Chapter 14
Eliza
“It would be a privilege to make you come. Every. Single. Day.”
Every.
Single.
Day.
When I admitted what I wanted, I was nearly beside myself. I don’t know what came over me, but if I’m going to do this, I want to enjoy myself. I want to feel good, and given the heat that burns between us, I know I’ll feel good with him in charge of my pleasure. In all my life, I’ve never been so blunt. So wanton. But I can’t help myself. Even if I know the end is going to suck, I refuse to live in the past or the future. I’m living in the now. And right now, I want whatever pleasure he’ll bring me.
I want him.
He stands so tall, so confident, beside me as we wait. When I was younger, my sisters and I would play wedding. We usually married each other or whatever stray dog or cat we found. I married a lot of cats during that phase, and I always made sure to wear white. If it was a sheet or a dress that I made, it was always the color of purity. I used to dream of my future self doing the same, with a prince beside me and my family looking on.
I may have failed my younger self.
Because I’m getting married in green leggings, no purity whatsoever, to a hockey player with a rotten reputation, and with my family nowhere to be seen.
They don’t even know.
I wonder if that’s a good thing.
I’ve never listened to town gossip; I don’t care. Blitz is small and has way too many running mouths. Everyone has something to say about everyone, and it is exhausting. I’ve only ever wanted to live in peace and enjoy myself. I never expected, on my wedding day, that the county clerk would ask if I was sure. She doesn’t ask Coleson, only me, as she holds the pen out of my reach, concern in her blue eyes for me. Someone she doesn’t even know. I don’t miss the way Coleson freezes up or how he holds his breath for my answer.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I want to marry him?”
Without meeting her gaze or his, I take the pen and sign the marriage license, sealing my fate. I watch as he does the same, and when she stamps it, she asks warily, “Do you want to have a ceremony?”
“No,” Coleson answers before I can. I’m not sure what I would have said, but I wish he didn’t sound so damn cold.
The clerk looks at me, and I send her a wide smile. “We’re going to have a small thing with our families.”
Her eyes cut to Coleson. “Is your momma back in town, Coleson?”
I glance up at Coleson as he shakes his head. “No.”
He’s been doing this one-word answer thing since we got here. Gone are the quick grins and the sparkle in his eyes. He’s distant, and he is all about business. I hate it. “Let’s hope it stays that way.”
Well, that wasn’t nice. I bring my brows in tight, wanting to give the clerk a bit of my mind, but Coleson only nods in agreement. “Let’s.”
He then holds out his elbow for me after the clerk hands him our official marriage certificate. “Ready, Wife?”
His question hits me square in the chest.
Wife. I’m his wife.
I’m Eliza Katz. For a year, at least.
Emotion rolls over me, and tears burn my eyes as I take his elbow without meeting his gaze. We walk out together into the cool fall breeze in silence. The document in his hand flaps in the gusting air. It catches my attention, and I almost can’t believe we did it. I was there, so I know we did, but damn, this is really happening. I feel light-headed as he guides me to his SUV. When he opens the door, I climb into his massive truck using the oh-shit bar, and when my ass hits the seat, I expect him to shut the door.
But he doesn’t.
His height has him at eye level with me, so when I look at him, I’m gazing right into his eyes. A bit of the playfulness is back in his gaze, but so is a bit of nervousness. I lick my lips as we stare at each other. Without breaking eye contact, he places the marriage certificate in my lap and then takes ahold of the roof of the SUV, leaning forward. His huge biceps frame his face, and he looks so damn good, I want to feel his lips on me. His teeth. His hands.
“Have you told your family?”
I shake my head, mostly to get the dirty thoughts out of my mind.
News flash, it doesn’t work.
“No, I planned on doing it tonight. Louisa is coming back, so my two younger sisters are coming over for dinner.”
“Will you move in tomorrow, then?”
“Yeah, probably. I’ll need to get box?—”
“I’ve got boxes in the kitchen. I’ll have everything ready for you tomorrow. If you want help packing, I’m available after one. Either way, I’ll be by to help bring everything over.”
“Thanks,” I say, wringing my fingers. He watches my hands and then looks at the document sitting in my lap.
His brows furrow a bit before he looks up at me. “You looked upset when I said no to a ceremony.”
I shrug, glancing at the piece of paper that declares we’re married. “It’s not how I thought my wedding day would be. Just two signatures, that’s it.”
“I’m sorry,” he admits in a low voice. “The women in there don’t care for me or my family, so I didn’t want to give them any more fodder for their gossip.”
“Why don’t they like you?”
He averts his eyes. “That’s a story for another time.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d rather not get into that in the middle of a parking lot that has listening ears,” he says, but I know it’s an excuse. He pats my leg and then pushes off the frame to shut the door. I watch as he walks around, running his fingers through his hair, messing it up. He gets in, starts the truck, and then takes off without another word. I chew the inside of my cheek as I try to figure out how I’m going to tell my sisters what I’ve done. I know they’re going to lose their damn minds, and I’m truly not ready for it.
We arrive at Dirty Pages not three minutes later. Everything in Blitz is so compact and close together. The only thing that’s a trip is the hiking trails and the Knoxville Bears’ arena. I bite my lip as a thought comes to mind. “When is your next game?”
“Monday,” he answers as he shuts off the truck and then gets out. I wait for him as he likes me to, and if I’m honest, I like it too. I’ve never had a guy open a door for me or help me out of a vehicle. It’s nice. I take his hand when he offers it, and to my surprise, he laces his fingers through mine. We head up to the alley door, but before we reach it, Coleson says, “Wife.”
I look up at him, a smirk pulling at my lips. “Replaced McDavid with Wife?”
A slight blush moves across his cheeks. “It’s your title.”
“My name is Eliza.”
“I know your name,” he says simply, flashing me a heated look. “But you’re my wife, so I’ll call you just that.” My stomach tightens as I gaze up into his beautiful face. His eyes are a lot brighter now that it’s just us two. A smile plays on his lips, and his jaw isn’t as tight as it was. He swallows before cupping our joined hands in his other one. “As I was saying, Wife.”
I scoff. “Yes?”
“I know this wasn’t the wedding day you envisioned, but I hope you know that I will care for you, protect you, and make sure that this year is as easy as it can be. I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. I want you to know that…” He pauses, and my heart swells in my chest. “Thank you.”
I blink up at him. There is so much he didn’t say. I can see it in his eyes. I step in closer, and I don’t miss the tic in his jaw as he wraps his arm around me, our locked hands between our chests. I tip my head back to give him access to my lips, and I watch as his eyes track them, hunger burning deep within his bright-blue gaze.
I feel my cheeks fill with color. “I believe in you. Let’s make your goal a reality.”
“And yours.” His voice is so deep, so thick with emotion, as he whispers, “You’re gorgeous, Wife.”
The way he says wife is downright devilish, and my pussy purrs at the sound of it. I swallow thickly as I get lost in his gaze. It’s so easy when it’s just us two. All kinds of emotions burn through me, tickle my gut, and make me want him more. I part my lips a bit, and when his gaze drops to them, I rise to my tippy-toes to kiss him. I’m still too short, though, and at the motion, the most brilliant grin spreads across his lips. Dimples shine, his eyes bright, as he lifts me off my feet and crashes his lips to mine. He tastes like the strawberry drink he was drinking all morning. His lips are soft, and the hair along his lip that he hasn’t shaved tickles my nose. When he pulls away, I almost protest, but the look in his eyes promises more.
So much more.
“Don’t strain yourself to kiss me. Just tell me, and I’ll gladly put you where I need you to be to taste you.”
My stomach clenches, and my heart jackhammers in my chest. “What if I want to kiss you?”
A soft chuckle leaves his throat, making heat coil in my gut. “Well then, my little wife, you might have to learn to climb me.”
He says it like I wouldn’t do just that. “Don’t tempt me.”
His eyes are wild, dark, and sultry as he chuckles from deep in his chest. “Spicy.”
I purse my lips at him, and he barks out a laugh as he puts me to my feet. He kisses my nose and then squeezes my hip. “See you tomorrow.” He steps back, turning on his heel, but then he stops. “Unless you want me to take care of you tonight?”
Fuck yes, she does, my pussy practically howls. My heart giggles in agreement, but my brain, she’s the only logical one. No, you need to tell your sisters first.
I don’t want to agree with said brain, but I know she’s right. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready for that.”
His lips curve up in a teasing grin. “I’ll be ready.”
“I bet you will be.”
“Oh, I will,” he throws back to me, his eyes teasing. “See ya.”
I wave. “See ya.”
And as my husband disappears down the alley to my new home and soon-to-be business, my heart slams hard against the walls of my chest.
I started the day thinking I was going to get eaten by a bear, but instead, I got married.
I’m not sure which one would have the better outcome.
Either could lead to a world of hurt.