The Gideon Affair

“Sorry, buttercup, but there was no other way to guard my purity when my fiancée turned out to be such a wanton brat.”

“Oooh.” She laughed. “So I’m a wanton brat now? I didn’t hear you complaining last night when I rode you on the floor. Thanks for the sore knees, by the way.”

“Wah, wah, wah. Like you said, I also didn’t hear any complaining.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. We aren’t even married yet and already you’re whining about performing your husbandly duties. Am I going to end up one of those long-suffering wives who goes through batteries like a tank of gas?”

“Yeah, about that. I’m locking up all the toys. You’ll have to ask permission from your husband for access.”

Their laughter rang out and she hugged his arms tighter. She didn’t doubt that they’d be laughing like this forever.

“But as for tomorrow night … we’re going to drive out to a place Marsh showed me that has a breathtaking view, park the camper, and get our marriage night boom boom on.”

“Marriage night boom boom?” she screamed with laughter. “Who writes your dialogue?”

He chuckled then pinched her nipples drawing a startled gasp.

“No?” Humph. “How ‘bout this, then? I’m going to drive my wife in our Ass-Gardian chariot out into the wilderness where I plan to assert my husbandly rights in a ma

She had nothing to say to that. Whatever way you put it … boom boom or screaming in the wilderness … she could barely wait.

Their wedding day dawned while Edward sat in the quiet darkness. No matter where his thoughts wandered off to, he always came back to the same thing … over and over. He was marrying his best friend. Today, he was going to join his life to the only woman who could ever make him happy. And seeing to her happiness was a solemn commitment that he joyfully accepted.

He’d been marveling at the twists and turns that surrounded them through their six-year journey. Ending here, along the banks of a river in the wilds of Wyoming, with just their immediate family standing alongside them, they took the biggest leap of faith two people could make.

Right now, Los Angeles and the Hollywood culture felt a million miles away and that was a good thing. What they were doing was real. Their camping trip, losing themselves along the way, becoming regular people—it had all happened for a reason. To show them firsthand what a normal life would be like.

Until Paige, he wasn’t sure he was going to get a shot at a regular life. Being a sex symbol superstar had messed with his head for a while, but Paige was always what brought him back. And now he was going to get to spend the rest of his life with her.

Edward checked his watch. He still had hours before the ceremony. He wondered what his bride was doing and if she slept. It was a big day for her and he wanted it to be everything she hoped for.

Sighing, she threw the pen down and stretched. She was getting married later today, and wouldn’t you know, this would be the one night she couldn’t sleep.

Why the hell not? she thought wryly.

It certainly hadn’t helped that all she thought about was creeping into Edward’s room. She was being ridiculous, and kind of knew it, but this sleeping apart business was for the dogs. Now that a wanton brat had replaced the starchy librarian in her alter ego, she was on the prowl for her sex symbol lover, twenty-four seven. She was so balls-out horny that he’d be lucky to survive the night.

A light tapping sounded at her door.

Surely not Edward. He was totally into the whole wedding superstition thing. No way would he tempt fate.

She went to the door and opened it the tiniest crack. It was Marsh.

“Hey, sis. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Y’know it’s tough being best man and the maid of honor. Didn’t know which one of you to check on first. Figured one or both of you might have come to your senses and bolted.”

“If he runs,” she whispered, “I’d just hunt him down.”

“Shh,” he mocked. “Keep it down. If he looks into the hallway and sees me lurking by your door, I’m liable to get my ass kicked.”

“You have a point. Are you going to look in on him now?”

“Yep. He’s next on my day-of-wedding checklist. Want me to tell him anything?”

She thought for a moment. “Yeah. You tell him I’m still waiting on that bonus check and that he better make it good.”

“Oh, honey. You look beautiful.”

“Thanks, Dad. It means a lot that you like it.”

“You look a lot like your mom did when we got married. It’s the smile, I think.”

“Where is she? I thought she’d be here by now.”

“Oh, she’s ru

Why did everyone ask? No, she wasn’t nervous. She’d probably never felt so serene.

A loud racket startled them from their father-daughter moment and they ran to the window to see what was going on. At first she couldn’t pinpoint where the loud noise was coming from and then she saw it. A helicopter. Down by the river. Flying foolishly low.

A sliver of unease was the first thing to crack her composure. This couldn’t be happening. Could it?

Raised voices could be heard. Sounded like Steven and Marshall yelling. Then her mom and Miriam joined in followed by a voice she didn’t recognize. Maybe the Justice of the Peace.

“Dad, I have a fu

“I’m on it, princess.” He stepped close and kissed her on the forehead. “You stay put. I’ll come back and tell you what I find out.”

And then he dashed away leaving her alone in her beautiful dress while Gideon Shaw managed to intrude on their special day.

“I don’t care what the fuck anyone says. Give me my shotgun. This is private property. I’m going to go out there and rip off a few rounds. Maybe those buggers will think twice about screwing with a Ba

Ah, jeez. “Dad, Dad, calm down. No one is going to rip off a few rounds, okay?” He made a point to stink eye his brother to show he was serious. “Look, why don’t you give Jerry a call? Maybe Mr. Mayor can pull some strings and get the airspace cleared.”

“That’s a good idea, son. Where’s my phone?” he boomed as his hands checked every pocket. “Where’s my goddamn phone?”

Rose and his mother came ru

Just friggin’ great. Two angry women in fancy clothes. Kicking Gideon Shaw’s ass felt like a real possibility. All he wanted to do was marry Paige and now they had a three-ring circus on their hands.

While his father jumped on calling his influential friend once his phone was located, Edward also grabbed his phone and, on instinct, called Mickey.

“Who knows where we are?” he grated roughly into the phone when M answered. “Did someone leak our plans? The fucking press is here in a goddamn helicopter. What’s going on?”

By the time he hung up, Edward just felt screwed. While they were off in their isolated, private world pretending nothing else existed outside Wyoming, all the news outlets were reporting that the Sexiest Man in America was tying the knot this weekend to the collective dismay of women around the world.

No, really. That happened.

How had the news gotten out? It was a domino line of random things all tipping at the same time. The kid he took the selfie with. Well, he told everyone and posted the pic online. The picture was full of location clues. Right then and there, the whole world knew their general whereabouts.