Chapter 6 #2
The day was indeed perfect, with nature putting on its best show. The few guests were seated on the rented chairs that had been draped in blue and white material.
A soft green runner had been placed between the chairs, from the front porch to the pergola which was decorated with an abundance of flowers. Birds tweeted and competed with the sounds of the stream gently rushing over stones.
The air was scented with summer, flowers, and trees in full bloom.
The sky was a perfect blue with just a few white clouds gliding along.
Craig could almost pretend it was all real. That he was standing in the scented air beneath the arch, waiting for his bride.
That he was going to be pledging his lifelong commitment to love and cherish her. Then afterwards he was going to be whisking her off to some exotic location where they would spend the next two weeks naked and making love at every turn.
But it was all a charade, a wedding put together to please his grandfather so that they both could get some financial gain. It sickened him and had him wishing things were different.
He wanted it to be different.
He wanted there to be a real priest or minister performing the ceremony, not some drunken has-been who had lost his license and one he was bribing. He wanted it to be real.
He never knew how much until he was standing here waiting for her to appear.
When the music changed, he tensed, the movement automatic. His first glimpse of her had his heart stopping.
He had to use his power of self-preservation to wipe his face clean. She wasn't real.
How could she be? When she looked so perfect, so heartbreakingly beautiful?
He had expected something skimpy; instead, the dress was classy and suited her to perfection. She had made the effort to appear like a bride, and he had to thank her for that.
Forcing himself not to walk over and whisk her away from her brother, he stood and waited, his fingers clenched into fists.
It wasn't until she was standing in front of him that he reached for her.
With her eyes holding his, she handed the bouquet to Kelly and took his hand.
The vows rang out in the stillness of the air, and within minutes, they were pronounced husband and wife.
"You may now kiss your bride," the fake minister told them with a cheeky smile.
He felt when she went stiff as a board as he turned her to face him. He was originally going to go for a peck on the lips when he caught his grandfather's watchful eyes.
"We have to make this look good," he murmured in her ear.
"What?"
"We're being observed, closely." Tilting her chin up, he searched her face and saw the wariness in her eyes.
"Please don't," she whispered.
"We have to." Bending his head, he brushed his lips over hers and felt the tremors.
His body reacted immediately. Suddenly it wasn't about who was watching.
The guests and the surroundings faded into nothing until it was just the two of them. Her lips parted involuntarily, her breath mingling with his.
She tasted sweet, the scent of her coursing through his body and making him dizzy and completely aware of her.
His hand curved around her neck, fingers drifting over the smooth skin. He felt the madly beating pulse, causing desire to spin into him like a stormy sea.
His fingers tightened around her neck as he tilted her face upwards. His tongue traced the outline of her glossy bottom lip.
Need raged through him at the speed of lightning. He felt the control slipping away, the fog of desire blurring his vision.
Regina's knees went weak, and the idea of pushing him away subtly, or turning her head so that he could kiss her cheek, dissolved along with all the other rational thoughts that should have been processing.
She couldn't think, couldn't feel anything except the intense pleasure running through her vulnerable body.
Her hands curled into fists on his chest, fingers digging into the soft fabric of his shirt.
Craig wondered what he would have done next if someone hadn't called out that they should wait for the honeymoon, and the applause and laughter. Those things seeped through the fog and had him lifting his mouth from hers.
His eyes, darkened by the tumultuous desire, stared into her. What he saw there did not help the situation that was threatening to leap out of control.
Her eyes were bright with passion, and her lips were wet and swollen.
"We should--"
"I don't--"
They both started speaking at the same time but were interrupted by the amused voice behind them. "It's safe to say that I now present the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Muldoon."
He retained a firm hold of her hand, even though she tried to pry it loose. They made their way through the throng of people who offered their congratulations.
They endured the gentle teasing and ribbing from the few friends they had invited and used that to distract them from what was really going on.
The resident chef and the staff had set up tables under canopies for the guests to partake of the sumptuous meal. A three-tier raspberry and chocolate cake with buttercream frosting resided on a table, surrounded by macaroons and pastries so delicate and light, it simply melted on the tongue.
A larger table was heaped with delicious and varied dishes, including chicken Caesar, several different cheeses, a huge fruit bowl, canapés, caviar, foie gras, and a shrimp bowl. Someone had put music on, something soft and bluesy.
Guests were wandering around, talking, laughing, and grabbing plates of food.
"You should eat something," he murmured, guiding her to the table.
"I-I'm not hungry." She wished he would just leave her alone so that she could settle.
With him holding her hand, she could barely function.
"You need to keep up your strength."
The words had her turning a blazing look at him. "Why?"
His brows lifted at the sharp response before amusement filtered into those fascinating eyes.
"For the journey ahead. What did you think I meant?"
"Nothing." He was flustering her and she wasn't used to being flustered.
"I just--Dylan!" she almost wept with relief as her brother approached them.
"Hi." He glanced at Craig and nodded.
"May I borrow the bride?"
"As long as you bring her back." Letting go of her hand, he stepped back.
He would give her the time she obviously needed. He had felt the nerves shooting through her body.
He needed time as well. Shaking his head, he wandered over to where Kane and a group of others were standing.
"It seems real enough." Taking her arm, Dylan led her to the table.
Picking up a plate, he started heaping it with everything on display. "And that kiss wasn't pretend."
"Just shut the hell up." Grabbing a plate, she selected fruits and shrimp.
"For a bride, you seem awfully jumpy and out of sorts." His eyes gleamed at the dirty look she aimed at him.
"Where's the honeymoon?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
"Paris? Italy? The Caribbean?"
"Don't you have anything better to do than be all up in my business?"
"Nope." Plucking two glasses of champagne from the passing server, he handed her one.
"Not when your business is so intriguing. No doubt you've convinced the old man, God knows, you convinced me."
"It was just for show."
He made a sound in his throat that made her want to strangle him.
"It is."
"If you say so."
"I do say so. And I don't appreciate your implications."
"What implications?" he asked innocently.
Before she could scream at him, Leesa and Kelly appeared.
"Saved by the beautiful women." He grinned at his sister and, ignoring her stony look, bent to kiss her.
"Ladies."
"Darling, that was some ceremony. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was the real deal."
Leesa decided on the fruits.
"Mango! How lovely."
"And that kiss." Kelly, looking resplendent in her raw green silk sheath, grinned at Regina.
"I almost expected a bed to slide out of the ground. There was some serious heat between the two of you."
"Please don't start," Regina begged. "It was nothing," she added.
Both women exchanged knowing glances. "This is going to be very interesting," Kelly murmured as the announcement was made about the cutting of the cake.
Regina smiled for the cameras and did all the usual ritual. She was sure the cake was delicious; people commented on the texture and the taste, but she couldn't have described any of it.
It all rushed by in a daze, which she supposed was a very good thing, because her shoulders were tensed and her face hurt from the false smiles and the advice given by the two older couples who were friends of the family.
Then it was time to throw the bouquet, another necessary part of the charade. She just wanted it over and done with.
Her stomach was cramping. Her brother, Leesa, and Kelly were right.
It was starting to feel a little too real, and she didn't like it.
Marriage was not something she ever wanted to enter into, and here she was, smiling and accepting the congratulations. She wanted to scream.
As if sensing that she was at her breaking point, Craig whispered to her that it was time to leave. "Why don't you go on up and change into something more comfortable?" he suggested.
"I'll hold down the fort."
"Thank you," she told him sincerely, before wending her way through the flower beds, towards the house. She needed a few minutes alone, just a few minutes to regain her composure.