Page 24 of Aaron's Patience

“You may now kiss your bride.”

I’d forgotten about the kiss. It was expected of a new husband and wife. I froze but my new husband didn’t. He caught my chin in between his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face, and just before he pressed his lips to mine, he paused. An expression of possession mixed with anger and…something else was in that look. Next thing I remember was the feel of his soft lips on mine. Such a contrast to his demeanor. I didn’t want to like this kiss, but my body wasn’t my own when it came to Aaron Townsend.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Townsend,” he stated as he pulled back. He didn’t wait for my reply before taking me by the hand and turning us toward our clapping guests, mainly his family.

As we moved down the aisle with my hand in his, I wondered what the hell I’d just gotten myself into.

****

“Ouch!” I tripped due to my stubbed toe. “You still can’t dance worth a damn,” I mumbled. It was our first dance as husband and wife and he’d just stepped on my foot for the second time.

“My talents lie elsewhere. You should know that more than anyone,” he retorted.

I stiffened my body against the shiver that attempted to move through me, refusing to remember exactly how talented he was off the dance floor.

“Whatever,” I grumbled. I peered over Aaron’s shoulder to see Kennedy and Kyle running around a table with their new cousin, Diego.

“You didn’t invite your father.”

I pulled back slightly to stare up at Aaron. “You didn’t invite him either.”

“He’s not my father.”

I shrugged. “You’re closer to him than I am.” I peeled my gaze away from his again, glancing around at the scenery. This wasn’t my first time at Townsend Manor, but it’d been years since I’d been there as a teenager.

“I want more children.”

My dancing steps faltered, this time not because of Aaron’s lack of dance skills. I stared at him, trying to figure out if he’d said what I thought he’d just stated.

“Three more, to be exact.”

“And you expectmeto provide you with these children.”

His lips pinched. “Youaremy wife.”

I didn’t respond.

“You can have more children, correct?”

I swallowed. “What?”

“Medically? There’s nothing preventing you from having more children, is there?”

“N-no.”

“Then it’s settled. Of course, adoption is always an option as well.”

I wrinkled my forehead. “It’s not sett–” My words were cut off by sudden loud tapping sounds. I looked around to see Aaron’s parents and brothers tapping their champagne flutes with their knives.

“They expect us to kiss.”

I frowned. “I know what that means.”

I tried to pull my head back but he caught my chin again between his two fingers. My breathing hitched as he lowered his face closer to mine.

“It’d serve you well to remember Ialwaysget what I want.”

This time I couldn’t prevent the shiver that moved through my body at the same time our lips connected with his insistent and assessing kiss. His grip tightened around my waist for a half of second but an instant later he loosened it and took a step back.