Anyone But Rich (Anyone But..., #1)

by Penelope Bloom

“Should I be scared?” “Probably,” he said. Rich dropped to one knee. I watched it all happen in a daze, like when the bullets start to fly in an action movie. Time slows down, and all sound is reduced to a whooshing kind of roar. Except there were no bullets flying. There was just the most drop-dead gorgeous man I’d ever met falling to one knee and reaching for something.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

“Feel free to tell me I’m a lunatic. But it feels right.” He shook his head, and the look on his face was so earnest and open that it melted my heart. “I love you, Kira. I really do. I don’t need another week, another month, or another year to be sure of that. And I didn’t want anything to have a chance to come between us before I could do this. It’s crazy, and people will probably think we’re idiots for doing it, but I want to do it anyway. So . . .”

“Is it a bad sign if I feel like I’m going to say yes even though it’s a stupid decision?” Rich thought about that. “Wouldn’t it be boring if it seemed like an obvious choice?” “I can’t tell if you’re manipulating me or making sense.” He grinned. “It’s your choice. You can say no, and I’ll be absolutely fine. I’ll pick up the shattered remains of my heart and toss them in a bush on my way back to the car. I’ll probably even be able to drive home within the broken, rotting husk that will be left of my body.” I shook my head and gave him a sour smile. “Okay, now I know you’re manipulating me. Poorly too.” “Also, no pressure, but if I’d known this was going to be a debate, I’d have worn a kneepad. Do you mind if I—”

Just say it.

“Yes,” I said. The word came out with a rush of air, like I put every last bit my lungs could hold into saying it. I felt light-headed and giddy all at once.

“Yes. I’ll marry you,” I said. I cupped his face and kissed him.

“You’re supposed to let me put the ring on you,” he said when I went in to kiss him again. “Oh, right.” I let him take my hand and slide the ring on my finger. I looked down at it and bit my lip. I’d never been the type to want a caveman to bash me over the head and carry me back to his cave, but I had to admit part of me liked being claimed like this. His ring was on my finger, and now everyone would know I was taken. I was his.

“You don’t care about the details of the wedding ceremony. All you care about is getting this show on the road as fast as possible. Curious, isn’t it? It’s almost like you have something to hide.” “There’s nothing curious about it. I love her.”

For some reason, Cade was sweaty, red-faced, and shouting in front of the altar. Everyone in the crowd looked somewhere between stunned, shocked, and amused.

“And when he flicked the igniter, all I saw was a fireball,” Cade continued, his volume increasing with every sentence. “Eyebrows gone. Eyelashes melted together. It was horrible. Oh. Hi, Kira.”

“What the hell are you doing, Kira?” my father asked.

“She’s getting married to a guy she loves. And I bet they’re going to have amazing sex tonight,” she added.

“Well, if you’re not going to ask me to walk you down the aisle, I’m going to invite myself.” He pushed his way into the aisle and took my arm in his, then gave me a familiar nudge. “This doesn’t mean I approve, you know,” he whispered to me. “Good. This would feel a lot less exciting if I knew my dad was okay with it.” To my surprise, nobody else said a word as we made our way up to the altar. My dad kissed me on the forehead, which he hadn’t done since I was a little girl, and gave my back a quick pat before he moved away to leave me standing in front of Rich and Stella.

The pastor walked us through our vows, had us say our I do’s, and then asked if anyone had any reason we shouldn’t be wed. “Actually,” Cade said loudly. Nick put him in a headlock from behind and signaled for the pastor to continue. Cade was choking out something that sounded like I was kidding, but Nick didn’t let him go. “Then you may kiss the bride.”