I Married a Master(79)
Author: Melanie Marchande

I sidled over to Maddy and Daniel, as Ben seemed to have been drawn into the tractor beam of some work acquaintances I wasn’t particularly anxious to meet. Daniel was talking to a tall, elegantly-dressed woman who shared his clever eyes and unruly hair.

"Jenna, this is my sister, Lindsay," he said.

"Congratulations, it was a beautiful ceremony." She was giving me a gently appraising look as she shook my hand. "I hear Ben’s quite a catch."

I nodded, smiling in a way that felt appropriate for the situation.

Maddy drifted over, grabbing me by the elbow. "Sorry, I just have to borrow the bride for a second. If anyone asks where she is, just tell them to wait for the ransom note."

"Got it." Lindsay’s knowing look was starting to unnerve me.

I let Maddy steer me into one of the endless side-rooms, sitting me down in a chair and handing me a bottle of water. "Drink," she said. "You look like you’re about to keel over."

"Thanks." I sagged with my elbows resting on my knees. Heart racing, head pounding, stomach churning – it was no wonder I looked like hell.

"I know the feeling," she said. "It’s overwhelming, especially when things move this fast." She patted me on the shoulder. "You want me to leave you alone?"

"Actually, could you get my mom?" I didn’t know why, but I felt like seeing her face would help me somehow.

"Of course." Maddy disappeared, and a few minutes later, my mom rushed into the room.

"Oh, honey," she said. "Are you okay?"

"I’m great, Mom," I said, forcing a smile. "It’s just been a really, really long day, and I didn’t get enough sleep, and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by everything. It’ll pass. I just wanted to have a chance to talk to one one more time, before I go back out into the craziness."

"Of course." She sat down next to me and covered her hand with mine. "I’ll admit, I was pretty confused when you told me and your dad about this guy, and how you’d apparently fallen in love with him at the drop of a hat. But I see it now. I don’t get it, but then again, your dad and I only knew each other for six weeks."

She laughed.

"Six weeks?" I repeated. "I never knew that."

"Well, we didn’t want you to think it was a good idea." She smiled. "The good old ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ But obviously, it works out okay sometimes."

We sat in companionable silence for a while.

"So, where are you going on your honeymoon?" she asked me, suddenly.

"I don’t know," I said. "He won’t tell me."

"Oh." My mom smiled. "That’s so romantic. Just call me when you land, okay?"

***

Sitting with Ben in the back of the limousine, as we waved goodbye, I didn’t know what the hell to say to him.

"I’m sorry about everything," I blurted out, finally.

He sighed. "Me too, Jenna." Reaching for my hand, he clasped it tightly, stroking his thumb in little circles the way he always did. "You don’t have to talk about Daria if you don’t want to, but I’ll be happy to listen. I’ll be happy to explain anything you want to know."

I shrugged. "I don’t think any of the specifics matter that much," I said. "Except, we don’t really have to be afraid of her."

"I was never afraid," he insisted.

"Okay," I said, quietly. I didn’t believe him, but I was going to let him pretend.

A small silence passed.

"So," I said, with the beginnings of mischievous smile. "Where are we going?"

His eyes darkened. "What did I tell you about asking me that?" he growled. "Just wait until we’re alone, Mrs. Chase."

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jenna

"I thought you liked surprises."

"Whatever gave you that impression?" I twisted around in my seat, as if that could somehow help me see through the blindfold. "This better be worth it, Mr. Chase."

"Oh, trust me, Mrs. Chase – you’ll be thanking me later."

I could hear his wicked grin. It made something twist in my chest – longing, confusion, and that overwhelming desire to just ask him. To lay all of my cards on the table, so I could find out how he really felt about me. We’d been playing this game so long. I just wanted to know if it had become a tiny bit real for him, too.

The sex was one thing. Obviously, our connection in the bedroom was electric. I couldn’t deny that, but I needed more. I didn’t know how I was going to survive the next two years if I had to pretend it was just about spanking and hair-pulling and explosive encounters driven purely by lust.

All this time, he’d been so secretive about the honeymoon destination. I’d pleaded, cajoled, and earned myself more than a few punishments in the hopes that he’d crack. Just once. But he’d stood firm, right until this very moment, after we landed in some airport and he put on my blindfold and led me into a car.

It was a short flight, but I didn’t think he’d be taking me to wine country again. That was too obvious. He had something amazing planned. Maybe we were just catching a connecting flight to Paris or Japan or something. There were so many corners of the world I’d never seen.

I felt the momentum slowly decrease, and then the car shut off.

"We’re here," he said.

So, not a connecting flight then. I frowned, waiting for him to open my door for me. Like so many things that started out as totally unnatural to me, it had become a habit. It was a small thing, but it made him happy. I could compromise. Even if I thought it was a little too caveman, I knew enough of his real personality to understand it wasn’t about that.

The door popped open, and he took my hand, leading me out into the fresh sea air.

Instantly, the smell brought me back.

He could have left the blindfold on for the rest of our honeymoon, and there would be no question in mind. I was back home.

Back in Cape Cod.

I took in a deep breath and let it out, slowly. The memories rushed back, powerful and heavy. Tears threatened at the corners of my eyes.

Whisper-soft, his fingers untied the blindfold and pulled it away. I blinked rapidly, trying to conceal my feelings, hoping that my watering eyes would pass for shock at adjusting to the sunlight.

I whirled around, taking it all in. This wasn’t just any beach, this was my beach. I would recognize it anywhere. Some of the houses had changed, the landscape, but not enough to fool me. This place was everything that had made me who I was.

My forehead crinkled as I stared at him. He was beaming at me, hands thrust deep in his pockets, just enjoying the fruits of his labors. And I couldn’t really blame him for that.