I offered a halfhearted smile as Dakota called for me.
“Savvy, we need a witness,” she called out in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Coming!” I wiped at my eyes again and put my hand into Erik’s. “Stay with me?” I whispered.
“For as long as you need. Always.” He laced his fingers with mine.
I walked up the aisle to music I didn’t recognize. When I got to the front I stepped to the right and faced Sutton and Erik, who stood several feet from my position. Erik was serving as the groom’s witness while I was the maid of honor…kind of. I glared at Sutton, trying to show my undying hatred for the man through a single look.
He smiled widely and winked at me.
I looked away on a scowl and watched as my sister walked down the aisle. She didn’t do that slow one-step thing most brides did. Instead, she was all business. She didn’t even hold the flowers up at her waist. They were down at her side, brushing against her dress. Some of the petals fell off and dropped to the floor as she trotted up the aisle.
Laughing would have been uncouth, so I looked away and focused on Erik’s glorious features. The man was unearthly attractive. Everything about him said take my picture, put me in a hot guy calendar, and plaster my face all over social media and movies. He was that good-looking.
And he was mine.
My husband.
Well, soon-to-be husband.
We still needed to talk about that part.
Dakota made it to the front, and Sutton held out his hand. She looked at his outstretched palm as though it would bite before she snarled and placed hers within his.
His lips twitched with what I assumed was humor as he turned toward the officiant.
For most of the service I stared at Erik. I couldn’t help it. But when he’d look at me, my heart would race and I’d focus back on Dakota. She treated the ceremony as though it was a business interview, responding when necessary, keeping her silence otherwise.
“Do you take this man, Sutton Duke Goodall, as your lawfully wedded husband?” the officiant asked.
“I do.” Dakota cut off the rest of the words the man was about to say. “Let’s hurry this along, shall we?” she grumbled.
Sutton chuckled and nodded. “As the lady requests,” he said, confirming it was okay to move forward at a faster clip.
“Do you take this woman, Dakota Leanne McAllister, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“Absolutely, I do!” Sutton boasted with a big smile as his chest rose with what could only be seen as pride. He positively glowed with it as he brought the back of her hand up to his mouth and kissed her there. Incredibly strange reaction from someone who was supposed to be a horrible human being from a wretched family.
Could it be that he actually wanted to marry my sister? I mean, she was beautiful, smart, knew everything about how to run a farm, and could be genuinely funny when she wasn’t trying to take on the brunt of a failing legacy.
When the officiant brought up the part about rings, Sutton dug into his trouser pocket and unearthed two matching yellow gold bands. One was more dainty than the other, but they were definitely a matched pair. He handed his ring to Dakota, and I noted her shocked intake of air.
He’d actually planned this event down to the smallest detail. It seemed he knew she’d be up for auction, or at the very least, hadn’t anticipated leaving that event without a bride on his arm.
The rings were exchanged, and my sister’s hand shook as he placed the ring on her finger. I watched as he thumbed the gold metal and stared into her eyes longingly.
“I’m finally marrying the woman I’ve wanted since I was fifteen years old.” He leaned down and kissed the ring directly over her finger in a worshipful gesture that eased the tension in my heart.
He genuinely likes her.
She jolted, dropping the flowers at her side to the ground as her hand came up to cover her heart.
“On that happy note, I am pleased to announce that by the authority vested in me by the State of Nevada, you are now husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
“No, you don’t! Step away from me, mister! You’re getting nowhere near me with that mouth!” she grouched, but Sutton didn’t listen. He was a man on a mission, and she was his end game.
He put one hand to her waist, and the other to the back of her neck and hurled her against his body. His head came down and tilted deeply to the side, making enough room for his hat as his lips pressed to hers.
For a second or two she fought his kiss, her hands in fists at his chest, but then, surprisingly, her fight suddenly ended. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and slanted her head. The kiss went from angry to heated so quickly it almost felt indecent to watch.