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My face felt so hot I knew my cheeks were flaming cherry red. "Do you, Wren, take Gavin to be your eternal partner, a witness to your life, your anchor in the storm, and the home of your heart for this lifetime and beyond?"
"I do." I managed to squeak the words out but it didn't feel real. It felt like I was watching from the foyer, and this was happening to someone else.
"Exchange the rings and repeat after me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my unending devotion and to declare that I have chosen you above all else now until the end of time."
My hands trembled too much to get his ring on or get any words out. Tears were threatening to overflow.
He leaned down and whispered in my ear. "You're doing great. You got this."
With a deep breath, I managed to get it on his ring finger and say the words.
"You belong to me," the justice of the peace said.
I looked up at Magnum and said, "You belong to me."
Then it was his turn. Magnum was in total control at that moment. His voice was like liquid honey. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my unending devotion and to declare that I have chosen you above all else now until the end of time." He slipped the ring on my finger. "You belong to me."
"Did you want to share any vows?" the justice of the peace asked.
"No."
"Yes," Magnum said at the same time.
"Go ahead." She smiled patiently even though I knew we were taking up her precious time.
He caressed the top of my hands with his thumbs, and it was very distracting. "I want you to know, Wren, that you are very special, and you deserve the best in the world, not just today but every day. I want to thank you for this chance because just standing here with you, I'm seeing things I never thought I'd see before. I promise to always tell you the truth and to protect you from anyone or anything that would harm you."
"Wren?" The officiant's voice echoed at me like I was in a tunnel.
Uh. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. Talk. Words. My turn to talk. "Um. I just wanted to say thank you for being here. It means a lot to me and I'm grateful. I will always remember this day, and I promise to be truthful to you too." There. That was good enough.
"Good. Then by virtue of the law granted to me by the State of California, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
I stared up at him and my breath caught in my throat.
Kiss Gavin's brother? The one who was so mean to me when I met him but now he was doing something thoughtful and saying nice things.
He lowered his head and aimed just to the side of my mouth. As he came close, I took in his scent. He smelled good and it felt like a magnet was pulling my face to his. I turned my head and made our lips meet.
He froze at first, surprised by my sudden move. With a small grunt, his arm reached behind me and yanked my hips against his. He was hard and bumpy all over as he bent meback and extended the kiss. No open lips, no tongue, but it was soft and passionate and a lot better than kissing Gavin.
He opened his lips slightly and I opened mine, and in that space, there was magic. Fireflies and sparkling dust floated between us. I wanted to dive into it and live there. Without even thinking, I reached out with my tongue, but he was already pulling away.
His mouth quirked up on the sides and spread into a handsome grin.
Oh boy. Oh my. What had I done?
The justice of the peace and the few witnesses in the room began to clap softly.
And with that, I was married to Gavin, who was really Magnum, and hopefully, I was safe.
Chapter 5 The Six Sands on Topanga
Wren
Mag didn't hold my hand as we left the courthouse. He walked quickly ahead of me to the huge concrete courtyard in front of the building.
The crisp air stung my burning cheeks, and dark clouds loomed overhead, threatening rain once again. I struggled with my wet dress as I shuffled behind him with the marriage papers, my small purse, and the bouquet in my hands.
