I closed the distance between us, slipping the garment bag from her arm. “That’s the last time I mention anything you’re wearing. Are you going to open your eyes, or do I have to lead you to your bedroom?”
“I’ve been in your place once. Even if my eyes were open, you’d have to lead me.”
I stared at her for a moment, but the hand over her face wasn’t budging. “Are you always this superstitious and stubborn?”
“Won’t it be exciting for you to find out when I’m Mrs. Luca Rossi?”
My breath caught. My stomach clenched with discomfort. Mrs. Luca Rossi. What the fuck was I doing?
Saoirse clutched my arm until we reached the guest bedroom where she’d be getting dressed. Tomorrow, all her things would be moved into the bedroom beside mine upstairs and this illusion would really begin. For today, she was still a guest.
I laid her garment bag on the bed before facing her and grasping both of her elbows.
“You can back out of this. This is your opportunity to tell me to go to hell.”
Instead of instantly agreeing, a smile spread across her delicate, lovely face. “Why would I do that? I’ve already signed a thousand contracts. I also gave you my word, which means something to me. Plus, I’m getting a cat out of this.”
“You could get your own cat, you know.”
Her brows rose above her hand, and I wished like hell she’d just look at me. “Do you want to back out, Luca?”
“We have to do this.”
“We really don’t have to. I’m all in, but I completely understand if you’ve changed your mind. Just say the word and—”
“No. We’re doing this.” I let go of her arm, backing toward the door. “I’ll leave you to get ready. The officiant will be here in an hour.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. See you soon.”
I closed the door, leaving her alone, and walked upstairs to get dressed for my wedding.
Chapter Eleven
Saoirse
Luca was pacing the living room, a beer bottle dangling between his fingers. Every once in a while, he stopped to take a sip, then started pacing again.
He hadn’t noticed me standing there, so I took a moment to look at him. My almost husband.
He’d changed from jeans and a T-shirt into a suit. Not the kind he wore to the office either. In a deep-burgundy three-piece with a black shirt and tie, he looked like he’d stepped off a runway. The jacket was fitted to his broad shoulders and tapered waist to within an inch of its life, and I had a feeling if I lifted the back, his trousers would mold lovingly to his ass.
“What are you wearing?”
Luca’s loud, abrupt bark made me jump. My tongue was stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. My heart was fluttering wildly in my chest. I pressed my hand over it as if that would do anything to calm it.
Luca dropped his beer on his glass coffee table and strode toward me, his brow heavy and low. “I asked what you’re wearing, Saoirse.”
I looked down at my dress to ensure I hadn’t unknowingly spilled anything on it. I’d been careful, but things happened. Not this time, though. The pink slip dress fell, sleek and silky, over my body, nearly reaching the ground.
“It’s a dress, Luca.”
He stopped two feet from me, raking his gaze over me. “I didn’t expect you to wear a gown.”
“Are you mad?”
His jaw worked from side to side for several beats before he shook his head. “You caught me off guard, that’s all.”
“Well…” I swiveled from side to side so the fabric swished around my legs, “I thought, since this will be my only wedding, why not do it up? There are only so many chances a girl has to wear a silky pink dress.”
“There’s a flower in your hair,” he blurted.
I touched the silk orchid tucked over one ear with my fingertips. “I know. Isn’t it pretty?”
His eyes narrowed into slits. “You’re taking this a lot more seriously than I assumed you would.”
“I know. You thought I’d wear flip-flops. But, like I said, this is my one and only wedding, so I went a little over the top. Besides, look at you in your suit. I bet your tailor worked overtime to make you look like that.”
“Like what?” He tugged on the knot of his tie, still eyeing me like I was the enemy.
“Handsome, Luca. You look incredible, and you make that suit look good.”
He turned his head, staring out the wall of windows. “Thank you.”
“And?”
His attention slowly returned to me. “And…what?”
I did a smooth pirouette, allowing him to see the draping that exposed my back to the base of my spine.
I blinked at him over my shoulder, pleased to find he was rapt by the sight of me. “Do I look nice, Luca?”
There was a long pause, followed by a chuff. “I suspect you know exactly how you look.”
Before I could ask him to expand on that—and possibly fish for a compliment I’d been hoping he would have given freely—there was a knock on the front door. Luca tore out of the living room without another word, leaving me disappointed and confused.
But I supposed he’d set the precedent for what our marriage would be like. I wouldn’t go to him for assurance or even a simple compliment. We were business partners who might fuck if the mood struck, but that was it.
It would serve me well to remember that.
Luca escorted a man in a suit, who introduced himself to me as Judge Hernandez. He told me I looked nice. When I glanced at Luca, he averted his gaze back to the windows.
“I thought we’d do this on the balcony,” Luca said.
“Yes,” I agreed. “I love it out there.”
I’d never been, of course, but Judge Hernandez didn’t need to know that.
Luca straightened his tie again. “I’ll meet you out there.” Then he swiveled around and disappeared into the kitchen.
I smiled at the judge. His kind, almost sympathetic smile in return struck me in the gut. One look at us, and he obviously suspected this wasn’t a love match.
Or maybe I was reading too much into his expression.
We went to the balcony door, but since I had never actually unlocked it, I didn’t know how.
“I’m sorry. Luca always opens the door for me,” I explained like a brainless, kept woman.
“It’s all right, Ms. Kelly. Would you allow me?” More sympathy from Judge Hernandez. He got the door open in one move and allowed me to go outside first.
Luca appeared seconds later, carrying a compact bouquet of red roses he shoved toward me.
“Your flowers, bella.”
“Oh. How silly of me to forget when they’re so beautiful.” I took them from him, bringing them to my nose to smell them. “I love roses.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “I know.”
“Do you?”
His head cocked slightly while I smelled the flowers again. I mouthed, “Thank you,” and he nodded, facing the judge.
“We’re ready to begin.”
The ceremony was short and to the point. We both said, “I do,” and when it came time to exchange rings, Luca produced a simple platinum band that fit my finger perfectly. Then it was my turn. I slipped off the loose silver ring I’d kept on my thumb, and his brows shot up.