She was suddenly recalled from her reverie as the instrumentalists struck up Pachelbels Canon.
The assembled guests turned to look at her and she in return surveyed them. Even Bonita Garrison was in attendance, though Stephen had warned her that his mother had drawn unpleasant comparisons between their situation and the hurt caused by her late husbands philandering.
Her eyes drifted to Stephen, and she only had eyes for him as she started down the aisle created by the partitioned guests.
His expression was carved in granite—except for his eyes. As she drew closer, she saw that his eyes shone with sensuous promise.
She had to remind herself it was a well-practiced look for him and she shouldn't attach too much significance to it.
Still, when she reached his side, and they turned to face the officiant, tears pricked her eyes and she trembled.
There were times when shed wished Jade had had a father around, and now Stephen had stepped up to the plate—whether she wanted him to or not.
She handed her round bouquet of tightly packed roses to Jade.
"We have been called here today to witness Megan and Stephen being joined together in holy matrimony..."
As the officiant went on she was very aware of Stephen standing by her side and she stole a look at him. He was steady as a rock, facing forward, his expression serious.
Maybe because he felt her observation, however, he turned his head and glanced down at her.
She blinked rapidly to clear the mist from her eyes.
"Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"
"I do!" Jade piped up and the guests laughed.
She and Stephen laughed too and then her breath caught. She hadn't seen Stephen laugh like that in four years.
And all at once, it was time to say her vows.
"I. Megan, take you. Stephen, to be my husband..." Her voice came out a little unsteady, but Stephen held her gaze, refusing to let her look away.
When it was his turn, he looked into her eyes and spoke in a sure and clear voice. "I. Stephen, take you. Megan, to be my wife..."
His words gave her goose bumps, and the goose bumps turned to a fine tremor when it was time to exchange rings.
She wondered if Stephen could feel her unsteadiness as he took her hand and slipped a filigreed platinum band next to her engagement ring.
"Take this ring as an eternal symbol of my love..."
She couldn't look away from him as he said the words and then it was her turn to repeat them back to him.
"...I now pronounce you..."
Married. The word echoed in her head, and she felt the full effect of its heady power.
Stephen had changed the course of her life already, and now he was her husband.
Her husband, and he was bending forward, a dark glimmer in his eyes and lust in his soul.
"Let’s make it good for Jade." he murmured.
His lips touched hers, and before she could react, he'd deepened the kiss to a long and lingering one she felt down to the toes. Her hands curled into his upper arms.
The guests hooted and clapped.
Stephen straightened, and she took a deep breath. Then she hooked her arm through his and they walked past their guests and toward the hotel to the tune of "Ode to Joy."
Fortunately, once the reception started under tents set up on the beach, she was able to mingle among the guests and push aside—at least for the moment—the disturbing feelings Stephen aroused in her.
As she watched Jade dance with Stephen, Anna come over to congratulate her.
Her friend gave her a quick hug. "I'm so glad you married into the family, even if I have selfish reasons. The Garrisons can be intimidating."
"Tell me about it." Megan muttered. She’d met all of the Garrison siblings when she and Stephen had dated, so she had an inkling. Then she thought about how hard a time she had handling just Stephen.
Anna searched her face. "So are you satisfied with your decision?"
"Thanks for dispensing with the word happy," she responded. They both knew this forced marriage was anything but a joyous occasion.
"You should give Stephen a chance. He might surprise you."
"It'll be difficult to surprise me. This time I won’t be shocked if I find another woman in his bed."
Stephen was still dancing with Jade, who was twirling around. It wasn't hard to see how they were related—the dark-haired little girl who was smiling and laughing, and the darkly gorgeous father who somehow managed to look comfortable dancing with an unpredictable partner.
"You shouldn't be such a cynic." Anna admonished.
Megan looked back at her. "It's precisely because I don't think he can be faithful that I made sure this would be a marriage in name only."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean—and this is confidential—we won't be sleeping together."
Anna's eyebrows shot up. "Stephen agreed?"
She recalled Stephen's challenges, then his gambit regarding making things look good for Jade. "He agreed to separate bedrooms."
Anna looked at her shrewdly. "Uh-huh."
Megan glanced over at the man who'd sent her life careening off course ever since he'd stepped into it four years ago. "I won’t lose my heart to him again," she said adamantly.
Chapter Eight
He was Stephen decided, a masochist.
Looking at Megan in the wedding gown he'd picked out all he wanted to do was spirit her away to a place where they could get na**d and find feverish deliverance.
His yacht would serve the purpose well. He kept it nearby, and it was somewhere he could relax and get away from it all. It’s satin-covered bed was his favorite place to make love, rocked by the soothing waves lapping the sides of the boat.
His body had been at a steady hum ever since he'd seen Megan start down the aisle. He hadn't been able to peel his eyes off her. Shed looked incredible in the simple but sexy gown he'd picked up for her at a high-end Miami boutique.
He was getting what he wanted, but he wanted her willing. Despite her attempt to make this a marriage of convenience, he planned to seduce her back into his bed—as the first step toward making them the family unit they should be.
He'd seen tears in her eyes during the ceremony, and had wondered whether they signaled sadness or happiness. When she was in his arms, he'd make sure she was beyond sadness or happiness. They'd just fit, as they had from the very beginning.
He absently twisted the ring on his finger.
"Still getting used to the feel? Don't worry, you will, faster than you can believe."
He turned at the sound of his brother's voice. "Hey, Parker."