Read Online The Quarterback Sneak by Liz Matis - Free Book Online Page B

mean the words she spoke back to him now. One
day she would say, “I love you” for real, he vowed. Then they would
repeat the Christian vows of marriage in front of God.
    Hayden smiled, her eyes filling with tears.
He hoped to God they were tears of joy and not some act she was
putting on or, worse, tears of sadness.
    “I pronounce you husband and wife. You may
kiss the bride.”
    Every cell of Liam’s body urged him to pull
Hayden into a bruising kiss. To mark her as his, knowing the vows
weren’t enough. Instead he took a small step closer and ran his
thumb along her chin before tilting it up. Her eyes fluttered
closed, and her mouth parted slightly in an almost Scarlett O’Hara
fashion. He kissed her tenderly, the way a bride should be
kissed.
    But tonight he wouldn’t hold back. He’d
unleash his desire for his bride. She was no virgin and he no
saint.
    And oddly, the thought brought another sense
of peace. Was this God’s twisted way of answering his prayer for a
partner in life, a wife to share his life with, to grow old with?
And, okay, honestly to make love to.
    God created Eve for Adam.
    And I get Hayden.
    He grinned.
    The rest of the party passed in a blur as
teammates ribbed him about ‘tapping that ass’ and asked him if he
needed any pointers.
    He looked at his watch for the hundredth
time. Ten o’clock . Hoping the hour would be acceptable, he
asked, “Want to make our grand exit?”
    “Sure,” Hayden said, “but there’s something
important I have to take care of first. Wait here.”
    While he waited, he said goodbye to his
mother. She reassured him that she was being well taken care of by
Mr. Middleton. Liam watched with curiosity as Hayden headed to the
band with a sheaf of papers.
    The music ended mid-beat as she tapped the
microphone. “Thank you all for coming to the surprise wedding of
the year. I have one thing to do before we head out to consummate
this marriage.”
    Laughter filled the room. His teammates
hooted. If his mother’s smile was any indication, she was amused by
Hayden’s antics.
    “This is the pre-nup Liam signed.” She waved
the contract in the air. “And well—”
    Hayden couldn’t have shocked him more as she
tore the papers into small pieces. Liam turned to see her father’s
reaction. He’d never seen his boss so angry, even after last years
Championship loss.
    “It must be love,” declared a drunken
Charlize. The guests followed the mother-of-the-bride’s lead and
cheered.
    Turning back to see Hayden’s smile full of
triumph, Liam wondered if her stunt was a really a present for him
or a power play against her father. She ran off the stage as people
clapped. Throwing the pieces of the contract into the air over them
like the traditional rice over a newly married couple, she said to
him, “Let’s go.” She grabbed his hand. “Time to make good on those
claims you made about your future bride.” She gave him that
come-hither smile. “Because for better or for worse, I’m her.”

Chapter 12

    A s they drove away from the
marina, Hayden examined the wedding band resting on top of her grand-mère’s engagement ring. How had she let it get this
far?
    Because I wanted it to.
    She glanced at Liam’s hand gripping the
steering wheel. She noted how the matching band that belonged to
her grandfather fit perfectly on her new husband’s finger. Husband? Holy shit!
    “That took balls,” Liam said.
    “The pre-nup?” When he nodded, she added, “I
can assure you I don’t have any.”
    “That’s a relief.” Liam chuckled.
    What had possessed her to tear the pre-nup
into confetti? Was it about standing up to her father? If so, was
pissing him off worth the money Liam could sue for if they
divorced? In her heart she knew Liam’s pride would never let him
take one dime. Unless her heart was wrong about him, and then she
was screwed.
    But who turns down five million dollars? She
couldn’t tell him in words how much his actions meant to her. Liam
may not