The Prince's Devious Proposal - Holly Rayner Page 0,27
amazing that her life could have changed so fast, that everything could suddenly be so different. She couldn’t look away from Petr.
Can this really be happening?
“That’s it,” Petr said quietly. “He just pronounced us husband and wife. And he’s giving me permission to kiss my wife for the first time.”
Naomi nodded and leaned in.
His lips met hers, and for a moment, Naomi forgot everything. She forgot that they were in a church and that they had witnesses. She forgot all the doubts that had preyed at the back of her mind. Of course this was the right thing to do. He was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to her.
Her entire body responded to his kiss. She wound her arms around his neck, rising up on her toes to meet him and deepen the embrace.
A sound echoed through the loud hall.
She broke away, embarrassed at how easily she had gotten carried away with herself. But the officiant was smiling indulgently. He said something in Spanish.
She looked at Petr for help.
“He says we’re obviously very much in love,” Petr translated.
Naomi blushed. In love. She wasn’t sure she had ever been in love before. But standing here with Petr—her husband!—she couldn’t doubt the feeling. She wanted nothing more than to return to his arms, to return to the kiss they had just shared.
But there were other things that had to be attended to first.
The witness brought out the marriage license. Naomi and Petr both signed, and the officiant and the witness signed as well. The license was sealed in an envelope and handed to Petr.
“All right,” Petr said. “That’s it.”
“It’s done?” Naomi said. It felt almost anticlimactic.
“Well,” Petr amended, “this part is done.”
“There’s another part?” she asked.
“Now, we celebrate,” he explained.
He led her out of the church and back down to the car, which had been waiting. They were driven to a champagne bar with a big red sign on the door. Naomi couldn’t read the word on the sign, but she recognized the intent all the same.
“I think this place is closed,” she said.
“Just to the public,” Petr said with a grin.
“Are we not the public?”
“No, we’re the newlyweds who rented this place out for our wedding celebration.” He pushed open the door and led her inside.
She gasped. All but one of the tables had been pushed to the sides of the room. The table that remained had been covered with a white cloth and a single candle had been lit and placed at the center.
Petr led her to the table. “Have a seat, my lovely wife,” he said.
She did so, giggling at his chivalry, then looking around. “Is anyone else even here?” she asked.
Her question was immediately answered by the appearance of a sommelier at her elbow. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Agridis!” he said. “Would you like to start off with a glass of champagne?”
“Yes, thank you,” Petr said. “And is the cake ready?”
“They’re serving it up for you now,” the man said and hurried away to get their drinks.
Naomi turned to Petr. “We have cake?”
“You can’t have a wedding without cake!” he said.
“Suddenly you’re so traditional?”
“Certain traditions should be adhered to,” Petr said. “And cake is one of those traditions, unequivocally.”
“I see.” Naomi smiled. “Well, I won’t argue. Champagne and cake sounds perfect.”
The sommelier returned to the table with two glasses of bubbling brut and a plate featuring a small cake decorated with yellow and green flowers.
Petr lifted his glass. “To exciting new things,” he said.
“And to taking the plunge,” Naomi said, clinking her glass against his and taking a sip.
The rest of the celebration was a perfect wedding reception in miniature. They fed each other bites of the beautiful cake—it had raspberry filling, and Naomi wondered how Petr could have possibly guessed how much she adored that flavor. They danced together in the empty floor space, sharing their first dance as husband and wife. And on the dance floor, the two of them shared several more passionate kisses.
“This has been the best week of my life,” Naomi murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder as they rocked slowly together.
“I feel the same way,” Petr said softly. “I’m so glad to hear that I’m not the only one.”
“Far from it,” she assured him. “I’m amazed. Everything about this amazes me. I can’t believe I’ve fallen in love. I can’t believe we’re married. I feel so unbelievably lucky. I don’t even know how to begin to explain it.”
“You don’t have to,” he said. “I’m right there with you.