by Lauren Wood
We walked back to the house, hand in hand and I wanted to believe that the way things were going, this was going to turn into something great. I wanted to believe that, and I wanted to believe what she said. That I was her husband. Nothing else was going to do. It was just that simple.
The next morning, she woke up in my arms, where she was supposed to and the smile on her face gave me hope.
“Good morning wife.”
She blew out a breath and I could tell that she still wasn’t one hundred percent on board with that, not just yet.
“Shut up Craig. You don’t have to be smug about it. My lawyer is going to kill me.”
“You aren’t going to divorce me now, remember?”
Jeanine didn’t look me in my eyes and I didn’t like that at all. I wanted to know what was going on in her mind. I had to know that she was going to stick to her words. I wasn’t ready to give her up. I was never going to be ready for that.
“We will see.”
“No, we won’t Jeanine. No more games. You’re my damn wife. Last night, you made that decision.”
“It was because I was horny.”
If that was how she wanted to play it, like it was something else that had brought us together, fine. I was okay with that.
“Then I will just have to keep you turned on and gagging for it then, won’t I?”
She looked away, but I had made myself known. I wasn’t going to go along with anything that didn’t bring us together in the end. I was still convinced that we were meant to be together and nothing was going to make me think otherwise.
Chapter 62
Craig
We still had to go to the court date, no matter if we had changed our minds or not. There was a part of me that was afraid that Jeanine was going to change her mind again. She had decided to stay with me, but that didn't mean that she had to stick to it.
“Would you come down Craig? I told you that everything is going to go as planned. But you have to come down. I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous before, and I've seen you pull bullets out of a few people now.”
“That is life or death Jeanine, but it is nothing compared to how I feel when I think of losing you. I just want this to all go as I hope it will.”
“You think that I'm going to change my mind?”
I would be lying if I told her that it wasn't going through my head. I didn't even like the fact that she came up with it, because that meant to me that she was thinking about it.
“I don't know what's going to happen Jeanine, but I do know that I want you here with me. I don't know if I will ever be fully comfortable, and not think that I'm going to lose you at any moment. It is literally one of the worst feelings in the world.”
“You have to know that there is a reason for all of this Craig. I don't want you to think that you can just push me into whatever you want. I have my own agenda.”
“I don’t. I just want you. There is no other agenda for me.”
“I am not going anywhere Craig. I have fallen in love with you, whether that is good or bad, I don't know yet. But it's something that I cannot change.”
“That's all I wanted to hear. Now let's get to the courthouse and see what they are going to say.”
She was nervous, but I really wasn't. I felt like I was the best position I've been in since all of this shit started. While I had married my wife under false pretense, that didn't mean that I didn't see it as a real marriage.
When we got there, we both went to our respected lawyers. I could see that she was explaining something, and I had a feeling I knew what it was about. Her lawyer shook his head and then looked over at me. What I would have given to hear that conversation. By the way he looked pissed off, I had to imagine that she had told him about our intimacy.
When the judge came in and we all had to stand up for him, I started to realize that I was on the wrong side of the aisle. I wanted us to look united and I had her come sit next to me. There were no sides between us now. The last thing I wanted the judge to do was get into our relationship, any more than he already was.
While his little setup had worked in the end, I didn’t enjoy anyone in our life like that. It was time for him to step away and let us work this out ourselves, as it should be between partners.
The judge saw the more and he had a smirk on his face.
“So, I see that you two got back together?”
“Yes, Sir that is right.”
“Am I to take it that this divorce is not going to go ahead?”
He was looking at Jeanine when he asked the question and both of us were holding our breath. I was still unsure what she was going to say. She never really did give me a clue one way or another, so his guess was as good as mine.
“Yes, Sir your honor. I do not want to go forward with this.”
The judge sat back and I could tell that he wanted to know more. The truth was that I did as well. I would have liked to have said that it was because of our great lovemaking in bed, but I don’t think that it was it. I wanted to know why she had changed her mind all of a sudden too.
“Would you like to give the court a reason why?”
I looked over at Jeanine and she looked like she was having a hard time. I would have said something, but I wanted to know as well. It was something good or she wouldn't be acting like she was. Something made her change her mind, and I was eager to find out what.
“I took the test.”
“What test are you talking about?”
“A pregnancy test. It was positive.”
“I see.”
The judge may have seen, but I was finding it hard to reason all of a sudden. I certainly hadn’t known about this at all. I knew that it was an option, obviously, but I never thought that it would actually happen. Especially not this soon.
The judge looked at me and smiled. “The way you are looking. I would think that you just found out.”
“You would be correct. This is the first I'm hearing about it.”
“You didn't tell him about it?”
“No, your honor. Like I said, I just found out yesterday.”
The judge seemed rather pleased with himself and he went on a little bit about how it was important to try to work things out in a relationship.
“Now aren't you glad that you took the time to re acquaint yourself with each other?”
I told him that I was.
“Yes, your honor, I am very happy with how this all worked out. I’m lucky that my wife is willing to give me another chance.”
“That is good to hear. I'm glad to see that it all worked out for you both. I don't want to see you two in my courtroom again, understand?”
I agreed with a nod to my head, and Jeanine did as well. I just wanted this all over quickly, because we apparently have a lot to talk about. While I knew that a baby was something that I had been thinking about. I didn’t think that Jeanine was going to be happy about it. She made it clear before that it wasn’t on her radar at the moment.
When we left the courthouse, I was finally able to ask her how she felt about all of this.
“Are you mad?”
“Why would I be mad”
“Because you’re pregnant. I know that you don’t want to have children.”
“Well it’s not like we can stop it now.”
“Is that the only reason you wanted to stay together?”
The idea of that didn’t settle well with me at all. I didn’t want that to be the only reason.
“I know that we can’t break up now, not with the baby. But that’s not the only reason Craig.”
While it wasn’t really all that romantic, as I would have liked it to be, I wanted to believe that she felt the same way that I did. A part of me didn’t care why she wanted to stay married, as long as she did.
“I promise that you won’t regret it.”
“Keep me gagging for it, remember?”
I smiled at her. I was really lucky to have such a dirty-minded wife. Jeanine kept m
e on my toes, like no other woman I had met, ever would be able to. She was made for me after all.
I hope you enjoyed ACCIDENTALLY LOVE HER! If you did, I would love if you could leave a review to help other readers find it.
* * *
***
ACCIDENTALLY FIANCE
BLURB
* * *
‘Till death do us part’… sounds like a really long time.
* * *
The words were repeating in my head.
I was outside of myself and ready to bolt.
But then I looked over at the woman standing beside me.
Deirdre was someone that I could promise forever to.
I wanted to wake up next to her, again and again. Pleasure her every night as she whimpers out my name.
* * *
“I do.”
* * *
Never have two words been so powerful.
She was now mine. This was real.
I never wanted a wife and the complications that go with it.
But when Deirdre plans to leave me, I have to step in.
I won’t let her go. I can’t.
She’s my wife and I’m willing to fight for her.
* * *
Ill-gotten or not, our marriage was rife with secrets and the only way I was going to keep her, was to lay it all out.
* * *
In the end, it was Deirdre that had to decide.
* * *
***
Prologue
Deirdre
I brought him back to the hotel and I knew that that was my last night of freedom. The last night I was going to feel another man’s hands on me. It may be the last time for a year and that was too long to really even think about in real terms.
I hadn't thought to bring somebody home tonight. It wasn't on the agenda, but now it was. All I knew for certain, was that I was going to have fun with him.
He closed the door and I heard the lock click. I don't know why but I looked back at him. It was the right thing to do of course, considering what we're going to do in here, but at the same time it made me shiver inside. To know that I was going to be locked up in here with him, made things feel a little more enticing.
“You look nervous all of a sudden, Deirdre. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”
I told him that I wasn't nervous but that would have been a lie. It was a bold-faced lie because I was shaking, I didn't know how to explain to him that it wasn't something that I did very often. I actually have never had a one-night stand with anyone before. Everyone thought I was crazy to get married to a stranger, but I was far more worried about Danny. I had read the rules of the gameshow very clearly and it didn't say I had to sleep with whomever I married, and there was no rules on the night before the wedding.
“I'm not nervous. I just I'm a little shy, I guess.”
“So then why are you getting married tomorrow?”
I just shrugged a bit and told him that I didn't really know. The truth was that my life was in this funny place of limbo and it just seemed like the thing to do. A friend of mine told me about it and we both applied together, but she was denied because she been married before. We were in our mid-twenties and I had never even gotten close to marriage.
I almost backed out because Amanda wasn't selected as well, but she convinced me that I should go through with it on my own. The money was the prize at the end of the tunnel. Having to live with somebody for a year didn't seem like a big deal, when I thought about how lucrative it was going to be when it was done. I’d have all the money I needed.
It is just something that I had to do, no matter how unconventional. I decided to go through with it and now I had to see it. I think it seemed like that big of a deal, but it wasn’t.
All I had to do was live with somebody for a year. There was going to be a couple of times each month that the cameras will come in and film a little bit of our ‘marriage.’ Every filming had a premium that was collected, and the end prize was a million dollars. I was going to split it with my beau at the end of it and I would get my half.
“There is a large payout if I win.”
“So, it's all about money to you?”
“I am about to marry a complete stranger. Of course, it’s about the money.”
“What about attraction , chemistry, desire?”
“Those are all unnecessary.”
He was walking towards me with this look in his eyes. I thought he was going to kiss me, he was so close, but instead he lifted up my hand and rubbed the back of it against his cheek. Soon my finger was in his mouth, his tongue sliding along the sides and I was trembling uncontrollably. It was that quick that it took me to get wet. It was like nothing I’d ever felt and when he pulled my finger out of his mouth, he told me that he wanted to know what all of me tasted like.
I shivered in response, sure that he was going to drive me wild if he didn’t give me what was asked for immediately.
“Do you want me to taste all of you?”
I could only imagine what his flicking tongue would feel like on other parts of me. How was I supposed to deal with the desire that I had? I was nervous one moment, but the next I was ready to pounce. How quickly everything changed.
To show him that I was ready for him, I pulled my skirt down and then pulled the top went over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra, but I did have some white panties on that seemed to draw his attention. He needed to stop talking and distract me from the next day.
“Do I get to decide where you start?”
His eyes darkened, and the dark-skinned man pulled his clothes off rather quickly. I don’t know why he needed to be naked to taste and tease, but I was glad to see the view he was giving me. The man was gorgeous, and he knew it. His confidence was intoxicating, but well warranted.
“I already had something in mind, but I have no problems with a little nudge one way or another.”
Chapter 63
An hour before…
I saw her from across the room. She was sitting at the bar and she hadn't turned around once. It was clear for everyone to see, that the woman was not interested in company.
I never did take the hint though and instead of giving her space which obviously she wanted, I instead walked towards her. I told the bartender to get her another drink and sat down next to her on a stool.
“Hey pretty thing.”
The blonde groaned out loud and finally looked at me. The disparaging sound was worth it when I saw her face.
“Hey pretty thing? Did you really just say that?
I smiled at her and told her that I had just said it, though I wasn’t going to admit that I was regretting my word choice now. She was fast.
“You are pretty, and it just came out.”
“Wow, you really need to work on your game. What's your name?”
“My name is Danny. What’s yours?”
“My name is Deirdre.”
“That's a pretty name Deirdre. What brings you here, to the city of sin?”
“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
“I might shoot.”
“I live not too far from here, but I’m really here to get married in the morning.”
“That doesn't sound too sexy. Isn't that kind of cliché? Getting married here in Vegas?”
“I guess you could see it that way, but I kind of like the idea of it.”
“So, who is the lucky man? I noticed you don't have a ring on your finger, because I did look.”
She looked down and then back up at me.
“You certainly do catch things, don't you?”
“When I am intrigued, I do. So, who is the lucky guy, if you don't even have a ring on your finger? Is that just your way of trying to tell me to piss off?”
Deirdre smiled at the man and told him that it wasn't that way at all.
“No, if I wanted to tell you that, I just would. It doesn't hurt my feelings any.”
I didn't know what to say. When I’d sauntered acros
s the room a little bit ago, I certainly hadn’t expected what I’d found. Not only was she pretty, but she had humor and was a little bit of a smart-alec. I always like those type of women. The smiley ones that were always bouncy, kind of freak me out.
“So, are you going to tell me who you're getting married to? Is it a high school sweetheart?”
Deirdre wasn't sure why I was asking all those questions and I don't even know what the answer would have been if she asked. Deirdre was hot, and I didn't like the idea that she was getting taken off the market.
“I don't know who I'm going to marry yet.”
Now I figured that she was just messing with me. Of course, she knew who she was marrying. How could she get married if not?
“How is that even possible?”
It's possible because I am going on this gameshow. You marry some random guy, and if we can stay married, living together for a year, then I will get a million dollars. So, whoever it is, I will stay with him long enough to get the money and we will split it and they will go our separate ways.”
“Sounds romantic.”
It didn't sound romantic at all. What in the world would a woman like that be doing something so crazy for? And why the hell was I thinking that I wouldn't mind marrying her. I've never thought about marrying anybody in my life, but this woman, Deirdre, made me think otherwise. Maybe marriage wasn’t as bad as it seemed.
“So, this is your last night alone then, huh?”