Rand didn’t play games. When she didn’t like what he had to say, she punched him in the stomach; when she needed his help, she simply offered to pay him for it. She hadn’t tried to manipulate him into something he didn’t want to do. He had to admire a woman like that.
When he finished tying his shoes, he made an attempt at the bow tie, but each time, it turned out lopsided. After the fifth try, he decided to settle for crooked. He raked his hands through his tousled hair, then stared at his reflection. He didn’t look too bad. “This has got to be the strangest day of your life, boyo,” he muttered before turning and walking to the door.
He walked down the hall. In the distance, he saw Laurel standing in front of the entrance to the sanctuary. She turned and their eyes met for a moment. A hesitant smile touched her lips and Sean gave her a little wave. He stopped and held out his arms, then slowly turned so that she might approve of his appearance. She laughed, and then her three bridesmaids turned to look at him.
Sean pulled open the door and slowly walked up the side aisle of the sanctuary. He found the minister waiting for him in a small anteroom. “Well, we’re almost ready to get started,” the minister said. “Are you ready?”
“I guess,” Sean murmured.
“I know you didn’t have a chance to attend the rehearsal, but the service will be pretty straightforward. Just listen to me and I’ll guide you through it. Any second thoughts?” he asked.
“What?”
“Marriage is for life, son,” he said. “If you’re not ready, then we don’t have to walk out there.”
“I’m ready,” Sean said.
“Then let’s go.” The minister walked out the door and Sean had no choice but to follow him. He didn’t have any idea what kind of sin he had just committed by lying to a minister. If he lied to a priest he’d be eternally damned, but the Episcopalians might be a bit more lenient on that point.
The minister stopped at the head of the center aisle. “You wait for your bride here,” he whispered. “Then take her hand and come to the top of those three steps.”
“Got it,” Sean murmured. Take her hand, then up the steps. Take her hand, then up the steps. Though there was no reason for him to be nervous, he was. He didn’t want to mess this up for Laurel. It seemed to mean so much to her.
Organ music suddenly filled the church and the doors opened. Slowly, bridesmaids dressed in pale green dresses marched down the aisle. When they’d arranged themselves in a line opposite Sean, the organ music swelled and Laurel appeared. Her veil obscured her face and even though he couldn’t see her features, he’d never seen anything more breathtaking. For a moment Sean wondered if this was how a real groom was supposed to feel. But then reality intruded and he remembered that the next fifteen or twenty minutes would mean nothing at all. It was all just a charade.
When Laurel reached him, he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. Together, they stepped in front of the minister. The ceremony passed without any major mistakes. Sean kept his eyes straight ahead until they had to exchange rings. He held her hand as he slipped the ring onto her finger and was surprised at how her hand trembled when she did the same. Yet he still couldn’t bring himself to look into her eyes.
When the minister finally said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Sean breathed a silent sigh of relief. That hadn’t been so hard. But the next command made his stop short. “You may kiss your bride.”
Sean blinked and turned to him. “What?”
The minister leaned closer. “Lift her veil and kiss the bride,” he said.
Sean looked at Laurel for her approval. Through the thin veil, he saw the tight smile on her face. “Kiss me,” she murmured. “And you better make it good.”
Sean didn’t have to be told more than once. He took the bottom edge of her veil and lifted it over her head. Gently, he took her face between his hands and stared down into her wide eyes. Then, slowly, Sean brought his mouth down on hers. He had only meant to linger a few seconds—after all, this was a kiss meant purely for public enjoyment. He’d make it good. But the moment his lips touched hers, he couldn’t seem to get enough.
He lost all perspective, forgot about the wedding guests watching them and the minister standing close by. Instead he focused all his attention on the sweet taste of her mouth, the way her lips parted hesitantly and the soft moan that slipped from her throat as he touched his tongue to hers.
Sean wasn’t sure how long it lasted, only that when he finally pulled back, there was a polite round of applause from the wedding guests. “How was that?” he murmured, his mouth still hovering over hers.
“N-nice,” she said in a shaky voice. Then the organ started playing and Sean, satisfied that he’d offered up his best effort, turned and held out his arm. As they started down the aisle, he glanced over at her to find her with the same stunned look on her face that he’d seen when he’d opened his eyes from the kiss.
Sean got the distinct impression that she’d enjoyed the moment as much as he had. Well, at least Laurel Rand was getting her money’s worth. And if she wanted more, he would be happy to provide it.
2
THE RECEPTION WAS ELEGANT yet subdued, held at the Four Seasons, one of the city’s most magnificent hotels. A small combo played dance tunes at one end of the room while guests relaxed at tables scattered around the dance floor. Laurel was quite pleased with how it had all turned out, after all the planning and the careful coordination. It had been a perfect wedding—except that the groom was in jail and she had “married” a stranger instead. But thankfully, no one had noticed anything amiss.
It was a wonder she had been able to get through the dinner at all. First there had been the toasts and then the obligatory kisses for the crowd. After their kiss in the church, Laurel didn’t think it could get much better. But every time Sean’s mouth touched hers, it was different, the sensations more acute, the taste of him more addictive. The last kiss they’d shared was on the dance floor and it had left Laurel dizzy and breathless and longing to drag him off into a dark corner.
She pressed her palm to her chest and took a deep breath. She just had to get past one more hurdle before the night could be called a success. Her uncle Sinclair would put in an appearance at the reception and she’d have the task of introducing him to Sean. Though Uncle Sinclair was over eighty, he was still as shrewd as he’d been when he and Laurel’s father had made their first million together.
She looked out to the dance floor and watched as Sean swept one of her bridesmaids around. He hadn’t been much of a dancer early on in the evening, but he had a natural athleticism that allowed him to pick up the steps with ease. And he didn’t look bad in a tux, either. Any woman would be attracted to a man like…
Laurel frowned. Nan Salinger, her maid of honor and co-worker from West Elementary, looked like she was enjoying Sean just a bit too much. An unbidden surge of jealousy rushed over her and Laurel hitched up her skirt and headed to the dance floor. When she reached them, she tapped Nan on the shoulder. “I need to borrow my husband for a moment,” she said. “It’s time to cut the cake.”
“Right,” Sean said. “No problem.” As if he were following orders, he immediately let go of Nan and walked off the dance floor toward the cake, leaving Nan alone with Laurel.
“I
