Chapter 19
nineteen
. . .
RORY
Summer’s eyes meet mine, and I catch a flicker of electricity still crackling there before she diverts her gaze from me.
The world carries on around me, but I’m stuck replaying that kiss on a loop. I don’t know how to exist in the world now that I’ve kissed Summer. Now that I know the feel of her lips, nothing’s the same.
Judge Clayborn hands us a copy of the signed marriage certificate.
Winnie rushes over and throws her arms around Summer, squealing excitedly.
Logan offers me knuckles and Eli squeezes my shoulder. Charlie, who I could hear sniffling during our vows, blows his nose loudly into a tissue.
“Thanks for being here, seriously,” I say, voice catching a little.
“Are you kidding?” Logan asks. “We wouldn’t have missed it.”
“It was beautiful,” Charlie says, wiping a tear.
Logan and Charlie head over to talk with Winnie and Summer. I’m about to follow them when Eli grabs my elbow.
“I thought this was a platonic arrangement between you two.” Eli lifts his brows.
“It is.”
“Yeah, nobody kisses a friend like that.”
I give him my most convincing smirk. “We’re committed to the arrangement, that’s all.”
“That looked like commitment all right.”
“You know how persistent my parents have been with the whole Daphne thing. I needed to do something. Besides, now I can focus on training with no distractions.”
Glancing past Eli, my gaze catches Summer’s legs, the hem of her dress just skimming the tops of her thighs. That glimpse of skin lights me up from the inside out.
“No distractions, huh?”
I meet his shit-eating grin. I could tell him it’s all part of the act. What man wouldn’t look at his wife like I’m looking at Summer? But Eli knows me too well. All I can do is ignore him and try not to fall in love with my wife. I promised I wouldn’t, after all.
We file out of the courthouse, the rest of the group heading in one direction, while I lead Summer toward my Jeep.
I help her in, then walk around to the driver’s side.
“You kissed me,” she says, more surprised than angry.
“Judge Clayborn did say, ‘you may now kiss your bride.’ What was I supposed to do? Shake your hand?”
“There’s a difference between sealing a marriage contract and what you did in that courtroom.”
I glance over at her in the passenger seat.
I can see where my fingers teased her once soft hair into disarray. Where her lips are still swollen from our kiss and parted in exasperation but with the faintest hint of lingering desire.
It’s true, I’d gone in for the kiss, but she kissed me back with just as much force.
I can’t help the smug smile that slides over my face. She’s right. When I leaned in, I figured I’d give her a simple kiss on the lips. A kiss to be convincing but nothing obscene. But once my mouth was on hers, it wasn’t so simple.
Am I satisfied to see Summer flustered?
I’d be lying if I wasn’t.
She hides behind indifference, so seeing her rattled makes me feel less alone in this.
Whatever this feeling is.
Desire.
Protectiveness.
She taps her fingers against her leg, and I notice the way her ring sparkles in the sunlight. My eyes shift to my hand on the steering wheel. The ring she placed on my finger. It’s solid, not flashy, but it means something.
Possessiveness.
I want Summer. There’s no denying it. From the way she responded to that kiss, there’s a good chance she wants me, too. But there’s a reason she put rules on our marriage.
Probably the same reason she’s got her guard up most of the time. A sledgehammer won’t get me through her walls. I’ll need a chisel…and time.
With my left hand on the wheel, I place my right arm behind the passenger seat and lean close.
“I’m not sorry I kissed you like that. But I won’t do it again, unless you want me to.”
“Why would I want you to kiss me again?” she scoffs, but her gaze drops to my lips before returning to my eyes.
“Because you liked it. And it was fun.” My lips twitch in amusement, causing her eyes to land there for a second time.
“Ha! You’re the one who liked it.”
“You’re right. I did. And I’d do it again, anytime you want.”
“We have rules,” she reminds me, but I don’t miss the way her breath hitches.
“You’re right.” I nod, pulling back to start the car. “You hungry?” I ask. Then clarify, “For food.”
She sighs. “Starving.”