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“I should have,” Andrew mutters, his tone sharp. “It’s Daniel. I should’ve known he’d pull something like that.”
I glance at him, noticing the way his jaw tightens, his fingers curling against his knee. He’s upset. Maybe even more upset than I am.
“I’m just glad it’s over,” I admit, letting my head fall back against the seat. “It was beyond embarrassing.”
Andrew exhales roughly, his frustration barely concealed. “He embarrassed you. On our day.” His voice is low, filled with an emotion I can’t quite place.
“He embarrassed both of us,” I correct, though I can’t deny how raw it felt. How personal. This wedding, this deal, was supposed to be business. But it didn’t feel like business when Daniel barged in, all fury and accusations. It felt like a betrayal.
Daniel and I were supposed to get married. He was the one who left me, and now here I am, married to his brother. It’s hard not to feel a twinge of guilt, even though I’d pick Andrew any day. Daniel just proved it today, what a mistake it would have been to get married to him.
“It’s over. We move forward,” Andrew says after a while. “That’s all we can do.”
I look at him, surprised by the calm certainty in his words. “Just like that?”
He meets my gaze, his expression firm. “Just like that.”
“You’re a lot calmer than I thought you’d be,” I say, watching him carefully.
He shrugs, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint smile. “I’m used to handling things like this.”
He’s right though. There’s no point in dwelling on what happened. We have a lot to do. Now the Riviera group can start recovering. Excitement courses through me. I can’t wait to get started on the renovations.
The upgrades, the plans I’ve had to put on hold for so long. It’s finally going to happen.
The car slows down in front of the gate before it slides open. We’re home.
Andrew steps out and holds the door open for me. I gather the folds of my dress, careful not to let the fabric drag as I step out onto the driveway.
“Welcome home,” he says at the door, stepping aside to let me enter first.
As I enter, the reality of our lives hit me.A year.One year of living together, working together, being married in name only.
Bruno and bear run around us in circles, their large paws skidding across the wooden floor. They bark, tails wagging as they circle around us in a happy frenzy. We both laugh.
Andrew crouches down to pet them, his expression softening as Bear licks his hand. “I think they’ve missed us more than anyone else today.”
I smile, reaching down to pat Bruno, who was eagerly nuzzling against my legs. “At least we know who the real welcoming committee is.”
Andrew stands up, brushing off his hands. “I can already tell they’re going to follow you around like shadows. They’ve got a thing for people who smell nice.”
I laugh at that, but the ease between us is fleeting. As we stand in the entryway, tension sprouts between us.Now what?
“Do you want to grab something to eat or just call it a night?” Andrew asks.
I shake my head. “I think I’ll just call it a night. It’s been a long day.”
“Yeah,” he says, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he nods. “It certainly has.”
With that, I start to head upstairs to my room, the sound of Bruno and Bear padding behind me fading as I climb the stairs.
I make my way to the suite Andrew showed me when I first moved my things in. The room is warm and inviting, but there’s still that undercurrent of unfamiliarity.
I catch my reflection in the mirror as I start to take off my veil and dress. I look like a bride but I don’t feel like anyone’s wife. Standing in front of the mirror in my white lace bra and matching panties, I can’t help but wonder how the night would have unfolded had we married for love.
I close my eyes and imagine Andrew standing behind me, hands wrapped around my waist, his lips whispering sweet words.
I can almost feel the touch of his hands, his lips grazing my skin as he pulls me closer, the electric charge between us is undeniable. Dampness gathers in my panties and an ache forms between my legs.