Page 13 of Fairy Tale Husband

His frown deepened. “Let’s take a look at the other rooms.” He didn’t wait for her response, but turned and led the way to the next salon.

Wynne stepped through the open doorway of the next chamber and caught her breath in delight, feeling as if she’d just escaped from the bleakness of a wintery landscape into the comforting warmth of a summer evening.

Subdued lighting flickered across a vaulted ceiling trimmed in cypress wood, abank of windows stretching across one full wall of the room. Brass containers lined the base of the windows, overflowing with fresh flowers, their heady scent filling the air. In the middle stood the altar. Vivaldi played softly in the background like a benediction, and in that moment she knew. She wanted to be married here. It was the perfect place for a perfect wedding.

“We could look at the other rooms,” she offered reluctantly. “See what other choices are available.”

Jake shook her head. “No need. This will do.”

Once again they’d arrived during a lull and the elderly minister motioned for them to approach the altar. She could see their reflection in the windows, pale and ghostly. And she could see beyond the glass, to a midnight sky lit by the moon and stars. Far below, the fairy lights twinkled among the trees and shrubs.

“It’s like standing between heaven and earth,” she whispered, tucking her hand into the crook of Jake’sarm.

The minister smiled at her comment. “It is, isn’t it? Ithink this is my favorite room for just that reason. Do you wish to be married?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” Wynne said, as Jake handed over the necessary papers.

“Before we start, I’m required to ask that you give careful consideration to what you’re about to do,” the minister began, his gentle blue eyes turning somber. “Marriage is a serious commitment, not to be entered into lightly. So I ask that you face each other and look carefully at your partner. Make sure your choice is the right one.”

Wynne turned and stared into Jake’s eyes. They had darkened in color to a deep, rich shade of honey, all emotion held carefully in check. He was such a bewildering contradiction, confronting the world with uncompromising aggression and a fierceness that defied resistance. Even his eyes were those of a wild animal, spirited and untamed and predatory. And yet, his face suggested an austere nature, his expression stern and unapproachable, giving even the most combative personalities pause. He made his home in darkness and shadow, and she wondered if some painful incident in his past had forced him to turn his back on the light of human warmth.

Or was it that he wanted people to think the worst? came the stunning thought. Not that she ever could.

She offered a reassuring smile. He might intimidate some, but she’d sensed the goodness he worked so hard to conceal. From the moment she’d first seen him, she’d sensed his strength of character, his innate decency, and had known he’d make the perfect husband. She’d been so worried the man she selected would be getting the raw end of the deal and she would receive far more. But with Jake there was no cause for concern. She could give him his dream. His inheritance. Better yet, she could give him what he lacked most inlife.

Love.

She glanced toward the minister. Was she certain of her choice? Without question. The answer wasyes.

Jake stared at the woman clinging to his arm and then at the minister, dread balling in the pit of his stomach. Was he certain of his choice? Without question. The answer wasno.

He found Wynne a bewildering contradiction—soft and sweet, and yet surprisingly sensuous. Her smile alone made him lose every thought in his head. She was a glorious mix of fire and innocence. Avolatile combination. He frowned, realizing he hadn’t been so rattled by a woman since adolescence. That alone should make himwary.

But what disturbed him the most were her eyes. Avivid green, they appeared as open and compelling as a child’s. They shone with an inner purity his touch would surely corrupt. Worse, they held a shrewdness that swept past all barriers and stripped bare the blackness of his soul. He didn’t understand it. If she saw him so clearly, why did she stay? He glanced at her again, stared into those huge, beautiful eyes, and what he saw made his chest tighten.

She may have agreed to temporary, but her eyes promised forever.

“Have you reached a decision?” the minister asked.

Jake started to answer, to end this farce before it went any further, but then realized he wasn’t the one being addressed. Apparently the minister didn’t doubt that Wynne would make an acceptable bride. No. His concern was whether the bride would regret saddling herself with such an unlikely husband. It shouldn’t surprisehim.

“Please begin the ceremony,” Wynne said, perfectly calm and collected. Perfectly willing.

For an instant, Jake wavered between making the noble choice by backing out or remaining silent and letting her pay the ultimate price for her folly by marrying him. He gritted his teeth, torn. How could he allow her to commit such an ill-advised act? This marriage wouldn’t be fair to her. She wouldn’t get anything out of it other than a wealth of heartache. Hadn’t he caused enough heartache without inflictingmore?

What about the inheritance?

If he didn’t marry Wynne, his chances of finding another bride before the deadline were next to nil. Besides, he wanted her. He wanted her in his bed and in his home. In that moment, he wanted her almost as much as he did his inheritance.

An instant later the choice vanished like darkness beforedawn.

“I do,” he heard hersay.

She smiled up at him as she said it, her eyes shining, trapping him in a pool of glorious green sunshine. He stared back, his own responses to the minister barely registering.

“Before I pronounce you man and wife, would you care to exchange rings? We have them on hand,” the minister offered, peering at them from over his spectacles. “They’re tokens, really. Just something to use until you’re able to replace them with the genuine article.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Jake replied, digging into his pocket and pulling out a simple gold band. He’d picked an average-size ring, but to his amusement, it proved far too large, forcing Wynne to make a fist in order to keep it on. Not that it seemed to botherher.

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