Page 32 of One Pucking Heart

Elena shakes her head and releases a chuckle. “This is too much, Beck. Seriously.”

“My bride deserves the world.”

A little over an hour later, we’re sitting in first class seats as the plane ascends into the sky. Elena’s face is glued to the window as she narrates everything she sees. She oohs and aahs over the city below as it gets smaller and goes on about the fluffy clouds.

She’s incredibly adorable, and I can’t seem to wipe the smile from my face. It doesn’t take a lot to make Elena happy. This woman is the daughter of one of the richest men in the world. She’s a well-respected sports medicine doctor. She raised a daughter who is intelligent, caring, and kind—granted, that assessment has nothing to do with her feelings about me at the moment. She’s lived thirteen more years than I have, yet she’s barely lived at all. She hasn’t been on a plane since she was a child nor has she left the state. Every day, she experiences something new that she hasn’t been exposed to due to lack of time, money, or opportunity.

The two of us have lived vastly different lives. Elena did what she had to do. She put her daughter first and her education second, leaving time for little else. She has lived her adult life without many things I take for granted, things I don’t think twice about. Being around her makes me analyze my own life and, admittedly, exhibit more gratitude. At the same time, her naivete makes me feel things—feelings I have no right to. I want to show her the world and give her all the experiences she’s never had because she deserves them.

I only have her for a short while, but in that time, I’ll show her everything I can.

Once the plane levels off with the clouds below us, Elena sits back in her seat. “Fine, you’re right. This is fun.”

I laugh. “Is Elena Cortez admitting that I’m right?”

She shrugs and gives me a smirk.

“Just wait. We haven’t even made it to the destination yet.”

She turns in her seat to face me. “I know you love the whole surprise thing, but you know I’m a planner. I’ve already jumped in a limo and onto a plane with you. Can you give me details about what we’ll be doing this weekend? Please?” She smiles sweetly. If only she knew what that simple act did to me. A grin and a little pleading and I’m powerless against her.

“Well, today is all about you. I have a spa day planned—mani, pedi, facial, massage—the works. Then you’ll make a stop at the boutique and pick out your wedding attire before heading to your hair and makeup appointment. After all that, we have an appointment with Elvis at the chapel.” I wink.

“Elvis is marrying us?”

“Can you really get married in Vegas without Elvis? I think not.”

She giggles. “You’ve really planned this all out, haven’t you?”

“You should know, Elena. I never do anything small.”

She sits back in her seat. “Yeah, I see that. Where are we staying?”

“I got us a suite at the Venetian. You’ll love it. It’s my favorite place to stay. Walking through the interior makes you feel like you’re in Venice. There’s even a replica of the Grand Canal with gondola rides. And the food….Oh my God, so good. They import most of the ingredients from Italy, so it all tastes authentic.”

“So if we’re getting married tonight, what will we do for the rest of the weekend?”

“Whatever you want. We could casino hop and gamble, go see shows, explore the city, or sit by the pool and relax. I mean, it’s your vacation. We’ll do whatever sounds fun to you. I’ve been there a lot, so it doesn’t matter to me. I want you to have a great time. This whole thing has been stressful for you, and I’m sure you were freaking out about going to the courthouse today. So I wanted to make it fun. If we’re going through with it, we might as well have fun with it, right?”

She takes my hand in hers. The contact causes my blood to pump harder. Besides our few “for show” kisses, I’ve been very careful not to touch Elena, especially now that we live together. I’ve never done anything like this, but I have to imagine that clear boundaries are important for it to be successful.

“You’re the sweetest, Beckett.” Her hand squeezes mine. “If I had to fake marry someone, I’m glad it was you. I just want to thank you for this beautiful weekend. It means so much to me.”

“We’re not there yet.”

“I know, but it’s already special, and I have you to thank for that.”

Leaning my head against the seat, I hold her stare. “You don’t have to thank me. I’d do anything for you.”

And that’s the truth.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ELENA

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I take in my appearance, and tears spring to my eyes. I look stunning. There is no other way to put it. I’ve felt like a princess all day. The staff at the salon has catered to my every need, making sure that every inch of my body is pampered to perfection. I chose a white cocktail dress, simple and elegant. My hair has been deep conditioned and curled in big waves, framing a face that looks young and happy. The makeup artist, a true genius, applied minimal products while highlighting all my features in the most attractive ways. I hope to look this good if I ever have a real wedding someday.

The sound of a throat clearing gets my attention, and I turn around to find Beckett looking gorgeous in an expensive navy-blue suit.

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