again to whisper, “Is that possible?”
Trevor nodded. “All kinds of things are possible. The bottom line is you need to trust me to do this right. We can always add or change paperwork later to tie up any loopholes and lock down trust funds to keep you and your money safe, but we have to stop him right now. Or he can have you declared mentally incompetent and that is seriously difficult to reverse.”
She stared at him, the bite of sandwich sticking in her throat as she thought of those options. He was sticking his neck out to help at a huge cost, and she was grateful as all hell. But, there was something in that gaze, something special. She wanted to believe him, believe in him.
“I don’t think I could live with the guilt if something happened to you because you were trying to help me,” she whispered.
“I’m doing this with my eyes open,” he said. Only instinct prodded him forward. In fact, his actions stunned him, but he was quickly becoming okay with them.
“But why? Why would you do this for me?” Her gaze was intense as she studied his face. “It’s crazy.”
“It’s not crazy. Legal issues that have to be put in place to protect you. And if you don’t want to stay married then we can process an annulment as well. Although I suggest we don’t do so too quickly.”
She blinked. “And if you meet someone?”
“Else you mean? Other than you who will be my wife?” he said with a wicked grin. “Not likely. But if I do then if she’s right for me, she’ll understand. If she doesn’t she wasn’t, and I’m in no different a situation than before. However, at no time will I be looking, and as your husband, I will be standing at your side, not dating other women.”
She took another bite of sandwich and chewed it slowly. “What about you?” he asked. “Do you have someone in your life?”
She shook her head. “Not for years. I didn’t want to drag anyone into the craziness that my world had become.”
“Good. Unless there’s someone you can’t remember. Other than that, we’re both single. Unemotionally attached and adults. Then,” he glanced at his watch, “all I need to know now is…”
Realizing it was the first and could possibly be the last time he’d ever ask this question, he hopped up onto the bed, reached for her hand, and in a low careful tone asked, “Will you be my wife?”
Tears shimmered in her gaze. He didn’t know if that was because this was not the proposal every young woman dreamed of or because of the reason behind this legal maneuvering, but he hoped it wasn’t because he was the opposite of the type of man she’d like to have asking her this question.
Even given the circumstances, there was a solemnity to the moment he’d rarely experienced.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
“I need to hear the words,” he said gently.
“If you are prepared for the consequences, then I will marry you and become your wife.”
Chapter 8
“W hat do we do about Will?” she murmured in a low voice. “It’s going to get ugly.”
“No, it isn’t. Trust me, remember?” He hopped off the bed as an orderly walked in. The newcomer smiled at Trevor then at Hannah and said, “Time for a set of X-rays on those ribs. The doc’s not happy with the ones we took last night.”
“Oh.” She glanced up at Trevor in surprise, but reassured by his wink she let herself be helped into a wheelchair, a pink blanket around her knees, a chart placed in her hands before being wheeled out of the room.
The orderly said to Will, “We’ll have her back in about twenty minutes.” He took her down the hallway. She turned to look behind her, but Will was staring at her, a thunderous frown on his face. He pulled out his phone as they turned the corner.
Of Trevor there was no sign.
She was wheeled for another couple of minutes, around several corners and into an elevator then downstairs and down another hallway. A door opened and she was wheeled into…a small chapel. She
Trevor nodded. “All kinds of things are possible. The bottom line is you need to trust me to do this right. We can always add or change paperwork later to tie up any loopholes and lock down trust funds to keep you and your money safe, but we have to stop him right now. Or he can have you declared mentally incompetent and that is seriously difficult to reverse.”
She stared at him, the bite of sandwich sticking in her throat as she thought of those options. He was sticking his neck out to help at a huge cost, and she was grateful as all hell. But, there was something in that gaze, something special. She wanted to believe him, believe in him.
“I don’t think I could live with the guilt if something happened to you because you were trying to help me,” she whispered.
“I’m doing this with my eyes open,” he said. Only instinct prodded him forward. In fact, his actions stunned him, but he was quickly becoming okay with them.
“But why? Why would you do this for me?” Her gaze was intense as she studied his face. “It’s crazy.”
“It’s not crazy. Legal issues that have to be put in place to protect you. And if you don’t want to stay married then we can process an annulment as well. Although I suggest we don’t do so too quickly.”
She blinked. “And if you meet someone?”
“Else you mean? Other than you who will be my wife?” he said with a wicked grin. “Not likely. But if I do then if she’s right for me, she’ll understand. If she doesn’t she wasn’t, and I’m in no different a situation than before. However, at no time will I be looking, and as your husband, I will be standing at your side, not dating other women.”
She took another bite of sandwich and chewed it slowly. “What about you?” he asked. “Do you have someone in your life?”
She shook her head. “Not for years. I didn’t want to drag anyone into the craziness that my world had become.”
“Good. Unless there’s someone you can’t remember. Other than that, we’re both single. Unemotionally attached and adults. Then,” he glanced at his watch, “all I need to know now is…”
Realizing it was the first and could possibly be the last time he’d ever ask this question, he hopped up onto the bed, reached for her hand, and in a low careful tone asked, “Will you be my wife?”
Tears shimmered in her gaze. He didn’t know if that was because this was not the proposal every young woman dreamed of or because of the reason behind this legal maneuvering, but he hoped it wasn’t because he was the opposite of the type of man she’d like to have asking her this question.
Even given the circumstances, there was a solemnity to the moment he’d rarely experienced.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
“I need to hear the words,” he said gently.
“If you are prepared for the consequences, then I will marry you and become your wife.”
Chapter 8
“W hat do we do about Will?” she murmured in a low voice. “It’s going to get ugly.”
“No, it isn’t. Trust me, remember?” He hopped off the bed as an orderly walked in. The newcomer smiled at Trevor then at Hannah and said, “Time for a set of X-rays on those ribs. The doc’s not happy with the ones we took last night.”
“Oh.” She glanced up at Trevor in surprise, but reassured by his wink she let herself be helped into a wheelchair, a pink blanket around her knees, a chart placed in her hands before being wheeled out of the room.
The orderly said to Will, “We’ll have her back in about twenty minutes.” He took her down the hallway. She turned to look behind her, but Will was staring at her, a thunderous frown on his face. He pulled out his phone as they turned the corner.
Of Trevor there was no sign.
She was wheeled for another couple of minutes, around several corners and into an elevator then downstairs and down another hallway. A door opened and she was wheeled into…a small chapel. She
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