Free Lust's Rhythm (Heart of Fame Book 10) by Lexxie Couper

why your father doesn’t want you having anything to do with me. He’s worried I’m a violent prick. Your brother said as much tonight.”
    A frown pulled at Chloe’s eyebrows, her fingers gripping his thighs a little harder as she straightened her spine. “What did Josh say?”
    Jed chuckled at the prickly waves suddenly radiating off her. “He said he had issues with a guy who has my issues sniffing around you.”
    She narrowed her eyes, her stare holding his. “Josh can go suck a lemon,” she declared. “And so can Dad.”
    Jed raised his eyebrows. “I’m sorry? A lemon?”
    She didn’t answer. Instead, she shoved herself to her feet, climbed onto the sofa, straddled his groin, tangled her hands in his hair, and kissed him.
    Senseless. Until he could hardly draw breath and was harder than he’d ever been in his life.
    When she lifted her head, cupping his face in hands that were warm and tender and at the same time trembling, he gazed up into her face, his cock so close to penetrating her heat, his heart thumping.
    “How serious were you about marrying me?” he murmured.
    Chloe brushed her thumb over his bottom lip. “Very. Know anywhere we can do it now?”

Chapter 6
    T he twenty-four-hour wedding chapel in Long Beach declared itself the “cutest little wedding chapel in California”.
    Chloe didn’t care one iota that that statement was a tad optimistic.
    All that mattered was that she was now Mrs. Jed Brody.
    She wasn’t drunk. She wasn’t high.
    She was totally and completely happy and in love.
    The man her father had told her she was never to get involved with was nothing like his reputation and everything she wanted.
    Everything.
    Articulate. Sensitive. Gentle. Wild. Strong. Wounded. Talented. Funny. Sarcastic. Sexy.
    “Thanks, Ralph.”
    At Jed’s voice, she turned from the view of the lantern-lit koi pond through the bay window of the chapel and watched her husband shake the hand of the celebrant who’d declared them husband and wife ten minutes ago.
    Ralph looked incredibly spry for someone who’d just officiated a wedding at 3:45 a.m. Of course, they’d given him warning they were coming via a phone call. It had taken them almost ninety minutes to get there, partly due to their taxi driver getting lost once, partly due to the fact they ended up bonking like rabbits in the shower as they were getting ready to leave the hotel, partly due to the fact they’d swung buy an open pawn shop on the way and bought two slim gold wedding bands for their fingers.
    Chloe had apologized for waking Ralph when they arrived. He waved her off with a wide smile and promptly informed her he’d married two couples in the hour previous to their arrival.
    “It’s a booming trade, love,” he’d said with a wink as he led them into the chapel. “Especially in the wee hours of the morning.”
    Fifteen minutes later, after some lovely words about love from Ralph, and vows from her and Jed that included the words truth , honesty , passionately, and laughter , he pronounced them married. His wife-slash-organist witnessed it. And threw white and pink rose petals over them when they sealed the deal with a kiss.
    Done.
    Chloe didn’t think it was possible to be happier, but at the sight of Jed smiling his thanks at the celebrant—a simple, normal thing for a guy to do at his wedding—her heart exploded with warm joy.
    Wow. She was married to that guy. He was her husband and she was his wife. Wow.
    Unable to stop herself, she broke out in a wide grin and wriggled with delight.
    She was Mrs. Jed Brody.
    Dropping a glance at her finger, she smiled at the gold band circling her ring finger.
    It matched the band on Jed’s finger. Plain gold, no engraving. Simple and elegant and perfect.
    Perfect.
    Everything was perfect.
    “My wife.”
    She lifted her head at Jed’s low murmur just as his warm hands cupped her face and he brushed her lips in a gentle kiss.
    “My husband,” she whispered back as he