“Aye.”
“I get my own room?”
“Aye.”
“One year living with you. Do I have to pretend to love you?”
“Only when we attend public functions. And we’ll need to post on social media every now and then.”
“But other than that, I can go about my life?”
“With the exception of dating. I can’t have my wife dating other men.”
“And you won’t see other women.” Well, at least we were on the same page there. I wasn’t a sharer. Even if we weren’t sleeping together.
“Aye, you’ll be my moon and stars, lass.”
“I don’t see how we’re going to do this today. We need a license, an officiant.”
He placed the envelope on the table. “Taken care of.”
Again, I say, audacity. He’d already had everything drawn up. “Are you serious? You knew I’d say yes?”
“I hoped so. You’re a smart woman, business-minded, and even though you say you hate me, you don’t really.”
“I do.”
“Look, you already know your lines.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not helping your case, Taylor.”
“Fine, hate me. But I need you to marry me tonight before the auction, love me or hate me.”
“I suppose you’ve already booked an appointment at city hall too?”
He smirked, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to kiss him or slap him. “Aye. And I’ve got a suit in my car.”
Taking a deep breath, I stared hard at the man I was about to marry. “What time is the appointment?”
TAYLOR
“Do you, Taylor Franklin Savage, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife...” The vows were a blur beyond these few sentences. But it wasn’t because I was scared. I was so stunned it actually worked. Becca Barnes had said yes. She’d agreed to marry me and live with me for the next year. Bloody hell, what had I gotten into?
“You are now husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” The Justice of the Peace grinned at me expectantly as I stared at Becca. Her cheeks were a faint pink, as though she’d never kissed me before.
She had. More than once. I’d left her breathless a time or two, in fact.
“What do you say, lass? Do you have a kiss for your husband?”
She bit her lower lip, then rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to mine. An instant rush of arousal hit me. She smelled like cookies, and it was one of the things I loved best about being near her. Becca was sugar sweet with a sharp bite to her if you weren’t careful.
I backed away, grinning down at her. God, she was fucking adorable with her big blue eyes and the light spray of freckles across her nose she tried to hide with makeup.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
She let out a sharp bark of laughter. “It’s a little late now.”
The Justice of the Peace snorted. “She’s right.”