“No problem.”He kept hold of her hand while he signed, then presented the pen to her.“Your turn.”
“My turn to what?What are we…” Words on one of the pages caught her eye.“Marriage certificate.We’re getting married?”
“That’s what engagements lead to, Little Rox.”
At the end of the couch behind Zairn, Ballard approached, not that her gaze left the guy probing her with his eyes.
“Now?What about the wedding?Jane’s planning—”
“No one will know about this.It’s a confidential marriage license.We sign an affidavit to say we live together.Say the words.Sign and it’s done.No witnesses.”Except Ballard and the other guy, who Z was ready to identify.“He solemnizes the marriage.”
Ah, an official.“So we get married.In secret.Only the four of us know.We continue like we’re engaged and go through with the wedding Jane is planning?”
“Yes.”
“And this is because I got arrested?”
“This is because I love you and don’t want to wait.When shit like this happens—I come too close to losing you too often.This is what I need.”
“If I’m going to keep being me and pushing the boundaries,” she said.“I love you Casanova, more than life itself—”
“No but,” he cut her off before she could get there.“What else is there to think about?”
“Okay, no but, but…” because she had to be honest.“I suck at keeping secrets.”
His expression relaxed, had he really expected her to refuse him?
“That’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
“I suppose you’re relying on my aversion to admitting our relationship publicly.”
“You’ve kept our secrets before.”
Slowly, she licked her lips.“Because what we are is not their business.”
Married.She should be scared.Run.Cut her losses and—not one atom in her whole body wanted to be anywhere else.
“No, it is not.”His fingertips grazed her jaw.“No matter what we get into or where we are, we need to be able to speak for each other.This gives us global rights.We need to do it.No take backs.Us, always.Trust me, Roxanna.Be with me.”
Boosting herself up fast, she landed her mouth on his for a quick, hard kiss.“Just tell me where to sign.”
The paperwork was straightforward.What a long way she’d come.On the night ofTalk at Sunset, the first time, Astrid came to her with contracts she wouldn’t sign without reading.Now she was signing affidavits after barely a glance because Zairn was the one to put the pen in her hand.
“Would you like to stand?”the officiant asked, rising, prompting them to do the same.
They shuffled out from around the coffee table until she was standing in the same spot she’d been in when Zairn introduced himself after their tiff.
“Do you have rings?”
“Would kinda go against the whole confidential thing if they did,” Ballard said, standing at Zairn’s shoulder.
“Sure,” the officiant said.“Okay.We are here this evening to witness the joining of Zairn Lomond and Roxanna Amelia Kyst in matrimony.”
Whoa, boy.“Thank God he got my name right,” she quipped.“This could’ve ended before it began.”She explained to the newbie.“He doesn’t like it when people get my name wrong.”
“What do you think I’m paying him for?”Zairn’s fingers threaded between hers.“Quicker we do this, quicker we get to bed.”
“Good point.I’m being quiet.”
