The Billionaire's Dance(9)

He turned from her and spoke so no one else could here. "Let's get these  pictures over with. We don't need to announce to everyone in the room  this is a shot gun wedding." He placed her arm through his and headed  towards the rest of the family.

"Come on Alex, everyone here knows why we did this so I don't see why we  need to have this huge masquerade. We could've just as easily taken  care of our marriage in a courthouse and not put on a big show."

"There's no way my father would ever allow one of his sons to get  married that way and I'm sure your father feels the same. Jessica, this  marriage may be happening because of our son but we're married now. It  needed to be started this way. Something about our relationship needed  to be done correctly," he finished.

Jessica gave in without any more protest and allowed the photographer to  place her in many different poses with Alex and her family members. She  felt as if her cheeks were going to crack, she'd been holding the same  expression so long. All she had to do though was look at her son and she  was able to continue.

Jacob may have been an unexpected surprise she didn't even know she  wanted but she couldn't imagine her life without him. There was nothing  she wouldn't sacrifice for him. She would give up her entire world to  make his better. She could live in a loveless marriage because that  meant her son was with his father and would be loved, cherished and  spoiled.

The photographer was finally happy with the shots he'd captured and  Jessica was able to step away and gain control of herself once more. She  heard a hearty laugh and glanced up to see Alex slapping his brother on  the back, as his features lit with mirth. She sucked in a breath at the  beauty of the man.

Alex was the most handsome man she'd ever known. From his dark, silky  hair, piercing blue eyes and devastating smile, to his rock hard stomach  and sculpted arms. When you added in the confidence, which was as  second nature to the man as breathing, he was every woman's dream come  true.

She knew there were plenty of women who would love to be in her place.  They wouldn't have even cared if Alex loved them or not. They would just  love to have him on their arm. He was a trophy for sure. The thought  caused a small giggle to bubble up inside of her. She'd heard of all the  men with their trophy wives. Well, it looked like she'd snagged herself  a trophy husband.

"It's time to head out back for the reception," Joseph said in his  booming voice, which could be heard by everyone. The announcement made  Jessica's head snap up to attention. She thought this was the reception.  Why did the wedding keep getting bigger and bigger?

She saw Alex hand their son over to his mother, then he was at her side.  "I know you're tired but in a few more hours we can get out of here and  rest," he reassured her.

They walked through the huge Anderson mansion and as they crossed  through the patio doors, her breath was once again taken away. The  backyard had been transformed into a fairytale. She looked around in  awe. She'd grown up wealthy but what the Anderson's had made her family  look like middle class.         

     



 

There was a white carpet laid out from the back door to a group of  tents. Thousands of cascading lights looked like diamonds raining from  the sky. Tables were set up with beautiful settings and waiters were at  the ready, loaded down with trays of champagne and appetizers.

A small orchestra was playing in the center of the whole affair, with a  beautiful dance floor waiting for people to occupy its space. As they  walked out she noticed more people were at the reception than had  attended the wedding. She knew some but not all of them.

"Do you like everything?" Joseph asked, seeming to appear from nowhere.

"It's amazing but you really didn't need to go to this much trouble. Some cake and champagne would've been fine," she said.

Joseph let out a hearty laugh and then leaned down to kiss her cheek.  "Only the best for my boys and the beautiful women they choose to  marry," he said before he walked away to visit with some of the guests  in attendance.

"Try not to feel too overwhelmed. I got really flustered when I walked  out these same doors on my wedding day but now I will cherish those  memories forever," Amy said. Jessica was surprised to see Lucas's wife  standing there with her

Jessica knew the story of Lucas and Amy's rocky start. Amy had been  working for him and found herself pregnant with Lucas's child. They'd  married for the sake of the unborn baby but things had seemed to work  out great for them. It was obvious to anyone around them they loved one  another. It also seemed Alex was following in his brother's footsteps  and getting married due to an unplanned pregnancy.

They had one daughter who was over a year old and obviously loved. Amy  was also looking very pregnant with baby number two on the way. Their  marriage had ended up working out perfectly, which sent a bout of  sadness through her. She didn't see how her and Alex could end up with  the happily ever after Amy had gotten.

"You startled me," Jessica finally managed to say. "This whole thing is a little bit overwhelming."

"I know how you feel and it doesn't seem like it right now but you will  appreciate all of this someday. You'll have the pictures to pour over  and the memories of the perfect wedding to tell your children," Amy said  comfortingly.

Jessica didn't think she would ever be appreciative of the wedding but  she wasn't going to voice that to her new sister-in-law so she decided  to change the subject.

"How far along are you?" Jessica asked.

"Six months now," Amy said, beaming. "I couldn't be happier. I love  Lucas, Jasmine and this entire family so much. I was in a similar  circumstance as you, not that long ago but it worked out so much better  than I could've ever imagined. This family loves big and I've seen the  way Alex looks at you. I know you're scared now but know I'll be there  for you if ever you need a woman to talk to. Things do get better," she  finished and then gave Jessica a hug before joining her husband.

Jessica watched as the other couple embraced like they'd been apart for  months instead of mere minutes. She felt slight jealousy at the obvious  love radiating from the happy couple. She didn't expect to ever have  Alex look at her the way Lucas was looking at Amy. She shook herself out  of the mood and decided to enjoy her evening, since she wouldn't be  able to get out of it.

Once Jessica decided to let go of her worries she found herself enjoying  the reception. The cake was incredible. It had five layers with water  cascading down the center. There were tiny flowers and butterflies  created from frosting and she was almost afraid to cut it and ruin the  great work of art.

Alex swiped a piece of the frosting and stuck his finger in his mouth,  making her stomach churn with desire. How watching a man lick a bit of  frosting off his finger could be so dang sexy, she'd never know?

When Alex's hand fit gently over hers, they cut the cake and her worries  fell away. Whenever he touched her, the rest of the world could tumble  down and she wouldn't notice. She looked up into his eyes and forgot  what they were doing. He leaned down and kissed her intimately, to the  delight of the crowd. His mouth tasted sweet from the frosting and she  could feel shivers running down her spine.

The laughter pulled Jessica from her thoughts. She gently fed him and  the look of lust in his eyes as her fingers grazed his mouth made her  knees go weak. She started to tremble, praying the rest of the audience  didn't notice. Then he fed her a small piece of cake and heat shot  throughout her body. She sucked his finger into her mouth and the lust  instantly in his eyes was enough to drop her to her knees.

When he wiped a piece of frosting from her lips and then licked the tip  of his finger, she actually swooned. She thought swooning was just a  Hollywood movie moment but if he hadn't been there to pull her close she  would've fallen into the table.         

     



 

His eyes smoldered to a dangerous level and he pulled her close, kissing  her with far less restraint than he'd exhibited earlier. She wrapped  her arms around his neck and gave into the passion she'd been feeling  since he'd first stepped through her door.

"Well, I guess that's some great cake," she heard the chuckling voice of her father.

Jessica's head snapped back and she stared at her husband with horror.  She couldn't believe she'd kissed him like that in front of so many  people. He smiled down at her and turned toward the guests.

"We need to get this over with. I want my wife to myself," he said with laughter.

"Here, here," she heard Lucas shout, as he lifted his glass to toast the couple.

Jessica heard the sound of Jacob letting his mom know it was time for  his own dinner and was relieved to get a few minutes of privacy, as she  took him into the house to eat. As she rocked Jacob, she reflected on  the overwhelming day.