Page 123 of The Unwilling Bride
Something inside my chest tightens.
The registrar turns to me.
“Harper Richie, do you take James Hamilton to be your lawfullywedded husband?”
Husband.
The word echoes strangely in my head.
Like it belongs to someone else’s life. I swallow.
“I do.”
James reaches into his pocket and places the simple band we chose for him into my palm.
For a brief moment, his fingers close over mine. Warm. Steady. Controlled. Intentional.
Then, he releases me and pulls my ring from his jacket pocket.
I hold out my left hand, my fingers trembling. He gently circles his fingers around my wrist to steady it, then slides the wedding ring next to my engagement ring.
Sensations stream out from the point of contact. Goosebumps pepper my skin. The hair on the back of my neck rises. This…feels very real. Too real. I swallow.
As if he feels my nervousness, he brings my hand to his mouth and kisses the ring.
A sigh runs around the room.
The registrar beams. “By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
It feels like I’m playing a role. And yet…it feels very, very real. Is that fanciful thinking? Or are my instincts telling me something I need to pay more attention to?
For a moment, the room feels impossibly quiet.
“You may kiss the bride."
My breath catches.
James turns toward me slowly.
Time stretches.
I’m suddenly aware of everything. The soft brush of my fascinator against my temple, the warmth of his hand around mine, the drift of perfume in the air.
He steps closer.
My heart pounds.
His hand lifts to my cheek.
He bends his head. I wait for his mouth to meet mine. For that familiar melting sensation. The heat that floods my veins every time hekisses me. The way the world narrows down to just his lips and mine and nothing else mattering.
And then…his lips touch mine. Soft, brief, over before I can lean into it. The perfect public kiss. Restrained. Respectable.
No one can complain about it. Except me.
Disappointment is a rock on my chest. Hurt and embarrassment squeeze my throat. It feels like a loss.
I wanted a kiss which made my scalp tingle, one that made heat burn through my veins, and made my toes to curl. I wanted it to make me forget where I was.
