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Amie chuckled. “It’s not me you have to worry about. I greeted Aleks thinking it was Milton.” Amie watched as the two men exchanged words–heated words.
“Oh, I hope you weren’t totally naked.”
Amie looked down. “Not totally.”
“Just send him home.” Carrie sighed on the other end of the phone.
“It’s okay, Care. He just better be a fast learner.” A rumble of words drew Amie’s attention to the doorway. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Aleks strutted inside with a smile on his face. He always got his way.
“Can she at least cover herself?” Milton yelled.
“Of course. Amie, go and get a robe.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out some ribbon, pink and black.
After she had covered herself, Aleks ran through the important part–vows, rings. “Please join hands.”
Although they had touched many times, hand to hand, pelvis to pelvis, this time it meant a little more than they had agreed on. They both hesitated but followed Aleks’s instruction.
“As your hands are joined so are your lives.” Aleks slid the ribbon under their joined hands and tied it with a slipknot, reciting the rest of the ceremony. “As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.”
Bound? This wasn’t the plan she had for tonight. Casual. Fun. Sex. Not binding herself to a man she hardly knew, one who made every effort to keep women at a distance.
“Perfect!” Aleks screamed.
Amie, startled by his outburst, took a step back. She couldn’t go very far, not tied to the sexy man undressing her with his eyes at that very moment. When had the mood changed, his expression of annoyance, then boredom turned into a heated stare that tingled along her skin? She closed the edges of her robe a little tighter with her free hand.
“Thank you, guys. I needed to go through this, I’m freaking out.”
“Aleks, you’re going to do a great job.” Amie tried her best to reassure him. “Don’t worry.”
Milton pulled at the ribbon, undoing the slip knot. Was it so unbearable being tied to her? Right, he didn’t want a wife. He didn’t want to get married.
Aleks grabbed the ribbon and stuffed it back into his pocket.
“I’m sorry I interrupted. You guys go along with your plans.” Aleks gave them a wiggle of his eyebrow and headed to the door. As he stepped out into the hallway Aleks turned and looked at Milton. “My woman does some good work, doesn’t she?” He chuckled and gave Amie a quick wink then closed the door behind him.
Silence fell between them. Neither one wanted to be the first to speak. But it would get awkward…eventually. They just stood in the middle of the room.
Amie made a move to walk away, but Milton grabbed hold of her waist. His strong, warm hand held her in place but only for a second until he pulled, jerking her into his arms.
“I think we just got married,” he said in a low, sexy tone.
“He’s not licensed. We’re not married.”
“Maybe not in the eyes of the law, but that ceremony seemed pretty real to me.”
His body was warm against hers. The thin fabric of her satin robe stuck to her skin.
“I guess you’re right.” Technically, they could be considered married. The ritual itself was action enough, but she would never confirm that.
Milton whispered against her, “I don’t think getting our hands tied together was part of your plan for tonight.” Heat sparked inside her body. “I’m thinking you should put that plan into action. Starting with removing this robe.” He untied the knot of the belt then slowly eased it off her shoulders until it puddled on the floor around her feet. “I think I like the idea of being bound to you.”
His words made her tense in his arms. “You bound to anyone is a funny concept. Aren’t you the one who told me you don’t do long term?” Amie snorted, a cross between a scoff and a laugh. “You don’t want to get married because of your mother. And your brother-in-law.”
“What? I don’t think I want to talk about my mother while I’m picturing you naked.”
“It all makes sense now. I spoke with your sister. She told me about your mother dying. Her husband dying. No wonder why you feel like the burden falls all on you.”
