He leans down, whispering, “I do.”
“I know the line!” I bite out. What Idon’tknow is whether I’m dreaming or on drugs or maybe Kyran’s on drugs? Youcan’t just show up in the middle of the night, microwave a marshmallow, then springmarriageon a woman!
Kyran’s severe attention swallows me up. “Morana, this is very important.”
Yeah,Iknow that. Doesheknow that?
“Worst case scenario, divorce me. Since, you know, it’s so easy to back out of a whole entire commitment like this. Your words; not mine.”
I flush.
He turns his attention back to Peter. “Ask her again.”
Peter, a touch more awkwardly, repeats, “Morana Brook, do you take Kyran Bachelor to be your lawful spouse?”
Do I takeKyranas my husband? Do I take thisinsane manas my husband?
Perhaps a better question is, do I want to be with him forever and am I hopelessly attracted to him?Yes. Big hugeyes.
My stomach flips and swirls, full of midnight chocolate and a marshmallow, andemotions, which have never once served me well. Squeezing my eyes shut, I skydive with them. “I do.”
“By the authority vested in me by the laws of this state, I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Lisa and Geoff cheer, with varying levels of enthusiasm, then Peter’s turning paperwork toward us and telling me tosign here, very good. Everyone else gets a signature in before my, uh, neighbors? I guess. Congratulate me. Peter assures Kyran that he’ll process the paperwork in the morning and have the official marriage certificate sent to his home by the end of the week.
Then the whirlwind passes, and I am standing in my living room—in a dress I’ve only ever begrudgingly worn in front of one other person, because she made it—with my…husband.
I straighten, then a brief laugh leaves me. “Oh. Wow. That was…something, right?”
“Yep, very something.” He is still…holding my hand, apparently.
“Wild prank, e-boy.”
“Prank?”
A shaking smile lifts my mouth. “I never applied for a marriage license with you.”
“Oh, that.” He plays with my fingers. “I pulled some strings.”
My smile falls. “What?”
“Turns out, when you own a town, you can just show up and say you want a marriage license. All that matters is that we just signed it and the official copy will be mailed to us within the week.”
“So…we’re actually…”
“Husband and wife, yes.” His lips soften as he presses them to my knuckles.
My mind goes blank.
I am married…to a lunatic.
He laughs.
I tense.
Eyes warm, he murmurs, “I can’t believe you saidyes.”
Hecan’t believe I said yes?Ican’t believe I said yes. He knocked me off balance in the middle of the night.Thisis the kind of thing that happens in Vegas. We’re literally supposed to be so unbelievably drunk right now.
