Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Marcus smiles because he’s a mind reader.
He pulls me closer, looks down at me with a shameless twinkle of satisfaction in his warm brown eyes. “You want to marry me, pretty girl?”
“Yes,” I say softly, my heart filling up with love and unmatched longing. “Yes, I do.”
___
I’m buzzing with nervous excitement when I emerge from the back doors of the church. There’s a beautiful garden outside where couples take pictures. My heart skitters because I’m not even sure what I’ll see when I get to it.
The fiancé I had yesterday, or the one I have now?
Marcus assured me he would handle breaking the news to everyone—including Joey—that I wouldn’t be marrying him today. He told me not to worry about a thing, just to have a glass of champagne and relax, and then meet him in the picture garden when I was supposed to meet Joey there.
It feels impossible to me. As much as I want him to succeed, I don’t see how he can tell his parents and everyone else that the wedding to Joey is off, but the wedding is still on, and we’re just switching grooms.
Then again, he’s Marcus Peterson. It’s probably not the craziest thing he’s ever convinced someone to go along with.
I shouldn’t smile so fondly thinking about that, but damn, it impresses me. He can make anyone do anything. I don’t get it, but I love it.
I was a sane person until yesterday, though, so there’s still a sliver of doubt as I walk the stone path to where we planned to have our pictures taken.
But I was a fool to ever doubt him.
My handsome almost-husband stands in front of the fountain waiting for me, his dark hair slicked back, looking like a million dollars in his well-tailored suit.
He smiles at the sight of me, his warm gaze traveling over my body.
He looks at me like he loves me more than Joey ever did, and I’ve only been his for a single day.
His presence here leads me to believe I’m going to be his forever.
“Is it done?” I ask hopefully.
He grabs me around the waist, pulling my body against his. “You bet it is.”
“Really?”
He leans in so our foreheads are touching. “You doubted me?”
“Not really,” I confess. “I just don’t know how you do it.”
“I’m a persuasive man, what can I say?” he teases, then he kisses me.
“Um, careful with her hair,” the photographer says, since his fingers are in my bun again. “We don’t want to ruin the pictures.”
“Fuck the pictures,” Marcus grumbles hungrily against my lips.
My tummy thrills and I grin against his mouth. “Joey would never say that.”
“Fuck him, too,” he murmurs, his grip tightening. There’s no true malice in it, though. I know Joey is his brother and he loves him, and I don’t know how we’ll begin to approach life going forward because of that odd obstacle. Not only are they family, but Marcus is in line to take over the family business, and Joey works under him. There’s literally no way we can avoid it being terribly awkward.
At least, no way that I can see.
If there is one, I’m sure Marcus will find it.
He always finds a way to get what he wants.
Chapter Nine
This is so awkward.
I swallow, trying to calm my racing heart.
Beside me stands the original Marcus Peterson… my future father-in-law.
Also the man whose cock was in my mouth last night while my groom claimed my pussy.
Awkward.
“You feeling okay about this?”
I’m startled that he’s speaking to me. He approached with Charlotte so I was able to avoid speaking directly to him or meeting his gaze. I got by on polite smiles I tossed in his general direction.
But since I don’t have a father to walk me down the aisle and my mother isn’t even here, Joey thought it would be nice for his father to give me away.
I agreed, until I swallowed the man’s cum.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I say, flashing a tepid smile and then looking ahead at the closed double doors.
He hesitates for a moment. I think he considers leaving it there, but then, because he is Marcus’ father, he decides to face it head on. “I didn’t know he tricked you last night.”
I nod, feeling heat immediately hit my cheeks.
“Obviously, I didn’t realize it was you at all,” he adds.
I shift my weight on my heels, waiting for the church floor to open up and swallow me.
“I know my son is very adept at manipulating circumstances to get what he wants, but considering you were marrying my other son an hour ago, I just want to make sure.” He grabs my arm to get my attention and force me to look at him. “If he’s forcing you into this in some way, tell me now. I’ll help you. You’re a sweet girl, I wouldn’t expect you to be able to hold your own against him. Hell, I don’t know anyone who can hold their own against Marcus.”