“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,” the judge says, and just like that I’m married.

I think I smile. I hope I do; I’m still in a type of shock. Stone wasn’t kidding yesterday when he said he wanted to get married. The very next day I find myself at City Hall with the county judge marrying us. “You did good, Stone,” the man says, shaking Stone’s hand in congratulations.

“Thanks, Homer. I’m a lucky man,” Stone agrees and that feels nice, even as I wish I could slink out of here. There’s so much I should have confessed to Stone before I said ‘I do’. The least of all being that I’ve never read all the conversations we were supposed to have, let alone written them. Or that every time I find out something new I’ve “told” him I cringe, because that wasn’t me. But, most of all, I really should tell him I’ve never taken birth control in my life. There’s been no need for it. My hand touches my stomach nervously. I don’t feel any different and I doubt it’s possible to get pregnant after one time, but I do need to confess everything.

“Where are you going on a honeymoon?” the judge asks, and I look up at Stone. He never mentioned a honeymoon. I don’t truly want to have one. Especially since when I tell him the complete truth, he may demand a divorce and for me to leave Alaska.

“We’re going hiking on the Twin Knob trail,” he announces and I try to keep the shock out of my face. Shock and despair. As a waitress, I try to avoid all sports and exercise that require me to be on my feet. Which, really, is all of them, and that’s okay with me. Now Stone wants us to go hiking… for a honeymoon? I thought all the exercise a couple does on a honeymoon was in bed. I was hoping for that kind of exercise… at least before Stone sends me away.

“Whoa, you be careful. That trail is not for the beginner,” the man says.

“It’s fine. Carly is an experienced hiker. She hiked the Grand Canyon regularly back in the States.”

I did what?

“Is that right? You sure must pack a punch to be such a little thing,” he responds and I force myself to smile at him, even though I’m sick to my stomach right now. I’m going to kill Tally—well, if I survive my honeymoon—then, I will kill Tally.

“I’m not that small. It’s just you men here in Alaska are giants,” I respond, trying to sound cheerful, but I’m pretty sure it’s fake. At least both men laugh. They talk a few more minutes and then Stone escorts me out and back to the truck.

“You okay, Carly? You seem awful quiet,” Stone says when he opens the truck door for me. He really is a perfect man. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that opens a door for a woman before.

“I can’t believe we’re married…” I tell him, giving him the biggest of my shocks.

“That ring on your hand says we are,” Stone says, and he puts his hand along the side of my neck, tilting my head up to look at him. “I couldn’t be happier,” he whispers right before he delivers the sweetest kiss I’ve ever had in my life. It’s full of emotion and it stuns me. He pulls away and closes the door, then walks around to the driver’s side.

I stare at the ring on my hand. It’s Stone’s mother’s ring. It’s simple. A gold band and a matching engagement ring with one large square diamond in the center and surrounded by smaller ones. I love it, even as it stares at me and calls me a fake. His mother, who apparently died in a car accident—a fact I apparently already knew—is probably rolling over in her grave. I really am going to kill Tally. She gave me some letters they exchanged, but none of it had all this information he shared. It sure didn’t have the ones where she told him I was on birth control, trimmed my va-jay-jay and was an avid hiker! The ones I got talked about Stone’s childhood and his love of Alaska.

“If you don’t like the ring, I can take you to the general store. They sell jewelry there,” he says, getting in the truck and frowning when he sees me staring at the ring.

“Of course not, Stone. I love the ring.”

“If you’re sure,” he says, but I can tell he doesn’t believe me.

“I am. Why would you even think I don’t?”

“That face you’re making isn’t exactly one of joy, Carly.”

He’s probably right, since I was thinking I want to kill Tally. I reach up and put my hand on his chest. He’s got his hair pulled back, and I wish he didn’t. I’d love to feel it wrapped around my fingers right now.

“I was actually thinking about our honeymoon. I’m not sure hiking is the way to go,” I tell him, which is only a partial lie.

“No? I thought you loved hiking,” he says, those dark eyes studying me.

“I was hoping for a different form of exercise for my wedding night,” I tell him, completely avoiding the part about hiking. There’s no point in lying to him further.

“You won’t be able to do that for a night or two, baby.”

“I won’t?” I cry, and I know I sound panicked. It’s just that I really want him. I want more of what we did together last night and I don’t know how Stone will react when he finds out the truth. If he sends me away, I need to spend all the time I can with him. It sounds ridiculous, but instinctively I know that I’ll never want another man but Stone. My time with him has just been that special.

I watch as his lips move into a smile, one that reaches his eyes, and my body feels warm all over. I let my finger swipe over his bottom lip and he surprises me by sucking it into his mouth—which makes me smile.

“No, it would hurt you and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Carly—even myself,” he vows and I feel it all the way to the soles of my feet.

“I don’t want to go that long without you, Stone.”

“We’ll go home and get our hiking gear, and then tonight I’ll show you other things we can do to find pleasure.”

“Other things?”

“I promise you’ll like them.”

“Can’t you show me without the hiking?” I ask hopefully.

“I could, but trust me, Carly. You haven’t lived until you’ve made love under the Alaskan stars with the northern lights above you.”

“Have you done that before?” I ask before I can stop myself.

“I’ve never made love to a woman before, never wanted to before you, baby,” he says and maybe that’s a line. If so, it’s a really good one and I like it.

“I don’t have any hiking gear, I didn’t bother packing any,” I respond, not adding I didn’t have any gear to pack.

“You have your hiking boots though, right?”

I think over what I brought. There’s a pair of comfortable boots. They look really good with my jeans and I suppose they are okay for hiking. They’re warm, so I shrug.

“Yeah.”

“Then I got the rest covered. You’re going to love it, Carly,” he says enthusiastically. I’m pretty sure I’m going to hate it, but in the face of his excitement, I’m not going to argue.