words to put his niece at ease with their sudden departure. Already her nightmares had lessened, and she dropped off to sleep much easier than she ever had done since Hannah had become part of their lives. No doubt Rhia would come even more out of her shell, once Hannah lived under the same roof as they did.
The thought of having access to Hannah’s delicious body twenty-four seven made his dick twitch in need. He needed this over
with, and he needed to be inside his wife ten minutes ago.
“K, bye then.” Rhia still sounded lost, but he couldn’t dwell on that now. After all, this whole marriage thing was for her, and they needed to do this right. No doubt word of their unorthodox behavior would make it back to Lord and Lady Franningham in no time—those two seemed to have their spies everywhere—and while they wouldn’t approve at all, at least they couldn’t use this against him. If anything, it proved the validity of their marriage, not that it was the driving force behind his rash decision to be alone with Hannah. No, that was pure lust talking and the chance to finally rid himself of his self-inflicted blue balls syndrome.
“Love you, sweetheart.”
Hannah’s words brought a lump of emotion to his throat, and as a result his voice was hoarse when he added his own goodbyes to Rhia.
“We’ll see you soon, munchkin. Be good now.”
“Yes, Daddy Logan.”
There went another sucker punch to his gut. He didn’t deserve that title, should never have had it bestowed on him, if his asshole of a brother had kept his temper in check. He ended the phone call, cutting Sarah off mid talking and turned his phone off. He wanted no distractions. With that in mind he stuffed all those painful thoughts back into the box they belonged in, and addressed his new wife.
“Shall we?”
Chapter Eight
The twinkle in Logan’s dark eyes proved Hannah’s undoing. He looked like a naughty schoolboy right now, bunking off lessons, and in truth she felt like that, too. As the first drops of rain fell out of the darkening sky, she screeched and, holding onto his hand, ran with him.
“Where are we going?” She gasped, breathless after her sprint in the far too tight corset, as they stopped outside his Jaguar.
“It’s a surprise, you’ll see. Get in before you’re soaked through.”
A clap of thunder made her jump, and she wasted no time to get into the car. The minute she did, the whole sky lit up in lightning, and Hannah screamed. Logan slammed the door shut, started the engine, turned the heating up, and shrugged out of his suit jacket. He looked even more sexy without it, the waistcoat accentuating his broad shoulders. When he undid the cufflinks and rolled the sleeves up, exposing powerful forearms, desire curled low in Hannah’s belly.
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