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V A U G H N

She is not happy. She is not happy at all, which is shocking because she dug this grave for us herself. That's Claire Jackson now — my wife, impulsive like her father.

I take a step forward and see her flinch away. It is a noticeable movement but I doubt anyone other than me has noticed it.

I have been with several women in my life but never have I felt this nervous to kiss anyone. It is like walking into a death trap. With a happy curve of my lips, I slowly lift the veil off her face, pretending how much I am in love with the love of my life.

I am left star-struck. Claire looks breathtaking. I don't know who dressed her but they just enhanced her beauty even more without altering anything and that fucks me up. How am I supposed to just kiss her when she looks like that? This is torture.

Her shiny blue eyes look at me and I see the hesitation in them as I curl my fingers around the nape of her neck while leaning in close. Her skin is warm and feels buttery smooth. She has her breath sucked in and her pupils follow the direction of my lips when they brush past hers to graze her cheek lightly.

"Lovers, remember?" I remind her and hear the sound of her heartbeats quickening.

She moves her fingers to the collar of my suit and I take that as a positive sign. I bring my lips back to hers and in one swift motion, catch them between mine.

Claire tastes nothing like she did four years ago. She is different; everything about her is different. She tastes of mint, sugar, and something fruity. I press my mouth over her more firmly, loving the way her grip on my collar tightens, and lose my senses completely when she returns my kiss.

A low growl escapes my throat when she lets my tongue meet hers while her hands move to my hair, her fingers digging in. The touch of her nails dragging wild along my scalp is crazy and I instantly put my hands on the small of her back, pulling her close. I press our bodies together, my hand moving involuntarily around her waist. She moans into my mouth and I am reminded of all the reasons we are wrong but there's no stopping. What's done is done.

She is mine for six months and I am hers.

The priest clears his throat, making us break apart. "Congratulations."

I nod at him and he climbs down the altar, his walking stick thumping on the ground.

"Vaughn?" Claire says as we turn to smile at the congregation who are approaching to convey their goodwill to the newly married couple.

"Yes?" I mutter while looking at Michael Hill who is sitting with a disappointed look on his face.

"Never kiss me again," she says, bumping past me as she climbs down the altar, leaving me standing behind in awe.

***

We attend the little after-wedding party where we are forced to maintain our pretense. Claire doesn't look at me the entire time and all my attempts to speak with her go in vain. This is all her fault, then why do I feel like the conspirator here? As far as my memory goes, it was her idea to marry me in the first place. All I did was prepone the plan like an idiot and allowed her to make me the criminal here.

We change after a few hours and leave for Paris soon. I don't know why I want to take her on a honeymoon when nothing in our relationship is even a little sweet like honey. I remember her saying how much she loved Paris and would die for a chance to visit again, in a conversation I eavesdropped on. Taking her there might be a small step to at least get some friendly vibe between us.

"You own a plane?" she asks in a surprised tone as we walk towards my private plane. "You never told me that."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, wife," I coo as I shake hands with the pilot before ushering Claire to climb in.

David follows behind us, making sure not to forget the sunglasses that make him look like my bodyguard which he isn't.

"Don't call me that."

I chuckle as we take our seats. The interior of the plane is small but elegant. There is even a bar at the back along with my private room.

Claire takes in the view with an open-mouthed look and I have to pull her by her waist to make her sit beside me when our pilot announces departure.

"It's so beautiful," she compliments, turning her head around like she doesn't want to miss a thing about the plane.

I understand a part of her admiration. Claire is rich but not as rich as our family. Private planes are something her father wouldn't even dream to afford.

I want to say something to her in return for her compliment but my ego won't let me. Claire might be my wife now but she is still the annoying girl who used to sell my phone number in high school and who has always been my only bully.

A very sexy bully

She is wearing a red dress that stops mid-thigh with white sneakers on her feet. She has her hair down again and I can smell the lavender shampoo which is her favorite. I lean forward to tie her seat belt around her belly, an act that brings my face closer to hers. She looks at me and I glance at her lips, the taste of them still lingering on my tongue.

(Never kiss me again)

I recall her words and turn my eyes away to focus on the belt. She has her hands on the sidebars and I can see her knuckles grow white as she squeezes them tight, all the while keeping her breath hitched. My fingers brush on her knees and I have the sudden urge to wrap my arms around her, pull her to my lap and kiss her until she is craving me too.

I close my eyes shut as I pull back, unable to bear the distraction. I rest my head on the seat as the plane lifts off the ground and avoid talking to Claire for a while.

***

"Linda, do get me a glass of scotch," I request our only flight attendant, a pretty woman in her late twenties, and she nods at me with a bright smile.

"You've alcohol here?" Claire's eyes follow Linda as the latter disappears behind the curtain at the back of the plane. "Can I have one?"

"Order away, blondie." I put my arms behind my head as I look at the ceiling of the plane.

"Scotch for me too, please," she speaks so softly that I doubt Linda has heard a thing. David gets up quickly from his seat to get her order. She leans back in her chair and I spot a smile decorating her face. "I love this plane, Jackson. Didn't know marrying you came with perks."

I turn to her and drop my hands from my head. Leaning forward, I give her an amused look and she bites her bottom lip, making me bite mine in an instinct.

"I'm a complete package, baby," I say and she quirks an eyebrow. "You haven't seen the best bit."

"What's the best bit?" She pulls her knees up to her chest, throwing me a toothy grin.

"I can show you but we would need some privacy." I wink at her as Linda brings our drinks in a tray.

"Oh, Jackson!" Claire waves her hand in the air as she leans forward and rests a palm under her chin. "I don't think Kendall would like to hear it."

I freeze midway through picking up my glass from the tray hearing Kendall's name.

"Who the fuck told you her name?" I turn to Claire.

"David likes to talk a lot." She blows air on her nails and picks up her glass from the tray.

"You blackmailed him, didn't you?" I sigh, picking up my glass and leaning back.

"Oh my God! Such a serious accusation, Jackson!" She puts a hand over her heart dramatically as I take a sip of my drink.

"So you didn't?"

"I never said no to that." She drinks and I see her looking at me from the corner of her eye.

"What did you threaten him with, Claire?"

"Nothing..." She pouts her lips. "Just that if he doesn't answer my question then I'll tell his girlfriend that he goes to strip clubs every Friday."

David? Strip Clubs? Girlfriend? — the words don't even sound like they belong to the same sentence. I find Linda's eyes widening a little but she shakes her head, walking away. She must have had the same thought as me.

"How did you know about the clubs?" I ask Claire, suddenly very interested in the conversation.

"Rose told me," she replies, rolling a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. "Now, don't ask me how Rose knows that because I can't say."

"What about David's girlfriend?" I place my glass on the attached table near us and give her an incredulous stare. "Even I didn't know he had one."

She finishes her drink and smacks her lips, sticking out her tongue and trailing it over her bottom lip. "I guessed that. Thankfully, I didn't embarrass myself."

I can't control the boisterous laugh that escapes me unexpectedly. Claire's eyebrows lift when she sees me throw my head back and laugh out loud. I shake my head and soon Claire joins me too. She covers her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughs with me.

"What happened?" David comes out from behind the curtain and rushes towards us.

One look at him looking all worried and concerned entices us even more, considering he was the subject of our conversation.

Soon, Claire is clutching my arm as our laughter echoes through the plane. Even when I have calmed down, she keeps giggling and I can't help but admire her. For a moment, she looks just lost in the moment, so carefree, like she was when Chris was with us, and I realize that I like it when she is happy.

For a start, I feel like this arrangement might just work out for us.