by Stacey Lynn
Several minutes later Caitlin steps up next to me.
“So,” she says, sorrow and apology in her tone. “This was just delivered.”
I glare down at her. There’s an envelope from Multnomah County in her hand. The seal is broken. The little pipsqueak next to me opened it.
“I think maybe there’s been a mistake.”
I rip it out of her hands and huff. “You think? Damn it. This is a mess.”
“What are you going to do?”
Folding the envelope and marriage certificate that arrived way, way too late, I grip it in my hand and push off the railing. “What do you think I’m going to do?”
“Find her?”
“No. I’m getting fucking drunk.”
“Corbin.”
I lift a hand and silence her. “Don’t. Don’t even think about telling me what to do right now.”
“But—”
“Honestly, Caitlin. Haven’t you done enough today?”
She shrinks into herself. I’m an asshole. Caitlin’s life has always been shitty, and not even counting the night Trey and I found the guy who was trying to rape her, she’s always had bad taste in men. We’ve never been that man to her, her brothers even more than friends, and I’d cut off my right arm before hurting Caitlin. But I just have, because she’s always been told she’s worthless, that she can’t do anything right, and I’ve just flung one of her most despised statements in her face.
Damn it.
You’re a good man, Corbin.
Don’t do that, don’t hide your heart.
It’s spectacular.
You’re so talented.
I slam my hands to my head, but I can’t silence the sound of her voice. So soft and sweet…and trusting.
Shit.
I sigh. My hands fall to my hips and I toss my head back, growling at the ceiling with the full force of my frustration. “She’s always trusted me to take care of her,” I say, more to myself than to Caitlin.
Her soft hand lands on my wrist. With wide, softened eyes, Caitlin smiles at me. “She thinks you betrayed her, Corbin. That’s what I was trying to tell you. She thinks those papers meant you’d leave her and give her nothing—”
“Leaving her with nothing like Drake has done to her.” Not like it takes a genius to figure that out.
Damn it.
I hurry to the table by the door where I threw my phone as soon as I walked in, and call Trey.
Thank God for friends who know computers and have a relaxed moral standard when it comes to private information and hacking.
“Find Teagan,” I tell him as soon as he answers.
He laughs. “You lost her?”
“No,” I snap. I don’t have time to explain myself. “Just find her. She has to be in town somewhere—”
“Whoa, slow down, spunky. Wanna clue me in on what the hell happened in the thirty minutes since we separated?”
“She left. Miscommunication and I’ll explain later, but can you find her? She has to be in her car.” Something I realize now since I didn’t see her Prius in the underground garage when I got here. “Caitlin says she left an hour ago.”
When I was drinking and toasting my upcoming marriage, my fake-turned-real fiancée was shoving clothes into a bag and thinking I had hurt her.
“Okay, okay.” Trey’s voice has the condescension of talking to a crazy person. Whatever. “Have anything else to go on?”
“Caitlin,” I snap. “Have any idea where she went?”
“No. She just said she should have done this weeks ago.”
Vomit burns deep in my throat.
“Hotels,” I bark out. “She’ll be in a hotel. Find the cheapest but safest ones. She’ll want to save money but she won’t be stupid.”
“Well she did fall in love with you,” Trey says.
I hang up the phone and dig my keys out of my pocket.
“What can I do?” Caitlin asks.
“Stay here and keep your phone charged. If she needs a friend it’s you she’ll call.”
“I don’t think she thinks of me as a friend.”
“What?” My head jerks. Of course she would. Unless…“What’d you do, Caitlin?”
She shrugs. “Nothing except tell her she was wrong about you.”
“You blamed me, too!”
“Because I was mad she took off. And she believed it so much. God, even I know you’d never send your dad to deliver that shit.”
“I didn’t.” My teeth hurt. My jaw aches. I need to fucking relax. I will.
As soon as I find my bride.
“Stay here.”
Chapter 26
Teagan
There comes a time, in the haze of rage and betrayal, when the storm settles and all you’re left thinking about is how you ended up here.
That’s where I am, sitting on the hood of my car, parked in a pull-off overlooking the entire city of Portland. I’m not even sure how I got here. But I could only drive through the city, up and down the streets and zooming on and off highway exits, wandering aimlessly, limbs trembling with pain and fury before I decided to pull over.
The last thing I need to do is cause another car accident, and the irony isn’t lost on me, that in the span of less than two weeks, I’ve now run off from two very different men, for two very different reasons.
The sun is still high in the sky, my stomach has been rumbling for hours, but I can’t find the desire to get back in my car and grab something to eat.
Because I think I’ve made a colossal mistake.
The rage is settling and I’m left only thinking about the last week and a half with Corbin. The last few days in particular.
I love you.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
I can’t erase the words, the gruffness in his voice when he first said them.
I can’t forget the look in his eyes or the honesty all over his face.
He loves me.
So why would he have his father deliver papers to me, effectively saying I mean nothing except a contract?
He cares for his mom. He loved his grandma. He takes care of Caitlin and protects her. He’s repeatedly told me he wants to take care of me.
He’s too good to have a man he despises more than anything else in the world deliver papers that would destroy my world.
I’ve missed something. The pieces aren’t connecting the way they should, and I only know one thing as I continue to watch cars in the distance and listen to the rustle of trees, the birds, and an occasional jet flying overhead.
I once ran from a man who betrayed me without giving him time to explain, regardless of whether or not it’d help.
I will not make the same mistake again.
At the very least, he owes me an explanation before I throw my adult-sized temper tantrum.
“How humiliating,” I mumble, dropping my head into my hands. My feet are propped on my front bumper, fixed last week after I smashed into Corbin’s Mercedes. And that’s what I remember.
Him. His lack of anger at his car. Instead, he only showed concern about me.
I huff out a breath, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension. Muscles pop and click from the tightness I’ve held in them all day and I slide off the hood of my car.
—
I still have the key to Corbin’s condo, but I’ve never had so much trouble getting it into the lock before. With my hand shaking, I’m still thankful the security guy at the lobby desk waved me on into the building like he didn’t have a clue I’d left earlier not planning on returning.
I was worried for a moment he’d stop me and refuse to allow me back in.
One hurdle down, one to go.
I called Corbin but it went straight to voice mail. He has to be avoiding me, and who can blame him?
I’d taken off, assumed the worst of him. I’m supposed to believe in him more than anyone and I haven’t. Not today.
God, what an idiot I’ve been.
Opening the door to the condo, I
’m startled when Caitlin jumps off the couch, hurdling over the back as I walk in, dropping my bag to the floor.
“Oh my God,” she shouts, rushing me and throwing her arms around me. “What are you doing here? I’m so glad.”
She shakes me so hard my teeth rattle.
“Is he here?”
“No.” She pulls back, shaking her head. “He’s been scouring hotels looking for you. He has Trey trying to find you.”
“Can you call him? I think I made a mistake, and I need to talk to him, but he’s not answering.”
“His phone died. He texted me saying he’ll be back later. God…I’m so glad you’re here. There’s something you need to see.”
Before I can ask, she thrusts an envelope into my hand. “God. Not another one.”
“You’ll like it.” She taps it and grins at me. Tears are in her eyes, and I wonder how many people have cried today. “I swear to you. This is what you were supposed to see earlier. This is what he had delivered.”
I rip open the envelope and remove a folded piece of paper. I open what appears to be an official document and see in bold letters across the top: MARRIAGE LICENSE.
I read it. Twice. Three times, before things make sense.
“Oh no,” I say, looking at Caitlin. “I’ve messed up.”
“I know.” She grins and claps her hands. “Isn’t it great?”
I laugh. “No. It’s not great.”
“Yeah, but you came back, and that says everything.” She rushes away from me and picks up her phone. “Trey? Hey, yeah. She’s here. Do you know where he is?”
While she talks to Trey, I bring my bag further into the condo and go to the kitchen. I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and I don’t think I can stomach anything, but I’m shaking. Nerves, starvation—I don’t know the cause, but I can’t talk to Corbin with a stomach growling like an angry Doberman.
“He can’t get ahold of him, either,” Caitlin says.
I chug down a glass of orange juice.
“He’ll come back,” she assures me with her lips twisted.
“Will he?”
“Well.” She shrugs, that same silly grin. “He might not come back until he’s checked every hotel from here to Seattle, but yeah, at some point he’ll come home.”
Home. Our home. Cannon Bluffs.
I hope he doesn’t go there, but if he’s not back by tomorrow, that’s where I’ll check.
“I’ll keep trying to reach him,” she says. “Eventually he’ll cave and get a charger or something. I know it.”
“Um…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll do it at my own home.” She hugs me again, kissing my cheek. “This is so great, Teagan. I’m so glad you came back. You guys will work it out, I promise.”
She hugs me tightly until I return it fully and relax into her. “Thanks, Caitlin. You’re the best.”
“The best enough to be your maid of honor?”
“Not like I have other options.”
“Hey!”
“But even if I did, you’d be the one I’d choose.” I pop a carrot into my mouth. The teasing feels good, but nothing will feel right until Corbin comes back.
“I know.” She jumps and spins. “I’m the best. And I’m also out of here.”
I walk with her to the front door, and as she’s about to open it, it opens from the other side. Door clicking, swooshing, all of it in slow motion, and then he’s here, in front of me. Head bent, hair messed. He must see Caitlin so close to him because he looks up at her.
Then me.
And he freezes.
“Hi,” I say. I wave lamely. Caitlin snorts and I drop my hand to my side.
His jaw is tight. Shirt wrinkled. I’ve never seen him look so disheveled. So defeated.
He says nothing, and the three of us stare at each other. Caitlin at Corbin. Corbin at me. Me at Corbin.
“Leave,” he barks, not taking his eyes off me.
I squeeze my eyes closed and nod. I’ve totally screwed up. “Okay.”
“Not you. Get the fuck out of here, Caitlin.”
My breath leaves me in a whoosh. Okay. This might not be so bad.
“Okeydokey.” He moves just enough to give her room to slide out, and as she does, she looks back through a sliver in the doorway and sings, “Call me!”
He shuts the door and takes two steps toward me, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Forget something?”
His eyes are cold. Hurt and empty. I did this to him.
“Yeah,” I say. My voice is dry. It cracks on the word and I swallow. I pray for strength and say, “Yeah. I forgot you.”
His head falls forward and his shoulders heave. He scrubs his face, a visible shudder rolling through his body as he drops his hands and lifts his head. “Jesus. Tell me you’re here and I’m not imagining this.”
The roughness, the fear in his voice, threatens to undo me. I step toward him. One step. Two.
He comes to me.
“I’m here,” I say. “I’m really sorry. I should have known—”
His hand cups my neck. Thumb brushes over my jaw. Delightful little shivers dance across my skin. “You should have.”
“I’m sorry. I just freaked.”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
My head falls to his chest and his arms wrap around me. “I do.” I sniff. Damn tears. I thought they’d be all dried up by now with the amount I’ve spilled today. I throw my hands around him, clasping them at his back. “I do. I’m so sorry.”
His lips touch the top of my head. He squeezes me so hard I’m terrified he’ll crack a rib.
We stay like this for seconds. Minutes. Hours might pass and I’m unaware. It doesn’t matter.
“Just so we’re clear,” he finally says, his hand sliding up my back to hold me at the back of my head. I inhale his scent. Sandalwood and pine. Delicious. “There is no prenuptial. I never even considered it. All I have is yours. Everything.”
He pulls back, our lips brushing against each other’s, and I’m helpless to stop it. Stop him. Stop everything I’m feeling for him.
“I love you,” I rasp, unable to control everything slamming inside me. Love. Acceptance. Trust.
This man gives me everything.
His lip hit mine with force, stealing my breath and my heart. “I love you, too.” Our lips are so close together his brush over mine as he speaks. “I fucking love you, Teagan.”
Tears fill my eyes. Damn emotions. I sniff them back. His thumbs brush them away and I laugh, stepping back to finish the job.
“I’m a mess.”
“Beautiful, though.”
I laugh again. He can’t even dispute it. Both of us must look a ragged mess. He at least looks as rumpled as I feel.
Wiping off the rest of my tears through my laughter, I pat my cheeks and wave a hand through the air. “So. What do we do now?”
A wicked grin twists his lips. Our thoughts are the same. There’s nothing I want more this very second than to fall into bed with him. Strip off his disheveled clothes and mess his hair up further.
“Did Caitlin show you what I had delivered?”
I jolt. Clear my dirty thoughts. We’re apparently not on the same page. “Yeah.”
“So, then.” He takes my hand, lifts it so Eleanor’s ring is between us. He goes to twist it off but it’s stuck. My fingers have swelled; how embarrassing. Corbin grins, and before I know it, he’s taking my hand to his mouth. His tongue slides around my ring finger.
“Wow,” I gasp. My knees buckle as he takes my finger in his mouth, teeth scraping and biting down around my ring. And then he’s tugging it off.
I’m wet. Knees like jelly. His laugh is warm velvet, covering me as he drops to one knee in front of me.
More tears. “Damn it.” I wipe them away and he laughs more, shaking his head.
“You’re beautiful. Adorable,” he says, holding my hand in his. “Marry me.”
I nod. “I love you. Yes.”
He
slides the ring back on my finger and pulls me forward. I expect him to stand, but he does the opposite, pulling me to him until he’s on the floor, sitting on his ass, and I’m straddling him.
His hands at my cheeks, he kisses me, slides his tongue into my mouth, and devours me. I relent because there’s no other choice. I am his. He is mine.
Together, we will follow our dreams.
“Fuck, but I love you, Teagan. Marry me. Tonight. The next time I make love to you I want you to be my wife.”
“What?” My hands go to his shoulders and I push back. “Did you just ask what I think you did?”
“Vegas. Marry me. Tonight. What do you say?”
He’s crazy. We’re crazy. This is insane.
There’s nothing to say, except, “Yes. Of course. I love you.”
His mouth slams back into mine and we kiss like we can’t get enough of each other, and I never want to stop. I want him to rip off my clothes, throw me to floor, and slide deep inside. His excitement presses against my center and he yanks me to him, holds me at my hips, and grinds my body against him until I’m whimpering, needy.
So in love with him I think I might burst from the sensation of all of it.
“Corbin,” I groan. “I’m so close.” He stills me. Shuffles us to our feet.
His eyes are hazy. Cheeks flushed. I’ve succeeded in messing his hair up more than it was earlier. Shaking his head, he peppers my lips and cheeks and jaw with kisses. “No. I meant it. I want to make love to my wife. Go pack a bag. I’ll call Trey and Caitlin and get flights.”
“Are we doing this?” My legs are still wobbly and I can barely breathe. “We’re doing this, right? Getting married?”
“Do you want to make a life with me?”
“Of course.”
“Then yes. We’re getting married.” He walks by me, smacking me on my backside. “Go hurry.”
I rush up the stairs and pack a bag. I don’t bother to stop and think about what we’re doing.
It doesn’t matter.
I love him, and he loves me. It doesn’t matter if this is crazy. Our entire relationship has been insane. There’s no one else I want to be crazy with.
Corbin is it for me. And after tonight I will no longer be his fake fiancée.
I will be his wife. For real. And there’s nothing that could tempt me to second-guess our decision.
