by Debra Holt
The judge asked for a simple response. Angie was relieved she found her voice. A soft “I do” wafted through the silence of the room. Jace’s words were spoken with more conviction in deeper tones… a seal of a promise. She ventured a glance at him from beneath her lashes, but his gaze was straight ahead, on the officiant. A slight shiver went through her body and she dropped her eyes. Jace must have sensed the tremor because his fingers applied a subtle pressure around her hand. A calm settled over her as she stood beside him, her shoulder barely touching his arm. She could do this.
“Now with the power vested in me by the state of New Mexico,” the jurist intoned, “I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, young man.” The robed figure concluded with an expectant smile upon the pair.
Angie froze to the spot. This part was not in “the plan”, which had been thoroughly discussed before she agreed to any of it. It was too late. She raised her head to look at Jace as he turned towards her, one strong arm sliding around her back with his hand lightly cupping the back of her neck under thick hair. In slow motion, she watched as his lips dipped to hers. Grabbing the front of his jacket with her hands, she sought to steady herself.
Angie had been kissed before. Nothing came close to the touch of this man’s lips on hers. It was firm and yet a hint of gentleness softened it. It was a commitment… that moved quickly into a tender promise of infinite possibilities. It only lasted a few moments so how could a brief kiss pack such a punch? From the top of her head to the tip of her toes, he had electrified her. Something, she wasn’t certain what, but something felt alive inside her.
She blinked repeatedly to focus as he pulled away from her. Angie could not fathom the look in his incredible silver-charged eyes before they left hers. Thankfully, he turned away from her and extended a hand of thanks to the judge, allowing Angie time to retrieve her poor secondhand bouquet from the woman behind her and compose a smile of her own.
A few minutes later, after more well-wishing and congratulatory smiles and laughter, they escaped from the judge’s family. The rain had stopped and just as they reached their vehicle, Angie looked skyward to find a hint of fading sunlight breaking through the clouds. Across the sky above them, a rainbow made its colorful arc. She hesitated a moment with one foot on the running board, her eyes transfixed on the site. Jace took note and followed her gaze.
“Father Sky has sent us a blessing. It’s a good omen for the future.” Jace spoke the words with a mixture of amusement and surprise.
She cast him a thoughtful look. “Omen equals ominous in my crystal ball.” Angie slid into her seat and shut the door behind her.
Jace pulled his hat lower on his forehead. Another storm was not far off.
*
The deed had been done. The piece of legal parchment, signed and sealed, rested in the hands of the county clerk. The return trip to the hotel was a bit strained, to say the least, in the conversation department. Rain began pouring from the heavens again just as they arrived back in their honeymoon suite. Their marriage was no longer a fantasy. It was the real thing, at least for the present. An hour later, remains of their room service meal sat on the table before them.
Jace’s fingers absently twirled the stem of a champagne glass on the table as he mused over what was a strange ending to an even stranger day. The bottle of champagne awaited them on their return from the judge’s home. It was compliments of the Jacksons and delivered by the same grinning bellhop. If Jace had to see his face once more that evening, it might not bode well for the teen.
What would one toast of the bubbly hurt? Jace popped the cork. It wasn’t every day that a man got married. His lips moved into a half smile at the incongruous pair they made.
Angie Lord… correction… Angelina Lord Blackhawke… sat across from him. Gone was the silk shantung suit and Prada heels. Her face had been scrubbed clean of makeup and a fresh glow made her appear younger than her thirty years. The long tresses of hair were tied in a ponytail away from her face.
She sat cross-legged in the chair, feet bare, dressed in blue flannel pajama bottoms, a New York Jets tee shirt a couple of sizes too big for her, and topped with a terry robe of some fuzzy yellow material that was wrapped snuggly around her middle. Not exactly the typical picture of a starry-eyed bride on her wedding night.
Problem was, Jace found her even more appealing than if she had been sitting across from him in a slinky nightgown. Cool it. He quickly blocked those types of thoughts. That would get him nowhere fast, except maybe under a cold shower. Her large green eyes with their withering glances had already put him in his place when she had exited the bathroom. It was a clear “hands off.” From those incredibly descriptive eyes to the ramrod stiffness of her back, as she had taken the chair across the table from him, she had made the situation clear. All he had to do was remember the terms she had set forth when they sealed their agreement with a handshake.
Jace should have been pleased with himself at that point in the evening. The plan had been put into place. All they had to do was continue their ruse over the next few weeks and all would be fine. How hard could it be? Indeed. Except the memory of the feel of her lips under his as they had sealed their vows came back in vivid Technicolor more than once during the evening. Not only that, but the feel of her spontaneous response and the brief look of heated passion that had clouded her eyes when he had released the kiss… well, those kinds of thoughts would not do well if this marriage was to stay “on paper only” per the terms she had set forth.
Jason Blackhawke had kissed his fair share of women. The volt of electric current that coursed through his loins at the touch of her lips had issued huge, red “Danger Ahead” warning signs in his mind. He needed to remain in control of the situation and his emotions. No complications. At least no more than they already had to face.
“We need to get an early start in the morning.” Setting his glass down, Jace stood, needing to put some space between them and stave off the strange feeling of nervous energy settling around him. He worked to keep an even tone in his voice despite where his thoughts raced. Gathering his own toiletry bag from his suitcase, he moved to take his turn in the bathroom. About to exit the room, he noticed Angie had left her own chair and was obviously searching for something… moving magazines, raising pillows, checking under furniture.
“Lose something?”
“The remote control for the television… did you see it?” She kept searching.
“Maybe you can’t find it because there’s no television in here.” Jace pointed that fact out with an amused smile on his face, one shoulder propped against the doorway.
Her head popped up as her search stopped. Angie took a long look around the room, hands on her hips.
“What sort of hotel doesn’t have a television in their rooms? How do you get the news around here? Carrier pigeon?”
“This is the honeymoon suite. There’s usually not much need of a television.” He enjoyed watching the way the pink blush covered her cheeks as she caught the meaning in his words.
His blatant amusement obviously irritated Angie… something that he was fast becoming an expert at doing. The blush was replaced by a flash of green fire lighting her eyes. In the next moment, Jace had to make a quick sidestep through the doorway as one of the sofa’s pillows whizzed past him with a good deal of force.
*
Once Angie had fallen asleep, she slept like a log. But it hadn’t come fast. After Jace had left her alone, she had jumped into the round-shaped bed and wiggled her body down under the covers, trying to ignore the mirrored image of herself in the ridiculous bed. Her eyes were shut, but her ears were alert to the sound of the bathroom door opening. She heard the click of the light and the room went dark.
Angie kept her back turned to his movements. She held her breath as she sensed he had come to stand close to the bed. Was he looking down at her? She expected any moment to feel his side of the bed sag beneath his weight. She waited. In a few moments,
sounds floated over to her from across the room. Angie couldn’t contain herself any longer. She opened one eye and ventured a peek. Jace had maneuvered his long frame onto the too short couch and pulled the chair up to allow his long legs to rest on it. Even the blanket was too small to provide much comfort.
For a moment, she felt a pang of remorse… but only for a moment. Served him right to be miserable all night. He had made his bed, so to speak, and now he could lay in it. She closed her eyes again and proceeded to block the man across the room from her mind… something that was easier said than done.
Chapter Three
“It’s time to rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”
The voice was much too loud and jovial. It did serve to wake her though. Her eyelids rose slowly. The shabby room began to take shape. When everything came back into focus, she slowly sat upright in the bed. Her eyes adjusted to first see Jason Blackhawke, her husband. Seated across from her in the chair, he had a newspaper open on his lap, and a coffee mug beside him on the table. How dare he look so good at such an early hour of the morning? Freshly starched jeans, a pearl gray long-sleeved western shirt, open comfortably at the neck around the strong column of tanned skin. Just stop right there. Angie needed coffee and a huge dose of self-control.
What time was it exactly, anyway? She glanced to the bedside table but no sign of her watch or a clock radio for that matter. She finally verbalized her need for information.
Jason looked up from his paper. He smiled far too easily. “It’s 6:05… in the morning,” he responded, adding the last for good measure.
“Are you serious?!” Angie’s eyes were wide open. “Who gets up at this ridiculous hour?”
Was that a hint of silver devilment in his return gaze? What could be so amusing so early in the morning?
“Sunrise and sunset are the best times of the day. How do you take your coffee? I’ll get you some while you shower. We need to be on the road soon.”
“I’ll take your word on the sunrise part of that statement,” she replied, moving her hair out of her eyes. She had no idea what she looked like at this hour, but it was a little late to worry about that. It wasn’t like she was trying to impress anyone. However, at the mention of coffee, a spark of interest began to take hold.
“Black, with three sugars, please.” She saw the amused lift of his brow. “Okay, so I have a sweet tooth.”
“Duly noted,” he replied. “Be back in ten minutes. You should be ready by then.”
Was that a joke? Well if it was, he would find it was on him. The door closed behind Jace before she dragged the covers off and attempted to meet the dawn of a new day… as a wife.
*
The air had been washed clean by the rain storm of the previous evening. The morning sky was fresh, bright blue with no clouds in sight. A new day ahead. The thought brought a smile to her face as Angie stepped onto the curbside in front of the hotel, her lungs filling with a deep breath of the air. The ten minutes Jace had mentioned in the room had stretched into forty-five minutes. She wasn’t about to apologize.
“Your chariot awaits, Mrs. Blackhawke.”
Those amused words wiped the smile from her face. Angie turned her head in the direction from which they came.
The familiar black SUV was parked a few feet away. Jason Blackhawke lounged against the front grill work, black-booted feet crossed. It was almost the same pose she had seen him in on that first day they met. Had it only been a few days ago? Angie pointedly ignored how just the sight of him could so easily impede her thought process. She supposed this was what the females in Santa Fe found so attractive? A mysterious hunk of a man, strong and silent, with those unusual eyes which saw far more than a person wanted. He would be all theirs again soon enough.
*
Jace schooled himself to stay in control of any and all situations. As a federal law officer, it was part and parcel of his job. However, he had to admit this was a special “case”. He also had a feeling that Angelina Lord would make an entrance any place she went. Jace allowed his gaze, shielded by the dark lenses, to linger and enjoy the vision moving toward him.
Angie wore a bright fuchsia top with ruffled V-neck and long sleeves edged with more ruffles. The open front of the white jacket set the color off to effect, along with the slim white slacks that emphasized long, slender legs, which ended in fuchsia sandals. All that magnificent hair was now secured on top of her head with just a few wispy tendrils touching her neck and cheeks. In one word… wow. His mouth moved to set in a grim line. Jace never considered his smart plan might just backfire on him.
Angie moved toward the car’s side door and waited. Placing the dark glasses on her eyes and adjusting the shoulder bag, she sent an impatient look his way.
“I thought we were in a hurry?”
He shook off the daze his thoughts had fallen into at her appearance. Jace needed to stay on his guard around this woman. Without a word, he stepped over and opened her door for her. He caught the soft hint of perfume as she moved past him, and the scent made something catch in his pulse. It brought a memory to mind of moonlight and roses along the patio walls of his home. What now? Was he going to wax poetic over a female? This was going to be a long trip in more ways than one.
*
The first hour or so of the ride mimicked the previous day’s drive. Silence stretched, as did the road. Why did she feel the need to speak?
“You’re the strong, silent type, aren’t you?”
Gray eyes narrowed as they skimmed over the length of her body. “And you are not the meek, mild type you first appeared,” Jace Blackhawke replied, his eyes moving back to the road in front of them.
Great… I’ve married a real caveman. Guess that’s what I get for marrying someone I just met. Angie threw an exasperated glance out the window beside her. Could the trip get any more unbelievable? In the space of three weeks, the world as she had known it had turned upside down.
She had travelled from New York to New Mexico… via a detour or two in Texas; served as maid of honor at her best friend’s surprise wedding; met and married the best man… a man she did not know existed until six days ago. Angie couldn’t believe she had gone along with this crazy plan of his. When he had mentioned the word “marry”, she should have run screaming in the opposite direction.
The silence was deafening in the large, black SUV. Well, she had never been one to be silent for long. Let’s try this again.
“How long will it take us to arrive in Santa Fe?”
“We should make it by early evening barring any other detours.”
Was that his feeble attempt at sarcastic humor? She slid a glance his way. He didn’t look amused. He looked… well he looked way too good. The man had a strong profile; and he was very tall with broad shoulders; could certainly fill out a pair of denim jeans better than any male she had ever met, but his eyes were what she had first noticed.
The unusual color had drawn her on the first day of their meeting. They had grabbed her attention in the first seconds, across the open space between them. She had never seen gray eyes that could change as fast as lightning to shards of glittering quicksilver. They were quite a contrast framed by long, dark lashes against the deeply tanned skin of his rugged face. Sexy devil eyes… that description had branded itself in her brain. They could draw her in and then she was captured in the silver gaze that gave nothing away of the thoughts of the man. He hadn’t allowed her to gaze at them too long before he had brought the shades out of his shirt pocket and they disappeared from her view.
Yes, her new “husband” was quite something… if she were a female to be swayed by such things. She supposed any female would apply the term “hunk” to him. Well she was not any female, thank goodness. She was just his wife.
“Detours. I’ve heard that one before,” Angie muttered more to herself than anyone else. “I could write a book on…” She stopped, noting the non-interested tilt of his head. Change of subject. “I heard someone mention at Kaitlyn and Cla
y’s wedding that you’re part Indian. Is that correct? I’ve never met one before.”
A muscle twitched beside his mouth. “Sorry. I left my feathers and bow and arrows at home this trip.”
Okay, maybe not a good choice of subject. Although a brief image of him flashed though her mind at that moment… colorful head dress, war paint, sitting on his horse as those silver eyes coldly surveyed the distant plains for a fresh scalp to take. The raven black hair would be loose, not secured at the back of his neck with a leather tie as it was now; his incredible cheekbones would be set in a proud mask. Was the heater on? It was getting too warm inside the vehicle. Another subject change.
“Their wedding was beautiful… small and intimate. The country setting was perfect.”
“No doubt you would prefer something on a grander scale.”
“Excuse me?” Her brows knitted in consternation. Was that a rebuke of some sort?
“You just seem the type to expect a ballroom, tall ice sculptures, and a dress with a ten-foot-long train.”
How dare he make such assumptions about her? Jason Blackhawke might be a hotshot United States Marshal, but he didn’t have the first clue about who she was or wasn’t.
“Not even close, Mr. Marshal. You have no idea what I would prefer, but you are way off on that one. If I thought about those things, I would choose a more personal affair, much the same as Clay and Kaitlyn’s. All of it would have special meaning for us, for my husband and me. That’s what a real wedding should be about.”
The man seemed almost interested. She saw the upturn of one corner of his mouth. It was slight, but still it was a change in the rugged façade. It also drew her attention to his lips. Which was not a place to go. Not after what transpired between them at the end of their own brief marriage ceremony the day before. Angie needed to keep that well out of her thoughts. They had agreed, had even shook hands on it earlier, the fact their marriage was “on paper only”. Kissing could lead to other things and that… well, that would be playing with an inferno.
