by Bella Andre
Finally, he let her up for air and when she looked up at him, panting and aroused and so damn beautiful he could hardly believe it, he was blindsided by the strength of what he felt for a woman he’d just met.
Not just pride, but something more. Something even bigger, something he’d never felt before, something he’d never wanted to feel.
Shit. This wasn’t in the plans.
His grandmother. He had to remember that he was only doing this for his grandmother. He had to remember that the only reason he’d looked for a girl like Anna wasn’t because he was actually looking for someone to love, but because he just needed it to look that way for a little while.
His throat tightened again at the thought of losing his grandmother. At how quickly his life with her could come to an end.
“Marry me, Anna.”
She stumbled back from him in her surprise—shit, he was right there with her, as shocked as she was at the words that had come out of his mouth—and he had to move fast to catch her before she was knocked over by the couple dancing in front of him.
She stiffened as he pulled her back against him, no longer the soft, pliable woman he’d held until then. He hated to see that frown where there’d been nothing but helpless desire before.
“Oh my God.” She looked like she was trying to catch her breath. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”
But even as she asked, he could see her growing stronger. Steadier.
For the second time since he’d seen her innocence shining out at him like a beacon from across the room, Cole was struck and surprised by her strength. She wasn’t stuttering now, she wasn’t panting with passion. Instead, she suddenly reminded him of his tenth-grade Calculus teacher, a woman who hadn’t cared that he was going to make millions in the pros, unlike most of his other teachers. She’d been hellbent on teaching him math and he’d had to excel, or else. Thanks to her, he’d easily been able to take his earnings and multiply them in the stock market.
He’d never much cared if his women were strong, just as long as they were willing when he was ready to go—which they always were. So then, why did he find that surprising hint of strength, of backbone, so sexy in this one?
“I need you, Anna.”
And he did need her, desperately, only this wasn’t just about his grandmother anymore.
He needed her for himself, too.
The realization that his need for her had somehow gone way beyond physical, not only had his gut twisting, but his chest clenching too.
“Please, Anna. Take this chance to be crazy and marry me.”
She blinked once, twice, three times in clear surprise at his plea, her beautifully long eyelashes fluttering against her cheekbones. He had to press a kiss to each eyelid.
“Marrying you is more than crazy, Cole. It’s certifiably insane.”
God, he loved hearing his name on her lips. A sudden vision came at him of her lying beneath him on his bed, her eyes shining with pleasure as she cried out his name.
She was right. Getting married was insane, for so many reasons. He hadn’t told his grandmother he was married, or even engaged. He’d just said that he’d found love. So then, why did it seem so crucially important that Anna agree to marry him?
Insane didn’t even come close.
“I don’t get it. Why would you want to marry me?” She looked up at him, her lack of comprehension clear in her beautiful eyes.
Would her eyes ever not take his breath away?
But instead of crafting an answer that would convince her to marry him—something other than the inexplicable Because I think I could fall in love with you that kept ringing through his brain—he found himself telling her the only other thing in his head.
“Your eyes are like the ocean, Anna. So beautiful I could stare into them forever.”
She looked stunned and pleased in equal measure, but then, suddenly, she was looking away from him and saying, “Oh no.”
Following her gaze, all he saw were people dancing and drinking, the same as they had all night.
“What’s wrong?”
“My sisters. They look worried.”
She had sisters? And they were here, in this bar, right now?
A moment later she was cradled in his arms again and he wasn’t sure if he had pulled her closer—instinctively claiming her—or if she was the one hiding out against his chest.
“Shoot. They’re coming over here.”
He felt his heartbeat kick up, knew he was about to lose her, that she was about to disappear from his life as quickly as she’d come into it, but then her hands moved to his, her slender fingers strong and sure, her blue/green eyes clear and beautiful as she tilted her face up to his.
“Yes, Cole, I’ll marry you.”
This time he was the one floundering. “You—you will?”
“Yes. I will.” She shot another quick glance at the three women advancing on them. “But we need to leave right now or it isn’t going to happen.”
And the next thing he knew, his innocent angel was pulling him across the dance floor, through the throngs of people, and out through the casino so fast that even the paps didn’t have time to catch a shot of them...on the way to their wedding.
Chapter Three
“Welcome to Cupid’s Wedding Chapel. How may I help you?”
Anna was more than a little surprised by the question. They were in a Vegas chapel at eleven at night. Was there something other than marriage on the menu?
“We want to get married,” she blurted, the words all sliding into one another in her haste to get them said.
Cole shot her a half-surprised, half-amused glance and she sucked in a breath as she took in his beautiful face. Oh God, was she really doing this? Was she really about to marry a man that she didn’t know anything about apart from his first name?
She shot a glance at his face, her eyes automatically going to his mouth. No, that wasn’t true. She knew how well he kissed. That the merest touch of his lips to hers, the slow slide of his tongue against hers, had her wanting things she hadn’t even known were out there for the taking.
Thrill bumps ran up and down her skin as he brushed his thumb across her palm, again and again in a circle that had her practically panting with lust. Truthfully, she still hadn’t gotten used to holding his hand. From the moment they’d left the club, down the back street behind the casino to the nearest chapel, he hadn’t let go.
Holding his hand shouldn’t have been such a big deal—and really, it wasn’t. The thing was, Anna loved holding hands. Really, really loved it. Almost more than she liked sex, in fact.
There was just something about being connected to another person like that. Joining with them and not having to let go, not even in public. And it was so deliciously tactile, especially when Cole’s hands were so big and warm and slightly hard across the top layer of his skin.
The way he held her hand in his made her feel, well, precious. Cared for. Even though she knew it really didn’t mean anything. It was just his way of guiding her down the street, of claiming her in front of the chapel attendant.
And, God help her, she couldn’t stop imagining what it would feel like to have those hands of his moving across her bare skin. Her breasts peaked beneath her silk bra, the vee between her thighs growing even warmer.
The chapel attendant cut into her lusty thoughts with, “A wedding! Wonderful. If you’ll just come over here to pick out your package, we can get started.”
Cole held her still in his arms and another delicious shiver ran through her. She’d always been a firm believer in women taking care of themselves—heck, that’s what she had done for the past decade—but she couldn’t deny that there was something really seductive about being held firm by strong hands.
Almost helpless against the newly sensual bend of her thoughts, Anna had to wonder just how Cole’s strength would play out in the bedroom.
The bedroom he’d promised he was taking her to tonight, married or not.
Cole’s response came in that dangerously sexy voice, low and confident. “We’ll take the best package you’ve got.”
The wiry, smiling man nodded. “Certainly, sir. And how are you doing tonight, ma’am?”
Anna smiled as brightly as she could around the knot of nerves tightening her stomach muscles.
“Fine, thanks.”
“Only fine? On your wedding night?” The man winked at Cole. “Well, we’ll have to do our very best to change that, won’t we?”
Cole’s hand tightened on hers and she quickly said, “Actually, I’m great. Amazing. Phenomenal.” She knew she was babbling, but she wasn’t sure how to stop now that she was on a roll. “Who wouldn’t be thrilled about marrying Cole?”
The wiry man studied Cole for a long moment before nodding. “Yes. He looks like he’ll make a wonderful husband.”
Anna automatically turned her gaze to Cole. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to yell...or laugh. And yet, even as a vein in his neck throbbed under their combined perusal, Anna found herself silently agreeing with the man helping them to get married.
Cole really did look like he was going to make a wonderful husband.
Why she thought that, she didn’t know, especially since she had no data whatsoever to back it up—apart from his kissing prowess, that was—but there was no denying his strength, his rock-steady composure even in a Las Vegas chapel during a spur-of-the-moment wedding.
“We need a ring.”
Both Anna and the man behind the counter jumped at Cole’s commanding tone.
They needed a ring. A wedding ring.
Deep breaths, that’s what she needed. One after the other until the right amount of oxygen returned to her brain.
“Of course, sir.” The man reached under the counter and pulled out a velvet box. “Here is our selection.”
Cole all but growled his displeasure when they looked inside. “No.”
“Sir?”
Cole didn’t answer. He simply pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “James. I need a diamond ring. No less than five.” He turned his attention back to her for a brief moment. “What ring size are you?”
She looked down at her ringless hand. “I don’t know.”
“Excuse me, sir,” the chapel attendant said, “but I can guarantee that she’s a six.” He smiled at her. “I’ve been doing this for a very long time.”
Cole spoke into his phone again. “Six.” After a short pause, he said. “No, that’s unacceptable. Five minutes ago.” He looked up at the sign on the wall. “Cupid’s Wedding Chapel, behind the Wynn.” He put the phone back in his pocket. “The ring will be here in five minutes. What paperwork do you need us to fill out?”
“Great idea,” she chirped. “We should get the paperwork done right away!”
She felt Cole’s eyes on her, felt herself flushing as he said, “We need a minute alone.”
The man behind the counter nodded quickly. “Of course, sir. I’ll just go check on a few things in back.”
Cole had a way of focusing all of his attention on her that rattled her brain—and made her panties shockingly damp.
She couldn’t believe the way she heated up beneath his gaze. No other man had ever made her feel this way, like she couldn’t control her hormones around him. It wasn’t just that he was extremely good-looking. And built like a bodybuilder. No, it was something else that had her pulse racing.
It was the way his eyes said Mine when he looked at her.
Just like they were doing right now.
She took a breath to try to clear her head, but the breath was so shaky she almost didn’t get any air in.
“Anna.” He put his finger beneath her chin and tipped her chin up.
“Isn’t this exciting?” she asked, trying to give him a confident smile.
“Yes,” he agreed, and then, “Tell me what’s wrong.”
She forced herself to say, “Nothing’s wrong,” the same thing she’d been saying to everyone her entire life, whether or not it was true.
His finger moved from her chin up her cheek. “I can handle the truth, sweet Anna.”
And the thing was, she suddenly believed him. Unable to look away from his dark, hot gaze, she said, “It’s not that I don’t want to do this. I mean, you asked if I wanted to get married and I said yes, so we’re here and I’m sure it’s going to be really great, but then when you started asking about paperwork, I—”
Well, it had just seemed so cold. So businesslike. So far from the heat that had driven them here.
“I kind of started to freak out.” She sucked in a breath. “But I’m okay now.” And it was the strangest thing, but just telling him what she really felt went a long way toward dissolving the knot in her stomach.
“What’s your last name, Anna?”
Finding it difficult to focus past the fact that his fingertips were now traveling along the outside of her earlobe, she said, “Davis.” His fingers ran down the side of her neck and it made so many wicked and wild desires jump to life inside that she had to close her eyes for a minute to try and keep her balance.
“Want to know mine?”
Anna opened her eyes in surprise. “Of course I do,” she told him. “It’s just that when you’re doing that, I can’t concentrate.”
His full, masculine lips curving into a sensual grin, he ran his fingers across her collarbone and down the underside of her upper arm. “Good.”
More moisture flooded her panties and she couldn’t hold back a soft moan of pleasure.
“So sweet, Anna. So damn sweet.”
The desire that rippled through her at his heated words sent her reeling. Needing desperately to ground herself in something, anything, she buried her face against his chest. But instead of grounding her, when she breathed in the heady scent of him—a clean, male scent that drew her in even deeper and made her want to rub herself all over him like a cat in heat—she could barely focus on anything other than how much she wanted Cole. No, this wasn’t simply wanting, this was something else entirely, a desperate craving that ate away at her.
And then she felt his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back far enough that he could hold her gaze again. “You’ll be Anna Taylor soon.”
Her breath caught in her throat. It was a heck of a way to tell her his last name.
Before she could get her lungs or brain to cooperate again—was she really about to leave Anna Davis, the woman she’d been for nearly thirty years, behind?—the chapel’s front door opened and an attractive gray-haired man walked in.
She felt herself flush as he quickly took her in, head to toe. He kept his face expressionless, save for the slight surprise lingering in his eyes.
“Introduce me, please,” the man said to Cole.
Cole’s eyes hadn’t left her, not when his friend had walked in, not now that he was making the introductions. “James, this is Anna Davis. My fiancée.”
Anna’s heart rate leapt at the word fiancée and she worked to school her face into a normal smile of greeting. “It’s nice to meet you, James.”
The man’s eyebrow lifted slightly. “It is very nice to meet you, Ms. Davis.”
The next thing she knew, he was opening up a velvet case, much like the one the chapel attendant had under the counter. She gasped at the rings inside this one.
“No,” she said, shaking her head and shooting a panicked glance at Cole. “You can’t—I shouldn’t—”
“Are these the biggest ones you could find?” Cole asked his friend in a clearly irritated tone.
Ignoring him, James told Anna, “Of course you will look beautiful in any of them. But now that I’ve met you, I think this one would be perfect.”
He held out the only ring that had caught her eye, a princess-cut diamond surrounded by a circle of smaller diamonds. Still, she didn’t reach out to touch it.
Frowning, Cole said, “Damn it, these diamonds aren’t big enough.” He pulled out the biggest one, so big she wasn’t sure she’d be able to li
ft her hand with it on, and said, “How about we use this one tonight and then tomorrow morning we’ll trade it in for something better?”
Standing in a Las Vegas wedding chapel, staring at a diamond that had to be at least five carats in the hands of a man she’d met approximately sixty minutes earlier, Anna stopped processing.
And starting laughing.
Both men stared at her as if she were completely off her rocker. She supposed they were right. After all, she was here, wasn’t she?
“Cole,” she finally said when she was able to speak, “these diamonds are all way too big.”
“Too big?”
Cole looked utterly confused and she could have sworn his friend made a sound that was something between a cough and a barely-swallowed laugh.
“Way too big.” Her gaze swung back to the one James had pointed out. “But that one’s pretty. I guess I could get used to wearing it.”
“Leave the ring.”
James turned a bemused gaze to Cole. “Of course.”
He put it on the counter, then closed the velvet box. He caught Anna by surprise with his smile, so friendly and genuine. “My best wishes to you, Anna.” He left before wishing Cole luck.
“Wonderful, the ring has arrived!” The attendant returned, holding a clipboard and a pen. “I just need to see photo IDs and have you fill out your addresses, social security numbers, and signatures and we can get straight to the ceremony.”
“We’ll tell you when we’re ready,” Cole bit out.
The man’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I just remembered one more thing I need to take care of. Excuse me.”
Cole practically carried her over to a small sitting area in the corner of the room.
“You scared him,” she said.
“I don’t care about him. I care about you.”
Her stomach fluttered. He cared about her?
Oh my.
“You’re overwhelmed.”
No question, he was a man of few words. Still, he managed to say everything that needed to be said.
“Who wouldn’t be?”