My Fake Christmas Fiance (Kane Christmas #1) - Julie Kriss Page 0,43

to the security guard through the glass. He opened the door for me with a nod. “Mr. Kane.” He looked at Penny, approaching behind my shoulder. “Miss.”

Penny had let her hair down. She had bundled herself into a knee-length wool coat—it must be new, I thought—and I could see she was wearing red high heels. The shoes made me do a double take.

Still, I took her arm and helped her out of the falling snow and into the quiet City Hall building. The security guard directed us down a hallway to the non-denominational chapel. I led Penny by the elbow, because her glasses were fogging up and she couldn’t see very well.

“Not my best look,” she said with a self-deprecating smile as she blinked at me through the fog.

The words came out before I could think about them. “All of your looks are beautiful.”

She shook her head, but the color on her cheeks told me she was flattered. “I suppose you have to say nice things to the person you’re about to marry.”

“What are you wearing under that coat?” I asked her.

“I may have splurged on a dress. We’re going to the party after this, right?”

“Yeah, we are.” I grinned at her. “I hope you’re ready.”

“I think so.”

And just like that, looking at her, the confusion and gloom I’d felt all day lifted. I was with Penny, we were going to get married, and then we were going to a party. It was Christmas. We were going to have a good time. Whatever came after would come, but right now, this was the only place I wanted to be. This made me happy.

I was in an emptied-out City Hall, marrying this woman because of a contract, and it made me happy.

The Justice of the Peace, a guy named Ben, was in the chapel. He was wearing jeans and a bright red-and-green sweater with reindeer on it. “It’s my bad Christmas sweater,” he said to me as he shook our hands. “I’m going to a party after this. I hope I make it before the storm gets too harsh.”

“Right,” I said. “We won’t take too—”

I stopped because Penny had unbuttoned her wool coat and taken it off. She slipped it from her shoulders and hung it on the hook on the wall.

I stared openmouthed. Ben did, too, and I couldn’t blame him.

Penny was wearing a red dress. It was sleeveless and elegant, with a high waist belted in satin. It fit her perfectly, skimming her flawless breasts and her narrow waist, her sexy hips and long legs. She had the red heels on her feet, my ring on her finger, and her insanely beautiful hair down. She was a vision.

Even though I was wearing my best suit and Ben had his nifty sweater, we looked like nothing next to her. Penny should be walking a red carpet somewhere, glasses and all.

Penny raised her eyebrows at me as the silence dragged on. “Do you like it?”

“Um.” I had to find my voice. “Yes, I do. You look beautiful.”

“Okay, good. Let’s do this.”

When a woman that hot tells you to marry her, you obey. So I took her hand and Ben took his place at the head of the chapel aisle. He opened his ceremony book and started to read.

I didn’t take in much of what was said. It was about loving and honoring, the union of souls and bodies. It doesn’t mean anything, I tried to tell myself. It’s just for the good of the company. You’re getting divorced as soon as you can. But the words still got to me. I couldn’t help but think that loving and honoring Penny sounded not half bad. Never mind the union of bodies. I already knew that was amazing.

But we weren’t going to stay married. That wasn’t the deal.

Ben got to the part about rings, and for the first time Penny looked panicked. “I got it,” I whispered to her, patting my pockets.

In fact, I almost hadn’t gotten it. I’d remembered wedding rings at the last minute, and I’d had to find the last possible store that was open on Christmas Eve. Even then, I’d gone in fifteen minutes to closing time, so I’d had to act fast. I’d bought the plainest rings they had in stock—nothing fancy. They would have to do.

I dropped the ring meant for me into Penny’s palm, and Ben did the I thee wed bit. Penny and I faced each other and kept our hands interlocked as we each