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After several seconds Remi turned his lithe, powerful body towards hers, in a less than subtle command for her to speak her
vows.
‘I take thee, Remirez Alexander Montegova, to be my...husband...’
An exhalation from the crowd confirmed that hers wasn’t the only breath being held at that moment. A furtive glance at Remi showed his eyes burning deeply into her face. She quickly averted her gaze, focused on repeating the remaining vows that bound her irrevocably to him.
When his turn came he spoke his vows in deep, solemn tones, with no hesitation as he slipped the wedding band onto her finger. The last of her breath was strangled in her lungs when he lifted the veil off her face. With one finger tilting up her chin, his head descended, his intention to follow tradition an immutable certainty.
The kiss was firm, branding, but over in the briefest of seconds. Still, it drew gasps and sighs as he slid his arms around her and brought his mouth to her cheek.
‘Bravo—you played the game admirably. And it wasn’t such an ordeal, was it?’
She plastered on a smile but didn’t respond—because she couldn’t. The heavy weight of the platinum and diamond wedding ring on her finger kept her mute. But she managed to keep her smile in place as Remi walked her back down the aisle and throughout the elaborate banquet, the first dance and their ride through the streets.
By the time she re-entered her suite, to change her attire for the trip to the Amber Palace—the honeymoon residence passed down from Remi’s grandfather to him—her smile was frozen in place.
She’d barely touched her food, had taken no more than a few sips of the vintage champagne during the reception. Luckily no one had commented on her lack of appetite. They’d been too busy absorbing the news that Remi had truly married her, a commoner with unsavoury baggage in the form of a drug addict father and an absentee mother.
‘Is everything all right, Your Highness?’
Maddie started, the sound of the title automatically conferred upon her on marriage stealing her breath.
She managed a small nod. ‘I’m fine, thank you.’
Just a little bit longer, she told herself. Then there will be the night to deal with.
A different set of nerves assailed her. And it had nothing to do with the impending hot air balloon ride with Remi—the last event of their wedding ceremony—although that was daunting in itself.
When she’d learned of that aspect of the ceremony, she’d experienced a childlike thrill—right up until the moment it had dawned on her that the ride would culminate at the palace where she’d spend her wedding night.
Maddie couldn’t suppress the tremor that shook her. Remi desired her. Enough to overlook her complete inexperience? And for how long?
Pushing the questions out of her mind only worked until she once again came face to face with Remi.
He’d changed into a navy suit, with a pristine white shirt and a velvet bow tie. With his hair combed neatly, and a pass of the razor over his jaw, he was a sight to behold as he took her hand and led her across the immaculate lawn towards the giant hot air balloon emblazoned with the House of Montegova’s royal crest.
With one hand holding up the hem of her pale gold evening gown, she joined Remi in waving to their guests before they headed down the red carpet to board the basket.
Her every sense flared into awareness in the enclosed space as Remi stepped in behind her and signalled to the balloon technician. In minutes they were soaring into the sky, vintage champagne in hand.
The scene below her was breathtaking. Only one thing could have made this moment more special. If the man next to her had been truly and completely hers.
That thunderbolt of an admission froze her in place as Remi closed the gap between them. Strong arms arrived on either side of her, caging her in, and helplessly she breathed him in, unable to stop a shiver as his scent pervaded every atom of her being.
Her action drew a frowning look. ‘I’m sorry...’ he murmured solemnly.
Startled, she snapped her gaze to his and was imprisoned by fiercely gleaming eyes. ‘For what?’
‘I never asked whether you were okay with heights. We can land and go by car if you prefer?’
Maddie shook her head, drawing her gaze from his hypnotising one to the carpet of lights twinkling beneath them as the sun began to set.
‘I’m not afraid of heights. And it’s beautiful up here,’ she replied, taking a sip of champagne.
He merely nodded, but she felt his gaze resting on her.
‘How long is the flight?’ she asked, trying to dissipate the charged tension eddying around them.
