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  "So beautiful," she breathed.

  Jason's hands pressed on either side of her waist. "Not as beautiful as you look today."

  She could feel the heat of his body, standing close behind her for just a moment before it was gone as he stepped up to the table in front of the altar. "Let's get started," he told the priest.

  The priest coughed. "I understand you want simple, traditional vows and a short ceremony, but I want to warn you. Marriage isn't meant to be simple or short. It's a lifetime commitment from both of you, giving each other your love and loyalty, through whatever your lives may hold. It isn't something to enter into lightly. You do understand the depth of the commitment you're making today, don't you?" His eyes pierced Phuong's soul first.

  Phuong nodded: she understood. Jason already had her loyalty. Everything she'd done to be here today was for him. Her love? He'd said he loved her, in his casual comment on the helipad that morning. Could she do any less?

  Jason must have passed the priest's test, because the priest raised his voice like he was addressing an entire congregation instead of just the four of them: Jason, herself, the pilot and the priest-in-training.

  "We are gathered here today to celebrate and witness the marriage of Phuong Tran and Jason Felix. Phuong and Jason, please join hands."

  Jason turned to face her and enveloped her hands in his. Now she had eyes for no one but Jason. His honey-brown eyes held her in place as they warmed her heart. He loved her.

  "Jason, do you take Phuong to be your wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?"

  Jason squeezed her hands as he replied, "I do."

  "Phuong, do you take Jason to be your husband..."

  Husband. This man would be hers and hers alone, and she'd be his.

  "...for better or worse..."

  She could endure anything with him at her side. The very thought of him had helped her break free from Norman.

  "...for richer or poorer..."

  She wasn't marrying him for his money. He'd bought her too much already. Nothing mattered but him.

  "...to love and to cherish..."

  Could she love him? For all her business ideals, wanting a marriage to build her future, love had never been a part of her plan. But neither had a man like Jason. She would cherish him – she did already. But could she love him?

  "...until death do you part?"

  Did she love him?

  Phuong wet her lips. "I...I do."

  Jason's smile widened and for a moment the world stood still. There was no one but the two of them. Everything was perfect.

  The priest cleared his throat. "Ah, the rings?"

  The moment ended. "Right." Jason fished in his pocket for the boxes they'd bought from the jeweller yesterday. He flipped them open and dropped both rings onto his palm.

  The priest nodded. He held his hand over Jason's and muttered a few words before drawing a cross in the air above the rings. "Now, give Phuong her ring and repeat after me, Jason..."

  Phuong didn't hear the priest any more. All she heard was Jason's voice telling her, "With this ring, I join my life with yours," as he slipped the enormous, golden diamond onto her finger.

  She knew what she had to do. The gold band that remained, studded with smaller, but equally tawny diamonds, felt so heavy in her fingers, as if it held all the pain of her past. She drew in a deep, shaky breath. "With this ring, I join my life with yours." It slid easily onto his finger like it belonged there. She held his hand and the ring, and it felt like a weight had been lifted from her, buoyed by the joy their future held.

  Please, let it hold joy and not too much pain, she begged the universe.

  "By the exchange of vows and rings in front of these witnesses, you have declared your love and commitment to each other. I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest produced a wry smile. "Now you may kiss the bride."

  How had she forgotten this was coming? Their first kiss, in a church, in front of strangers and...

  Jason's hand caressed her cheek, settling along the side of her face as his thumb grazed her lips. His other arm slipped around her waist, pulling her close.

  Kiss him. Just kiss him!

  Her lips parted, but she couldn't seem to draw any air in. Jason's face loomed closer, his eyes gentle and loving and...

  His lips made contact.

  The world went away.

  A light brush at first, soft as a feather, followed by the firm press of his mouth on hers. She inhaled the sweet, sharp mint on his breath – her lungs worked once more – and she needed to taste. Her tongue darted out, caressing his lower lip, his shaven cheeks smooth under her fingers.

  His breath stole inside her like pure oxygen, revivifying her as she welcomed him in. Her throat warmed and hummed in approval while her heart swelled, beating faster as it craved more of this delicious man, pumping a steady stream of life-giving bubbles through her blood until she felt filled with shaken-up champagne.

  She barely felt when he broke their kiss, because her blood was still fizzing, the froth overflowing into her dazzled brain. "Oh, Jason," she whispered, embracing him.

  "I'm all yours, baby," came the reply, rumbling through his chest as his arms enveloped her in safety, welcoming her home.

  FORTY-FOUR

  The moment Jason's lips touched Phuong's, everything changed. She relaxed, she responded, and the slow rumba of their tongues dancing together for the first time was music to his...well, everything really. Not just his cock, though that, too, of course. He'd be lying if he said that first, hot kiss hadn't made him think of sex.

  The only reason he stopped kissing his beautiful wife was because the priest's loud, incessant throat-clearing got on his nerves.

  "This is a church, Mr Felix. You're not officially married until you both sign the forms and the witnesses do, too."

  Like that would stop them. Jason stroked her tongue one last time, promising more, before they reluctantly ascended the dais to deal with the priest's paperwork.

  Jason didn't let go of Phuong the whole time, and he didn't intend to, either.

  He waited until both the student priest and the pilot had signed the marriage certificate before he asked, "Are we done here?"

  The priest nodded. Jason handed him the envelope containing the priest's payment and a hefty sweetener. The man took it and tucked it inside his robe, without even looking at the contents.

  Shou remarked, "I better get you lovebirds back to your nest before you start doing things that'll get you thrown out of this church for indecency, right, Father?"

  The priest smiled, but the only thing he said was, "Congratulations," before bidding them goodbye.

  Jason and Phuong managed to restrain themselves until they were seated in the relative privacy of the helicopter, but the moment she turned to him with those pleading eyes and said, "Jason, would you kiss me –" all bets were off. The dance began again. He pulled her into his lap, wanting to feel her body pressed close to him because that's where it belonged.

  "All right, you two. Rules of the helicopter say no sex in the back seat."

  Jason dragged his lips from Phuong's so he could glare at the pilot. "Since when?"

  "Since it's not safe. Buckle up, boys and girls, and I'll take you to where you can get a room." Shou grinned as he slammed the door.

  Jason turned to Phuong. "Don't worry, baby. It's just a short flight, and I'll be all yours again."

  But the passionate girl he'd been kissing only moments before had now turned ashen, sitting stiffly in her seat with her seatbelt cinched tight across her waist. She nodded, but her eyes never left the view out of the front windscreen.

  What the fuck did he do wrong this time?

  The rotors soon drowned out all other sound and, while he put his headphones on, Phuong's hung limply by her side. She wouldn't hear a word he or Shou said.

  He must really have fucked
up royally. Phuong left him wondering all the way back to the resort, where she jumped out of the helicopter before the blades had even stopped spinning. She set off down the path to the hotel instead of the villas.

  He followed her, determined to get answers. "Where are you going?" he called, praying that she wouldn't leave.

  "To my room to get my things," she tossed back, not slowing.

  "Why?" His voice came out weaker than he wanted, but for once, he didn't care. She was his wife. They were supposed to be happy, not splitting up mere moments into their marriage.

  She stopped, turned and stared. "Because...I thought because we're married now, you'd want me to live in your house instead of here. I packed my things before we left, but my bag is still in my hotel room." She paled even more. "Unless you don't want me to live in your house?"

  Jason couldn't help it: he burst out laughing. "I thought you meant you were leaving. Of course you're moving in with me. I'm not going to make my wife walk across the whole damn island every time she wants my specialist services." He winked.

  This didn't help as much as he'd hoped. If anything, it made her more flustered.

  Jason went on, "And I won't let you carry anything heavy, either. That's why the resort has a porter. We'll go to Reception and have someone bring your things over later."

  Phuong lowered her eyes and nodded. Where was the passionate woman he'd kissed less than an hour before? There was no sign of any passion now. Instead, she was submissive. Sad. Resigned.

  He stayed by her side until they reached the foyer, when he opened the door and ushered her through. He wasn't prepared for the chorus of clapping that greeted them, or the enormous bunch of flowers the hotel manager forced into Phuong's arms.

  "Congratulations," Xan said, throwing a glance at Jason but keeping most of her attention on Phuong. She tapped Phuong's ID wristband. "This'll now give you access to Jay's villa, as well as all the normal guest facilities on the island. Tap three times to trigger the locks if you don't want to be disturbed."

  A wave of laughter swept around the room. It looked like most of the hotel staff had assembled to offer their congratulations. So much for a secret wedding.

  But these were his staff and the people he lived with. If he'd gotten married while on tour, the roadies might have done the same thing. Yeah, there'd have been more beer and bourbon, and fewer flowers, but the intent would have been the same. Weddings were a time to celebrate.

  Jason forced his frown into a stage smile as he curled a supportive arm around Phuong. "Thank you. We're trying to keep it a secret from the press for just a bit longer, and I hope you're all willing to help. We'll announce it to the public in a week or two, but, right now, we're just going to take the time to enjoy our honeymoon." He grinned and winked just like he used to do for the fangirls when he stood on stage, the rock idol of millions. Now, he couldn't even keep his own wife happy.

  He was tired of performing, so he cut the show short. "You know what? Can someone bring her bags from her room to the villa? I think my beautiful bride and I need some alone time. What better place to start the honeymoon early than Romance Island Resort?" Jason grabbed her hand and towed her outside. She followed him along the path that skirted the lagoon. The laughter and bawdy catcalls faded as they rounded the bend. Okay, maybe they weren't all that different to roadies, after all.

  When they reached Villa Penguin, Jay waved his wrist at the scanner. Before Phuong could step inside, he scooped her up and carried her across the threshold, then set her down on the tiles. Some Prince Charming he was – he should have carried her all the way to the house, not just a few steps. Another fuck-up he hoped she'd forgive him for.

  He pointed as he strode through the house. "That's the bathroom, kitchen, lounge, my bedroom...and that's the guest room. I asked Reception to make the guest room romantic and stuff, so I hope they did okay." He peered in. Little flickering lights sat on all the surfaces – battery powered, seeing as fire hazards like candles weren't allowed at the hotel – except for the bed, which had a huge heart made out of frangipanis on top of the bedspread. In the middle sat a heart-shaped box that contained what the resort called its honeymoon pack: enough condoms to last any normal couple for a month, and enough lube to slide an elephant into a beer bottle. "Want to see if it works?"

  "If what works?" Fear had returned to her face, with its evil sidekick, panic.

  The romantic atmosphere, Jason wanted to say, but there was no point. It was as fucked as he was.

  The door chimed to announce the porter's arrival, saving Jason from having to answer. He seized the bag, called his thanks over his shoulder before the door slid shut, and carried it to Phuong.

  "Where do you want this? My room, or the guest room?"

  Phuong looked lost. "Here, I guess, if this is where you want to...where we'll..." She blushed.

  Too late, Jason remembered how much she didn't like talking about sex. He had to change the subject, but he couldn't think of anything but sex. Fuck! He dropped the bag on the floor. "Do you want to try the bed out now, or order an early dinner first?" he hazarded, looking longingly at the bed.

  "Dinner, please," Phuong replied promptly. "I've been too nervous to eat much all day."

  A decent meal would give them both the stamina to go all night. Jason couldn't argue with that.

  "Right. Room service menu's in the kitchen. Let's get the chefs to prepare something special for us tonight. Pick your pleasure, baby. I'll make it happen."

  He would, too.

  FORTY-FIVE

  Phuong toyed with her food, hoping Jay didn't notice how little she'd eaten. If they'd had the lobster she'd originally ordered, maybe she'd have eaten more, but they were all out of lobster, crabs and anything that wasn't prawns, so an unappetising shrimp salad had arrived instead. She'd managed to choke down a few bites before she'd remembered what would follow dinner. That almost made her bring it all back up again. Better not to eat anything else than to embarrass herself in front of Jason on their first night together. She'd soon be embarrassed enough without throwing nausea into the mix.

  Jason didn't seem to be nervous at all. He wolfed down his steak and all that went with it, but he managed to do it without dribbling food down his front, like Norman might have. He didn't talk with his mouth full, either, but he didn't say much during the meal. He'd paused several times to smile at her across the table, something Norman had never done.

  He wasn't Norman. Jason was a much better man in every way. That's why she could do this. She would do this. For him. Because she loved him and he wanted this.

  "Are you ready for dessert?" Jason asked eagerly, wiping all the traces of food off his face with the napkin. Not that there'd been much to start with. "Or do you want to put your new stallion through his paces, make me show you what I can do, and dessert can wait for intermission?" He winked.

  Her heart sank. Her time was up. Time to get it over with.

  "I just need to use the bathroom. Give me a few minutes to get ready. I'll meet you in the bedroom," Phuong managed to say with what she hoped was a smile. She shoved back from the table, her chair screeching as it scraped across the tiles. The noise was nothing compared to the building scream in her own head. She fled for the sanctuary of the bathroom and locked the door.

  She sank to the floor, shaking. She should've told Jason she had no idea what she was doing when it came to sex. Yes, this bit went there, but...aside from grunting and the mess at the end, she was less experienced than she let on. No man had ever seen her naked except Norman, and he was the only man she'd ever slept with. His expert opinion, based on more experience than she'd ever had, was that she was useless in bed, so she should lie back, take what she was given and thank him at the end.

  What would Jason say when he found out? If anything, Jason had been with more girls than Norman and probably better girls, too. Ones who could do anything he asked, and all night, too. Not a nervous wreck who'd never...

  Jason knocked on the bathroom
door. "You all right in there, baby? I want a few minutes in there after you're done. I need to get ready, too."

  Phuong shot to her feet. "Sure," she said breathlessly, slipping out the door and past him before she lost her nerve.

  When the bathroom door closed behind Jason, she bolted for the bedroom. The box, the flowers...she swept them onto the bedside table, leaving the white bedspread to gape at her blankly as she stripped off her clothes. Norman had torn far too many things in his eagerness to undress her, and Jason was so much stronger. She didn't want to take the risk with her lovely wedding dress. She threw her underwear on the chair and draped the dress over the top.

  She surveyed her naked body. She was too thin, but there was nothing she could do about that now. Even the thought of food made her ill. Maybe tomorrow she'd have her appetite back when this ordeal was over. Or at least less of an ordeal, because she'd know what he liked. Maybe.

  She stretched out on the bed, like Norman had insisted all his ladies did. Lie and wait, legs spread, a smile pasted on her face because he'd called her ungrateful and all sorts of other things if she frowned during his nightly groping and grunting sessions. Frigid, ungrateful, uppity, uptight, juiceless, rhymed with useless and she was...

  Tears built and threatened to escape, but Phuong blinked furiously. She couldn't cry. Crying meant she was disappointed in him and she wasn't, she wasn't...Norman was all she'd ever known and she couldn't be disappointed if she didn't know any better.