Page 9 of Magic and Matrimony

It takes effort not to hurry down the aisle. I try to slow my steps, but I still walk at a fast clip. Ambrose is grinning at me when I quickly reach his side.

“In a hurry?” he murmurs as his eyes drift over the veil. “I like this.”

My cheeks heat with a blush, and I hate how my body betrays me. A simple compliment and I’m lighting up like a Christmas tree.

“We are gathered here today to join these two gorgeous creatures in holy matrimony.” Bobby’s voice booms out as though the pews are full and it’s not just Mabel and her son. Ambrose’s mouth twitches at the words “gorgeous creatures,” and I find myself smiling back.

“Take her hands, man. Act like you love her.” Bobby pries my bouquet from my fingers and the blood rushes out of my head, making me feel woozy. There isn’t love here. This is all a means to an end, but it feels like a lie, and I don’t like that. Ambrose slides his hands under mine, grounding me, and sending warmth into my body. Sparks of magic zip from his fingers intomine. I don’t know if he did that on purpose or not. When I lift my gaze to his, the usual playfulness is gone. Maybe this really is too much to ask.

Bobby says a bunch of stuff that I miss, but then Ambrose is speaking. “I, Ambrose Roth, take thee Piper Beaumont to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

Bobby hands over the ring and Ambrose slips it onto my finger. There’s a rush of magic that pulses out from my finger when the ring slides on. I gasp, jerking my head up. Ambrose is already looking at me, that smile back in place.

“That was unexpected,” he whispers, and then Bobby is nudging me.

“Your turn, darling. Repeat after me. I, Piper Beaumont, take thee Ambrose Roth to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

Bobby hands over the ring, and I slip it on Ambrose’s finger. There’s another, more powerful blast of magic. I sway from the whoosh of power that buzzes through me, but Ambrose has my hands tightly gripped in his.

“Oh, shucks. I forgot to ask if anyone objects.” Bobby chuckles and cranes his neck to look around the room as if more people showed up. I know he’s joking, but a sudden bolt of panic has me looking around, too. My heart beats against my ribs, stealing my breath away. We’re so close, it would be my luck that everything falls apart here.

“No one’s objecting, Piper. We’re good,” Ambrose says.

“Maybe you should have objected,” I whisper.

He squeezes my fingers and shakes his head. “I never turn my back on my friends.”

Ambrose’s face is close, his eyes looking almost golden as he stares at me. I nod, and then he offers me a radiant smile.

Bobby slaps his hands on our shoulders. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss each other like no one’s watching.”

For the first time, Ambrose’s good humor disappears. Sure, he just drove for miles, flew for hours, and hasn’t slept in a day, but this is the first time he looks put out.

He doesn’t want to kiss me. He won’t want to sleep with me either. This is not going to work.

Ambrose leans down and my stomach flips. Maybe it won’t be a problem. My nerves jangle and bounce around in anticipation.

Ambrose is going to kiss me.

My head falls back, and I nearly close my eyes, but then Ambrose turns his head and brushes a kiss against my cheek. That stings more than it should. Why would he kiss me in front of Bobby, Mabel, and her son? Why would he kiss me at all?

This is going to make the next part of this plan so damn awkward.

“We don’t want to scandalize Bobby.” Ambrose turns his blinding grin on the man who just married us, but I see straight through the facade. Bobby just chuckles and shakes his head.

“You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen. Now you two go. You’re going to do just fine. I can tell.”

6

AMBROSE

We’re barely out of the chapel, and Piper is digging through her bag. “Where’s my phone? There’s probably a flight that leaves in two hours, but I don’t think we’ll make it back to the airport in time.”

Dropping my hands to her shoulders, I turn her to face me. “Your phone is at the bottom of an urn at my house.”

“Oh. Right. Um. Do you want to check?” Her blue eyes are wide as saucers as she looks up at me. Her red hair sparks like fire in the sunlight, and everything is warm and perfect for this one moment in time.

“I need to sleep. And shower. Let’s get a hotel. We can get back on the plane tomorrow.”

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