Part 45 (1/2)
She tossed him a heart-attack-causing smile. ”Brilliant, Mr. Donovan.”
The elevator dinged as it reached the ground floor and she walked ahead of him. Yeah, he couldn't wait for later, a little marriage-night treat. If he survived that long.
April drove them to the courthouse, and they made their way to his friend's office.
They were shown in, and Connor performed the introductions.
”Good afternoon, Your Honor,” she said. ”Thanks for doing this.”
”Call me Joshua,” he replied. ”Unless we meet in the courtroom.”
”Or Sir,” Connor added.
She looked between them. ”You're a Dom, too? How many of you are there?”
”It's not like we're werewolves or something,” Connor protested.
”Werewolves only get randy around the full moon.”
Joshua coughed and picked up the manila envelope containing their marriage certificate. ”Do y'all have your own vows, or would you like to go with something informal that I normally suggest?”
”I have vows,” Lara said.
Connor raised his eyebrows. ”Other than what we've discussed, I'm not prepared,” he admitted.
”No problem,” Joshua said. ”We'll work with it.” He stepped into the hallway and invited in the two employees who had agreed to serve as witnesses.
Connor and Lara said h.e.l.lo and thanked them for taking time out of their schedules.
”It's my pleasure,” one of the ladies a.s.sured them. ”Makes me remember when Murph and I got married thirty-seven years ago.”
Joshua registered their names and ensured everything on the license was in order before asking Connor to face Lara.
They turned toward one another. Even though she'd been relaxed on the way over, he now saw tension in the way she held her shoulders. If they had been in private, he would ma.s.sage her until her head lolled and he'd eased away all the knots.
”Take Lara's right hand in yours,” Joshua said.
Connor did, and it felt warm, rea.s.suring. Not only was he offering his hand, she was holding his.
”Repeat after me.”
Connor nodded.
”I, Connor, take you, Lara, to be my wife. To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer or poorer, to cherish and protect, to honor and to love.”
As he repeated the words, he squeezed her hand tight, conveying the emotion of his promise.
She pressed her lips together and momentarily looked away.
”Now, Lara,” Joshua said. ”You may proceed any time you're ready.”
After nodding, she blinked a few times. When she spoke, her words wobbled with unshed emotion. ”Connor, I take you as my husband. I promise to work with you, to honor you, to show you the respect you deserve.”
A knot of emotion settled in his heart.
”I will make you proud. And just like we are in this moment, I will turn to you. And every day that we are married, I will show you my love and my utter devotion.”
”Now the rings?”
Connor took the two bands out of his pocket and gave them to Joshua. ”I have the other for later,” he told her.
”Repeat after me,” Joshua instructed. ”Lara, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow. With all that I am and all that I have, I will honor you.”
Connor said the words and slid the ring on her finger.
Then Lara recited them with no further coaching. His ring slipped into place and felt shockingly right.
”You may kiss.”
”Behave,” Lara mouthed.
He kissed her, gently and tenderly and not at all like he intended to later.
The woman who was married to Murph patted her heart as she walked from the room. The other woman shook their hands.
Joshua took care of the legalities and refused payment. He wished them well and promised to be there for both of them in the future. ”See you at the club?”
”Maybe in the next few weeks,” he said. ”I'm keeping Lara to myself for some time.”
Connor guided her into the hallway. After making sure they were alone, he had her against a wall.
”Connor! Not here.”
”Oh yes,” he countered. ”Open your mouth for me, wife.” He had to have her.
He kissed her hard and deep. Having his ring on her finger had s.h.i.+fted something inside him. He'd had a similar reaction when he'd put that necklace on her before they'd gone to dinner Sat.u.r.day night. He identified the feeling as possessiveness, and he'd never had it with any other woman.
Within seconds, she became softer for him. She met his tongue, and he tasted her surrender. It wasn't enough to sate him. It was only enough to make him hungrier.
He ended the kiss and gave her a second to straighten her dress before taking her hand and guiding her to the elevator.
”Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Donovan,” April told them with a smile as she opened the car's door for them. ”Where can I take you, sir?”
”Home?” he asked Lara as she entered the car then slid across the seat to make room for him.
She nodded.