Chapter 10
Avery Hunter’s Reporter Notebook: Vikings. AmIRight?!?
Warren Atwell was kissing me.
On my face hole.
I was so shocked that I opened my mouth to protest, and Warren moved in with the confidence of a Viking.
The uptight lawyer plundered my mouth, his tongue tracing my teeth and teasing my tongue.
He encircled me with his arms, pulling me closer to him.
I gripped his shirt in my fists, fully intending to push him away.
But as I stepped closer, a whiff of ink, cedar, and the faint notes of his musky sweat sent a bolt of lust straight to my core.
The courtroom disappeared, and I felt the world spinning away from me as I got lost in the kiss. No man had ever kissed me like this. Bold yet gentle. Unyielding yet flexible as he tilted his head to deepen our connection.
I lost all train of thought. My anxiety about the upcoming ceremony disappeared as I threaded my fingers through his hair and chased his tongue and kisses with my own. He moved his hands to my hair, gripping my curls in his fists and tugging my head back to give him better access.
Sparks tingled through my bloodstream, and I felt his hard dick pressing against my hip. Holy shit. I was going to orgasm from a kiss, fully clothed, in front of an audience.
I pushed him away, panting. “I… I—”
Warren’s pupils were wide. His hair was a disheveled mess. A flush covered his sharp cheekbones. And I was two seconds away from climbing the not-so-robot man like a freaking tree.
He swallowed, and my gaze was drawn to his Adam’s Apple. There it was again. Why did that look so sexy? Have I unlocked a new level of kink? Throat porn?
Warren smoothed his hair back and turned to the judge. “I think we are ready to begin.”
Judge Deming fanned herself with the marriage license. “Are you sure you don’t want to get a room and come back later?”
I blinked a few times and turned to her, shaking my head. “Let’s get this over with.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I swear I saw Warren flinch.
The judge smiled. “Okay, then. If it’s okay with you, Officer Bodie will be your witness.”
“That is amenable to us.” Warren’s voice was gruff.
I stared at the man I was about to marry. His jaw was clenched. His hands were fisted by his side. And the flush on his face was turning redder.
I bent down, pretending to tie my shoe, to check out his crotch discretely. Nothing. No lingering effects from our kiss. I was the only one turned on.
Right. He didn’t want to be forced into anything any more than I did. I straightened and told the judge I was ready.
“We are gathered here today to join Avery Hunter and Warren Atwell in marriage,” Judge Deming began. “If anyone here has due cause as to why these two should not be married, let them speak up or hold their peace forever after.”
I glanced at Warren again, and the man seemed to have himself under control. But he wouldn’t look at me. I shook my head.
The judge paused. “Do you have an objection, Ms. Avery?”
My jaw dropped. Warren glared at me. Oh, I see. He finally decides to look at me when I might throw a monkeywrench in his plans. I shook my head again, holding my peace for now.
“Great. Do you have vows you want to say to each other, or would you like to say the standard ones?”
Warren clenched his jaw so hard I thought his teeth would crack.
Oh, he thinks he’s uncomfortable now. Just wait.
I raised my hand. “I have some special vows I’d like to say.”
Warren frowned at me, and I batted my eyes at him. “If that’s okay with you, pumpkin?”
He nodded once. I smiled sweetly at him and reached for his hands.
“Since the moment I met you, I knew you were different. That calm, cool demeanor. Some would say you have a nearly robotic reaction to real-life situations, but I know you’re just trying to puzzle things out.
You like to say what you mean and mean what you say.
” I gripped his hands tightly in mine. “Some people might even look at us and think - how in the world did those two end up together? They’re complete opposites.
I am a free spirit. You are by the book.
I like to share my feelings. You never met a legal contract you didn’t love.
But as they say, difference is the spice of life. ”
“Who says that? I do not know who says this,” Warren muttered.
I tilted my head toward him. “You and I will have so much fun exploring our new life together. I vow to make this a marriage you’ll never forget.” I smiled at the judge to let her know I was finished.
“Those were—” Judge Deming searched for words. “Vows. Okay, Mr. Atwell, would you like to share your feelings with your bride?”
“I would, your honor.” The red on his face was gone, and when the man smiled at me, my breath caught in my throat.
He was stunningly handsome. I never noticed how much before.
Those sparks were back in my bloodstream, making me madder because I knew he was here under duress.
He didn’t want me like that. It was only for show.
“Avery, your physical beauty is only surpassed by the beauty of your mind and soul. I have been drawn to you since the day you arrived on Pleasure Point. Your inner light and energy is a tractor beam that pulls people in, including myself. I have never been so enamored of someone when they spoke of their passions and life pursuits. You even convinced me to get into a plane, or what I thought would be a plane, because I could not imagine spending a second apart from you on our first date,” he said.
I sucked in a breath. What the hell?
“I am the luckiest man alive to be marrying you today. And I cannot wait to see what forever looks like with you,” Warren finished.
My vision was blurry. I had to study the floor before I lost my shit all over Warren and the judge. Why was he saying these things? He didn’t have to lay it on so thick. Unless he wasn’t under duress.
I lifted my head and searched his eyes for the truth, but I only saw Warren's usual dispassionate stare. I deflated a little. This was fake. So, why did I feel so disappointed?
A rumble of thunder, then a flash of lightning outside the window, nearly caused me to jump out of my skin. But Warren’s thumb traced slow circles over the back of my hands, and I settled back down.
Judge Deming patted her cheek, and I realized she had shed a few tears at Warren’s vows.
“That was beautiful,” Judge Deming told Warren. “Simply beautiful. Okay, are there rings?”
I shrugged. Warren shook his head.
“I have them right here.” Officer Bodie stepped toward the judge. “Found them in a nearby pawn shop.”
“How romantic.” Judge Deming rolled her eyes, then looked at the rings. “Although, these are beautiful. And they look to be a pair.”
I leaned toward the judge and studied the rings in her hands.
A large, simple gold band had an inscription on the inside that I couldn’t read.
The smaller band was more intricate, with tiny gems of all colors set into the gold all the way around.
They were beautiful and unique. And highly unlikely they’d be at a pawn shop unless…
Oh, shit. We were going to be wearing a dead couple’s wedding rings. Instead of freaking me out, it only made me sad. I imagined the people who wore those rings had been married a long time, and only death parted them. I rubbed my chest and reached for the larger band.
I slid the ring onto Warren’s left hand. It fit perfectly. I frowned at that. What were the odds? I eyeballed the tiny band Warren picked up, thinking it wouldn’t fit me, but when his trembling fingers gently slid it over my ring finger, it landed home as if it was sized perfectly.
My heartbeat picked up, and a thrumming sounded in my ears. I didn’t hear the rest of what the judge had to say, but I did hear when she declared us married and then told Warren he could kiss his bride. I expected a quick peck on the lips.
What I didn’t expect was Viking Warren to return.