Big Man's Bride (A Small Town Romance)

by Penny Wylder

  I hand him the box with the rings inside. They’re just simple bands that I bought yesterday, but Ally’s is pretty. Silver with filigree designs on it. I knew when I saw it that it was the one for her. I had to guess on the size. I hope it fits.

  Tires crunch on gravel outside, and I look out the window to see the justice of the peace arriving. “I promise you’ll feel differently when you meet her,” I say, turning away from the window to face him.

  “We’ll see,” he says, but his face betrays any optimism he may have. He still looks skeptical. I don’t blame him.

  “Look,” I tell him, “I know this sounds insane and it’s really quick, but trust me buddy, this is the best of my options. It’s my only option. See you at the altar?”

  I leave to run downstairs before he can answer. It doesn’t matter what Trevor says at this point. I’m about to get married. The deal is practically sealed.

  I show the justice of the peace inside, shake his hand and introduce myself. “So I thought we’d do the ceremony on the back porch,” I tell him, leading him through the house.

  Even though this is an entirely fake marriage, I still have the impulse to make it as nice as I can. And us getting married on the back porch overlooking the river seems like the right way to do that.

  The sound of more tires on gravel draws me to the front door. It’s Ally, pulling up in a beat-up car, alone. She gets out, and my breath stills in my chest.

  My bride-to-be looks amazing. Elegant. Her dress is simple, flowing and long in a pale blue that nearly matches the sky. It sets off her hair and skin and eyes, and … she’s incredibly beautiful.

  The flush on her face is obvious when she sees me walking up to her car. “Hi.”

  “Hey,” I say, holding out my hand to help her step over some loose boards strewn in the front yard. “You didn’t bring anyone with you? I thought you might have brought a friend, or your grandfather. I wouldn’t have minded.”

  She blushes a little deeper, and I’m caught gazing at the way her skin looks against the cool blue of her dress. “No.” Ally can’t entirely meet my eyes. We walk around to the side door in silence. When we step inside, she turns to me. “I don’t plan on telling anyone that I was ever married. I’m not backing out, Caleb. I’m in. But I don’t want anyone in my life to know about this. I don’t see the point.”

  I smile at that. Definitely, I picked the right person for the job. My family is famous, and most women, on realizing who I am and what kind of connections I have, are suddenly very interested in attaching their name to mine and using me for the riches that they suppose that I have. It’s refreshing to see someone who actively wants to get as far away from that as possible.

  Inside, I introduce her to my lawyer, who starts helping her look through the paperwork that outlines the terms we agreed to yesterday. One month, the ownership of the house, and a hefty sum of money once we divorce. That amount of money will be a drop in the bucket if this plan works and I get my parents to sign over my full inheritance.

  Even if they don’t, I still have plenty of money. I’ve worked hard, splintering off my wing of the family business into specializing in restoring old homes for luxury resale. I’m very good at it, and that’s why I was so attracted to this house. The bones are amazing, and I want to preserve it in a way that both honors it and can take it into a modern future. But I’ll make sure that Ally has enough money to do that herself.

  “All good?” I ask her as she signs the documents.

  “Yeah,” she says. “It’s all there. Thank you.”

  “Of course.” I scribble my signature right next to hers, my arm brushing against hers as I do. The sparks zing between us, just like I knew that they would. She covers her gasp, but not well enough for me to miss it.

  “Ready to do this?”

  There’s a nervous smile on her face that reflects the sudden nerves in my gut. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  I take her hand and lead her out onto the back porch where Trevor and the justice of the peace are waiting. Trevor’s mouth falls open almost comically, and it’s the most satisfying thing I’ve ever seen. He can’t stop staring until I introduce him, and then he’s staring still. “This is Trevor, my best friend and he’ll be our witness.”

  Ally shakes his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” He meets my eyes over her head, utterly stunned. There’s no way that he expected my last-minute bride would be so beautiful.

  A click! sounds and Ally startles. “There’s going to be pictures?”

  “My family will want to see them,” I say. There’s a twinge of guilt in my chest for the way she’ll be exposed because of who I am, but this is part of the deal. We have to convince my family, and that means we need photographs.

  I guide Ally to the justice of the peace. “Last chance to escape,” I say softly.

  She shakes her head. “I’m in.”

  And we get married. It’s very simple, no frills. We repeat the classic vows that everyone’s heard a thousand times. But it feels different when you’re saying them out loud. Especially knowing that this isn’t going to last the way that the vows are meant to. But I say them, squeezing Ally’s hands as I do so. And I take the ring from Trevor and slip it onto her finger. Miraculously, it’s a pretty good fit. Not perfect, but good.

  Ally slips the ring onto my finger, and then it’s done. The justice of the peace declares us man and wife, and grins as he tells me that I can kiss her. I don’t wait for her permission, smiling as I lean down to capture her lips with mine.

  Just like yesterday, it’s like lighting a match and holding it to flash paper. I have to fight to keep myself appropriate in front of these people and the camera. It’s not easy. Ally is my wife, and that deep, feral part of me wants to drag her upstairs and show her how true that is. But there will be time for that later.

  I pull back, smiling, and this time she is too. The click of the camera captures us in that moment, grinning like fools after our wedding kiss. It’ll be the perfect photo to show my family.

  The justice of the peace looks back and forth between us. “Congratulations, both of you. And good luck.” He doesn’t waste any time signing the marriage license that’s on the table and getting the hell out of dodge.

  We sign it too, and then Trevor. My lawyer comes out with a bottle of champagne.

  “A toast to the happy couple?” he says, passing out glasses.

  “It’s a wedding, isn’t it?” Trevor jokes, popping the bottle and filling our glasses before the champagne drips to the deck.

  I raise my glass. “I’ll start,” I say. “I’d like to toast Ally.” An adorable blush colors her cheeks. “Ally, you came crashing into my life, and my leg hasn’t been the same since the day I met you.” She chuckles to herself and we share a private smile. “But truly, Ally. Thank you for marrying me today. I know we will make each other’s dreams come true.” She smiles at me in the warmest way, and even though I know our dreams aren’t the same, and this marriage will end in thirty days, I can’t help but feel grateful to have her here with me right now.

  “I guess it’s my turn to make a toast to my husband,” she says, with a wink. “I grew up playing on the banks of the Cumberland River,” she begins, gesturing to the river behind us, “and today I’m back, on this beautiful land, with a beautiful life in front of me.”

  Everyone clinks glasses and chats for a while, and to an outside observer, it may seem like a small, intimate wedding. The photographer snaps pictures and I make sure to put my arm around Ally’s shoulders as we stand sipping our champagne. I tell myself it’s to make the pictures look authentic, but I can’t ignore the content feeling I have, standing by her side, watching her make Trevor laugh, and enjoying the view of the river beyond us.

  “Well,” Trevor says, coming up behind me as I drain the last of my champagne, “you’re married.” I’m looking out at the water, lit up by the pink light of the setting sun. This land sure is beautiful.


  “Yup.”

  He laughs. “I’ve got a plane to catch back to New York, but let me know how this all goes. I still think this plan is crazy, but Ally seems like a great girl.”

  “Yeah,” I agree, slinging my arm around him. “This month will be interesting, to say the least.”

  “Just don’t let her near your tools, bro, and you should come out of this unscathed.”

  I laugh as Trevor closes his car door, and wave after him as he drives away. Returning to the house, I run into my lawyer, who’s saying goodbye to Ally at the side door.

  “The paperwork looks good, guys,” he says, patting his briefcase. “Just give the office a call in a month, and we can transfer the deed to the house and start the divorce proceedings quickly. Now, I have to hit the road.”

  Ally blinks and waves goodbye. “Are we that awful that everyone just wants to leave?” Her laugh is nervous.

  “No,” I whisper. “They’re probably picking up on the fact that I’m looking at you like I want to fuck the shit out of my wife, and they’re not wrong.”

  She shivers, and through the thin fabric of her dress I see her nipples harden. I’m not the only one affected by all of this. “But let’s take some pictures first.”

  “And preferably get my luggage from the car in case you decide to destroy all of my clothes again.”

  “You’re so practical, Ally,” I say, heading to her car. “I like that about you.”

  I haul her suitcase out of the trunk, and then the photographer catches my eye. “Here,” I say, handing her the suitcase. “Why don’t you take this inside and then meet us around back to take a few more pictures.”

  She walks back toward the house and I motion to the photographer to follow me. I turn to him and pull out my wallet. “Hang around after we’re done with the photos, and I’ll make sure you get something more interesting. Right here. See up there?” I point up to a window on the second floor. “I’m sure there are papers that would pay a pretty penny for racy photos of a Staunton.”

  The photographer snorts. “No thanks, man. Just so you can sue me for invading your privacy? I don’t think so.”

  I shake my head. “Don’t be so paranoid. I don’t have any plans to sue you. In case you hadn’t noticed, these aren’t your typical nuptials. I’ll even add an extra thousand to your fee. And feel free to shop these photos around to any gossip magazine or website that may be interested. The more, the merrier.” I nod to the bills in my hands.

  He gives me a long, hard look before taking the money. “Okay.”

  “Perfect.”

  The wedding will be splashed across the gossip columns by tomorrow morning, showing my family without having to tell them that I got married. I’ll act surprised when my mom calls me after seeing the news, and it’ll seem even more authentic that I swept Ally off her feet and convinced er to marry me.

  “Come here, wife, let’s get some pictures for our future grandchildren,” I bellow into the house.

  Ally comes to the door and rolls her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re finding the humor in all of this,” she says, scrunching up her nose at me.”

  I haul her up into my arms and she lets out a scream, but she’s smiling, and the photographer follows us down to the river where we take more pictures. Ally looks particularly adorable when she takes off her shoes and hikes up her dress to splash a bit in the river. She stomps her feet and squeals, reaching out her hand to me. “Caleb, come. Have you even set foot in the Cumberland yet?”

  I sit down on a rock and take off my shoes and socks and roll up my pants. The setting sun casts a beautiful light across Ally’s face, and she looks like a little kid on Christmas morning. The photographer’s camera keeps clicking, and I step into the cool river water, taking Ally’s hand, and despite that this is just an elaborate set up, I can’t help but smile and feel just as excited as my wife.

  7

  Ally

  I look out into the fading light through the window of the guest bedroom. The room is a little dirty, but I can clean it. It’s fine. It’s bare but it will do. Right now there aren’t even sheets on the bed. I’ll ask Caleb if he has any extras. I’m frankly amazed that there’s even a bed in here at all. I’m going to think of this as a kind of extended stay hotel. I can always run back to my apartment to get a few things if I need them. That’s not against the rules.

  I smile to myself. This used to my room when I was a kid—where I stayed when I would visit my grandfather. I can even see the outline in the faded paint of the old pictures Grandpa had hanging on these walls. The wood floor still creaked in just the same way when I stepped in the room the first time today. It seems only fitting that I would stay in here again. There’s a satisfying sense of things coming full circle. Hopefully once this month is over and the deed is signed back over to me, I’ll think that it was worth it. I’ll finally be home.

  The wedding band on my finger is a little bit loose. Now that it’s there, it’s a little hard not to face the reality of what I just did. I sold myself to Caleb. I know I didn’t, not really, and I did it for the right reasons, but still. There’s a feeling that’s nagging at me that I just made a terrible mistake.

  As if my thoughts had summoned him, there’s a creak on the flooring, and I turn to find the man himself leaning against the door frame, hands in his pockets, the picture of ease. His suit jacket is gone, shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair is less than perfect now, like he’s run his hands through it a couple of times, and I’m jealous of how good he looks even though he’s disheveled. When I’m in that state, I resemble a drowned rat more than anything else.

  “Do you have any extra sheets?”

  He nods. “I was waiting to have all the furniture delivered until I was sure that the interior didn’t need an extensive overhaul, but the repairs it needs are minor, so it’ll be delivered this week.”

  “Oh.”

  Silence hangs in the air between us. It feels tense and slightly awkward in a way that it hasn’t so far. But it’s different. We are actually married, and there’s no way to avoid that.

  “Thank you for the dress,” I say. I’d gone to pick it out this morning, and I loved the way it made me feel. It’s the most expensive item of clothing that I’ve ever owned, and it didn’t even quite cost the amount of money that he’d given me yesterday. “And for the paperwork. Now that it’s done, I won’t bother you for the next month. I still have to work, and I’ll help you with the repairs for the house, but mostly I’ll stay out of your way …”

  I trail off as I notice the way he’s looking at me. Like he’s seeing me. Caleb doesn’t respond to anything that I said. He just stares, a hungry gaze slowly running up and down my body. It heats me up against my will, and I feel the blush bloom across my cheeks and chest. “You look beautiful,” he says.

  “Thank you.”

  I turn to face the window again, to get away from the intensity of his gaze. But it’s dark enough outside now that I can see him approaching in the reflection. His fingers start at my neck when he touches me, dragging down my spine before he wraps his arms around me entirely. The heat of his hands sinks through my dress and into my skin as he spreads his fingers across my stomach, pulling me against his body.

  Breath tickles in my ear, and I shudder, goosebumps running across my skin. “I have condoms, Mrs. Staunton. Is it still on the table?”

  I should say no and make it simpler for both of us. Sex will make things complicated. Clearly, as the main reason we are even in this situation is because we had sex within minutes of meeting each other. After the incident with the sledgehammer, Caleb could have thrown me off his property for trespassing, and I would never have seen him again or had the opportunity to get the house back. I should say no, let our agreement remain a business agreement only, and be grateful.

  But my body is greedy, and I can pretend otherwise all I want, but I know that I’ve already decided. I decided yesterday when I said that it was on the table at all. “Yes,” I breathe
.

  “Good.”

  He smells amazing wrapped around me, like pine and fresh air and something rich like leather. Every part of me is singing for him already like he’s the conductor of an orchestra and only he knows the music. It feels like I’m ready to fall into bliss and he’s barely touched me. All the nerves that I had during the actual ceremony are gone, erased by the attraction that glows between us.

  Caleb kisses my neck. Chaste at first, and then it’s suddenly not. A simple kiss on my neck turns into something so much more. I tilt my head to the side to let him have his way with me, and he pulls my dress off my shoulder. Teeth graze across my collarbone, and his lips leave tingles in their wake.

  Grabbing the other side of my gown he pushes that side off my shoulder too, so it’s barely clinging to me, ready to fall to the ground and bare me completely. The lowcut back of this gown means that I couldn’t wear a bra, so one little nudge and my breasts will be exposed. His lips are on my neck, and his eager hands make me think he’s about to strip me, but then they still.

  My new husband spins me around to him and away from the window, kissing me furiously. “This is only for me,” he says, before picking me up and tossing me over his shoulder like a caveman. Like a soldier on the warpath intent on conquering.

  “What are you doing?” I yell, completely unsettled by being so suddenly swept off my feet and moved around like I’m a piece of luggage.

  “Taking you to our bedroom,” he growls, walking a few steps down the hall and into the other room. This bedroom is fully furnished and gorgeous. I like what he’s done with it, but I barely have time to notice that before he drops me on the bed and is striding to the massive windows and closing all the curtains.

  I put my arousal aside for a minute and feel furious. I don’t like being moved around like a ragdoll. “Let’s talk for a minute about what rights you have. Picking me up like a fucking caveman is not one of those rights. I’m a person, you know?”