Alaric Blackwood’s hand on her waist suddenly tightened.

The force pulled her forward. She stumbled a small step, her forehead bumping against his hard chest.

A hand tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

Her vision filled with Alaric Blackwood’s chiseled, refined, and ruggedly handsome face.

He watched her, his gaze intent as his handsome face drew closer. Just as he was about to kiss her, her heart hammered in her chest, and she took a flustered step back.

Feigning composure, she looked to the Master of Ceremonies. "I... I have a question."

The Master of Ceremonies asked, "What is it?"

"The tradition of exchanging rings originated in the West, but we’re having a traditional Chinese wedding. Wouldn’t adding this part feel a little... out of place?"

’Especially that huge diamond ring. It’s blindingly bright, and it looks so heavy.’

’The more she thought about it, the more she felt that adding a ring exchange just didn’t fit with a traditional Chinese wedding.’

The Master of Ceremonies turned to get Alaric Blackwood’s opinion. "Mr. Blackwood, what do you think?"

A slight smile touched the man’s lips. "Why ask me? My wife calls the shots."

The Master of Ceremonies, now clear on Mr. Blackwood’s position in the household, quickly turned his smiling gaze back to Sophie Shaw. "So, is the bride’s decision to cancel the ring exchange?"

"Yes, let’s cancel it."

The Master of Ceremonies nodded.

Alaric Blackwood immediately added, "Since we’ve removed one part, let’s continue. And to make sure we don’t forget the sequence, we’ll run through it all again afterward."

Sophie Shaw’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Her thoughts instantly devolved into a chaotic mess as she tried to decipher the hidden meaning in his words.

’Continue?’

’Continue the kiss they hadn’t finished?’

’And then do it all over again?’

Just as her mind was racing, a hand took hold of her chin. Alaric Blackwood turned her slightly averted face to look straight at him. The web of his thumb pressed against the tip of her chin, gently tilting her face upward.

His usual playful, devil-may-care swagger vanished, his expression turning intensely serious.

He gazed at her, slowly lowered his head, and pressed his lips to hers.

This was no fleeting peck. She could feel the tip of his tongue pressing against her teeth, attempting to part them.

"Mmph..."

She tried to pull back.

Alaric Blackwood caught the back of her neck, halting her retreat.

He deepened the kiss...

Her mind went completely blank, and for a moment, she forgot to struggle or even think.

Just as Alaric Blackwood was about to succeed, she shoved hard against his chest.

The man was solid as a rock and didn’t move an inch. However, his hand on her neck loosened, and the force of her own shove sent her stumbling back two steps.

She panted, catching her breath.

In stark contrast to her panic, Alaric Blackwood was perfectly composed.

He slowly licked his lips, his expression one of pure dissatisfaction that it was over.

"My wife’s lips... so sweet and soft."

"You—!" ’Shameless scoundrel!’

Sophie Shaw was utterly mortified. She couldn’t imagine how red her face must be; it felt like all the blood in her body was rushing straight to it.

’They had a contract, and he actually kissed her for real...’

"It’s just a rehearsal. You don’t have to be so serious about it."

Alaric Blackwood ignored her. He suddenly closed the distance, wrapping his arms around her waist and rendering her immobile in an instant.

He whispered in her ear, in a voice only they could hear, "But a rehearsal like this is much more interesting."

"You... Mmph!"

He was kissing her again.

Sophie Shaw’s eyes flew wide. She wanted to struggle, but Alaric Blackwood pinned her hands behind her back, his arms tightening around her body.

The disparity in strength between men and women was on full display at that moment.

She couldn’t break free.

"Oh my god..."

Anne clapped a hand over her mouth, nearly screaming out loud.

Just watching made her blush on Sophie Shaw’s behalf.

’It’s supposed to be a rehearsal, just a simple walkthrough, so why is Alaric Blackwood being so relentless?’

If she didn’t already know that Sophie Shaw and Alaric Blackwood were in a contract marriage, she would have assumed they were a pair of sweet, doting newlyweds.

At least, that’s what the Master of Ceremonies thought.

As a man who had seen it all, the sight of the ’happy couple’ sharing a deep kiss right in front of him was nothing unusual. He didn’t so much as blush, his breathing remained even, and with his hands clasped behind his back, he simply maintained a polite smile, his posture straighter than anyone’s.

The long, lingering kiss lasted for a full five minutes.

When Alaric Blackwood finally pulled back, his breathing was heavy.

Though their lips had parted, their breaths still mingled in the air between them.

He rested his forehead lightly against Sophie Shaw’s, their noses touching.

SLAP—

A weak, limp slap landed on his face.

Sophie Shaw was dizzy from lack of oxygen. There was no strength in her arm, making the slap completely painless. She almost buckled at the knees, but a powerful arm scooped her up, locking her entire body in his embrace.

Despite the feeble slap, a low chuckle rumbled from Alaric Blackwood’s throat. He hugged the woman in his arms tighter and turned to the Master of Ceremonies, the amusement in his eyes unconcealed. "Pardon the display."

The Master of Ceremonies quickly waved his hands. "Not at all, Mr. Blackwood. I didn’t see a thing."

Mortified, Sophie Shaw kept her face buried in his chest, Alaric Blackwood’s large hand resting on the back of her neck.

She could hear his clear, strong heartbeat.

THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP...

"Let’s end the rehearsal here for today."

After saying this, Alaric Blackwood glanced down at the woman slumped against his chest.

"Can you walk?"

His voice was so low it was as if his lips were pressed right against her ear.

She still hadn’t caught her breath, and her thoughts were a complete jumble.

When she didn’t respond, Alaric Blackwood didn’t wait. He simply scooped up her legs and lifted her into his arms, carrying her bridal style.

"Ah!"

She yelped, pressing her hands against his shoulders. "Put me down."

"Your foot injury hasn’t fully healed. Don’t be stubborn. If you’re unsteady and take a fall, you’ll make the sprain worse and affect the wedding next week."

Alaric Blackwood strode toward the door with long legs.

Anne snapped out of her shock, quickly grabbed both her and Sophie Shaw’s bags, and jogged to catch up.

Being carried out of the hotel by Alaric Blackwood drew quite a few stares.

Sophie Shaw’s face was burning hot; she felt as if steam might start rising from the top of her head.

She buried her head against his shoulder, hiding her face from view.

"I have something to attend to, so I can’t give you a ride."

Alaric Blackwood walked to the curb, stopping beside Anne’s car.

Anne, who had followed them out, took the hint immediately, pulling out her keys to unlock the car doors.

Sophie Shaw felt herself being tossed lightly into the air. For less than half a second, she was out of his control before his large hand caught her by the backside.

"Ah!"

She let out another startled cry, her hands instinctively clinging to Alaric Blackwood’s neck.

He held her with one arm, shifting from a bridal carry to a one-armed hold. With his free hand, he pulled open the car door. As he bent down to place her in the seat, his other warm, large hand protected the back of her head.

Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would leap out of her throat.

By the time she fully came to her senses, she was already sitting in the passenger seat.

Alaric Blackwood pulled the seatbelt across and buckled it for her. He glanced at her dazed expression, a smirk playing on his lips, then shut the door with a SLAM.

"Miss Austin, thanks for the trouble of taking my wife home."

Giving Anne a warm, gentlemanly smile, Alaric Blackwood strode toward his own car.

Anne stood frozen in place, watching as he and Jaden got into the car, one after the other. With a RUMBLE of its engine, the Maybach shot off down the road. She quickly hurried back to her own car.

"AHHH!!!"

"Your husband!!! He’s so insanely manly!!!"

"That lift, that toss, and then catching you so steadily... the sexual tension was off the charts."