Provoked (Forbidden Crush #2)

Chapter 11

11

Oh dear. When Danvers steps through the front door behind Fred and a somber gentleman in a cowboy hat, my hands go clammy. At best, this is going to be embarrassing. Danvers gives me a squinty-eyed look, but I firm my chin and stare back at him. He barely knows me — who is he to judge? The other man draws my attention by pulling the large black Stetson from his head. I blink. He doesn’t look like a cowboy. Danvers does, but his head is bare this time. I’m so confused.

“Ingrid, this is Judge Simons and I hear you’ve met Danvers, who will be our second witness,” Fred informs me in his gravelly smoker’s voice. Which means it comes out sounding menacing, but the more time I spend with Fred, the more I want to adopt him as family. I bet if someone dared to hand Fred a baby, he would absolutely melt.

I dry my hands on the dishtowel and nod. “Let me just go get the rings. I’ll meet you in…” I was about to say Justin’s room, but I don’t want to shed any suspicion on the nature of ou r relationship. My white sundress has seen better days, but it’s the closest thing I have in my available wardrobe. And besides, wearing a real wedding dress while sitting on a bed next to an invalid might look like trying too hard.

Thankfully, Fred takes over. “This way, gentlemen,” he gestures towards the staircase, then leads the way.

I take three deep breaths and head up behind them, detouring to my workroom, which is also where I’ve been sleeping while Justin has my bed. I have the two wedding rings polished and waiting. I slip them onto the ivory display pillow so it will give the whole thing more of a sense of ceremony and head into the next chapter of my life.

Or sort of. None of it seems out of the ordinary, really. Danvers stands lounging against the far wall, staring at Justin, who’s glaring back from the bed. Danvers quirks an eyebrow in my direction. “I thought you said he was your lawyer,” he drawls, his voice full of suspicion.

“He is,” I answer breezily. “And I finally won the argument.”

Even the judge smiles at that one. Justin rolls his eyes, which plays into my stubborn attorney story, which is why I went that direction. I crawl onto the bed and snuggle into Justin’s side so the judge can face us from the foot of the bed. Judge Simons doesn’t even blink at doing a bedside ceremony. I wonder if that comes up often?

Danvers is just beyond the judge in my line of sight, so I keep one eye on him while we do the standard vows. His body language says he’s finally buying into it, but I know that the kiss could make or break us. Not that Danvers is likely to have any connection to Margot, but he’s tied to this community. So if word gets out that something’s fishy, it will be known everywhere, and she’s likely to hear of it.

I blink a little when I slide the ring I made onto Justin’s finger. It looks right, and it feels a little like he’s accepted me and my claim on his heart. Even though I know most of that is an illusion, it still feels that way.

“You may kiss the bride,” Judge Simons says, sounding the most cheerful of the entire ceremony. Is that because it’s almost over, or is he a closet romantic? I’m going with that, given the hat. I lean down so Justin can kiss me from his semi-reclined position. I’m expecting just a dutiful peck on the lips, but what I get is unexpected. Maybe he too thinks a good impression needs to be made for our audience.

His lips close over mine with a sweet firmness that has my fingers threading through his dark hair to keep him close. It feels like a lifetime passes by in an instant. One where I learn more about Justin than I ever dared imagine, and I don’t want it to end. When he finally pulls back, there’s an odd glint in his green eyes that has me biting my lip and blushing.

Fred coughs, and I force my attention away from Justin’s searching gaze. The judge hands us paperwork to sign and Danvers says goodbye after scrawling his signature across the bottom. I try to peek at it to see if that’s his last name or his first, but all I can make out is Danvers, with some extra squiggles at the front and the back. Huh.

I gave Fred my cell phone earlier so he could snap a few pictures. I’m not expecting much, although he is trained in taking surveillance photos. But I’m surprised when I open the camera roll to see how romantic the pictures are. The rings, our hands clasped, and then the kiss. Oh, my. Anyone seeing that would swear this was the love match of the century. I giggle to myself as the phrase from the book I’m reading pops into my head. Except Kitty got a wedding night, even if she thought she didn’t want one. And I know better than to expect that.

“What’s so funny?” Justin growls. I show him my phone, but he only stares at it then at me, before turning back to Fred.

“You’ll go get that filed at the courthouse now? ”

“On my way. They’re open for another couple of hours, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Better head out all the same, but circle back if you see anything suspicious on the access road.”

“Yes, boss,” Fred answers wryly with a satirical salute. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one subject to Justin’s bossiness. Fred does, after all, have considerably more experience than Justin in navigating dangerous situations. But Fred doesn’t correct him or even seem that upset so…

Before I lose my nerve, I send three of the photos to Rose, along with the snarky comment,

Look what I did on my summer vacation!

I almost didn’t include the one of the kiss, but honestly I want her opinion on all this. And I know as soon as she sees it, she’s going to call. So I head down the hall to my workroom and put on some light music to disguise the conversation. Finally, I sit down on the bed to wait impatiently.

I don’t have long to wait. It’s not more than a minute before Rose is screeching in my ear, “Ingrid Winters! What the hell is going on and why haven’t you been keeping me up to date? There’s no way you just up and married that man without something major happening first.”

I wait for her to sputter to a pause. “Margot tried to kill him, Rose. He almost died.”

She’s quiet for a long minute. “Seriously? But shouldn’t that go to the police? How is marrying him helping with that? Surely, that just makes everything worse.”

“She was trying to kill him to take over my trust, but now that I’m married, I get the money instead. ”

“And so does Justin,” she responds accusingly.

“Not really. I mean yes, but he wants me to put things in place for other beneficiaries. I did suggest your baby, but he said you might not like that.” I cringe, waiting for her reply, hoping Justin got it right, and she’s not mortally offended.

“That’s a really sweet thought, Ing. But Aiden’s acceptance of me making more money than he does is already pushing the limits of his pride. Adding on a millionaire best friend funding our children probably wouldn’t go over so well. But Junior and I appreciate the thought,” she says carefully.

I sigh, silently giving Justin credit for calling that correctly. “I get it, but I reserve the right to buy Junior a pony if he or she ever asks their favorite aunt.”

Rose snickers. “Now tell me all the details. Does this mean Justin has declared his undying love for you?”

“Err, no. But I’m mildly hopeful that maybe I can convince him? Once he’s feeling better anyway. Any tips?”

“For seducing an older man who’s convinced you’re too young and gets all growly when you argue back? Gee, let me think,” I can hear her laughing with me despite the sarcastic comment. “Don’t do what I did. Because Aiden isn’t Justin. And because we got married after we worked out most of the issues.”

“So, if you were me, what would you do?”

“Maybe start with asking him what his plans are? I mean, is he going to go back to New York and leave you in Montana? Or is he thinking he’s finally got you back in his penthouse, where he wanted you all along?”

“But shouldn’t that wait until I know…”

“No, Ing. It shouldn’t. If you aren’t on the same page, then you’ll be working at cross-purposes and then there will be the big nasty blow out with lots of tears and I’m way too pregnant to come get you.”

I grin even while wiping away a tear of frustration because she’s right. Ignoring the differences between us will not lead Justin and me straight to a happily ever after. But I was enjoying the fantasy, damn it.

“Okay. I know you’re right, even if I don’t like it.”

“Oh, cheer up. You’ve already done the impossible and put a ring on it.” Rose chuckles and then gasps. “Oh, fuck.”

“Rose?”

“I think Junior doesn’t want to miss your next update. I need to go, babe. Aiden’s still at the hospital, but I think I’d better call him now!” Her voice ends in a screech of pain, and I eye the phone with concern. She’s already hung up. I bite my lip, wondering if there’s something I should do. Can do even. I don’t have Aiden’s number and I don’t know anyone in her new town. I send her a quick text.

Let me know you’re okay? And the baby?

It’s not long before I get a thumbs up, but since it’s followed by a clown face, I’m not sure if that means something or if she’s all thumbs. But at least she hasn’t hit her head.

Unconsciously I start pacing, first in my workroom, but when it’s not quite big enough, I move to the hallway. At least until Justin calls out, “Ingrid, whatever are you doing?”

He sounds both curious and frustrated, so I lean my head into his room to make sure he’s okay. He’s pushed up against the pillows a little farther than before. He looks more relaxed than he did this morning. Was he really that concerned about getting married?

“Rose is about to have her baby,” I inform him.

His eyebrows go up. “And that means you need to pace like an expectant father?”

I flush with embarrassment. “I’m worried about her, okay? She started almost screaming before she hung up the phone.”

Justin’s expression softens ever so slightly. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Why don’t you tell me why you read romantic crap like this?”

He holds up the book I was trying to find earlier in the day. Oops, guess I left it in here.

“It’s not romantic crap. It’s a delicious Regency romance, and that duke is going to get his comeuppance.”

“He’s getting something,” Justin says dryly. “Ingrid… are you still a virgin?”

I flush beet red. I know because I can feel the heat sweeping over my cheeks. “What difference does that make?”

“I’m a little concerned that you think this is a realistic depiction of sex.”

I sniff and hold my nose up high. “Tell me something, Justin. When was the last time you had sex with a woman you were in love with?”

I hold my breath, waiting for him to answer. The little voice inside my head is frantically chanting, Please don’t say Margot, please don’t say Margot .

Justin frowns and purses his lips. “I can’t say as that’s ever happened. I’m far too busy to throw love into the mix.”

My heart breaks a little more for him, but that doesn’t stop me from crying out with vindication, “Ha! Then you don’t know what’s realistic about that any more than I do. You’re a love virgin, Justin Wilde.”

The look of astonishment that crosses his face is absolutely priceless. Until he contains himself once again. “Come here, Ingrid,” he orders peremptorily.