I slide one hand from her shoulder, up her neck, and curl it around to the back of her head. I see a flash of anger—maybe warning in her eyes—but I ignore it as I bring my mouth to hers.
Regan goes stiff as I press my lips against hers. I don’t graze. Instead, I take. I use the pressure of my hand to hold her in place, and with a tilt of my head, I kiss my wife.
My mouth locks onto hers and opens, forcing hers to do the same. I can feel her hand on my forearm, fingernails digging in, and I think I might get a knee to my nuts… but then she’s kissing me. Her arm winds up and around my neck, her mouth opens and her tongue slides against mine.
And, oh holy fuck is that good. A wave of euphoria washes over me. I lean my entire body into the kiss, wrapping an arm around Regan’s lower back. Her other arm locks around my neck as she holds on tight, and the kiss goes so deep I’m not sure I’ll be able to surface.
Another wave of warmth and satisfaction overtakes me. Everything just melts away. There’s nothing but Regan, her mouth, and her tongue, and just shoot me now… I’d die a happy man.
“Oh my,” I hear from what seems like far away. “That might be the best kiss I’ve ever seen in the thirty-two years I’ve been in this job.”
Regan jerks in my embrace, starting to pull away. My body doesn’t like that. I try to lean farther into her, willing that stupid voice I’d just heard to go away.
But then Regan’s hands are at my chest, and I open my eyes to find her staring at me with utter surprise. She gives a nervous laugh and pats at me. “Wow, honey… let’s save it for the honeymoon, okay?”
Honeymoon? Yes. Consummate the marriage. Sex with Regan. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Regan starts to push at me, just a little more insistently, and I blink several times as I return to awareness.
Shabby office with plastic chairs and a complete stranger watching me kiss Regan for no good reason. The first kiss I’d given her should have been sufficient.
Then why the hell do I want to kiss her again to try to outdo the last?
I release Regan so suddenly she almost falls. With a quick grab onto my arms, she manages to right herself. We both laugh over the awkwardness of it, and Anita joins us.
There’s no denying I’m out of sorts as Anita takes us through the last few moments of our time with her by packaging up our license before giving us congratulatory handshakes. I take Regan’s hand in mine, leading her out of the office door. There’s another young couple grinning at us as we exit. I’m guessing they witnessed that hot-as-fuck kiss through the paned window. Giving them a curt nod, I lead Regan out.
“Sorry about that,” I mutter as we start down the hallway to the elevator.
“Not a problem,” she replies, understanding I’m talking about that kiss.
I hold her hand all the way until I release it to stab the “down” button.
“Hungry?” I ask.
“I could eat.”
“I know a great place not too far from here,” I advise as the elevator door opens. Smiling, Regan precedes me in.
And thus starts our life together as husband and wife.CHAPTER 5DaxI’m a block from the arena. Normally, my head would be in game mode but it’s not.
It’s on Regan.
My new wife.
Christ, the last few days have been confusing. Yesterday, I got married. While I am convinced it was the right thing to help Regan out, I had not considered what it would mean in real life.
For example, I’d gotten an invitation from a few of the players to go out with them for some beers. I shouldn’t have thought twice about it, especially since my closest friends on the team were one by one falling into serious, monogamous relationships.
But it was complicated, and after I’d done some major back and forth in my brain, I declined. It just didn’t feel right to leave Regan all alone.
Not when she’d just moved here and was a guest in my home.
Not when she’d just married me.
Which brought up another complication I’d not considered. I’d recited vows to Regan—promised myself to her and her alone. Does that mean other women are off limits? Not that I’m big into dating, but I do like to fuck and will do so when the opportunity presents itself to my liking. Can I even ethically do that now?
Regardless, beers were out.
For now.
Today was spent in awkward avoidance of each other. Regan spent a lot of time in her room, but the few times I saw her come out, the conversation was stilted. I didn’t push anything, because I didn’t know what to say. I also figured things would smooth out eventually.