ft her mouth, Clarissa

How could she say somet

ing to backpedal, maybe t

ubtle smirk forming at the corner of his lip

ssa f

clear, Clarissa-I'm not into fake marriages or those pretend arrangements. If we're doing

talk was over-the-top. But right no

nd responded firmly, "Yeah

r that... we'll become husband and wife

d

rriage Registration Center, th

the thin red booklet in

confident. Her own smile barely held

arried? And to El

said, casually ho

Clarissa handed

waved the little red booklets a bit, that usual faint smirk on his li

out and snapped a pic of the two certificates side b

" Clarissa suddenly

k up. "We're married now. Gotta make it offici

ice. He finished uploading the photo

nter. Caption was simple: [Couldn't be luckier t

hing through her limbs with a buzz. Her heart ski

pped around her shoulder, pul

The closeness was too much, too sudden-his scent, the pressure-it

e you dodging for? We've signed the papers, it's on the internet n

r in a slow, deliberate motion that sent a shiver d

o intense it felt like they were pulling her in. She took a breath

h that whole physical closeness thing.

d to just jump into the whole married-couple thing right away." She paused for a second,

e to slap certain people in the face with it. That was immature, and I'm sorry. But I'm serio

nt ever

e Registration Center, whatever leftover feeli

on, and she wasn't

edge in his expression softened, repl

ought he was backing off, he reached down and casually laced his

y is all in now, how about

in his, Clarissa bli

se! You're my wife now-how co

Clarissa's heart clench in a weird, unfamiliar way-like something lo

astian, she'd never once

h on someone who never really saw her.

seat of Elian's black Bentley and

ent of silence, he spoke-eyes still on the road-and casually recited

ard him, completely stunned.

't have that level o

ers. When the red light ahead forced him to stop, he took his foot o

p and clean with a faint undertone

ashes, trace the perfect line of his nose. She could fe

eat, barely daring to breathe. Her pulse was thunde

ownright mischievous, and he reached out to lightly tap her nose

eye on you for a whil

nk I'd say yes to su

all, shattering the calm surface

, wide-eyed and t

already l

ce

hat even