Page 15 of Her Inconvenient Wedding Date (Unexpected Dates #2)

Lily

“We’re like a software update—no one asked for us, but once we’re together, we’re impossible to ignore.” ~Unknown

This day just keeps getting better and better… and I mean that in the most awkward way possible.

First, I marry my coworker whom I’m secretly falling in love with.

Next, I suggest to him that we practice dating because I apparently don’t think our forced proximity situation of living in the same house is enough torture.

Then, he prepares the sweetest evening for me to enjoy, complete with all my favorite things, that makes me like him even more.

And somewhere in all of that, I had the foolish idea that he was going to kiss me.

But the strangest, most surreal part wasn’t the civil ceremony or that Hunter chose the exact three books I’d been eyeing on my wish list. It’s the fact that we are now sitting nose to nose on the swing in the most intimately awkward way possible.

“You have really nice eyes,” I remark, trying to make conversation as I assess the situation with his contacts. “They look blue from a distance but more bluish green up close.”

“If you’re trying to distract me, it’s working,” he murmurs, barely moving his lips. “Please, keep talking.”

I hold back a laugh, so I don’t make him more nervous than he already is.

It’s impressive how still he’s being, like a tall, immovable Redwood tree during a storm.

He’s doing everything he can to not get stabbed in the eye by me.

Not that a Q-tip could do that much damage… I hope. “What should I talk about?”

“Anything you want. Just not about people losing their eyes to Q-tips, anything but that.”

I do chuckle out loud this time, which earns me a grunt from Hunter. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you.”

“Sure, you’re not.”

“I’m laughing at the situation.” I hold up the Q-tip that I just bent in the middle to form a makeshift pair of forceps. Using the contact solution, I wet one end before instructing Hunter to open his eyes wider. “I mean, did you ever think I’d be plucking your contact out with a Q-tip tonight?”

“Ow. Do you have to use the word pluck ? Plucking implies pain.”

“Not always. But fine, how about extracting? Is that better?”

He gasps. “That’s what dentists say about pulling teeth. It’s even worse than plucking.”

“Good point. I guess I got numb to dental jargon after hearing my parents talk about drilling and scalping at the dinner table.”

A line forms between his brows for a millisecond. “Okay, we are definitely establishing a ‘no dental jargon’ rule for our dinner conversations starting tomorrow. I prefer to eat my meals without flinching.”

“Speaking of flinching or not flinching, I’m going to touch the Q-tip to your contact lens now to try to loosen it. Don’t move, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not even going to breathe.”

I watch him take a breath, then puff out his cheeks to resemble a pufferfish.

It amazes me how this grown man is so adorable at times.

I love how he can let loose and be goofy like this without caring what other people think about him.

His expression is so endearing, I just want to poke the side of his face…

“Hey!” Hunter grins and grabs my finger right before it touches him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I smile sheepishly. “I had this urge to poke you. I blame your cheek. It was calling out to me, saying ‘ poke me, poke me .’”

“My cheek was talking to you? You expect me to believe that, Lil?”

“If you saw your face and how cute you looked with your round cheeks, you’d want to poke yourself, too.”

He bursts out laughing at this point. I fight hard not to join him, but it’s a losing battle.

Soon, tears are rolling down my cheeks. A ball of tension unravels within my chest, releasing all the stress and worry I carried inside me the last few days.

My whole body shakes with laughter, from giggles to chuckles to full-on guffaws.

I can hardly catch my breath, and I can’t stop laughing.

It’s like a snack attack where you can’t just eat one potato chip.

I laugh and laugh for probably a full minute until my sides hurt.

By the time I stop, I open my eyes to find Hunter just watching me.

Under any other circumstance, I’d be mortified to be the center of attention when I’m so out of my element, but the smile on his face puts me at ease.

There’s also the fact that he’s now not only holding my finger but my whole hand.

When did that happen?!

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh so freely before,” he remarks. “I didn’t mean to stare; I couldn’t help it. I blame your beauty,” he adds with a sappy grin. “You’re so beautiful when you laugh.”

“Are you stealing my lines now?” I mean to sound lighthearted and funny, but my voice comes out soft and breathy. It’s all because of Hunter. He’s turned me into a sappy mess.

For the first time, I understand what romance authors mean when they write things like my knees grew weak or the whole world faded away and all I could see was him . My heart races while my vision zones in on the sweet and handsome man before me.

One side of his mouth curves up as he responds, “I think it’s only fair since you stole my heart.”

“I… what?” I’ve never stolen anything before, least of all a man’s heart! “I might need you to repeat that.”

“You stole my heart, Lil. Ever since the first day we met, I’ve kind of been in love with you.

It started out as a crush, but the more I got to know you—and yes, my bugging you every day was me trying to get to know you better—the more I liked you.

This idea of yours to have a marriage of inconvenience couldn’t have worked out better for me if I’d planned it myself.

And I mean inconvenience in the sense that I’ve fallen for you, and you likely don’t feel the same for me.

But I’m taking a chance and putting myself out there.

Something about seeing you laugh like that made me realize how much I’d be missing if I didn’t tell you how I feel. ”

His grip on my hand tightens as his voice grows husky.

“The truth is I couldn’t be happier to be your husband.

And I want nothing more than for you to be my wife today, tomorrow, and all the days the Lord has for us.

I know this is a lot to digest, and I don’t expect an answer right now, but I hope you’ll consider what I’m saying and let me know what you think when you’re?—”

The last of Hunter’s words gets muffled, caught between my mouth and his.

Yes, I waste no time in letting him know how I feel.

It’s a soft kiss, more like a brush across his lips, but it’s enough to make him speechless.

His eyes grow big, and his ears turn red, the reddest I’ve ever seen them.

He chuckles softly, his warm breath caressing my skin.

“I was going to say, ‘Let me know what you think when you’re ready.’”

“Hmm,” is all I manage to squeak out.

Now I’m the one who’s speechless. Everything Hunter said was exactly what I needed to hear.

It’s more than I ever thought possible, and I want him to know that we are on the exact same page.

I’m so on board that if I were Rose and he was Jack, I’d make room for him on that floating piece of wood without hesitation.

My man would know that I’d never let him go.

He must get my unspoken message because he’s the one kissing me now.

One of his arms wraps around my waist and presses me to his firm torso.

His other hand gently strokes my cheek, leaving warm tingles along my skin with every touch.

His lips are eager but polite as if he’s dipping his toes into the pool to test the temperature before going in.

I’m done treading water, though; I’m ready to dive all in.

I deepen the kiss and invite Hunter into that bottomless end with me.

It’s new, uncharted territory, but I have faith in his heart and in the strength of his character that he will keep me safe.

I lift my arms and encircle his neck so I can run my fingers through his thick hair.

He leans me back into the cushion and continues kissing my mouth, then along the side of my neck.

Every part of me feels his care and adoration as if I’m a porcelain vase from a long-ago dynasty that he holds in his hands.

It doesn’t matter if I feel obtrusive or outdated or gaudy; to Hunter, I’m priceless.

I see this truth in his eyes when he stops to look at me.

“Is that all?” I ask breathlessly, feeling like a puddle of happy, melty goo. “I don’t mind if you kiss me some more. And for the record, I like you, too, a lot, in case you weren’t sure.”

He cracks a smile. “I think that kiss clued me in on how you feel. And I do want to kiss you more, but I need to get these contacts out first. I’m afraid they’re not allowing me to kiss to my full potential.”

My jaw drops. Hunter can kiss even better than that?! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at this point, but this new knowledge makes me eager to help him out. “We better do something about that! Hand me those Q-tips! No more puffy cheeks though or else I’ll never stop laughing!”

“Deal!”

This time while Hunter stays still and less blowfish-like, I’m able to remove—without plucking or extracting!—his contact lenses in record time.

He blinks his eyes and nods, looking satisfied and relieved. “Thank you, Lil. You saved the day.”

I toss the used Q-tips and his daily-wear lenses into a bag set aside for trash. “It’s not that big of a deal. Anyone could have done it.”

“I wouldn’t have trusted just anyone to do what you did.” His gaze softens as he brushes a lock of windblown hair off my cheek. “It was a big deal to me and my eyeballs. Such a big deal that I plan on relaying my thanks to you in the form of a very, very, very long kiss, if you’ll accept it.”

“Do you have to ask twice? ”

I lean forward and pucker my lips, ready to soak up his gratitude.

Suddenly, my phone sounds from the side table where I’d put it earlier.

I regret not turning it off, but it’s too late now.

The opening line of The Beatles’ song, “Help!” cuts through the quiet of the night.

It’s my mother’s ringtone, so aptly chosen for moments like this when I wish someone would come to my rescue. “Sorry, I should get that.”

“It’s your mom, isn’t it?” Hunter offers me a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay to let it go to voicemail, Lil.”

“Is it, though?”

“It’s up to you. No pressure. We can always kiss later.”

I shake my head. Talk to my mother or kiss Hunter? What am I even hesitating for?

I let the call go to voicemail, then dive back into my husband’s embrace and hope I don’t regret my decision later.