"You may kiss the bride," the clerk said monotonously, already reaching for the stamp to finalize the certificate. Of course, he didn't actually need to wait for them to kiss—it was just a formality. But according to the higher-ups, even the smallest traditions had to be followed to the letter. Rules were rules, after all.
When neither of them moved, the clerk sighed impatiently, tapping his fingers against the desk. He needed to get back to his lunch and this couple was going to stand here and waste his time? He raised an eyebrow and spoke snidely, "What? Are you afraid you won't be able to stop once you start?"
Melanie's heart gave an unexpected thump at his words. She hadn't considered that possibility. Or rather, she had—but she had dismissed it, assuming it wouldn't come to this. It was just a sham marriage, after all. The civil affairs bureau was hardly the place for romantic gestures, and she had assumed no one would actually expect them to go through with the kiss. Who even cared about something so trivial?
But now, under the clerk's pointed stare and the sharp-eyed scrutiny of Attorney Truman and a court official standing stiffly to the side, she realized they had no choice.
She swallowed and her gaze flicked to the man standing beside her. He didn't seem the least bit hesitant. If anything, he looked amused, as if he had been expecting this all along. He probably had expected it!
His eyes looked down at her in challenge, daring her to back down.
Melanie narrowed her own eyes in response. Did he think she was afraid to kiss him? Did he expect her to hesitat and turn away in embarrassment? Lifting her chin, she steeled herself. If he wanted to challenge her, fine. She wasn't about to lose.
The simple motion was enough encouragement for him. The moment her face lifted he swooped in and caught her lips, like an eagle catching its prey.
Ironically, the first thing she noticed was the cold press of metal against her lips. A Little had things pressed against her lips and she realized that is was his lip ring...
Before Melanie could register much beyond this, Adam's tongue flicked out, tracing the seam of her lips in a teasing, almost lazy motion. It wasn't deep or lingering, but it sent a jolt of heat through her anyway, making her want to push him away! The nerve! He was actually using this situation to take advantage of her.
Thankfully, the man pulled back before she would have pushed him and straightened with a smirk on his face.
Then, just as quickly as he'd leaned in, he pulled back, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. His dark eyes glinted with amusement, and to make matters worse, he winked. The audacity!
Melanie barely had time to glare at him before the sharp thump of the stamp echoed through the silent office.
"Done," the clerk announced, sliding the certificate toward them with a look that screamed finally. "You're officially husband and wife. Congratulations."
With a grin, Adam turned around and quickly picked up the document from the table and scanned it carefully... in case something was missing. Satisfied, he slipped the certificate into an envelope and passed it to his assistant who somehow appeared at his side.
He glanced at her and Attorney Truman then, before smiling," I had to make sure that the certificate was signed and stamped."
Attorney Truman gave a grimace. Yep. They would want to make a careless mistake like it happened with Spencer and Melanie.
"Congratulations, Miss Melanie and Adam." He adjusted his glasses and offered a practiced smile. "I trust this is the beginning of a prosperous and truthful union. Good luck to you both. As for the formalities in regards to the will and the new addendums, we can discuss this tomorrow. Do you have any plans for celebrating now?"
Melanie almost rolled her eyes. Her plans had already been disrupted by Attorney Truman. She'd planned to go house hunting so that she would be able to move out of the Collins mansion immediately but now, she would have to look at new arrangements...
Before she could say this though, Attorney Truman continued,"Sir Robert Collins would like to extend his congratulations—and an invitation to lunch." He glanced between them. "He insisted, actually. Even though I had my doubts, he seemed sure that you would go ahead with the marriage, and he wanted me to invite you both for a celebratory meal."
Once, having gotten rid of the attorney and promising that they would reach the hotel for the lunch soon, Adam and Melanie returned to the car. Once inside, the two breathed a sigh of relief before Adam let out a low curse.
"Dam* it! This changes things. We need to figure out our living situtation. I am not going to live in that dam8ed mansion!"
Melanie looked at him in surprise. She had not expected that. Now that he was back here, she'd thought that while she would move out, he would live there. Of course with the new conditions, they would have to figure out on where to live.
"I, uh... actually have some appointments lined up with real estate agents later this week," she admitted, watching his expression. "I was planning to check out a few houses, just to get a sense of my options. If you want, you could come along. Maybe we can find something that works for both of us—a multi-story house or something similar. That way, we'd technically be 'living together,' as expected..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "But we'd still have our own separate spaces. No unnecessary overlap."
Adam nodded and started the car, looking deep in thought. He had to find a way out of this. Living together for the next three years would mean exposing his secrets and other things. No wonder that was the condition set forth. Grandfather had really thought things through.