Make-Believe Marriage

by CA Quigg

  "We're screwed either way," I said, tunneling my fingers through my hair. "This isn't ideal and not something I want, but we'll go, and we'll make the best of it."

  "Your mother is going to hate me."

  "She won't."

  "Really? Her son brings home a wife she knew nothing about. A woman she didn't even know he was dating." She yanked open the car door and got in. "I'd be surprised if she didn't throw me out and call me names."

  "She's not like that," I said, getting behind the wheel. "She's not a witch. She'll be taken aback and will place a guilt trip on me, but she'll love you. If there's one thing about my mother, she has a big heart and will welcome you with open arms. She'll feed you until you're bursting and will give you enough cups of tea you'll stay awake for a week from the caffeine. I haven't been home in five years. Me being back will override her anger."

  The furrowed crease between Lizzie's eyes deepened. "Why haven't you been home in so long?"

  "Work," I lied. "My family come and see me when they can."

  "I'm not sure about this, but okay.We should go."

  Before I could stop myself, I leaned across the center console and placed a kiss on the worry line between her eyes. "Don't worry so much. The hard part is over."

  Her perfume infused the car and filled my mind. If I didn't get her out of her dress and into bed soon, I would take her here and now. But she deserved more than that. I wanted to worship her and show her how much her marrying me meant. She could have said no. Told me to get the fuck out of her life and never to come back, but she didn't. I owed her more than money. My words weren't enough. I wanted to show her exactly how grateful I was.

  I turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the spot. "I appreciate everything you've done for me. I know I can be a bastard and pushy. But I'll never forget this."

  "It wasn't out if the goodness of my heart," she said. "It was in my best interests, too." She glanced at me and gave me a smile, and for once it reached her eyes.

  "You have a beautiful smile."

  Making her happy filled me up, and, right now, keeping her happy seemed like the most important thing in the world. More important than the club. More important than a green card.

  I gave my head a mental shake. Nothing about this was real. It was a fairytale.

  In time, she would find someone who loved her the way she deserved to be loved. A knot formed in my stomach at that thought. I didn't own her and couldn't stop her from falling in love with someone.

  In a few months, once my green card was secure, I would go back to my life-flying around the world, eating in a different restaurant every night, and fucking whoever I wanted when I wanted.

  I couldn't give her what she wanted, so it was only fair I let her go, but why was the thought of that such a hard one to digest?

  We pulled up to Cliffside Cottage. The sun hung low on the horizon and clouds stripped the sky.

  Lizzie got out of the car and stood by the cliff face. Her hair floated behind her, and the moment she turned to face me would stay locked in my memory forever.

  Fuck everything else but here and now.

  I strode toward her, and without saying a word, crushed my lips to hers. I ran my hands up and down her wedding dress. My dick throbbed painfully. Had a woman ever affected me like this before? Had a woman ever set a fire inside me the way Lizzie had? No matter how much I struggled to keep my barriers in place, one by one, she kept knocking them down.

  When we broke away, our breaths were fast and frantic. The heat in her eyes was all I needed. I scooped her up and carried her to the front door.

  "Put me down," she squealed with laughter in her words

  "No chance. I'm carrying my wife over the threshold."

  "Very traditional of you."

  "I'm a traditional fella."

  She snorted. "I doubt that very much."

  She reached down and turned the handle, and the door swung open with a squeak. "Welcome home, Mrs. Gallagher."

  Chapter 19

  Elizabeth

  I liked the way Mrs. Gallagher sounded. Getting used to my new name would take some time.

  "Where are you taking me?" I asked, my heartbeat accelerating.

  "Your bedroom since it has a bed. Unless you want to consummate our marriage in the hall."

  "My bedroom is good."

  He held me so tight I felt his heartbeat against my chest. Two weeks ago, I'd spent my days worrying about money, the club, and my dad. Now, here I was, married to the sexiest man alive. I had money in the bank, and my dad was being looked after by someone who could help him.

  Nothing about my marriage besides the attraction and sex was real. Long term, it wouldn't be enough, but until I was ready to meet someone new and commit my heart, I would take the comfort Caden offered.

  He carried me upstairs, pressed his back to my bedroom door and nudged it open. Muted sunlight bathed the walls and floor. This was by far, the prettiest room in the house with a gorgeous view of the ocean and setting sun.

  An aqua, silk comforter covered my new sleigh bed. A walnut rocking chair sat by the window, and a selection of my lotions and potions swamped the dressing table. I hadn't planned on moving all of my personal things in, but I couldn't resist living in the house for a while. My apartment wasn't going anywhere.

  Caden lowered me to the bed.

  He shrugged off his jacket and threw it over the rocking chair by the window. I watched him undress and tried not to swoon as he revealed his body.

  He tugged off his tie and pulled his shirttails from the waistband of his slacks. He undid the top two buttons of his shirt, but then he stopped and looked at me.

  A smile curved his lips. "Want to help me?

  "You're doing a good job on your own," I said and then laughed. "I could get used to having my very own stripper."

  He raised an eyebrow and continued to open his shirt one button at a time, until it hung open, giving me a glimpse of his muscled midline.

  "Take it off," I instructed.

  "Yes, boss."

  "And don't forget it." I leaned back on my elbows and toed off my shoes.

  He shucked off his shirt and my mouth watered at the sight of his beaded nipples.

  "It doesn't seem fair that I'm the only one getting undressed." He stepped forward and lifted my stocking covered feet.

  "Another thing I could get used to," I said.

  He slid one hand under my dress and up my legs until he reached the lacy top of my hold-ups.

  "Stockings?"

  "I wanted to look nice all over. They make me feel sexy."

  "They make me want to rip off your clothes and fuck you in nothing else."

  "Then why don't you." I placed my hand on top of his and moved it exactly where I wanted it. I was more than ready for him. "You can start here."

  Caden pushed up the layers of my dress and nuzzled his lips over my thighs. His eyes took on a glazed look as he hooked his fingers inside the thin elastic on the waistband of my thong and pulled the scrap of material down my legs. To help him out, I kicked them off.

  "I can't wait to bury my head between your legs and suck your sweet clit into my mouth."

  A moan tumbled from between my lips. I could definitely get used to this along with everything else. He ran his thumbs up and down my soaked folds, and I pushed my hips toward him, urging him to use his fingers.

  The entire time he teased me, he kept his eyes locked on mine.

  "Stand up," he said. "Take off your dress. I want to see every part of your body. I want to see your skin flush when you come on my mouth. I want to see your nipples darken and harden."

  A deep feeling of want expanded from my heart until it consumed me. Standing, I faced away from him. He ran a hand down my back and over my ass cheeks.

  "Touching you makes me so fucking hot." He unbuttoned my dress kissing every b
ump on my spine as he did. "You're one sexy woman and smell good enough to eat, which I intend to do very slowly and very soon."

  Especially for today, as well as the balance blend I'd used of the ceremony, I'd made a lotion and perfume oil using sandalwood, neroli, and sweet orange. The blend was sensuous and sexy, and from the way he reacted, I was more than glad I'd made an effort.

  My dress slid down my shoulders, and Caden helped me step out of it. Not wanting to leave the dress in a pool of silk on the floor, I picked it up and hung it over the chair.

  Being here with him was different than before. It was more intimate, and, in a way, held more meaning. And I was wound so tight I could hardly stand the buildup or the wait.

  I reached around to my back, unhooked my bra and let it fall from my arms. Caden moved until he stood behind me. He'd taken off his trousers and his swelling cock pressed against my lower back. The warmth of his body flowed into mine.

  He brushed his lips back and forth against the soft spot just behind my ear, and it was all I could do not to melt.

  "I've wanted to touch you all day." The tip of his tongue traced the shell of my ear, and rippling shivers raced up and down my spine. God, this man killed me. He knew exactly what to do and say to turn me into putty.

  He slid his hands around the front of my body and took the weight of my breasts in his palms.

  "And I've wanted you to touch me all day."

  My heartbeat quickened, and I allowed my head to sag back and rest on his shoulder. He took his time teasing my nipples by rolling them between his thumb and forefingers and drawing them from my body before releasing them. With my nipples hardened into tight points, he slid a hand lower and pinched and squeezed my swollen clit before thrusting a finger deep inside my channel.

  He hissed in a breath. "So wet and ready."

  My body moved restlessly against his, and I exhaled a slow, shaky breath. My pussy throbbed and erotic images of where the evening would take us danced through my mind. I grew hot all over, and it was like my skin was too tight for my body.

  I widened my stance and pushed myself onto his fingers. Reaching down, I dug my nails into the sides of his thighs, urging him to go faster, harder, deeper.

  "That's it," he said, wrapping his other arm around my ribcage, holding me firmly in place. "Ride my hand."

  If the next three years of my life included nights like this, I couldn't wait. But, as soon as his green card was secured and the club was built he would leave, only showing up when he had to. Would that be enough for me?

  It would have to be.

  Tremors rippled inside indicating the rise of my orgasm. My inner walls vibrated as he finger fucked me in a steady rhythm. His insistent strokes brought me to the edge, but he held me there, not allowing me to fall. He pressed kisses up and down my neck and nibbled and sucked my earlobe. Everything he did flooded me with want and lust. My nipples begged for his touch, and my pussy pleaded for him.

  "You make me feel so good," I whispered. "So, so good."

  "Do you want to come, Sweetheart?" His voice sounded raspy, hungry.

  "Yessss…"

  His thumb touched my clit, and he stroked the swollen bud in lazy, maddening circles. He increased the tempo of the fingers in my pussy and fucked me hard and fast.

  My orgasm consumed me in a cataclysmic wave of fire shook me to the core. Body-wrecking spasms raced through my body. The walls of my pussy clasped and released his unyielding fingers over and over again. And finally, when I didn't think I could take any more, the waves subsided into gentle lapping ripples.

  My body sagged forward, and the arm still banded around my chest, caught me. When he turned me to face him, I didn't speak. There was no need. He caught my lips in a kiss so gentle and tender that I swallowed hard to stop the tears threatening to fall.

  Breaking our kiss, I took his hand and led him to the bed. I was sure allowing me to be in control was hard for him and something he didn't let a woman do easily but I was thankful he gave me the gift. I knelt on the mattress, draped my arms around his neck and kissed him with everything I had inside me.

  "Make love to me," I murmured.

  Tonight, I didn't want fast and crazy. I wanted slow and tender, and I also wanted the night to last forever. For one night, I wanted to pretend we were madly in love and we were consummating a loving relationship-a marriage that would last forever.

  He reached for his jacket and took out a condom, but I held out a hand to stop him.

  "No condom. I'm on the pill. I want to feel all of you," I whispered.

  Too bad my heart hadn't gotten the memo stating that falling in love with him was stupid and idiotic.

  Chapter 20

  Caden

  Love wasn't an option.

  When she'd asked me to make love to her, I understood she meant slow and controlled, and I could give her that. But hearing the L word come from her lips terrified me.

  I couldn't make love to someone I didn't love, could I? I cared for her, sure, and wanted her, but I didn't love her and would never allow myself to do so. Not that it mattered right now because right now I would give her what she'd asked for.

  After the day we'd both had, the stress release we needed wouldn't come from a five-minute fuck.

  She lay on the bed and, using her fingers, held herself open for me. Positioning myself between her milky legs, I gripped my cock and slowly guided myself into her tight heat.

  A soft moan escaped Lizzie's lips and told me how much she loved me spreading her wide. When I was balls deep, I stilled, and the tight muscles of her hot pussy gripped me and held me tight. I ignored how well we fit together-like two halves making a whole.

  She cried out, and a groan of satisfaction tumbled from my lips. I moved in a slow, steady rhythm and she matched my speed.

  "Make me come," she moaned.

  "You're killing me." Needing to keep control and not embarrass myself by coming like an inexperienced kid, I stopped moving and gritted my teeth.

  She drew her legs up and wrapped them around my waist, urging me to go faster.

  "Fuck me."

  "You asked me to make love to you," I said into her hair, "not fuck you."

  "I've changed my mind."

  I ignored her and continued to move with slow strokes as if we had all the time in the world.

  She dug her nails into my back and called my name as if she were saying a prayer. Fuck! I needed to think about anything but being buried inside of her, but she wasn't making it easy. Her inner muscles tightened and held me deep.

  I wouldn't be able to hold back much longer.

  "Let me come," she begged. "I'm almost there."

  I couldn't resist. My hips rolled and thrust as if of their own accord. I drew back and slammed into her, allowing the buzz in my ears and the tingle in my balls to take over.