Strange Bedfellows
~ ch. 16, concluded ~

“With this ring, I thee wed.”

Dara was not aware of anything but the feel of Stefan’s warm fingers as he slid the slender understated band upon her finger.  Solid gold with translucent green flecks, the ring felt at once alien and impossibly heavy.

She blinked as Nikolas’ hand appeared just inside her line of view.  The young man unfurled his fingers to reveal upon his palm a larger, masculine version of the ring she wore.  Dara’s gaze rose to meet Stefan’s and his almost imperceptible nod of reassurance enabled the frozen attorney to act.  “With this ring,” she repeated and slid the band on Stefan’s finger, “I thee wed.”

The remainder of the ceremony faded in and out of Dara’s consciousness until she realized that the Bishop had issued one final official instruction.  “Bridegroom, salute your bride with a kiss.”

Numbly, Dara allowed her new husband to turn her toward him.  Stefan’s arms slid gently around her, and of its own accord, her body leaned in to his. At the touch of Stefan’s lips upon her own, Dara’s eyes fluttered shut.

Standing there before the Bishop, Dara had not expected a chaste kiss.  But neither had she anticipated the kiss she received.  Stefan’s kiss was skillful and insistent.  And it hinted at all the pleasures that could have been hers had the marriage been true.

“Congratulations, Mr. And Mrs. Stefan Cassadine,” the Bishop proudly proclaimed.  “Bless you both.”

Stefan drew Dara even closer to his side.  Together they accepted the Bishop’s personal well wishes for their union.  Dara smiled and responded at all the appropriate times.  But her mind raced to analyze the meaning of the heated emotion she glimpsed in Stefan’s gaze just before his lips claimed hers.

“Monsignor,” Dara heard Stefan say, “please excuse our lack of hospitality.  But as I explained earlier, there is pressing business to which my wife and I must attend.”

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