Her Real-Life Hero

by Vicki Ballante

  Wait. Who cares?

  She pulled it off and marched to him. “Here.”

  “No.” He clamped his lips together and kept his hands in fists.

  “Take it. I don’t want it. I’m not married to anyone. Definitely not to you. Who do you think you are, coming in here, expecting to share my life with me?”

  She dropped the ring on the floor, the metal band pinging as it bounced around on the hardwood tiles. Angry tears filled her eyes, so she whirled away before they overflowed onto her cheeks. She stormed into the kitchen to hunch over the counter, her elbows on the cool granite, her face in her palms. How can this be?

  But then she straightened. Maybe this is a nightmare, and I’ll wake up with everything normal again.

  When movement came from behind her, followed by a strong hand on her shoulder, the tiny bit of hope dwindled away. Instead, heat surged along her skin, sending urgent signals through her body. For an infinitesimal moment, she wanted to rest her head on his hand. How stupid her senses were. How primal her physical urgings proved to be.

  He massaged her shoulders, feathering her neck with his fingers. Her pussy purred.

  She jerked away. “Hey!”

  Oh no! Theo’s real. If she could feel him, he existed in reality, not just her imagination.

  “Listen, I’m sorry. I suppose I went about finding you the wrong way.”

  She whipped around to face him, flinging her arm into his chest with a thud. “The wrong way, I’d say. Coming in here, announcing you’re my husband. It’s bizarre. What woman in her right mind would go with that? Where are the marriage papers, by the way?”

  His expression remained calm. “In the bureau, of course.”

  Brushing past him, she ran to her new piece of furniture. Everything stood as she’d left it the night before. Her quill, caked with ink, lay flat on the surface, the papers she’d written on crumpled from the wet ink compressions, and her lamp still on.

  She opened the drawer on the right where she’d put her rejection letters and past manuscripts, all printed out and bound.

  Under the pile of papers, she found a thick cardstock folder. Pulling it out with trembling hands, she read a lawyer’s logo and company name on the front. Inside were what appeared to be legit marriage papers—ante-nuptial marriage contract bearing her signature.

  Dated today.

  She screamed, the horrific sound echoing around her.

  Theo ran into the room. “Are you all right?”

  “Get out! Just get out.”

  “Out of the house?”

  “For now, that would be wonderful. Until I’ve got the divorce papers together. Then, out of my life.”

  He backtracked out of the room. Relief coursed through her, bringing her galloping heart to a more stable condition. A choking feeling clogged her throat, and sweat prickled her neck. She waited to hear the door being opened then closed.

  She focused on the bureau! Oh no! “Wait!” She ran to find him, the front door clicking shut as she reached it. “Wait, I need your help.”

  “With what?” For the first time, he sounded irritated.

  “To carry the bureau down to my car.”

  Silence behind the door. She opened it. He stood with his back to her. She didn’t deserve his help and had a cheek to ask, but didn’t he have a major cheek coming into her life like that, forcing her to be his wife? They didn’t live in the nineteenth century with arranged marriages. People married when they wanted. Well, in most countries. On the news, once, she’d seen some young brides being pledged in a religious cult, and the thought made her shiver with revulsion.

  “Only one thing.” He turned to face her.

  He replied? How kind of him.

  Before her stood a man who didn’t match the horrible feelings she had for him. He was incredibly handsome with his half-buttoned white cotton shirt contrasting his bronzed skin, and a slight grin spreading across his face. His gorgeous green eyes with grey flecks sparkled and seemed flooded with memories she wanted to delve into. His gaze shot electricity into her—a gaze filled with need. Why did he want her so much?

  Hold on. Want me? How could he? He doesn’t even know me.

  She turned away. “Don’t get any ideas.”

  He followed her to the study.

  “Help me unpack the bureau. Put my papers on that computer desk there.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Sarcastic teasing dripped from his tone. He placed her manuscripts where she’d indicated. “What is all the stuff?”

  “My writing.”

  “What do you write?”

  “Isn’t that pretty obvious?” She sighed while moving her bird ornaments onto the shelf on the wall. How sad to take them off. No, she would not keep the bureau, with its twisted magic. It had placed a curse on her life that wouldn’t be easy to shake, especially when her mom’s words drummed on her brain.

  You promised! A promise is forever.

  Didn’t it only apply when you meant the promise? When you didn’t know it could actually happen, you wouldn’t have promised it?

  Of course.

  So, she wasn’t bound to it.

  “By the way….” He peered over her shoulder at one of the bird ornaments.

  His nearness gave her a funny, tingly sensation between her legs. His hands on her body would feel so good, groping and fondling her. Hell! She closed her eyes to ground herself, determined to get rid of him.

  “The divorce won’t work.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Her voice came out all husky and sexy—not at all matching how she should respond to the newest bombshell he’d dropped on her.

  “Why not? I’m getting rid of the thing. Your magic will have no power over me.”

  “Ahh, it will.”

  He slid his hands down her arms, and she sucked in a breath. Heat seared through her limbs. Fiery, foreign lust she’d never experienced before. He’d touched her, making it very hard to push him away.

  She was a strong woman. She’d been the mother of her sisters and cared for an ailing aunt in her early twenties. She had the willpower of a mountain climber.

  She yanked away, dropping her favorite bird. The barn swallow fell to the wooden floor and broke into several pieces. “No.”

  “I’m sorry.” He bent to collect the parts. “I’ll glue them together.”

  He knelt at her feet, his broad shoulders a mile wide. Forget the bird. She wanted to run her fingers along his muscles, under the shirt, and feel his skin. Just a small taste, a tiny feel of him. A sample to remember once she’d kicked him out.

  What? Are these foreign responses part of the curse?

  No, she couldn’t believe in such nonsense as curses. Since when do I believe in magic? Yet, where did Theo come from? Oh, how confusing. “Excuse me.”

  She went to the bathroom and locked the door. She messaged Leonora on her cell phone.

  Joanie: You have to come over right away.

  Leonora: Are you okay? Did he rape you? What’s going on? Must I call the ambulance?

  Joanie: No, I’m fine. I need to know if I’m imagining him, that’s all.

  Leonora: Who?

  Joanie: Theo. The man in my house. Please come right away. He says I’m married to him.

  Leonora: I’m coming.

  She sat on the closed toilet lid, willing her pulse to calm. How had she gotten herself into this mess?

  Twenty minutes later, the doorbell chimed. Leonora.

  When Joanie came out of the bathroom, she glanced in the study to check on Theo. He bent over her desk, fiddling with something. The bird, maybe. How sweet.

  She flung the front door open, gripped Leonora’s arm, and dragged her into the house. “I’m so relieved you came.”

  Her friend peered at her with concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “It feels like it. Maybe I have.”

  Leonora glanced around. “Where is he?”

  “In the study.”

  She pulled her friend along b
ehind her, half-expecting her to demand, Where is the man you’re talking about?

  Leonora peeked through the doorway and gasped. “He’s gorgeous.”

  “What?” Joanie strode to him.

  He’d found her superglue and fixed the bird. Glancing up, he wiped the porcelain knickknack with a cloth then glanced up at Leonora. He gave an easy and charming smile. “Hi. I’m Theo.”

  He shook her friend’s hand, his every movement oozing hot manhood.

  A goofy grin filled the brunette’s face. “I’m Leonora, Joanie’s work colleague and friend. When did you two meet?”

  “Officially, tonight, but I’ve known Joanie for a while. Been in her head, if you know what I mean.”

  Leonora shook her head. “Not at all.”

  Yeah, he’d been in her head as the hero of her novel. That’s all. She couldn’t quite tell her friend about her writing, could she? That could explain his strange statements. To a degree.

  “Let’s sit down. Maybe another cup of coffee? I’ll make it.” Theo stood, his bulky form dwarfing both women and causing Joanie’s breath to become shallow. He would be a good bodyguard—a strong man to guard her at night when she heard sounds outside or a police car siren on her street. Maybe she’d sleep better ….

  Not a good reason to lose her freedom.

  Was the magic bewitching her and changing her to want him to stay?

  The thought frightened her more than anything else so far. She craved her freedom more than anything in the whole world, and she would never let a temporary temptation steal that from her.

  “Where did you find him?” Leonora whispered to her as they sat opposite one another in the living room. “It’s so good to finally see you interested in someone for a change. He is kind of odd, though.”

  “Odd puts it mildly. The guy says I’m his wife.”

  “I heard that.” Theo entered the room, a pained, almost offended expression on his face.

  How dare he be sensitive? A chunky, strong man like him should be a clumsy bulldog.

  “You’re married?” Leonora spoke with a maternal tone, as if to say you’d better watch out.

  “Yep.” He nodded.

  Her friend wouldn’t be charmed even by a sex symbol, if he spoke drivel. Leonora analyzed financials—she thought in facts, not feelings. Yet, she acted all woman. She’d been trying to hook her up with a guy for years. “So, where are the documents?”

  Heat pooled in her cheeks and neck. “Um, I’ll get them.” She gave her friend a desperate look, as if somehow she could convince her the documents were fraudulent. Her friend would know—she’d not only studied finance but also law and contracted out at the office for some basic legal work.

  Her legs jelly, she made her way to her computer desk to fetch the offending folder. How could she explain the unexplainable to her friend? Maybe she did believe in magic. Very unlikely Leonora would, though.

  She placed the folder on her friend’s lap. “I don’t know where these papers came from. I found them in the bureau I bought from the antique shop. That’s the problem. It’s the furniture. It has a curse.”

  Leonora studied the documents. She lifted her head and stared at her friend. “What haven’t you been telling me?”

  “This document just appeared. He must have planted it there. Is it fraudulent?” Maybe, it wasn’t as legit as it seemed. Leonora could find a loophole, and then she wouldn’t even have to file for a divorce. “How much does it cost to get a divorce nowadays?”

  Her friend stared at the documents for a long few seconds, maybe even a minute. Theo sipped his coffee as though the whole world hadn’t come crumbling down on her. The creep.

  Her coffee had curdled in her stomach, and she resisted the need to hurl out her supper.

  “Whatever you’ve done is done, my friend.” Hurt flashed in Leonora’s eyes.

  “I promise. I never married him. It’s the magic.”

  “What magic?” Leonora sounded tired, even irritated. She sighed and stood. “Seems you’re going to need some real magic to open your eyes, girl. You’ve gone and got yourself a husband, a cute one, too, and there’s no easy way out of it. Or quick way, I should say. What were you thinking?” Were those tears in her eyes? “You were always the sensible one, the one we looked up to as careful and level-headed. The girls at the office knew you wouldn’t jump into a relationship because you were lonely or bored, that you would take time to choose the right guy when you found him. It impressed me you were quite happy to live on your own, content with your own company and complete in yourself. Well, I’m disappointed you’re none of those things. Instead, you’re quite happy to bond yourself to some hunk just because he has big biceps, cute green eyes, and a killer smile. You didn’t even tell me you’d met someone after all we’ve been through together. I thought we shared everything.”

  “I don’t keep secrets, and you know it.” Tears blurred her vision. They were best friends, and the bond they shared surpassed anything she’d ever known. She’d lost her freedom plus the respect of her friend. How come she hadn’t known Leonora thought all those wonderful things about her? If only she’d mentioned them before.

  “I’m going. I can see you don’t need me.” Rising, she dumped the folder onto her seat then waved at the mugs. “Enjoy your coffee, guys.”

  Joanie tugged on her sleeve. “Don’t go. Please Lee, don’t leave me with him.”

  She shook her head, her eyes dark, her expression hard, like the way she glared at some of the people at work who made stupid mistakes or messed up important contracts with customers. “You married him. You’ll have to live with your mistake.”

  A cry escaped then waves of sobs took over. Leonora turned away from her and walked out the door. Did the magic make her react so harsh and not believe me? Or maybe the magic made me seem dumb in her eyes? She’s my best friend. How could she treat me like that?

  Chapter Four

  Theo frowned. This isn’t going the way I’d planned.

  A strangled sound came from the hallway. He rushed to Joanie and found her slumped on the floor, sobbing her heart out. Pain seared through his gut. He’d caused all the hurt. Maybe he shouldn’t have used the magical chest of drawers. He’d thought the magic would make the woman want to be married to him. I’d never force anyone to marry me.

  Yes, he’d tried to persuade her to go with it, but things had progressed too far to be right. That was why he’d walked out the door when she’d told him to leave. When she asked for help with the bureau and then her bird ornament had broken on the floor, he couldn’t exactly disappear.

  Her friend Leonora had made the whole situation awkward. She’d knocked Joanie into the ground without hesitation, and the deep hurt had rubbed salt into the wound of his guilt. He should have stood up for her. What could he say, though? That he’d forced her into marrying him? Not quite what had happened.

  Maybe he should return the chest of drawers along with her bureau to the antique shop tomorrow. The magic could take them back in time and erase the whole embarrassing situation. Well, he hoped.

  Soft sobs shuddered through her. He couldn’t leave her like that, in a sad heap on the floor.

  He sank down next to her and gripped her knee. She flinched and moved away as though his touch repulsed her. He couldn’t quite blame her.

  He didn’t want to leave yet. The things Leonora had said about Joanie made him curious. That she’d felt complete on her own. Content with her own company. Cautious and sensible. All the qualities he lacked. Maybe he could learn a couple of things from her. Like how to stop jumping from one shallow relationship to the next. How to settle down with one person, or even be content to be single.

  Every time he looked at her, his breath hitched. Her blonde hair rested as golden silk on her shoulders. Even though she wore no makeup, her soft complexion drew him, stirred a need inside him more ferocious than he’d experienced with any other woman. A need to taste her, feel her, and explore her. It consumed him. He couldn’t
imagine anyone else— Wait, maybe it’s me who’s under a spell.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She jerked her gaze to his. Her face glistened with damp trails, her cheeks flushed red, and stray golden strands stuck to the tears near her eyes. He itched to brush them away yet resisted. Close up, her skin appeared flawless and smooth, and her sweet blue eyes drew him in.

  The magic had done one good thing—chosen the perfect woman for him. He’d been drinking in her beauty like a sponge since he’d arrived. Even when livid, she was the most perfectly sculpted female he’d ever laid eyes on. Curvy, dainty legs peeked from beneath her robe. A hint of cleavage and the shape of her gown on her body gave him an indication of how ripe and pert her breasts were. She had a good essence about her, he could tell, despite her venom toward him.

  None of this is gonna work. His chest tightened. So, why am I disappointed? I hardly know her.

  “What are you sorry about? That you’ve forced yourself into my life, taken away my freedom, and made my very best friend turn her back on me?”

  “I wanted to help you move the bureau.”

  She hiccupped as the sobs continued to shake her body. Tendrils of gold flopped over her silky earlobes. “You made out that the magic would keep us together no matter what.”

  He groaned. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m as disgusted as you with this whole fiasco. I’m returning the chest of drawers tomorrow. See if I can reverse the whole thing.”

  Her eyes widened, and relief swept across her features. Why did that hurt? No, he didn’t want her to be made to love him despite the urge to take her right there and kiss her senseless. Those lips, pink and plump, drew him like a magnet.

  “Really?”

  “I didn’t make us married. The magic gave me my fantasy, although I never dreamt of forcing a woman to be my wife. I thought…. Maybe there’s a problem with the magic somewhere.”

  “There must be.” Her voice sounded different, soft and pliable. Not defensive and angry—the only tone he knew from her. He found his face close to hers. The scent of sleep, lemony shampoo, and soft woman filled him. He moved closer, stopping short of his lips touching hers. His cock hardened.