The Marriage (Darkest Lies Trilogy Book 3), Bethany-Kris [books for 8th graders txt] 📗

The rational side of Roman reminded him there were still people watching, and he didn’t care to let them see what came next.

“Come on, let’s get outta here,” he said, groaning the words against Karine’s teasing kiss.

With the very last of his control ...

She at least took mercy on his soul.

*

Roman carried Karine over the threshold of the room he’d booked for their honeymoon—it only seemed fair to keep some traditions. Even if they were being silly, it made her smile and laugh. That’s all he wanted.

Karine was beyond fascinated with Las Vegas, and as things were going well—there were no apparent dangers—Roman felt like they could do anything. Within reason. If anything, maybe for a few days, the two could live like nobody was watching.

Wouldn’t that be something?

He had booked them one of the best suites at The Venetian Resort with a view some people would have killed for. More than anything, he just wanted to give Karine everything her heart could possibly desire while they still had the chance to enjoy it.

She kept her arms locked around his neck when he carried her in. Tipping her head back to look up at the intricately engraved ceiling of their suite, she marveled at the many details covered in gold leaf.

“I don’t think I have ever seen anything as beautiful as this,” Karine remarked.

“No, I haven’t, either.”

When she met his stare again, he’d not once looked at anything but her.

Karine’s smile bloomed instantly, her next words bubbling out with a laugh. “You keep saying you don’t know anything about weddings, and yet you know exactly what to do to make it all perfect.”

Roman spun a slow circle in the middle of the large room with her still cradled in his arms. “I don’t know much about weddings—that doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about loving you the right way. I’ve had some great examples of love in my family.”

He put her down, but Karine clung to him sinking into his body. Never too far away, he knew. She didn’t like that at all. His hands traveled down her back until he cupped her ass.

“Your mother and father, you mean?”

“My grandparents, too,” he added. “Not that I ever really understood it before you. That’s okay, though. I’m not sure I was supposed to.”

She nuzzled her face in his chest, breathing deeply like she was sucking in the very scent of him directly to her lungs. He stroked her hair, staring out through the glass wall that overlooked the view of the Las Vegas strip. God knew he had better things to consider, but he couldn’t ignore the sinking of his stomach.

Karine wouldn’t know he dared to do it.

That he let his mind go there.

For a few moments, he allowed himself to think about the fact that this was not forever. This feeling, no matter how good and wanted—like they were invincible and their journey together would be easy just because they had each other—none of it was permanent.

Or even real.

Their current circumstance was not forever. The truth was harsh, and too concerning for him to put the weight on Karine’s shoulders when he was sure she already had enough to handle. Roman didn’t know what the future held for them. Everything could go tits up tomorrow, and that alone stayed like a heavy lump of cement deep in his gut.

Never far from his mind.

Not that he wanted it there.

Not now.

So, he took Karine’s face in his hands and gave her another deep kiss, letting the seconds tick by them in silence as the taste of her on the tip of his tongue chased away those bad thoughts he shouldn’t have let ruin their moment.

Ending with a kiss on the tip of her nose, Roman winked, saying, “Time for an important decision. You have to decide whether you want me to fuck you right now, or go shopping.”

Karine’s laughter really was infectious. There was never a time when he wasn’t amazed at how happy she was. The way her whole face beamed was truly a sight to behold, and for some reason, he was the person who could make her do this.

How had that happened?

Love was crazy.

“That’s probably the hardest choice a girl has to make,” she replied through a wide grin.

Roman only shrugged.

It really was up to her, though he had a side he was leaning toward if he was being honest. Who could blame him?

The very tease that was Karine in her sexy, red jumper-dress, the low dips in the back and front showing off just enough to make his mouth water, hadn’t been far from his mind all damn day.

It was a good thing his wife—he still couldn’t believe that she was his wife—seemed to be able to read his mind as she let her fingers graze the red straps and lower down the deep dip along her chest. Her breasts heaved. When she slowly parted her lips, he knew what her answer was going to be.

“Fuck me,” she said.

*

“I can’t decide which is the better view,” he said, smirking at her.

Karine stood with her back to the glass wall of windows facing the bright lights and a city that never slept. She had stripped down to nothing but her bright red thong. A good choice, even if it did tempt his control, for their wedding night.

Roman couldn’t take his eyes off her, so his statement had been a false one nonetheless. Nothing in the world was more beautiful than her.

“Tell me how to make it a better one,” she told him, dragging her teeth over her lower lip. “The view, I mean.”

“It’s already perfect, but I still want you to touch yourself, Karine,” he said, a cigarette burning between his fingers. The smoke rose up to the ceiling, clouding his vision as it passed his face, but he didn’t look away from the sight of Karine letting her thumbs drag over the peaks of her firm, pink nipples. “Imagine it’s me