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"Don’t you want to ht?"

Alyssa was pretty sure she’d already made it "Just take it off"

Sadie harru sexier in mind"

"Totally," she lied

With a cackle of glee, Sadie tore into the corset Alyssa pulled the boning away from her body, then thanked her friend as she waved and exited carrying her dress in its protective bag

She shoved the corset into her bag, then donned a white lace bra and a er she’d left on the wall, she drew on a chocolate suit with a si her veil, and packing up, she marched outside

Luc talked in hushed tones with his parents near the door The few reuests milled around outside Bonheur’s doors Beyond the sidewalk, she saw Luc’s new Jaguar

At her approach, he looked up, and her belly pulsed nervously When she’d merely wanted hier Snaring ahim when her heart was on the lineAll her self-assurance had vanished What the hell did she do now? To in his hand, Luc guided her back to his parents They looked soned She knew Luc had told them about the baby--and suspected he’d told them about Sexy Sirens But Alyssa couldn’t afford to be e probably looked worse because she had no fa They likely assumed her family had shunned her In a way, she supposed they had

What would her ht if she’d been here today?

Alyssa shoved the thought away While the woiven birth to her, the years and issues separating theer

"Thank you for co way on short notice," she said to them "I’m thrilled you could be with us today I know it meant the world to Luc"

Luc’s mother, Clarissa, looked up at his father, Anthony, who sent her a vaguely warm smile "We wish you and Luc every happiness"

It wasn’t exactly welcome to the family, but it was a start

"Thank you"

"What tiht tomorrow?" Luc asked

In a few short ements to pick the and kissing their son, they shook her hand politely, then left

She looked around the rooone now Inside Bonheur, dirty linens needed washing Certainly there was a stack of dishes in the kitchen she didn’t want to think about now The floors were a mess and would have to be cleaned She’d tackle all that in the ht to get through

"Ready to go?" he asked softly

No God, no What do I know about e work?

Alyssa drew in a shaky breath "Absolutely"

LUC clearly wasn’t driving back to her house As he headed west, beyond Lafayette’s city limits, Alyssa hesitated The silence in the car was thick, expectant She hated to break it, but

"Where are we going?"

He sent her a black-eyed gaze that scorched her to her toes Late-afternoon shadows lent an expectant, intiht her breath

"It’s our wedding night"

Meaning he had soo to my house"

Luc shook his head "We should celebrate our first night as husband and wife"

They hadn’t talked about this Being alone with Luc for a whole night--as his wife? Nerves clenched her stoiven But he ain, he’d arranged their roe and totally unexpected ring Why? What did all of this mean to him?

Of course, he’d married her, at least in part, for the baby And for the sex, too? If so, she knew exactly ould happen once he tired of it She saw thosespecial tonight? The wedding had been a show for his parents; she understood that Now that they were alone, ith all the ro"

His observation startled her "It’s beautiful"

Luc paused "It reminded me of you"

Alyssa tried not to let his words melt her "Thank you You didn’t have to--"

"Yes, I did I wanted to and, while our e was quick, that was no reason not to have solid symbols of our union"

She bit her lip Luc said all the right thingsbut soer Or maybe it was just her nerves

"Where was your faone"

God, where had that question come from? "I’m an only child, and I haven’t seen my father since he left I was four"