Read Online HisMarriageBargain by Sidney Bristol - Free Book Online

light.
    “Let’s get some pictures of the two of you under the chuppah ,”
Tony Reisz, their other photographer, directed.
    Lou tossed handfuls of the orange petals down in front of
them and moved back to hold lights.
    “Don’t get too posey. Look at each other, smile, do what
comes naturally,” Tony coached.
    Autumn tipped her chin up and studied Sammi. Her husband.
And she hadn’t even slept with him.
    “You’re looking lovely, Mrs. Zimmerman.” He took her left
hand in his and brought it to his lips, pressing kisses to each knuckle.
    Her skin prickled and a tendril of desire uncurled in her
chest. He was dangerous to her heart, and she didn’t care.
    “Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman,” she replied, heat rising on her
cheeks. How could she be blushing?
    “Why don’t you give the bride a kiss?” Tony suggested.
    Her heart leapt into her throat. She wanted to kiss Sammi,
crawl into his lap and wrap her arms around him, never letting go.
    “Oh.” Sammi glanced from the photographer to her. “We don’t
have to—”
    “Don’t be silly,” she said with more force than was necessary.
Anticipation much? She curled her arms around his neck and leaned against him.
The fragrance from his boutonniere had combined with his cologne to give him a
new scent, one she’d remember forever as the smell of her wedding day. “Married
couples kiss. And we are married, aren’t we?”
    Sammi’s hands rested on her hips, neither pulling her closer
nor pushing her away. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do—”
    “No one is making me do anything, Sammi. Now does a bride
really have to beg for a fucking kiss on her damn wedding day?”
    He cracked that gorgeous smile and his arms drew her just a
little closer to him, one coasting up to rest against her bare shoulders.
“There’s no begging involved.”
    Autumn almost stopped breathing as his head dipped to hers.
    “Good,” she whispered.
    The first touch of his lips against hers sent an electric
pulse through her body, right down to her toes. She curled them in the sand and
pulled him down closer. She opened her mouth slightly and sucked his lower lip.
His grip on her waist tightened—and he kissed her back.
    She wanted more. Wanted to kiss him passionately, strip him
out of those clothes and explore that sculpted, hot body she’d kept her hands
off. But they were on a public beach.
    Autumn rocked back on her heels, dazed.
    She wanted to do that again, and more. Soon.
    Sammi stared at her, his mouth slightly open and his hair a
little mussed.
    “Nice with the foot pop,” Tony called, breaking the moment.
    Autumn glanced over her shoulder and smiled.
    “Perfect. Samuel, lean in, maybe kiss her neck?” Tony moved
closer and Lou repositioned, catching the last of the sun’s light.
    “Like this?” Sammi brushed light kisses just under her ear.
    Autumn shivered and her breath caught in her throat. She bit
her lip to keep from moaning.
    Tony needed to hurry up with the pictures already.
    They had better things to do.
    * * * * *
    Sammi draped his arm over Autumn’s chair and leaned back.
Their two-person wedding party had grown to twelve—those six who’d been part of
the wedding ceremony, plus Eleri and Mary’s husbands and another couple on
their honeymoon who’d joined them after learning they’d just tied the knot.
Their meal was well underway and the wine flowed freely. But he wasn’t
drinking. Already a tremor was running through his hands. Alcohol was the last
thing he needed, but he didn’t want to break up their happy group.
    “Tell me, Sammi, how does a Persian Jew have a German name?”
David asked, arm draped around his wife’s shoulders and his third wineglass in
hand.
    Sammi glanced at Autumn, all aglow, maybe from their wedding
or the ongoing festivities. “That’s actually a really great story. My father’s
mother was a teenager when her family went to Jerusalem. She got lost from her
parents and hid in a spice merchant’s wash