“We should celebrate. What is your favorite restaurant?
” Kade asks.
“I don’t eat out much. I don’t have a favorite restaurant.”
Kade sighs as he stands next to me, staring, as people continue walking by us. Every person that walks by stares at Kade and then to me with wide-eyes or a glare. They don’t believe we belong together. And we don’t.
“I have the perfect seafood restaurant to try. Do you like sushi?”
I stare down at the flowers and diploma I’m still holding. I’m supposed to go to a restaurant to celebrate with family and friends. Except my family is a no-show, and I just turned down my best friend. And I’m marrying a man that I’ve slept with once, and might as well be a complete stranger.
“I have a better idea,” I reach up, grab his neck, and kiss him on the lips, slipping my tongue into his mouth. Our bodies collide, and I drop the flowers, along with my diploma to the ground.
He’s not really mine. He’s not really mine. He’s not really mine.
But when he grabs my face and deepens the kiss, moaning into my mouth, I forget that he’s not mine.
“I like your idea better; food can wait until after. Your place or mine?”
I grin.
“Mine’s closer.”
I open the door to my apartment with Kade’s lips locked on mine when my leg hits a box that shouldn’t be sitting in the entryway.
I pause the kiss and stare into my apartment. Boxes are everywhere. Boxes that weren’t here when I left this morning.
“What?” I can’t speak because I don’t even know what questions to ask.
I turn to Kade who has a smirk on his face. “You. What did you do?”
“I hired movers to box everything up. Your lease ends in a few days, and I knew you’d say yes. So I went ahead and had them get started packing so you can move in with me ASAP.”
I frown. “I’m not moving in with you until we are married.”
He sighs. “I figured you’d say that. But your stuff is already packed. All of it. You can’t exactly stay here.”
I narrow my eyes and cross my arms. “I can and I will.”
He shakes his head. “So stubborn.”
I hold my ground. I may have signed the papers, but I’m not letting him think he can control me. He can’t. Ever. And he certainly isn’t going to start now.
“Fine. You can stay here until we get married next week.”
I grin. “Thanks, but I don’t need your permission.”
I start walking toward the bedroom as Kade follows me. I stop abruptly and turn to Kade.
“Wait, how did you get into my apartment without me knowing? How did you get the ring back?” I ask holding up my hand.
He shrugs.
“Kade,” I say sternly.
“I like you being all bossy. I got Serena’s number at the hospital. It happened to come in handy.”
“She knows?”