Holy Matrimony!

Chapter 4: Are You Serious? 32 hours

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I could feel my face heating as I looked at the stairwell. You could see that someone was a little too frisky the night before. Male clothes littered the area. Black slacks were slung over the railing and a steel blue dress shirt hung from a decorative wooden beam. I wonder which of us had done that. Wildcat I am not.

My hand shook as it covered my mouth as I looked for any trace of my clothing. Maybe I was better off not knowing what happened to mine. I didn't know this much nausea was possible. I could almost feel it rising in my throat. I might keel over soon.

There was my dress. Well, part of my dress. He wasn't lying when he said shredded. I picked up the swatch, running my hand over the silkiness of it. The thin straps were completely detached from the front. One had managed to keep a hold to the dress. I kept petting the material like a cat as we went down the stairs. This wasn't exactly cheap either! Jamie is going to kill me for this one; he bought this for me. One of the more sexy gifts he has given me.

"What the hell?" I shrieked as I stared in shock.

There on top of a finial was my underwear.

Obviously that was the first thing that he took off of me. Hey, can't blame the guy. What am I saying? Yes, I can!

Oh God, how many people saw what happened last night? Mortification ran rampant as I searched for any sign that we were currently being watched. Luck won't stay on my side forever. Luck has never really liked me much in the first place.

"Was that everything?" He nodded, a little unsure at first, his casual smirk still in place. How does he manage this nonchalance? "Then, where was my bra?" Why am I asking these idiotic questions? Oh, that's right, because I'm an idiot!

"Uh," he was slightly biting his bottom lip. "You threw it out of the window." Was that all he was going to say? I looked up at the window in question. I didn't dare go over and look. The underwear was enough of a shock.

"Was I having a feminist moment and that was a version of burning it?" I asked myself more than him. But doing that while trying to get him out of his pants didn't make much sense to me. Or maybe it does make sense, the whole liberating myself from...what? Okay, I should stop thinking for a while.

"So..." he waited until I met his eyes. "You never told me what you were doing in France." At least we're not talking about the weather. Oh, wait, we've done that already.

Shit! "It's nothing important enough to talk about." This has got to stop. He needs to know that I'm going to marry the love of my life. Well, the man I thought was the love of my life. Doubts, you need to leave me alone, and I'd like it very much if you left now.

He shrugged a bit and went ahead to open the door for me. This man has no reservations that his wife, I shudder at the thought,is hiding things from him? He's far more laid back than I am. But at this point Jamie is more laid back than I am.

We started to go down the quiet street before a little crowd was visible. All the people were looking at fresh fruits and veggies. Flowers made a wonderful addition to the atmosphere. I lightly ran a fingertip over a petal when I heard heels clacking against the cobblestone.

"Ciao Tom," a beautiful brunette woman said cheerfully. She walked right up to him and meshed her lips passionately to his. My eyes stayed glued to the show in front of me, a burning was starting slowly in my chest.

I turned my focus to her clothes and felt a pang of jealousy. I really hope the jealousy was for her clothes. Her couture dress demanded attention. The vibrant reds and radiant black gave her the look of a seductress. And by the looks of what was happening, her apparel did not lie.

But I thought the way she carried herself -when she was walking up that is- was the epitome of class. Well, she would still be classy if she wasn't currently drooling all over my husband.

Wow, I didn't think people could go that long without breathing.

"Um, excuse me?" I felt disgustingly plain as I looked upon the brown-haired goddess. "If either of you could pull yourselves away..." she slowly turned her head and shot me a look with so much venom I thought I should head to the closest hospital. "I just need to be pointed in the way of transportation to Cannes."

"Can you not see that I'm busy here?" Her accent reeked of money, and Italian roots. So her temper was in no way under control. But I guess tact was not part of her brain functions. But really, who can use their brain when you've been lip-locking with Tommy.

"Oh, meow!" I took a step back. "It's not my fault I don't know my way around here."

"Well, I'm sure someone around here will help you," her eyes took a quick appraisal of me. I had to think about the words to make sense of them.

"Well," I felt my eyes begin to narrow. "The man you're hanging all over already said he'd help me."

"Thomas," her perfect bottom lip jutted out. "Why would you promise her anything? You know what day it is." I had to turn away when her hand moved down, away from his chest. Really, have these people never heard of decorum?

"Maybe because he married me last night!" I snapped. Not being able to handle it anymore. I am not the one who wanted this.

"Married? Oh, well, that doesn't matter." Her alluring smile spoke more than her words.

I watched as she handed him a wade of money.

"Will you be available domani sera?" she batted her obviously false eyelashes at him.

"I'll call you when I have time," he didn't seem too interested in a gorgeous woman throwing herself at him. Instead his eyes stayed on me, a odd emotion was sparkling within the blue depths.

"Don't make me wait too long," she was practically purring into his ear before she turned and left the way she came. Still he seemed unaffected by her. Even I watched her leave. Everything started clicking together in my head. The money. Not too interested at the advances. The money!

Oh my God! He is a gigolo! Oh, I'm married to a male whore. I looked up towards the sky, but my vision of it was blocked by the laundry hanging on lines. "Why?! Why do you hate me so?!" Yes, I'm being overly dramatic, but this is not the time to be normal.

What if he tries to pimp me out?

"Mon cher?"

"Don't call me that?! I am not yours!" I kept my eyes skyward. What now? Is a pair of undies going to fall straight onto my head? Or is a bird going to crap in my face? Please do it if it will stop the torture.

"Do you want to wait here while I get my car?" I heard he picked up a bit of the Italian beauty's accent. I shook my head and started to lower my gaze to him. "It's a bit of a walk. You sure you want to do it in those?" He motioned to my scuffed shoes. Don't think about that. Don't think about that!

"I'll be fine," I growled at him.

"Very well," he took my arm and placed it on his. What is this? The Victorian Age? "This way dolcezza."

"How many languages do you speak?" I asked as we turned a corner. Of course the spiked heel of my shoe found a divot, I started to teeter over. Now I can see why he had me hold on to him.

"Seven," he said casually. But to me, it sounded like he was trying to hide something. He gave my forearm a squeeze before he decided it was better for him to hold onto me. I really don't think my hand was the best option.

"Why so many?" Why hide something now Tommy?

"Well," he hesitated for only a second. "I get a lot of tourist. It's best to make them feel comfortable." He leaned down next to my ear. "You make more money that way," oh gosh, don't remind me.

"Alres is a big tourist spot? I haven't seen anyone with knee socks and a huge camera around their neck." Keep a straight face, Jude. You can do it!

"Very funny," was all he said. I knew eye rolling was an international gesture.

We walked in almost comfortable silence for the next few minutes. I kept noticing how people would stop and stare at us. They weren't overly obvious, but after seeing the destruction of last night, I kept a close eye on everyone. Maybe that's why they were looking, because I was the one who started it.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," he walked over to a man who was selling an assortment of veggies.

I took my moment alone to look around at the scenery. Even a postcard couldn't be this beautiful. The old world feel made at ease, if only for an instant. If I could be back in those times it would be so much easier. I could just run away and no one would be the wiser. With no legal paperwork, all that had to be done was consummation. Oh wait, never mind. Not like it mattered, I'm not going to find a time machine anytime soon.

Looking over in Tommy's direction I saw him crook his finger at me and, oh Lord, I wanted to melt. That simple gesture was wildly sexy. I stumbled a little as I made my way over.

"I'd like you to meet Jude Dutois," he said proudly as he placed an arm around my shoulders. That snapped me out of my daze.

"Oh my..." I moaned as my head fell into my hand. I'm getting a migraine. My other hand pushed him away. "It's Harrison, you asshole." Why am I in this endless hell? I brake for puppies. I don't litter. I recycle...when I can.

"So, the perpetual bachelor Tommy-" I felt something pass between the men. Tommy was giving the man a slightly disapproving look. "I wasn't going to say it," the man argued to Tommy.

"Say what?" I felt like I was watching a tennis match with the way my head looked back and forth between them.

"Nothing," he replied quickly.

"Why don't you just tell me? I'm going to find out anyway. I am your wife after all." Hell, why not use it when I can?

"That's a change. A few minutes ago you wanted nothing to do with me."

"What? I should be overflowing with happiness about all this? I only met you a few hours ago!"

"Hey, lovebirds. Keep it down, your scaring my customers away." I felt like the man was getting a kick out of this. But I also noticed that he suddenly picked up a German accent. What is it with these people? Okay, what kind of trouble did I get myself into? There has to be something illegal going on here, otherwise they wouldn't be hiding... whatever it is they're hiding.

I wanted to voice my speculation but Tommy took my arm and steered me away. He called over his shoulder, but he spoke in German. That would be four languages I've heard out of him.

I was looking back at the veggie man when a feminine voice called out in our direction.

"Oh not again!" I just want to get to Cannes so I can change into my own clothes and go to Monaco.

What a surprise! A beautiful woman with flaming red hair threw her arms around his neck and kissed both of his cheeks. They took a few steps away from me before they started to converse.

She spoke quietly in his ear before she smiled widely at him. This encounter was much shorter than the last but the burning in my chest was back with a vengeance. I shook my head as if it would clear all the thoughts and feelings but it just made my hair fall into my face.

He place a hand on my upper arm and started pulling me into step with him.

"Tommy, you have all these women throwing themselves at you. Why would you want to keep me around?" Please let him see the light and make him want the divorce as much as I.

He gently took hold of my chin and tipped my face up to his. He brushed back the tendrils that didn't leave when I tilted my head back. I felt his eyes trying to convey his reasoning to me. But the more I looked at him the more familiar he seemed. Maybe some of last night is coming back to me.

No, this familiarity is not recent. This is old, like a distant childhood memory. It will come to me sooner or later. Hopefully sooner so I won't have to see him later.

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Thanks, Eternita14