When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,5
grins at us.
“Ah, the young lovers. I’m surprised to see you. I figured you two would be locked away for the next week.” I blush at what he implies. “It’s rare to see such young, true love in Sin City.” I nearly choke at that last bit.
Pain flashes across Xander’s face as he looks at me and my stomach takes a tumble out of my body. I don’t understand why he wants to stay married to me. It makes no sense. He just graduated from college and has his whole life ahead of him. I don’t know why he’d want to be tied down with a wife. With me.
The man smiles, waiting for one of us to say something. Since Xander has paled and looks like he’s about to choke on his own tongue, I let go of his hand and step in front of him so I now stand closest to the man.
“We came to see if there’s any way we can undo what we did.” The man’s lips quirk like he’s fighting not to laugh. “We can’t stay married,” I say, hating the way my hands shake and clasping them together so hopefully neither of them notices. “This was a mistake.” Even though I can’t see Xander, I know that word hurt him, and I instantly regret saying it.
The man frowns. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you. Everything was done according to guidelines. According to the law, you’re married.”
I gulp. “Sir—”
He holds up a hand to stop me. “I understand the lure Las Vegas can have on people. Believe me, I see everything and it’s why I usually refuse to perform impromptu weddings. I don’t marry people to make money like these other fools.” He flicks a finger to encompass the strip. “People come here to get married for real. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that out of all the chapels on the strip you were drawn here. I promise you this, I wouldn’t have performed the ceremony if I hadn’t seen something in the two of you. Something special. Hold onto that and don’t let go. It’s rare.”
He starts to move around me, and I grab his arm. I open my mouth to say … I don’t know what I want to say—my mind is completely blank once I absorb his last words.
He pats my hand. “What’s done is done.”
And then he’s gone.
I look to Xander—expecting to see a smug smile—but he looks nearly as confused as I am.
“Well—” I toss my hands in the air “—what do we do now?”
Forget Cade, the thought of telling my parents that I went to Vegas and ended up married … I might as well dig my own grave in the backyard and save them the trouble.
Xander shakes his head, like he’s clearing away his thoughts. “Would it really be so bad?” he asks softly, looking at me from beneath his thick, dark lashes. “Being married to me, I mean?”
I swallow thickly. “No,” I admit, and don’t miss the flare of desire in his eyes. “But we can’t—”
He holds up a hand, urging me to be quiet. “Make me a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” I hedge, looking at him skeptically.
“Give me the summer,” he pleads. “Give me the summer to prove that this is more than some stupid mistake,” he grates on the word, “and if at the end of the summer you still want a divorce then I’ll sign whatever you want me to.”
“And if I don’t want a divorce?”
He grins. “Then we’ll tell everyone that we’re together and married.”
“What if you decide you want a divorce? What if you decide I’m not right for you?”
His eyes narrow. “Trust me, that isn’t happening.”
“How do you know?”
He looks away and a muscle in his jaw twitches. “I just know.” I let out a sigh, knowing that’s all the answer I’m going to get from him. “Do we have a deal?”
I bite my lip. Three months. It feels like forever right now, but in reality, three months isn’t that much time. I know I can hold out for three months. It doesn’t matter how sinfully good-looking he is, or ridiculously sweet; at the end of three months I will get that divorce.
“Deal,” I say. Before I can blink he takes my face between his mammoth hands and kisses me. I’m breathless when he releases me. “What was that for?” I gasp.
He grins. “Most people shake hands to seal a deal. I figure since you’re my wife, we should seal ours