Page 6 of The Awakening (The Morton Family Saga #3)

“A marriage isn’t to be entered into lightly.

The two of you have decided to join your lives together.

Through happy times, difficult times and through whatever else life decides to throw at you.

” The man droned on, and I stared at Gavin, my clammy hands draped in his open palms. I was a fraud.

The justice of the peace was speaking of the challenges of marriage, the importance of the bond, and how we’d have to stick together through it all.

But our marriage wasn’t one that would be built on that kind of foundation. We weren’t marrying for love.

“Elyse, do you take Gavin as your husband?”

I studied Gavin, looking intently into his eyes.

And all I could think about was how kind he was, how ready he was to take on my troubles.

Only he didn’t know all the details or what, in about eight months, my life—our lives—would be like if we went through with this marriage.

Fake or not, I couldn’t put him through it.

He gave my hands a little squeeze of encouragement, but I pulled them away.

“No, I—I can’t. I can’t do this to you, Gavin.” I ran down the aisle and pushed my way through the double doors. I didn’t stop running until I found the women’s bathroom.

I turned on the tap and splashed my face with cool water. I gripped the sides of the sink and leaned over it, sucking in a few deep breaths to calm myself.

The bathroom door squeaked open. “Are you going to tell me what’s happening?” Gavin’s low voice called out to me.

I shut my eyes and swallowed hard. That was the problem.

I didn’t want to tell him. “I can’t marry you.

It was nice of you to offer, and I appreciate it, but I can’t get you mixed up in this.

” I turned to look at him, shaking the water from my hands, pleading with him to agree without asking more questions.

He stepped inside the restroom, letting the door fall closed behind him. “Ellie, I’m already mixed up in it. I don’t understand what you’re so worried about. We’ve got a flight to catch, so let’s just get this over with, okay?” He reached his hand out for me to take.

“Gavin, I’m pregnant.”

If he was panicked, his face didn’t show it. His expression didn’t even change. I expected shock, outrage, a stern ‘how could you’ even. But instead, he regarded me with a gentle look, calm and silent. The judgment I’d been conditioned to expect absent.

But maybe his silence was speaking volumes.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “Okay. We’ll have to work on our story. Come on, let’s get married. We can deal with this later.”

That was it? After all, that build up? All the tension I felt? The guilt brewing in my gut didn’t disappear but had been reduced to a simmer.

I shook my head and took the hand he still offered to me. “Where did you come from, Gavin Morton?”

“Texas.” He said with a straight face, and I couldn’t help but laugh. He pulled me to him, his eyes locked on mine, and for a brief moment, I thought he might kiss me. But instead, he turned and led us out of the bathroom, and back to the altar.

The old man stood from his chair. “You’re back.”

Gavin gave him a curt nod. “Sorry, sir. We’re ready now.”

The old man smiled, the laugh lines around his face crinkling. “Where was I? Oh right. Elyse, do you take Gavin as your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.” My voice was strong, and even though I knew this was a marriage of convenience, the moment felt special.

“Gavin, do you take Elyse as your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.” He didn’t hesitate and never took his eyes off me.

“By the power given to me by the state of Montana, I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Morton, you may kiss your bride.”

Gavin’s eyes grew wide, and he hesitated for a split second before he leaned in and kissed me.

The magnetic pull between us from the night before returned, and what was intended to be a quick peck turned into so much more.

Gavin laced his fingers in my hair and pulled me closer, his mouth fusing more securely to mine.

The kiss deepened, but I couldn’t tell you who was in control.

He groaned against my lips as I ran my hands up his back.

He could have whisked me away anywhere in that moment and I would have gone without question or hesitation.

Janet clapped from behind us. “Save something for the honeymoon, you two.”

We broke our kiss, and I searched his eyes, looking for clues as to how he felt about the connection we’d just shared.

I half expected to see regret, but he only smiled down at me.

I couldn’t help but return it, feeling more at peace than I had in a long time.

As I signed the paper that made us legally husband and wife, there was a tiny part of me that wished it hadn’t gone down the way it had.

I wondered, if we’d met under different circumstances, would we have married for the right reasons?

No, don’t go there.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind. It had happened the way it had, and it would end when the time was right. I owed him for my safety and my freedom, and the best way I could repay him for his overwhelming act of kindness was by keeping a level head about this whole situation.

I was Gavin Morton’s wife on paper, but nothing more.