Chapter 7
Kat pulled in a deep breath and tucked her hand into the nook of her father’s arm. Great, vaulted ceilings offered amazing acoustics as “Here Comes the Bride” rose over the room.
The doors swung open. The cameras zoomed in. And the audience, a rather humble-sized gathering, stood to their feet.
Her eyes shot to the pastor up front; surely the groom would be standing there, watching, waiting as she entered.
Only he wasn’t. A beat of panic clanked through her chest until she spotted him in front by the pastor, the only one in the chapel facing forward—besides her and her father, that is.
Which made sense, she realized. She’d been given strict instruction by the producer to not look at his face until exactly five seconds after the music stopped. Obviously, he’d been given the same direction.
She pulled in a breath of tingly anticipation. Her entire life had led her to this one, fateful moment. All she’d wanted was to be married by thirty and here she was, just months shy of her twenty-ninth birthday, walking down the aisle at last.
And this wouldn’t be some guy she’d fallen for who lied about who he was and what he wanted.
No, this would be her match.
As close to the perfect formula as she could get.
The floor became the years of her past as she moved forward, step by step. The lies and deceit. The pain, doubt, and mistrust that came of it. All of that was behind her now, washed away by the train of her wedding gown as she stepped into her future.
Kat scanned over the familiar faces of family and friends. His family sat on the other side, but she couldn’t get herself to glance over just yet; they’d all be strangers to her. And though her groom was unknown to her as well, Kat was anxious to catch a glimpse of him.
And there he was, facing the front, faithfully obeying the producer’s instruction to not look at her until the music stopped.
His thick, dark hair was neatly trimmed, but long enough to style. He was tall in height, broad in the shoulders, and filled out his tuxedo like it was made for him.
Butterflies started a riot in her tummy. Holy smokes! Standing just three feet away was the man she was about to marry!
Dad slowed his pace, and Kat realized he was taking silent direction from the woman behind the lens.
They stopped walking at last.
Dad turned to her and lifted her half-veil. He gave her a grin, his brown eyes teary, before pressing a kiss to her cheek. “My baby girl,” he said in a whisper.
Dad replaced the veil and guided her hand toward the groom’s. At once, she felt the warmth of a new hand envelop hers. A thrill shot through her at his touch.
“You better take good care of her,” Dad mumbled, and then he was gone, joining Mom at the pew. Kat kept her chin down just enough to look at the petal-covered floor between them.
The music stopped, and a bout of panic threatened to consume her. Could she look now? No, she was supposed to wait five seconds.
The mental countdown began. Five. Was it possible for a healthy twenty-eight-year-old to die of anticipation alone?
Four.
Three. Okay, this wasn’t anticipation. This was panic. One of those attacks that felt like a thousand cymbals crashing inside her chest.
Two.
One.
At last Kat lifted her gaze, taking in every detail through the sheer fabric of her veil.
A pair of expensive-looking leather shoes.
Black slender suit pants.
A well-fitted tux over an impressive chest.
She lifted her gaze further still to take in his face.
Wow! Praise the holy heavens above—he was gorgeous.
Meticulously trimmed facial hair accented his strong, chiseled jaw. Masculine cheekbones framed his squared nose while a set of full lips quirked slightly at one side.
Hot darts blazed in her tummy as her eyes finally locked on his. Blue, devastatingly brooding, and…familiar. Like they’d met before.
Perhaps this really was fate. Just like in the movies when two lovers meet. But then a vision came to mind—her angry visit to the Benton Office.
Was it?
No, of course not. It was just the opacity of the veil.
The groom gave her hand a squeeze. “Hi,” he said in a husky whisper.
A small, nervous giggle made its way up her throat. “Hi.”
The crowd laughed.
“You may be seated,” the pastor said to the guests. He motioned to the groom next. “Sir, please lift your bride’s veil.”
Every muscle Kat owned froze in place. It felt as if her heart stopped too, waiting as he secured the thin, silky fabric.
He smelled good. Very good. Like the essence of that billion-dollar man she’d seen in commercials for her favorite cologne.
She inhaled the scent deeply, musing she could get used to a smell like that.
She ducked slightly as he lifted the veil up and over her head, then straightened once more and set her eyes back on him.
Zander Benton.
This time it wasn’t a question. It was an answer. That. Was. Him.
A small gasp sounded, or maybe it was two.
His blue eyes went wide.
This had to be a joke.
“Duke Benton,” the pastor said, gaining her attention. “Meet your future bride, Ms. Kat Morgan.”
Duke? Duke…Duke—the twin!
A rush of relief pushed through her like the flooding of a broken dam. This wasn’t Zander—the man she’d torn into at his massive, high-rise office. It was his brother. Thank heavens.
“Pleasure to meet you,” he said with a nod. Her eyes landed on the small hint of a dimple that formed in his cheek. The mere sight caused an odd dose of heat to dance around her heart.
“It’s nice to meet you too.” But inside, her mind was racing. The famous Benton family. She was actually marrying a Benton. Charlotte was freaking out for sure; she was obsessed with the Bentons.
The pastor joked about the odd circumstances surrounding the marriage, but Kat was having a hard time tuning in.
It wasn’t the fact that she was marrying a perfect stranger per se; it had more to do with the fact that she was marrying into one of the most well known families in all of LA.
A family that had endured their fair share of gossip in the Hollywood tabloids.
What would the gossip columns say about the wedding? That the womanizing twin got stuck with a geeky duckling at the altar?
Heat rushed into her cheeks. Her face and lips felt tingly, almost numb. In fact, her whole head was fuzzy, and things were starting to blur. This was all happening too quickly. And on live TV. Who signed up to do anything on live TV?
Suddenly a new voice spoke up.
“Just a moment, Pastor,” the groom said, lowering his head to catch Kat’s gaze.
Snap out of it, Kat. She blinked, her eyes shifting back into sharp focus on the man across from her.
There was something about his expression—those pools of deep, peaceful blue—that lured her away from the panic in her head. From the chaos in her heart.
He rubbed a thumb gently over the top of her hand before giving it a squeeze. Warm flutters circled around her heart in response.
“Looks like she’s got her color back,” a woman mumbled from the crowd.
“You with us, Kat?” the pastor asked. It took effort to tear her eyes off the groom, but she did, just long enough to give the pastor a reassuring nod.
“I’m good.” The funny thing was, she meant it. The man before her—no matter his fame or his name—had comforted her in the impossible moment. That fact filled her with a renewed boost of hope. Perhaps this guy really was her match.
The pastor nodded and grinned. “Alright then. In front of God and these witnesses, do you, Kat Morgan, take Duke Benton to be your husband?”
The swarm of butterflies kicked up once more, only now, excitement took the reins. “I do,” she said.
“And Duke,” he continued, “do you take Kat Morgan to be your wife?”
A gulp slunk down his throat, disrupting her newfound certainty in a blink. What if they’d gone to all this trouble, live cameras rolling and all, only to have the whole thing go wrong with a rejection?
At last he nodded the slightest bit, blew out a breath through pursed lips, and replied. “I do.”
Celebratory whispers sounded from the crowd. Relief calmed the tightness in Kat’s limbs. He’d said yes. This was actually happening.
The pastor grinned. “It’s time for the rings.”
Her brother-in-law Craig stepped forward with the ring box. One of Duke’s brothers did the same, but it wasn’t Zander. Which got her thinking. Just where was Duke’s twin brother? Would he really miss something so important?
Seemed like kind of a jerk move to miss your twin brother’s wedding.
“Kat,” the pastor said as Craig handed over the ring. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed. And then slip the ring onto your groom’s finger.”
Kat kept her focus on the act as she slipped the white gold band onto his finger. Yet as she repeated the words, her gaze drifted up to meet those deep blue eyes once more. Testing. Would she feel the connection again, or had the feeling come more from his kindness of putting her at ease?
His hypnotic gaze locked on hers, forcing the answer to come on fast and strong. Heat, passion, and a magnetic draw she couldn’t deny. A deep thrill shot through her, causing warmth to flare in her cheeks as well.
The pastor instructed the groom to do as she’d done.
He did, taking his eyes off Kat long enough to slip the gorgeous diamond ring over her finger. Their eyes met once more, and she couldn’t help but get lost in the sapphire depths.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Kiss. She’d almost forgotten that part was coming.
Her new husband shuffled one foot forward, bringing his blessed scent and warmth closer still. He slid a hand along her forearm then, his fingers gently caressing as he leaned in.
Goosebumps rippled over her skin. Kat pulled in a shaky breath, holding very still as he cradled the side of her neck, ever so softly. At last his gaze dropped to her lips.
A rush of fresh tingles zipped over her skin. Anticipation skittered through her chest in one, hot streak. This gorgeous stranger, who was now her husband, was about to kiss her!
Tentatively, she lifted a hand, rested it softly on his shoulder, and glanced down at the perfectly sculpted shape of his mouth in return. More heat flushed through her.
She could do this. One simple kiss.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, the groom moved in to close the gap. Ever so softly, his lips touched hers for their first sweet kiss.
His mouth was warm, smooth, and more tempting than she ever imagined.
His face was freshly shaven, she’d noticed that much, but even still Kat sensed the slightest feel of scruff against her bottom lip.
That, along with his heavenly scent, exuded masculinity.
She wanted to revel in it. To pull him in for a longer, stronger kiss and assure herself that the moment was real.
Instead, she pulled away, putting a quick end to their kiss, and smiled shyly. The sheer desire for more pulsed through her blood as she glanced down.
The electric hum of a zooming lens reminded her that this was, in fact, airing on live TV. At once the guests’ reaction went from soft claps and oohs and ahs to full on cheers and applaud.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the pastor said. “Here are the new Mr. and Mrs. Duke Benton.”
Kat glanced up to see those gorgeous eyes studying her, a concerned look on his face.
More cheers broke out over the crowd as the music started—their cue to exit the chapel, but the groom stayed in place, gaze set on her.
He ran a thumb under her chin ever so softly, and tipped his head to one side. “You okay?” he asked.
The second act of kindness took her by surprise. His attentiveness too. She was sure he’d been given the same strict instruction she had—to hurry back down the aisle once the music started. But here he stood, making sure that she was okay. Already honoring his vows.
More heat circled her heart. “Yes. Thanks.”
The smile he gave in return made her overworked vessel flutter out of beat yet again. He reached for her hand, lifted it high into the air, and flashed a charismatic grin to the crowd.
“Shall we?” he asked, glancing back to her.
If her heart didn’t learn to control itself, she’d have that heart attack after all. Kat squeezed his hand in return. “We shall.” And with that, she fisted the length of her gown, and started down the aisle with her groom.
They’d done it. They’d both said I do.
In eight weeks time, the two would make another choice: to stay married or break things off. She hoped very much that this was the real thing. That when the trial period was over, they’d both happily agree to remain in a fresh marriage of bliss.
If first impressions were any indication, Kat would say things were off to a very promising start.