Page 56 of Carry On

“We have a problem,” Lincoln hissed as he hurried toward me. I stood, just leaning against a wall in the courthouse, and waited for him to tell me what to do. I didn’t give a fuck how it got done as long as I got to leave eventually.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I know the judge.”

“What?”

“I know the judge who’s performing the weddings today.”

“Oh.” I nodded slowly as I tried to figure out what the problem was with that. Clearly, I was missing something from the stressed-out look on his face. “Okay, so what do we do?”

Maybe I was a little broken because I wasn’t seeing the problem with the judge thing. Then again, I didn’t understand most of Lincoln’s plan. I had stopped listening to him the moment we started going through it a second time. And a third time. And more. I just wasn’t that kind of guy.

The kind that pays attention?the voice retorted.

I pushed down on the thought, needing a reprieve. I couldn’t handle those thoughts and this wedding at the same time—not on top of the building ache in the back of my skull.

“I don’t…this is bad, right?”

“This is what we had all those conversations for,” I pointed out. Why was he spiraling? Was he regretting his decision to do this? Quietly, I said, “You don’t have to do this, Linc.”

“What?” He frowned deeply. “No. No, we’re doing this. I just…”

I watched as he tried to articulate what he wanted to say. The anxiety on his handsome face killed me. That was my fault. This whole damn thing was my fault. He was putting himself through this for me.

Doing the only thing I knew how, I grabbed him by the fancy tie and pulled him closer until his body was flush with mine. The little way he sucked in a quick breath wasn’t lost on me. I liked it. And I enjoyed the way he felt like this, the warmth of his body pressed up against mine. Maybe it was sordid, all things considered, but still. Unable to help myself, I brushed my lips against his cheek.

“Thank you,” I said, keeping my voice quiet. “I never said thank you for what you’re doing. I know it’s a lot. It’s more than anyone has ever done for me, so thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Lincoln whispered.

“No, I do,” I insisted. “I can’t say it in front of the judge—we’d probably get in trouble. I think there’s a rule against pissing off the person marrying you and all that.”

“Probably.”

“What I’m trying to say is that I promise I won’t let this arrangement ruin you. I won’t risk everything you’ve built for yourself. If I’m too much of a burden, tell me to walk away, Lincoln.”

“That won’t happen, Lucky,” he said.

But he’ll think it,the voice chimed in.Every single day.

“I know.” I knew he meant that. Lincoln was too good a guy to do something like that. If it was all too much—if I suspected I was too much of a burden on him—I’d have to pull the plug. He’d never tell me.

Tempting everything, I kissed him, reveling in the immediate way he melted into it. I kept it brief and simple—once, twice, three times—before I pulled back slightly.

“Practice,” I murmured against his lips.

“Have to make it look good for the judge,” he agreed and closed the distance once more, kissing me lightly.

“Good Lord, you two are so cute!” The exclamation had us both turning to where Jackie—or maybe it was Stacy—was taking pictures of us.

“I forgot she was there,” I said under my breath.

“Me too,” Lincoln replied. “Is that bad? I hired her.”

“No, but it’s fucking funny,” I retorted, making him chuckle. “Let’s go get married, stud muffin.”

“No.”