This was not his normal behavior. For crying out loud, he had been raised to be the next duke. He had self-control; he knew what was appropriate and inappropriate, yet the temptation stayed and burned into him, causing such agony he wanted to yell.
This was love.
It was also lust—but it was mainly love. He could never do without her smile, the incessant talking, the intelligence, the spunk—there were so many things he loved about her, he felt the need to break out into song and dance, which would most likely terrify the guests, his father included.
He took off his blindfold and went outside to wait for his bride in the chapel.
Five minutes later the music started, and his heart felt like it would beat directly out of his chest. This was it—the moment they had been waiting for.
Everyone stood, making it difficult for him to see Kessen at all. He wanted to yell for everyone to sit down. He nearly went out of his mind with anticipation, and then he saw a flash of white.
And then more.
And then his heart stopped altogether.
She was perfect, and she was his.
Kessen looked like a fairy princess as she glided down the aisle towards him. The logical side of his mind said, “Steady, man. Let her make it down the aisle first. Steady.” While the more impulsive side said, “Run after her! Run to her arms!”
Up until that moment, life had always been about the logical side; he hated that side. He looked at Duncan and winked. Then he strode towards Kessen like a bat out of Hell. The normal bride reaction would be shock; instead Kessen sped towards him.
He was giving the media a feast at this moment. A Vandenbrook was breaking protocol at his own wedding. A Vandenbrook was making a romantic scene. As he closed the distance between him and Kessen, he heard people start to laugh, then gasp, then clap.
He pulled her roughly into his arms and stared into her glassy eyes. “I love you.”
She nodded, which he knew meant she was about to cry at any moment and could not utter words. She reached up and kissed him. He twirled her around the aisle kissing her face, her neck, her cheeks, anything he could get his lips on.
A throat cleared, making both of them break apart in laughter.
After all, throat clearing was what had followed their first kiss, and their second, and … well, there were a lot of interruptions during their short romance.
But no more. Now they were to be married. He put Kessen’s arm in his own and escorted her the rest of the way down the aisle while people cheered loudly.
Before he knew it, he was sitting at the reception drinking wine and joking with Kessen about the look on Duncan’s face when he started walking towards her down the aisle.
“I thought he was going to faint,” she said, laughing.
“I almost did,” Duncan grumbled. “Nick held me back. He said something about Christian being romantic.”
Nick crossed his arms and nodded. “It reminded me of those romance novels, and then I realized I wanted Kessen to be the star of her own story.”
“Aw, Nick. That's the nicest thing you've said all week.” Kessen patted his arm.
“Well, he is rather foxed, so maybe that's why,” Christian interrupted.
Nick glared while Duncan laughed and poured everyone another glass of champagne.
“To romance novels!” he said, lifting his glass into the air.
“Cheers!” they said together, then laughed as they celebrated what had to be the craziest Vandenbrook story yet.
Epilogue
“Are you sure the doors are locked, Christian?” Kessen was closing the blinds and making sure all windows had locks on them.
He groaned loudly. “Kessen, I promise if you don't stop asking me that or making me check, I'm going to cry. You will see firsthand the future Duke of Albany cry on his wedding night.”
“Aw, that's so sweet.” She purred, kissing his cheek.
“Not. Sweet.” His voice was hoarse. “Not sweet at all. I'm going to cry because I've wanted you for what feels like forever and now you’re putting me off … because you're worried about interruptions!”
“Well.” She lifted an eyebrow and ignored Christian’s grumbling as she pulled her bathrobe tighter. “You must admit they seem to be constant.”
“But we're married now!” he nearly shouted, tugging at her silky night robe.
She liked torturing him; it might be her new favorite hobby. But he was only a man and he had obviously had enough. She sighed then lowered the lights.
Christian’s eyes widened as she played with the cords of her bathrobe then suddenly threw it off. His mouth dropped open and his gaze reverently went to her body.
Neither of them moved.
The air in the room was electric.
Christian finally broke the dense fog that was their sensual tension by walking towards her. She knew what he was thinking. She had ordered French lingerie in order to drive him mad, but instead she found her own body ready to explode with need.
He took one look at her and her white lingerie and pulled her into a tight embrace. “If a man ever looks at you again, I'll have him killed.”
She shook with laughter in his arms. “I'd rather my husband not be in prison during the first year of our marriage.”
He sighed. “Fine, but you are mine.”
She licked her lips. “I will be soon.”
He groaned and kissed her deeply. This time he didn't break the kiss; he didn't struggle with his conscience, and he didn't have to worry about Nick and Duncan paintballing his backside.
With no effort, he lifted Kessen onto the bed and began his seduction. Slowly teasing every part of her body until she thought she would go crazy.
His eyes were wild as he pulled her into an embrace and took possession of her.
It was in that moment Kessen really did believe the rumors about Vandenbrooks being the best lovers. It had said as much in the books, but now … she knew it was true.