Imperfect Love: Arranged (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  Yes, things were moving fast…but it felt right for some reason that I couldn’t explain. Not so much for Novak and Montana it appeared. I couldn’t blame either of them. They were our friends and just looking out for us. They were both forgetting that we were already both in a situation that wasn’t much different than what we were committed to doing. Neither of us wanted to be told who we had to marry and when. It was a perfect arrangement for both of us; our parents wanted us to be married for two different reasons and we were fulfilling their wishes. Seemed like a win-win to me and Jensen agreed, telling me to ignore our friends and suggested we get them drunk.

  Alcohol was certainly welcomed when we made our next stop after the courthouse. “A strip club?!” I exclaimed as the car door opened up and a hand was extended to help me out.

  “It is a bachelor-bachelorette night out,” Novak was quick to interject.

  “Yes, but I think you forgot the bachelorette part of the evening…like naked dancing men?” Montana raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

  “I guarantee you’ll have a good time. It’s more of a burlesque show.” Jensen was quick to tell us what the venue offered and the evening’s lineup along with letting us know that we had a prime spot with bottle service.

  “And if we don’t enjoy this place?” Montana asked.

  “If you’re not having a good time, we’ll go see guys—” Novak retorted.

  Jensen, however cut him off, adding “That is, we’ll drop you girls off and sit outside in the bar waiting for you, but let’s give this a whirl.” I nodded as we walked to the door and he made me laugh as we were about to go in, “I’ll even treat both of you to a lap dance.”

  I skipped his offer, but Montana took him up on it and giggled all the way through her special dance as we all looked on. And the guys were right—the place was gorgeous inside with plush sofas, dark wood, mirrors, and a theatre style stage with stairs down the front to allow the entertainers to join the audience. That was how one scantily clad woman made her way onto Montana’s lap and others followed to other recipients. The club was filled with a mix of men and women enjoying the dancing girls who stripped down to G-strings and pasties with tassels.

  Though I was having a great time, all of the dancing and alcohol had me wanting to do a little dancing of my own. Montana agreed with me and we begged the guys to leave in favor of the promise of rubbing bodies on a dance floor. What guy could turn that offer down? Luckily, they did not and I have to say that it set the night down an even more exhilarating path to a dark nightclub with music thumping, arms raised in the air swaying to the rhythm, and bodies practically humping in the overcrowded space.

  So lost to kissing and grinding against Jensen—who appeared to have a healthy package pushing into me—surrounded by the masses, I had almost forgotten about the wedding portion of our evening. I was reminded about our pending nuptials when the DJ announced congratulations to a couple that had just bounced in married. Instantly, my groom-to-be pulled me from the dance floor, through the crowd to the door.

  “Where are we going?” I shouted as we were having our hands stamped and a different plastic wristband wrapped around our wrists.

  “You’ll see,” was all I could hear until we moved out the door into the midst of casino noises which were much quieter in comparison. “Down here.” We moved toward a variety of specialty shops.

  “You need clothes?” I asked as we entered a men’s suit shop.

  “A tie…although I’m not sure about tying it…I’m a little nervous.” I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that, but I understood. However, we only needed to be married in name—he didn’t need to follow through with all of the promises he made.

  “You know…we don’t have to do this…just…” He turned and immediately put a finger gently to my lips, but I removed it and continued before he could say anything. “I really hope you will go through with the marriage part, but I have a place to stay. I could just keep a few things that I won’t need at your place for appearance sakes and we may have to go a few places to make things look real.” I was rambling on and praying that he wanted more as crazy as that sounded.

  “Are you done?” he asked as I took a couple of deep breaths and nodded my head. “Good. Let me start by saying or rephrasing my nervous statement. I meant it in a good way. Excited may have been a better word.” I nodded again, looking up into his beautiful dark eyes. “I want to marry you and I want to live together like a real married couple. I know it sounds crazy and probably like a cheesy thing to say, but something keeps telling me that we are meant to be with each other for a lifetime.”

  I smiled, not saying a word against what he had just said as I felt something similar. “Well then, let’s find you a tie—point the way.”

  That was the last time we ever second-guessed our decision to get married. We just went with the flow and had fun sifting through ties which I learned were not his favorite accessory. He told me that he had very few of them and broke them out only when absolutely forced to wear one. I have to say that I love a man in a suit and tie, but Jensen would look good in anything or nothing at all. Not that I knew the last details of his body, but from what I did see at the pool—his body was very impressive. Broad shoulders, hard chest, hints of divined abs and those nice v-thingies heading south into his trunks. And while I did not see his family jewels, I did feel his length against my body on the dance floor, and it worried me a bit with my virgin status.

  “What are you biting your lip about? You don’t like any of these ties? Or…are you thinking about seeing me out of these clothes?” He smirked at me and I stiffened thinking that he was reading my mind.

  “I like this one here,” I said calmly, lifting a beautiful red shantung tie—I liked its unique irregularities. Then without getting his approval, I removed the price tag. “Raise your collar.” He didn’t deny my request and allowed me to slip the tie around his neck—not so easy to do with his height, but I managed on my tippy-toes.

  “Wow! You know how to tie a tie…perfectly!” he exclaimed, watching my fingers work their magic until I was done and patted it on his strong chest. “I could get used to wearing one of these horrible things with you dressing me.” Then he properly or improperly thanked me by capturing my lips and dancing our tongues together.

  If not for a salesman, we would’ve continued. “I hope you’re not trying to steal that, we have cameras and I saw you come in without a tie.”

  “Of course not, but when a woman wants to pamper you and get you all lined up…” Jensen said while fiddling with the tie, “…you can’t resist.”

  “That is a very nice Pratt knot,” the gentleman said with a smile in my direction as I handed him the price tag. “Not many women I know are skilled at tying knots. She’s a real keeper.”

  “Don’t I know it?!” Jensen moved his arm around my waist as we followed the man to the register. “And if you hurry up with that credit charge, I’m whisking her into the first chapel we find and marrying her.”

  That statement earned me another kiss that was not quite as heated before we said thank you and moved on to one last shop to pick out wedding bands. Then we would be ready…after we found our witnesses.

  Chapter Eight

  Jensen

  I loved the smile on Ireland’s face. I loved that she tied my tie and…I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t wonderful about her. Suddenly, I felt that I needed to know more about her… Like, how did she learn to make that fancy knot? Had there been a man in her life that taught her? I didn’t want to know about another man—just her—but she seemed most interested in running her own business—that was why she had jumped on my proposed arrangement. She wanted to be taken seriously, not instructed to be home barefoot and pregnant…although that didn’t sound like such a bad idea as I looked at her. I was to be the one to keep her from that kind of marriage. I had to make our marriage different—a partnership where we made decisions together. All of these things were running through my head as
we walked into a twenty-four hour jewelry store and began to search the cases for the right wedding bands. Our first agreement…or disagreement…but definitely two opinions coming together.

  “Tell me more about your business.” I launched right in with a series of questions: “How did you start it? What does it entail? What is the best part of running your own company?” She beamed with excitement and turned her attention away from the glass cases in front of us before we were ambushed by an overly eager salesman.

  “Can I help you? We have exactly what you’re looking for…you name it, we can get it for you.” His interruption had us diverting our eyes from each other and focusing on why we had entered the shop in the first place.

  I, quickly, pointed to a few I liked and Ireland did the same. I noticed that we both picked simple platinum bands in different widths and curvatures. After he lined up our selections, we moved the ones that we liked the most toward us and then had the salesman put the others back. I had to admit, it was a little strange to be slipping on a wedding band. When I had purchased the engagement ring earlier, that salesclerk asked me about wedding bands—namely about one for me—and I waved him off. It didn’t seem real at the time, it was just something I needed to do. Purchasing rings together as a couple was a far more enjoyable adventure.

  Looking at Ireland wearing the diamond ring that I bought for a mystery bride, it was perfect for her and it even fit her—didn’t need to be resized. “I like these two the best,” she said, lifting the ring for me from the cushion and holding it up for me to try it on. My heart pounded and my stomach did a little flip as she slid it on my finger. It didn’t fit, but I liked it and did as she had done—ready to test the daintier one on her finger. Hers didn’t fit either and we looked at each other in a questioning manner…was it a sign?

  Our salesperson seemed to be keyed in to our doubtful minds…or stares, and quickly chimed in. “Not to worry about the fit. These are just samples. I have a ring sizer here.” He held up a larger metal ring with what looked like a hundred different rings on it, varying in size. “We have all sizes in the backroom. If these are the right ones, I will go get the perfect sizes. Just say the word.”

  Ireland nodded with a bright smile which caused me to melt a little. But, at least I was able to speak up and send him off with my credit card to find the rings for us once we were sized just right.

  “I started by pairing vendors for an event,” Ireland spoke up once we were alone, sipping a complimentary glass of champagne that another person in the store had immediately delivered to us. “Pairing is key along with atmosphere. Clients must see the right eye candy everywhere when they enter an event or an online site…”

  I couldn’t help but laugh, stifling her. “Eye Candy is important to women.”

  “Men like it too. You just don’t use that term. Hot! Sick! Rad! Bomb! Awesome! Gnarly!” I had to laugh even harder when she said each word, attempting a different manly voice. “It’s true!” She stood up a little taller and I got the idea that I was putting her on the spot to defend herself.

  Not wanting to be like her parents or anyone else that questioned her knowledge or ability, I reached out and rubbed her bare arm. So warm and soft, it had my thoughts muddled, but I think I made sense. “I get it. Everyone has desires, wants…lusts.” I swear she gasped a bit while doing a little shiver movement and it was the sexiest thing ever.

  “Visuals…appealing visuals equal eye candy for the masses.” She smiled up at me and I forgot where we were, what we were doing…what my own name was. I just wanted her in my arms and acting on my wants—removing our glasses from the equation—I captured her mouth.

  Again, a salesperson ruined our moment, breaking us apart with his words, a little box, and a postcard listing chapel photos on one side and a map on the other side. “These are some we recommend,” he said, circling a few with a red pen.

  We thanked him, drained our champagne flutes, Ireland put the ring box into her purse, and then we looked at the postcard. “Your expertise could come in handy here…pair us with the place that suits us best.”

  She shook her head. “Put that away!” She demanded quietly, looking around, tapping the card one last time before I folded it up and tucked it in the interior pocket of my suit jacket. “They probably get a kick back from the ones he pointed out. Look right there at the bottom right-hand corner, a discount code…linked.”

  She was smart, probably had her own clients do similar things to network—she did mention networking was essential. “So your aversion to the postcard is not because you’re having second thoughts?” A questionable eyebrow greeted her.

  She laughed. “Not at all. We’ll find the right place for us. It might be one of those or not… However, we do need our witnesses.” Her gorgeous grin nearly took my breath away and I felt lucky to be starting a new life where Ireland would be part of my daily routine.

  Though as much as I loved her expression, I loved wiping it from her face with a kiss right outside the doors of the jewelry shop. It wasn’t anyone who broke us apart next, but my desire to hurry up and make her officially mine. “I would like nothing more than to crush my mouth to yours for hours but, you’re right we need to find our friends and make this legal.” She nodded in agreement and we set off on our quest.

  Striding back toward the club holding hands and wearing a pair of goofy grins, two very familiar, yet, unhappy looking people were heading our way.

  “Hey! Where do you two think you’re going?” Montana shouted from a short distance away. “Ditching us?” Her words were quieter as she and my friend caught up with us.

  “Running off to elope from your elopement?” Novak raised an eyebrow in our direction and I threw up my hands—a move I hated since it meant that I had to let go of Ireland’s soft hand. He didn’t seem convinced that we were coming back for them and looked to be waiting for an explanation.

  “I needed a tie,” I said, touching the red silk fabric sitting proudly in place on my chest thanks to my gorgeous bride-to-be.

  “And we needed wedding bands,” Ireland announced, pulling out a little box not quite as pretty as the one her engagement ring came in, but the store where I had purchased it wasn’t open after midnight. Even if not from Cartier, the two rings wedged in the tiny white pillow looked perfect together—like us.

  “We were actually coming to find you…it’s wedding time,” I said with a bit of excitement in my voice. I really was happy and ready—the total opposite of when my parents mentioned that it was time for me to get married.

  I could see a skeptical look on Novak’s face but when I nodded that it was what I wanted, he was quick to make jokes. “Let’s go find Elvis to perform the ceremony.”

  Ireland was quick to protest and Montana backed her up, “My friend is not going to have a gold chain wearing hunk of burning love jumpsuit guy asking her to say I do. I’m sorry but we have to put our foot down…although, it could be a kick.”

  “I agree with the no-Elvis. Sorry, Novak,” I told him, grabbing him by the shoulder in a reassuring and comforting way that had him laughing…then we all joined in. “Okay, first chapel we find that’s it…unless there is any mention of The King.”

  “Champagne first!” Montana exclaimed. “We need to continue the celebration… Wow! This is really happening!” Then she hugged her friend as she continued, “Ireland and I promised each other that we would be drinking bubbly from dawn to dusk and beyond on the day of either of our weddings.”

  “I believe you started already at the pool earlier.” Novak didn’t seem very happy with the whole situation and something told me that I could not convince him no matter what. He would see—I was certain of it—in the end, things would be as they should be and that my…our happiness was best for everyone.

  “Don’t be a spoil sport, buddy.” I really wanted Novak to get onboard. “The girls want champagne, let’s get it and keep it flowing…this is a celebration. Let’s drink to our freedom—” I looked at Ireland when
I spoke my next two words, “and love.” Funny to be mentioning freedom linked with our marriage, but for both of us it was the freedom of choice. The love part, I truly believed that there would be lots of it in our future.

  We were free from expected love…free to find our own.

  Chapter Nine

  Ireland

  Where in the world did the night go? I thought to myself as I stretched out across an empty bed in a foreign room with my head slightly thumping like the music in one of the many clubs we skipped around to only a few hours ago. According to my phone screen that I found on a nightstand, it was nearly noon and if I remembered correctly, we rolled in around the time the sun was starting to come up in the East. The more I tried to focus on where I was, how I got there and what had happened, it all rushed back to me in flashbacks.

  The amazing dinner, the dazzling ring—I couldn’t help but look at it sparkling on my finger—the nightclubbing, the shopping, the champagne… Oh, and the hired car that dropped us at the main event of the night as we were heading back toward our casino lounge. It was ironic that Jensen and I shouted “stop” at the same time, pointing to a white chapel that grabbed both of our attention.

  It was almost a pass as we walked in, but thankfully the Elvis impersonator was saying his goodbyes to go do a hip-swiveling performance in an adjacent hotel. I think Montana and Novak were a little disappointed but they seemed okay when we let them select a wedding package for us. Well, to a point that is since they were keen on adding extras—such as a ridiculously cheesy, long veil for me and a top hat and cane for Jensen, both of which we vetoed. We did okay a simple white lily bouquet that Montana instructed me to throw to her—who else would I toss it to, I said silently to myself as I smiled at her. Of course, that meant that Novak got the garter tossed to him.

  It was obvious that our best man and maid of honor’s alcohol blood levels were probably way beyond the limit. They did manage to stand alongside of us and I have to say that I was a bit giddy during most of the ceremony until we got to the best part and sealed the deal with a heart pounding kiss. I think I said “amen” after we broke apart because I remember people laughing and saying “amen” as we walked out. But seriously who could blame me, I married a hot guy who could kiss like no one I had ever kissed before in my life.