Page 46 of Irresistibly Wicked

“Friday,” Zander answered.

“Oh,” the woman said with surprise. “Nothing like waiting till the last minute, but don’t worry. That’s not a problem. We have a large stock of wedding bands.”

“I had planned on a long engagement,” Zander said, eyeing Shauna mischievously. “But when I got down on one knee this morning, I couldn’t wait to call this sweet darlin’ my wife.”

Shauna’s cheeks burned. Why was he laying it on so thick?

“Love is like that,” the woman said. “It’s been known to upend all sorts of plans. How long have you been together?”

“It seems like forever, doesn’t it, Angel?” Zander said without missing a beat, and then he kissed her temple.

The kiss took her by surprise, and it wasn’t a quick peck. It was a warm, intimate press of his lips that lasted so long, she found herself leaning closer. She had to put her hand on his chest to steady herself, imagining how good those soft, warm lips would feel on hers. When he finally drew back, her skin tingled.

He smirked victoriously, jerking her from her reverie.

Shitshitshit. What was she doing? She should not be thinking about how good that felt when the saleswoman was looking at her expectantly.

Zander’s eyes danced with amusement.

Her competitive side reared its head. He wasn’t the only one who was going to ace his role. Remembering what Zander said about it seeming like they’d been together forever, Shauna said, “It sure does. I barely remember the night we first met. It seems like a lifetime ago. Then he crashed into my life again, and sparks flew—”

“More like flames, darlin’.” Zander glanced at the saleswoman and said, “Marriage wasn’t even on her bucket list, but she couldn’t resist me.”

We’re going there, are we? Shauna slipped her arm around his waist and gazed up at him, letting the attraction she’d worked hard to tamp down show through. “How could I, when you swooped in like a knight in leather armor and knocked me off my feet?”

“You did spill your coffee,” he reminded her.

She smiled, remembering how shocked she’d been seeing him standing there. That felt like a lifetime ago, too. “Yes, I did, and then you showed up everywhere I was, like a sexy stalker, and suddenly everything in my life made sense.”

Zander’s eye warmed. “Mine too, darlin’.” The way he said it made her want to believe him as he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

“Now, that’s a love story,” the saleswoman said with awe.

As Shauna stepped out of Zander’s embrace, he said, “It’s one for the record books. The sooner that ring is on her finger, the better.” He tossed Shauna a gratified wink, as if to say, We did it, Flores.

And the Oscar goes to Zander Wicked, for getting me swept up in the idea of marrying him after all.

Chapter Seventeen

LATER THAT EVENING, they left the Shrimp Shack laughing at another of their horrible jokes, just as they’d been doing while they’d stuffed their faces with shrimp tacos. Zander couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a good time.

As they headed down the street to the local ice cream shop, he bumped Shauna with his shoulder and said, “Do you think it’s possible to become emotionally attached to a shrimp taco? Because that last one was shrimply perfect.”

She laughed. “There you go again, being shellfish, making me listen to your horrible jokes.”

“Now, that was bad.”

They both laughed.

“Admit it,” he said. “You dig my horrible jokes. You’re just bummed you didn’t take me up on sharing the last taco.”

“You put enough hot sauce on it to burn a hole in your gut. You’ll pay for it later, and I’m not coming to your rescue.”

“I’ve got a gut of steel, but on the off chance I keel over tonight, tell Zeke I said he has to marry you so you get your money.”

“Look at you, already passing me off on someone else. Speaking of your brother, does he know we’re getting married? Have you broken the news to the rest of your family yet?”

“Not yet. Who are you going to let in on this secret? I don’t think we should tell too many people the truth, in case the attorney sends a PI to check out our story.”