Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
I grinned, keeping my eyes on her face as she pushed it all the way down my finger.
“In accordance with the couple’s wishes, they will now make their formal vows to one another,” the officiant said. “Lord Frederick, Delilah, do you promise to respect each other as an individual and as your life-partner? Will you live together in happiness and as equals today and forever?”
Deli met my gaze, and we both nodded. “I will,” we echoed.
“With these words of promise to one another, may you live together in joy and peace. May you always find each other in companionship, laughter, and comfort.” He smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose. “I now pronounce you husband and wife, Lord and Lady Coventry.” He took a step back. “My lord, you may kiss your wife.”
Deli’s eyes widened like we hadn’t done a rehearsal just yesterday, and her chest heaved. I stepped closer to her, cupping her face, and held her gaze for just a second.
“Fred…” she whispered.
“Just one,” I murmured, lowering my lips to hers.
14
* * *
DELILAH
Fred was kissing me.
Actually kissing me.
Not the pretend one we’d done in the rehearsal yesterday. Not the just-off-the-mouth one we’d discussed would be the right thing to do.
No.
An actual lips on lips, mouth on mouth, breath mingling with breath kiss.
His lips were soft. Warm. Smooth. Sweet.
If ‘home’ had a taste, I couldn’t help but think this is what it would be.
My heart raced inside my chest, and I leant into him the tiniest amount, laying my hand on his arm. Our guests all cheered and clapped, and some whistles came from the general vicinity of our friends.
I knew they were right there, mere feet away, yet it was all an echo, like something that was happening a hundred miles away.
No.
It was that feeling of your ears being bunged up. That full, heady sensation where all you can feel is your pulse thundering in your ears and every other noise is dulled and muffled by an uncontrollable force.
There was only the feeling of my thumping heartbeat, Fred’s palms against my cheeks, and his lips gently brushing over mine.
I’m going to kill him for this.
He pulled back, but not very far. Just enough so that he could look into my eyes and I could see the smirk that stretched across his handsome face.
“You—” I hissed.
“Save it,” he whispered back. “Just for a few minutes.”
He linked our fingers together and held up our clasped hands. Right—we weren’t alone yet. If I didn’t walk out of here looking like the happiest woman in the world, the jig was so up.
I leant into his side and grinned in Nana’s direction. Both her and Granny were dabbing at their eyes, and our mothers were crying floods of tears.
Good grief.
What was Aunt Vi crying for? Was it because we were married or because she knew it was all a sham?
Married.
We were married.
Fred was my husband.
Oh, dear God.
We made our way back down the aisle and away from the crowd. We had a little time scheduled after the ceremony for everyone to rest and get a little something to eat before they joined us for photos.
As for us, we had about fifteen minutes to breathe before we started taking pictures.
I didn’t even want the pictures. It seemed ridiculous to commemorate a day borne of a lie, but I had no say in the matter.
Nana wanted pictures, so pictures there would be.
“Fred!” The second he closed his office door behind us, I smacked his upper arm. “You kissed me!”
He peered down at me. “I had no choice. I know we agreed not to do it directly, but everyone was staring at us, and I panicked.”
“Panicked my arse!” I pulled off my stupid heels and kicked them to the side. “God, I can’t even sit down, or I’ll crease the dress!”
“It’s not satin. It’ll be fine,” he said, adjusting a cushion in the armchair. “Just sit down for a minute.”
Fine.
I’d sit down.
Anyone who saw the back of this dress would just have to deal if it was all smushed up.
Still, I tried to carefully lay the full skirt out beneath me as I sat down and leant back into the armchair. I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down.
“I can’t believe you kissed me.”
He said nothing.
I peeled my eyelids open and stared at him across the room. “Aren’t you going to apologise?”
“Not really. I did what I had to do to keep this little charade going. We already removed all references to love that we could from the vows—if anyone noticed, we needed to show this isn’t fake one way or another.”
I harrumphed. He was technically right, and it wasn’t as if I hadn’t had the same thoughts right as the officiant had pronounced us husband and wife.
People didn’t give off-the-mouth kisses at their wedding.
They shared real ones.