Traded(20)

I flinched. “Our wedding wasn’t exactly intentional.”

Ashton released my hand and leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his hands clasped and resting against his mouth.

“Explain.”

I took a deep breath and began . . .



My head feels as if there’s a jacking hammer drilling into my brain. Maybe the surprise trip to Vegas for my graduation wasn’t such a good idea. Opening my eyes slowly, afraid of the light on the other side, I see Dominic, sleeping peacefully next to me. Our clothes from last night are scattered all over the room, including the three dresses I put on when deciding what to wear. Dominic had said he didn’t like any of them and kept asking me to change. One of them was too tight, he said. It made my butt look big. The other two were too revealing; the first showed too much leg, although it was halfway down my thighs; the second too much cleavage, when only last week I wore it to brunch with Mom.

Shaking my head, I smile to myself. Since we’re in Vegas, I can always shop for new clothes. I’ll take Dominic shopping—make sure he likes the stuff before I buy it. Running my hands over my face, I know a shower and food will help to clear the fog. Carefully climbing out of bed, I make my way to the bathroom quietly because Dominic doesn’t like being woken up in the morning. He’ll be nasty for the rest of the day if I disturb him so it’s easier to just be quiet until he gets up so we can go to breakfast.

I turn on the water for the shower. Waiting for it to heat, I reach for my toothbrush and almost scream out loud. There, on the third finger of my left hand, sits a solid gold band.

A wedding band.

Running from the bathroom, I pull back the bed sheet to look at Dominic’s hand, finding a matching band resting just below his knuckle.

Oh God. What happened last night?

With determination, I search through our clothes and bags, looking for something to explain what’s going on. There in the pocket of Dominic’s pants is a receipt from the Chapel O’ Love for his and hers wedding bands, and one ceremony. Stapled to the receipt is a piece of flimsy paper: the official Nevada marriage license.

Holy hell. We got married.

We’re married.

It’s what I’ve been hoping for—even if it’s happened a little earlier than I expected.

For one brief second I think about waking Dominic up, but he probably won’t be happy. It’s probably better to let him sleep before I tell him.

I get into the shower and once out and dressed, I go back into the main room. Dominic is sitting in one of the tub chairs, the license clutched in his hand, the vein in his temple pulsing wildly.

“What the fuck is this?” He holds the paper up, waving it in front of me. I thought he was going to be unhappy, but this is more. He’s angry.

I hold my hands up. “Now, Dominic—”

“Don’t Dominic me. You tricked me! You got me drunk last night so you could trap me.”

A small laugh escapes my mouth before I can stop it. “I did no such thing. I woke up this morning remembering as little as you do. I had just as much to drink last night.”

“Which is why I always tell you not to drink,” he snaps.

I drop into the chair next to him, the pain in my heart making my chest ache. “What do you want me to do? We could try and get a divorce? Or maybe an annulment?”

He stands, his tall frame towering over me. “You think this is funny?”

This isn’t the first time he’s freaked out like this. Eventually he’ll calm down, but it still makes me want to hide. He can get mean when he’s like this and I don’t like it. “No. I’m just not sure what else we can do.”

“You wanted this, didn’t you,” he accuses.

I look away, feeling the tears burn my eyes. “I won’t lie, Dominic. I was hoping you’d want to make me your wife, someday.”

“Do you even know how to be a wife?”

His sneer is hurtful but I answer quickly, “Not really, but I can try. I’m a quick learner.”

He paces the room, back and forth until he comes to a stop in front of the large plate window. He stares out at the skyline for a few moments and I’m afraid he’ll turn around and say he wants a divorce. “Fine,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’ll stay married—but if this is going to work, you need to learn how to be a good wife.”

My heart leaps. Dominic has been my world for so long. Things can only get better now that he’s mine and I am his. Maybe he’ll be less jealous. Less possessive.

I run up and wrap my arms around him. “I promise, I’ll be the best wife ever.”

He doesn’t kiss me like I expect. Instead, he unwraps my hands and drags me across the room, back toward the bed. “And you can start right now. I’m going to teach you how a wife should act in bed.”