Chapter Ten
Gabriel
Waking up next to Luna was even more amazing than the last time. She’d rolled over close to me and the soft purr of her breathing was a major turn on. Our discussion had me thinking all night, long after her mind had shut down and taken its nightly trip to dream town.
I had kept it from her long enough and now that I knew Mason was coming by early for breakfast, it was the perfect time to spring the information on both of them.
I could imagine she was going to be very upset, but I held on to the hope that she’d still feel the same about wanting to help me.
An hour after I sat down to check my messages and return a few calls, Luna walked into the room with her hair wrapped up in a towel. She went to the coffee pot in the small kitchenette and brewed a fresh pot.
I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of her in her short, silky robe. The lavender fabric draped perfectly around her form, and I found myself adjusting my cock. She turned and smiled before coming around to sit across from me.
“You’re up early. Did you sleep well?” Her eyes were filled with concern, and that was a kick in the pants. I knew I couldn’t put off telling her a moment longer. I’d wanted to wait for Mason, but she deserved to know. I took the opportunity for segue.
“I slept better than I have in months. I guess sleeping near you suits me.” The blush in her cheeks deepened and she stood and crossed the room to pour herself a cup of the fresh brew.
“I’m not used to sleeping with anyone either, but yeah, it was nice. Sorry if I crossed the halfway mark, I guess I’m a bed hog.” She carried her cup into the bedroom and shut the door.
I hadn’t minded her hogging the bed at all, and I hoped that she’d come back into the room. After another minute, she returned dressed in jeans and a white tank top, with her damp hair hanging down her shoulders. “Hope you don’t mind me staying casual.” She sat on the couch and pulled on a pair of white cotton socks.
“It’s nice; almost like we’re married.” I watched her expression, which surprised me. She wasn’t put off by the thought – and in fact, she seemed more than pleased.
“Have you ever been engaged?” She took a sip of her coffee and lounged back against the soft cushion.
I could answer that question honestly: she and I hadn’t been engaged. In fact, our marriage was such a whim that there was not even a courtship. “Nope. I’ve never been engaged. I’ve thought about it, but it never felt right. What about you?” She was following in line right where I wanted her to. I’d ease her into it, and hopefully she wouldn’t freak out on me.
“No. I’ve never had a boyfriend other than in high school.” Her cheeks were red now and the color suited her well, but I couldn’t believe what I heard.
“You’re kidding. How does a gorgeous woman like you not ever have a relationship?”
It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t have been because no one was interested, and I wondered if perhaps her overprotective father had anything to do with it. Maybe he was the kind of man that liked to run everyone off. If that were true, I’d have my work cut out for me, especially when he learned of the marriage.
“No. I used to be a big nerd in high school. It took me a while to grow into my big teeth and to fill out in the right places.” That was hard to believe, too, considering her right places were just right.
“I think you look perfect.”
She brushed her hair back from her face and gripped her coffee cup in both hands. “You’re making my cheeks hurt from smiling.” She didn’t seem to be too comfortable with compliments, and I hadn’t ever seen this side of her. Her smile was ear to ear, though, and she looked gorgeous with the extra color in her cheeks and lips. Her eyes even brightened when she smiled.
“It suits you.”
“Thanks.” She sipped from the mug before tilting her head back stare at the ceiling. “I did plan my wedding, though. My mom and I used to talk about it before she passed away. I always dreamed of my dad walking me down the aisle, and now that he’s a pastor, I’d like for him to perform the ceremony. I remember back when I was little, I wanted everything to be pink and blue, and I wanted to arrive on the back of a unicorn.”
“Tall order.” I laughed, imagining her on the back of the magical beast.
“Yeah, I know. It’s changed over the years to omit mythological creatures, but I do hope that someday I can have a gorgeous wedding with all of the traditions. I guess I’m old-fashioned that way.”
I felt like shit. Here she was going on about her wedding, and little did she know she’d already had one – and it was probably nothing like anything she’d have ever wanted.
“What would you think about a Vegas wedding?” Her eyes narrowed, and she got quiet. For a moment, I thought that I’d sparked a memory, but then she shrugged and curled her lip in disgust.
“No, that’s not my style. I mean, I guess it’s okay for some people, but I find it a bit tacky. I mean, it’s your wedding day, which is like the most important day ever. I think it should be more special.”
“I know a few people who have tied the knot here. They were hardly tacky.” My parents had married in Vegas, and while that didn’t last forever, we’d been a happy family all through my youth.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. Again, it’s something I’d never do. To each his own, I suppose.” She made a face that was clearly laced with distaste.
“I can understand if you don’t prefer it, but to act as though you’re too good for it, I can’t help but find that a bit judgmental.” I opened up the briefcase and thumbed through the stack of papers where I’d placed our marriage license. Locating it, I slipped it out and placed it on the table between us.
“Luna, when I said we needed to talk today, I meant that I had something to tell you. I’m hoping that you meant what you said last night.”
“I hope it’s something that can help. I mean, I hope it isn’t anything terrible, but I want it to help your case. It’s not something terrible is it?” She searched my face as if trying to gauge if the information was good or bad.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you about this, but I didn’t know how or when, and I guess I kept hoping you’d remember or the police would say something, but I can’t let you go on not knowing.”
“You didn’t do it, did you?” She placed her hand on her throat and then as her chest rose and fell in panic, I shook my head.
“God, no. Read this.” I pushed the paper closer and she looked down, her eyes widening as the words on the page registered.
She covered her mouth as her eyes widened and darted to mine. “You’re not serious. This is a joke.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? Are you kidding me? This is what we went to the chapel for? That’s what the detective said, that we went to a chapel. I figured we went to check it out, not get married. How did this happen? How could you keep this from me?” She wrapped her arms around her waist, as if holding herself together.
I waited to make sure her rant was over before I held up a hand defensively. “Like you said last night, this isn’t only my fault, and we made this decision together. You wanted it as much as I did.”
“And how much was that? We were drunk, and obviously you were just as bad off as I was if you went through with this.” Tears were welling up in her eyes as she shook her head, like doing so would make it all be a lie.
“I might have been drunk, and I might not want this marriage in hindsight as much as I did at the time, but I do remember why we got married and I do remember wanting it. I hoped your feelings were as genuine, but I have to admit the fact that you forgot all about it did leave me some hope of having the whole thing annulled quickly.”
“That’s what we have to do, Gabriel. We have to get this undone, like it was never done.”
“That shouldn’t be hard since we haven’t consummated the marriage and it hasn’t been that long. Honestly, it was my intention to get the ball rolling in that direction, but then I got dragged in for questioning.
“But I can’t help thinking that if we go through with the annulment, it could make things worse. It could make it look like you don’t trust me, especially since you’ve already told them that you didn’t remember.”
“You don’t understand: I can’t tell a soul about this. If my father finds out, he’ll kill us both. You don’t understand what a terrible decision this was for me.”
“I’m sure it was as terrible as me marrying you. No offense, but I have a whole lot more to lose than you do. I have my company and my reputation, which has taken a harsher beating the past week than your father could or would ever dish out. So excuse me if I don’t give a shit about your daddy.”
I hated to be mean considering I’d been the one to keep this from her, but I didn’t need her freaking out about things we couldn’t control.
She picked the certificate up and studied it like the thing could be a fake. “Oh, suddenly I’m not good enough?” That’s not at all what I’d meant, but it was also beside the point.
I took the set of rings out of the case and pushed hers toward her. “Does this ring a bell?” She picked the thing up and closed her eyes.
“Yeah, we got these out of a machine, didn’t we? God, I remember the room. The place smelled like cheap air freshener, and there were these two men there…and they were blind?”
“That was the Blues Brothers. They performed the ceremony. It was either them or a Pee-Wee Herman look-alike, and you were afraid of him.”
“Yeah, Pee-Wee has always given me the creeps.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe this. We’re married, and you didn’t tell me.”
I reached across to take the ring from her hand and slipped the small band on her ring finger. With horror in her eyes, she let me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Luna. Can’t you see why I was afraid to? You think I don’t know what a huge mess we’re in? I know it’s a fucking disaster, but I need you to play the part.” I moved around the table and sat next to her, keeping her hand in my grip. “Luna, please help me.”
“I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.”
“Damned for me could mean prison, Luna. I don’t know what kind of evidence is mounting, where they are looking, if there are any signs pointing to someone else, but I know I didn’t do it. If you don’t help me, there’s a chance I could go away. Please, Luna. Say you’ll help me.”
“Do the police know?” She pulled her hand away, and I released a deep breath and covered my eyes.
“I don’t know. I’m assuming they will before too long. We’ll need to go down and make a statement and explain. We’ll have to figure out an excuse explaining why I didn’t tell them.”
“That’s going to make us look even worse.” Her tone was sharp, and I couldn’t blame her.
I leaned closer, my eyes pleading with her. “If you do this, Luna, I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
“What does that mean? You’ll pay me off? I don’t want your damned money; I want to know why this happened. What reason did I give for wanting to marry you?”
“After your lap dance, I applauded your performance and we talked about your acting class. Turns out we both played George Washington in our first school play and then you admitted that you had the hots for me, but you wouldn’t sleep with me unless I married you.”
“I didn’t play George Washington, I played Martha – and if we did this to sleep together, then why didn’t we?”
“Because you passed out, and I wasn’t going to take advantage of you.”
She searched my eyes and let out a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll play the part, but I want this reversed as soon as possible. And when all this is cleared up, I want to keep my job.”
“Trust me, Luna, I wouldn’t want anyone else in your position.”