Yes, right then, she did. But wearing his ring meant giving up her plans. Giving up the security of a future she could control completely. Giving up a promise she’d made to herself...for the chance of something so much more.
Connor was poised above her, his sharp gaze studying her every minuscule reaction. Hesitation. Blink, blush and tremor.
Tentatively, she placed her free hand against the center of his chest. His bare skin was shades darker than her own. Hot. Firm. Tempting her toward reckless action just to ensure she had more time to enjoy it.
But that simply wasn’t who she was. If he knew her at all, he would understand.
“I’m not ready. I’m not sure I can give you what you’re asking for.”
A nod. Then, “Wear it anyway. You’re still my wife for now. Why not try the whole package on for size and see how it feels?”
Her gaze drifted over to the band of diamonds so close to sliding home. Each flawless stone throwing off light in all directions. It was exquisite.
Nothing could compete with this ring.
Swallowing once, she peered back up at Connor, who waited above her, the possessive intent in his eyes making her ache to give in. But she couldn’t do it.
“It’s probably better if I don’t.” Trying to match his lighter tone, she curled her fingers into her palm and dodged, “And about this whole being-married thing. I was thinking we might not mention it. Let everyone think I’m just a cheap floozy rather than the honest woman you’ve made me.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
CONNOR SWALLOWED, his body going still. “You don’t want them to know.”
Guileless eyes met his. “I’d prefer they don’t.”
And then she was wiggling out from beneath him. Crawling off the bed from one side as he backed off from the other, returning the ring to his pocket.
Megan stood in front of the bureau mirror frowning at the few hairs out of place from their brief roll in the sack. They had to leave soon, and considering he’d actually hired someone in to sculpt her hair into perfection, it made sense she’d be trying to fix her look.
But suddenly all he could see was a woman concerned with her image, and for the first time he wondered if he didn’t really know her after all.
He shook his head. It couldn’t be right.
“I thought you didn’t lie.”
It was the quality in her he appreciated above all others. It was important to him.
One brow shot high as she turned to meet his eyes. “I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I walk around regurgitating every personal detail of my existence without prompt. I’d prefer you not bring it up, because seriously, no one is going to ask.”
A lie of omission. Well, that was irony.
He knew all about them. Had been one for the first decade of his life and had sworn never to be one again. And yet here he was, married to a woman making a dirty little secret of him from the start.
Freud would have a field day with this.
Okay, so it wasn’t as though he’d discovered Megan stowing the ring in her car’s ashtray while she hit the bars. They’d been married for less than twenty-four hours, and she wasn’t even certain she wanted to wait another twenty-four before filing for divorce. But still, her not wanting people to know rubbed him in all the wrong places. Partly because one of the first things to attract him about her was the way she owned her life. Her actions. She wasn’t making excuses or apologies or even taking the easy way out of an explanation. In the few hours he’d known her before he talked her into changing the plan for both their lives, she’d made him believe in who she was. How she lived. And this—this secret didn’t fit with that.
Which made him wonder about some of the other things he’d believed.
“I told you honesty was important to me. We talked about it today.” And same as last night, she’d agreed about the critical importance of trust in any marriage, but especially one not based on love.
“Connor...” Megan’s voice had taken a stern edge, as though she was the one who didn’t like what was being said. “This is my cousin, and while we aren’t spectacularly close, if I show up with your ring on, no one is going to pay attention to Gail’s wedding at all. It wouldn’t be fair to her. I’m sorry, but I hope you can respect my feelings.”
Connor’s head snapped up, the lead boulder in his gut evaporating under her words.
“You aren’t trying to hide something you’re embarrassed about?”
Her head tilted slightly, as if she wasn’t quite sure what she was hearing. “You mean because you’re such an unattractive, insufferable dog who’s probably going to fleece me for everything I’m worth...and I wasn’t smart enough to chew my arm off for a clean escape?”
The laughter was back, bolstered by more relief than he’d thought he could experience. “Something like that.”
Megan gave a tiny smile before turning thoughtful. Then, “I suppose, if I’m being totally honest, I am a little embarrassed about it. I mean, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life during a night when I’d drunk so much I don’t even remember doing it. But I’m not under any delusions about keeping our marriage under wraps. Everyone at this wedding is going to know about us—approximately two seconds after I talk to my mother. Which is why I haven’t called her yet.”
“What if we decide to divorce? You could sweep it under the rug.”
Megan laughed. “Maybe you could, but not me. Even knowing she can’t keep a confidence to save her life, I don’t keep secrets from my mother. I’ll tell her what’s happened as soon as I get home. And then the minute I hang up...” Megan’s eyes closed, and she drew in a slow breath. “Believe me. I’ll be hearing about this for the rest of my life. Regardless of the outcome.”
Connor offered a hand to Megan. “You okay with that?”
Megan wagged her head a little, eyes on the ceiling. “It’s my life. So yes. I’m good with it.”
Damn, he liked the things that came out of this woman’s mouth. He liked the way she thought. The way she cared. The way she lived. The way she stood by the choices she believed in. And despite his initial reaction to her not wearing his ring, he liked the way she could see past her own situation to consider the feelings of those around her.
That strength of character was what he wanted for his family.
“And with me?” he asked. “If I promise not to bring up the wedding, are you still good with me?”
Megan’s eyes were soft, steady as she met his. “I’m good with you too.”
* * *
The wedding went off without a hitch. Gail and Roy tied the knot in a chapel not so different, according to Connor, from the one where they’d been married the night before. The vows were made, the rings exchanged and then the marriage was sealed with a kiss. It was beautiful, despite Jodie and Tina making jokes at Megan’s expense throughout the ceremony, laughingly suggesting in her lack of experience she’d managed to botch her one-night stand by dragging it into the next day.
She’d been prepared for the barrage of teasing. Had warned Connor about it. But what she hadn’t expected was how protective her new husband was. And the way he managed to sabotage most every joke the quibbling duo attempted. Still, the girls were nothing if not persistent.
“So, really, Connor, what are you doing here?” Jodie asked, straining to be heard over the nightclub music booming around them. “I mean, sure, Megan reeled you in last night, but aren’t you ready to rip the hook out and take off yet?”
Whether she’d been going for flirtation or just a joke, the question was typically tactless, and Megan reminded herself white-chocolate martinis weren’t a solution. Not since the idea of them alone had her stomach ready to revolt.
Connor stretched his arm across the back of Megan’s chair, the warmth of it permeating the tuxedo jacket he’d wrapped her up in as soon as the ceremony ended. “Not at all. Megan’s incredible and I see this relationship going the distance.”
Tina leaned forward, putting her best assets on display. “Rela
tionship?”
A slow heat began to build in Megan’s cheeks as all eyes shifted to where Connor’s thumb ran a lazy pattern against her shoulder. He’d been attentive without being overly demonstrative throughout the evening, obviously making an effort to respect her wishes and keep their marriage under wraps at least until the ink dried on Gail’s matching certificate. But this line of questioning could lead them toward the truth in a hurry if something didn’t change.
Tina’s shrewd eyes darted between them twice, before she stepped back with a cool laugh. “Oh, Megan, tell me you didn’t?”
Her heart sank. Somehow Tina had figured it out. Gail, who was waiting as expectantly as everyone else, would never forgive her.
“Tell me you didn’t go and make another friend?” The last word fell with such disgust it took Megan a second to realize she hadn’t been discovered. She didn’t need to feel ashamed for hijacking her cousin’s wedding. Relief washed over her in a wave, buoying her mood enough she couldn’t contain the smile stretching across her face.
“What are you talking about?” Connor asked, casually enough. Only, something about his voice sounded off, and as she turned to face him, she didn’t like the look of his half smile at all.
“Nothing. It’s nothing, Connor,” she said, hoping he’d recognize the plea in her eyes for him to leave it. The plea and the promise that she’d explain later when they weren’t within glowering distance of Gail’s wedding party. “I’d love another tonic. Any chance you’d come to the bar with me?”
After a beat, the smile turned more genuine and Connor stood, offering her his hand. “How about a dance first.”
Before she could mutter a protest, he had her flush against his chest and was deftly leading her with his hands, thighs, chest and hips into the midst of the clubgoers. Moving in a way that was all easy rhythm and physical confidence. Nothing friendly about it.
Within a few minutes, she’d returned to the state that teetered between laughter and lust and was totally unique to her experience with Connor, leaving Tina and Jodie and all their barbs a distant memory.
* * *
Connor signed off on the open-bar bill for their group and then grabbed the tall tonic and ice Megan had requested, eyeing their table like a man about to face the gallows. Megan was still in the ladies’ room, but something told him waiting for her outside the door would smack of stalker. So rather, he made his way to the table prepared to deflect the pointed questions about his bank accounts, Reed Industries’ worth and whether Megan had managed to snag any of his sperm.
He was ready to get out of there. First, because his wife’s laugh, which was all kinds of sexy abandon, was proving to be a temptation he couldn’t resist much longer, and second, because Tina and Jodie, and even Gail, were grating hard. Pushing buttons he hadn’t known he had. Megan’s ability to let it roll off her back gave him the sense she’d had too much practice. And he didn’t like it.
As it turned out, Gail had kicked off her shoes and propped her feet on one vacant chair, leaving the only other available between Tina and Jodie, whose antics had vacillated between mildly annoying and downright nasty.
No, thanks.
Roy and his two groomsmen were huddled in the same kind of quiet conversation they’d been engaged in through the rest of the evening—excepting the ceremony, of course—the monosyllabic, extended-silence kind.
Opting to stand off at the side, he watched the dance floor while he waited for Megan.
A cackle of laughter had the muscles of his spine tightening unpleasantly. And then Gail’s chiding reprimand. “You two are terrible!”
He didn’t want to know. Shouldn’t even have been able to hear over the music.
A less-than-delicate snort from Tina. “Please, it’s pathetic.”
But their voices.
And Jodie. “She can’t stop collecting these guys.”
That brought his head around. They hadn’t noticed him standing behind them, and again they were talking about his wife. The woman who’d fought with him in an effort to respect this day.
“I don’t know who she thinks she’s kidding with this one. There’s no way—”
“No way,” chimed in Tina.
“—he’s anything more than the next ‘friend,’ trying to do her some sort of favor. Keep us off her back probably.”
Gail held up a hand between them. Good. Her cousin, showing some loyalty. Only, then she started talking and his vision went red.
* * *
Megan’s steps faltered as she approached the table.
“...keep wondering with all these ‘buddies’ is if she’s so great to talk with, then what exactly is bad enough to drive these guys away?”
Megan’s breath caught in her throat as Gail sloppily speculated on her life with Connor standing directly behind her.
He’d heard.
She knew by his utter lack of reaction. The stillness in a form that was so much energy.
Jodie nodded sagely as Tina glanced up and, catching Megan’s eyes, let out a snort of laughter.
Closing her eyes, she drew several deep breaths.
They’d already put in their time. They could leave.
Maybe he wouldn’t say anything and they could just forget it.
When Megan opened her eyes, Connor was already around the table, no doubt as ready to make a break for it as she was. More. Gail wasn’t even his relative.
Or...well, not by blood anyway. Lucky.
And then he was at her side, sliding a hand around her waist as he pulled her close. Closer. And closer still until her eyes went wide as his marauding hand slid across her bottom in a slow, blatant caress to rest at the very top of her thigh. Face burrowed into the side of her neck, he drew a long breath, teasing his nose along the sensitive stretch of skin behind her ear.
He was making a point. Letting them see what she’d asked him to rein in for the sake of Gail’s special day. Really, she couldn’t hold it against him. In fact, it sort of made him her own personal hero.
Letting her pull back enough for decency, Connor smiled down at her. “What do you think about wrapping it up here?”
Tina’s chin pulled back and Jodie rolled her eyes. Gail scrunched up her nose and stuck out her bottom lip. “No. You’ve got to stay. Bride’s prerogative and all. It’s my day, so park it.”
Connor’s menacing half smile slanted over his lips as he looked at the table. All nonchalance, with one hand still resting dangerously low on her hip, the other tucked casually in his pocket.
“Bride’s prerogative,” he murmured. “Definitely.”
She should have seen it coming, should have known. But it wasn’t until he’d caught her hand that she saw what he was holding.
The floor dropped out from under her.
“Megan,” he said with a doting smile and a steely glint in his eyes. “I know you wanted to wait to announce our news, but I honestly can’t. Not. Another. Second.”
She was too stunned to react when he slid that gorgeous glittering band over her finger, raising their joined hands for everyone to see. “I know it was fast, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was letting this woman get away.”
Gail was the first one to pick her jaw up off the floor, her watery eyes now darting between the ring she wore and Megan’s. “You got married,” she gasped. “At my wedding?”
Megan started fumbling for something to say, for an apology maybe, though it didn’t really seem right. She opened her mouth, only to have the air squeezed out of her lungs by Connor’s arms wrapping snug around her. “No, of course not,” he assured with all the sensitivity of an assassin. “We got married first. This morning.”
Tina and Jodie were both shaking their heads as if understanding was impossible.
“I know it’s early, but I think we’ve waited long enough to get back to our honeymoon. So if you’ll excuse us...” And with everyone watching, Megan found herself swept off her feet, tucked into Connor’s arms. “Drinks are on me tonight. Con
gratulations.”
CHAPTER NINE
“WHAT IN THE HELL do you think you’re doing?” Megan demanded from the far side of the elevator where she stood, hands on hips, eyes boring into him like little embers of hell.
Connor snapped the picture from his phone then slipped the device back into his tux pocket before it ended up incinerated beneath his wife’s fiery glare, or more likely crushed beneath the spike of her sexy glass slipper.
“Documenting our first fight.”
For a moment, all the red-hot rage directed his way turned to utter shock, leaving her sputtering in a way he couldn’t deny he was getting a serious kick out of. But in a blink, she rocketed back to fury, leaning into the space between them, her voice going lethally low. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“Come on, it’s something for the scrapbook. You’ll thank me later.”
“You know good and well I’m not talking about a picture.”
Yeah, he did. The way he knew taking a snap of her when she was this cranked up was probably a move just short of suicide, but like his decision to break his promise to her back in the club, it was one he wouldn’t regret.
“We had a deal,” she hissed, her eyes darting between him and the elevator’s digital display. “But maybe you forgot. Or perhaps our agreement didn’t suit your needs at the time, so you just changed your mind.”
The car slowed, sounding a low chime to alert them they’d arrived at their floor. The doors soundlessly opened and Megan turned forward—her face a mask of calm, belied only by the rapid pulse at her neck. Placing his hand at the small of her back, they stepped out into the main floor.
“Definitely the latter,” he answered quietly at her ear.
A taunt, almost daring her to lose her cool in the midst of all these people. But not Megan. She kept it together, impressing him more and more. Confirming once again how well suited she was to being his wife. Not that he’d make a habit of goading her in public or out of it. He didn’t expect much fighting, but it was important to know how she would handle it.
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