Page 26 of Untamed Billionaire
She glanced at Marco who had also grasped that comment. But Emma’s happiness pulled them back to the present. “What happens now?”
Marco pulled Chloe back against his side. “Now…we have a burger to celebrate!”
Chloe was so startled at that announcement that her head jerked, tilting back so she could look at him. “Burgers?” she laughed. “That’s not a very traditional wedding dinner.”
He shrugged, obviously unconcerned about traditions. “This is our private wedding, Chloe. We can eat anything we want. If you don’t want a burger, then you can order something else. But I’ve reserved the small restaurant right there,” he pointed over his shoulder to a small burger shack, “and we’re going to celebrate.”
He then turned to the minister and shook his hand. “Thank you!”
The minister smiled in response. “You are most welcome, my son,” the man replied, then shook Chloe’s hand as well. “And let me offer my congratulations to you as well, Ms. Hudson.” He chuckled at her startled expression, then nodded to Marco again. “My job is done! Have a good time tonight.”
Marco pulled Chloe back into his arms, the rest of the world dismissed. He was married to Chloe! She was his wife! The dreaded W word now felt so damned good!
“Are you really opposed to burgers?” he asked.
“I love burgers! However, I can’t remember the last time I ate one,” she replied, pressing herself against him and Marco had to concentrate to keep his body under control. She looked so damned beautiful! Her soft brown hair was still in that sedate twist on the back of her head, but the wind had teased small tendrils free. They now floated around her delicate features, softening her eyes and lips. Lips he wanted to kiss.
No, he reminded himself. Well yes, he wanted to kiss her. But he wanted to see her smile more than that. “Let’s go party!” he whispered into her ear.
Chloe laughed, pressing her cheek against his neck and he knew that he was in heaven as long as this woman was by his side! He felt like superman when she smiled at him!
“Let’s do it!” she whispered back.
He took her hand and led her up the old, weathered wooden staircase. “Wait!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I need my shoes!” she explained, starting to pull back.
“I’ll get them!” Angela called out, and rushed over to the tent and disappeared inside.
Marco didn’t bother to wait for the shoes. Instead, he swung her up into his arms and carried her up the steps.
“Marco, put me down!” she laughed, grabbing onto his massive shoulders. “I’m too heavy!”
He rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me?” he laughed. “Woman, be quiet and let me get you a burger!”
He carried her up the steps as if he were carrying a kitten in his arms, leading the way into the empty restaurant. It was built of rough wood with unframed pictures of previous patrons tacked up on the wall, rickety wooden tables with mismatched chairs and, in the center of it all, a bar with old, mismatched stools.
But there were bouquets of yellow and white flowers everywhere! Ribbons and draping yellow bunting. There was music too, and the owner held the door open, a huge grin on his face as he congratulated Chloe and Marco, patting Marco on the back with what seemed like a bone shattering thud. Only when they were in the center of the room did Marco finally put her down. At that same moment, several wait staff came out with baskets of burgers with onion rings and fries.
“Enjoy!” Tom, the owner, called out as he gestured to a long table at the back of the restaurant where the wait staff set down the plates of burgers. “Beers are on the way!”
The wedding party laughed and grabbed cold bottles of beer as fast as Tom could open them. They carried the beers to the table, laughing and joking with each other, their voices pitched loud to be heard over the music.
Chloe absorbed all of it, laughing and listening to their ridiculous insults to each other. She drank the beer and stared at the burger in front of her.
“I dare you!” Marco whispered into her ear.
Chloe lifted glittering eyes up to him, her smile widening, and then a moment later, she delicately reached down, picked up the burger and took a huge bite!
“That’s my woman!” he roared and the whole crowd cheered as well, lifting their beer up in a salute. Emma laughed as well, raising her glass of lemonade and half of her burger, ketchup already smeared on her pretty smile as she excitedly joined in with the revelry.
Chloe could only eat half the burger, but Marco thought that was more calories than she’d had in the past three days. He encouraged her to eat some of the fries too as he laughed off the teasing taunts from the others.
And when they’d eaten as much food as they could, Marco took Chloe out onto the dance floor, pulling her into his arms as Tom lowered the lights and turned on the disco ball. “Unchained Melody” soothed from the speakers as Marco looked down at his wife. He couldn’t say the words, but he hoped she understood. He loved her. And he was going to become her husband in every way, he vowed. Not just to help her protect Emma, who truly was a delightful person. But in all things, he thought.
Feeling her against him, he wondered if she’d ever come to love him as something more than an emergency custody vehicle.
