Caroline Cross - Cinderella's Tycoon

She also realized that Sterling’s wealth was a plus. While she didn’t care about the money for herself, she realized he could provide numerous advantages for their child that she couldn’t—as much as it humbled her to admit it. And she couldn’t deny that she was thrilled at the prospect of actually getting to stay home and be a full-time mother.

So she supposed it also shouldn’t matter how Sterling felt about her.

But it did.

While she knew it was probably rather foolish of her, deep down she’d cherished the hope that he would be pleased she’d made an effort to look nice for him.

Of course, she hadn’t intended to do anything quite this drastic, she acknowledged, self-consciously pressing her lipsticked lips together. When she’d hesitantly walked into Cachet first thing this morning, she’d simply hoped to find something on sale that didn’t look too bad on her. She’d certainly never intended to confide to the elegant saleslady that she was getting married later that day. Or confess that her intended was everything she was not—attractive, important, self-confident—and that she wished, for his sake, that she was just a little bit pretty. And she’d most definitely never expected the saleslady to take her statement as a personal challenge.

But the woman had. Before Susan had known it, the saleslady had whisked her into a dressing room, ordered her to strip down to her undies, then studied her with a critical eye. Murmuring to herself about delicate lines, fabulous coloring and absolutely no fashion sense, she’d disappeared, then returned with an armful of beautiful clothing. In no time at all, Susan had found herself the owner of the lilac sheath she’d admired only the day before, a matching coat, some slacks, two pair of shorts, a trio of incredibly expensive little T-shirts—and some racy new lingerie that she hadn’t had the nerve to admit she probably wouldn’t be needing.

She’d also found herself escorted next door to the beauty salon. Refusing to take no for an answer, the saleslady—whom by then Susan had been calling Jeannette—had consulted with the stylist, explained what she wanted done and voilà! Two hours later, Susan had emerged several hundred dollars poorer, looking quite unlike her previous self.

She had to admit that she’d been quietly thrilled with her new look as she’d hurried along Royal’s streets toward the courthouse. At least now Sterling won’t have to be ashamed of me, she’d told herself as she recalled the pointedly reserved way he’d looked at her the previous day.

Not that she’d done it for him. She hadn’t. She’d done it for herself, because she was starting a whole new chapter in her life and she wanted to put her best foot forward.

And it was good that she felt the way she did, she thought ruefully, since Sterling hadn’t even seemed to notice her changed appearance.

“Susan?”

“Yes?” She glanced up, then froze as Sterling reached out, cupped her shoulders in his hands and lowered his head. Even though his intention was obvious, she was still unprepared for the foreign feel of his lips as they brushed against her cheek. Startled, she gave a little jerk of surprise and tipped her head.

Just like that they were mouth-to-mouth.

Susan drew in her breath. The last person to kiss her had been a fellow student her first year of college. He’d been no more than a boy, and it was a toss-up which of them had been more nervous and inexperienced.

But there was nothing boyish or inexperienced about her new husband. On the contrary, his lips were warm and firm, his hands were strong and steady, and his scent—the same clean, masculine one that had made her tremble on her front porch yesterday—was heavenly. The second she relaxed, she found that being kissed...by him...like this...was really quite lovely.

With an instinct she didn’t question, she raised her arms and slid her hands around Sterling’s neck. Her fingertips slid over the fine fabric of his suit coat, encountered the smooth cotton of his crisp white collar, then finally found the soft thickness of his hair. She hesitantly stroked it, startled as the kiss became fractionally more urgent. Intrigued, she caressed him again, feeling a shameless little thrill when he pulled her closer.

Oh, my. Who would have thought that just kissing could cause this explosion of warmth to spread through her? Or that somebody who -acted as forbidding as Sterling would turn out to be such a terrific kisser?

Not her, she thought foggily. Based on their meeting yesterday, she would have sworn he was all brusque unsentimentality. Yet that didn’t explain the money he’d given her to buy a dress, or the bouquet of flowers he’d brought her, or that he’d remembered a wedding ring. Much less how he’d wound up being such a champion kisser—

Without warning, he pulled away. Caught off guard, her eyes flew open. She stared up at him, her instinctive cry of protest silenced by the chilly glitter in his gray eyes.

Susan had seen pictures of icebergs that looked warmer. Except of course for that odd flush high on his cheekbones...

“Woowee!” the judge exclaimed happily. “I surely do love a wedding! Don’t you, Jimmy Lee?” he asked his clerk.

“Yes, I do, Judge,” the young man agreed. “However—” he glanced pointedly at his watch “—I’m afraid that we’re running shy on time. The noon recess will be over in a few minutes.”

The judge sighed good-naturedly. “Then I suppose it’s time I get back to work,” he agreed. “Although I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. That dadburn fool Rooster Roberts is back on the docket, causing trouble again...” Shaking his head, he reached out, shook Sterling’s hand, then winked at Susan. “You make sure this ole boy takes good care of you, okay, darlin’? And if he doesn’t, you just haul him back in here and I’ll slap his butt in jail, I promise.”

Clasping her hands to keep from pressing her fingers to her tingling lips, Susan managed a tremulous smile. “Thank you, Your Honor.”

The clerk waited as they signed the marriage certificate, handed it to Sterling, then efficiently hustled the two of them toward the door.

The next thing Susan knew, she and Sterling were alone in the hall. There was an awkward silence. For a moment she felt an attack of shyness coming on, but she forced it away. After all, she reminded herself, this was the start of a whole new life. If nothing else, she had to try. She forced herself to look squarely up at Sterling’s handsome face. “Well,” she said lightly. “That didn’t take long.”

“Nope.” He abruptly settled his hat on his head and nodded at the elevator. “Come on. I’m parked out front.”

Okay, so he wasn’t big on small talk. That was okay. She obviously wasn’t, either. Things would get better as they got to know each other.

Still, she couldn’t help but notice the care he took not to touch her as they stepped into the enclosed space of the elevator. And even though she knew she wasn’t being fair, as the doors slid shut and the car began to drop, she couldn’t deny she felt an undeniable twinge of disappointment.

Arms crossed, Sterling stood looking out Susan’s screen door, his back to her small living room.

Outside, the day had turned still and hot, the sort of hazy, lazy afternoon that felt like summer except for an indefinable hint of fall in the air.

Inside, he could hear Susan moving around in the other room, putting the finishing touches on her packing. In no time at all, she was going to be done. And then she was going to walk in here and expect to go home with him.

And why not? He’d given her that right when he’d said “I do.” In return, he now had exactly what he wanted—a chance to be a full-time father, to make sure that when the time came his kid would have the complete benefit of his protection.