When Stars Collide

Chapter One / Thea

Holy mother of all hangovers.

I'd succumbed to the lure of Vegas and gotten completely wasted. Granted, that's what everyone did in Las Vegas but I like to think I usually have more sense than the social norm.

I rub my eyes and blink them open. The hotel room comes into formation around me. The walls are a warm golden color and the flat screen on the wall plays some home improvement show. I can see the bathroom from the bed, the tiled walls and large soaking tub.

I roll over onto my side, hoping I can sleep off the hangover, and reel back.

"Oh my God," I cry, flailing in bed.

My legs kick the sleeping guy beside me.

Not just any sleeping guy.

Oh no.

Xander Kincaid, my brother's best friend, lays in the bed beside me.

His dark hair tumbles over his forehead and his cheeks are covered with several days worth of scruff. His chest is bare and...holy shit. He's naked.

I look down.

Oh God, I'm naked too.

"What's wrong?" He asks, reaching his left hand out to pull me closer to him. That's when I see it.

"Is that a wedding band?" I scream shrilly.

His eyes narrow. "You don't fucking remember?"

I shake my head and look at my own hand. A thin silver band rests on my finger. "What did we do?"

He sits up in bed and I try to ignore how adorably rumpled he looks with his hair sticking up.

Everything begins flooding back to me in quick bursts.

Drinks.

Kissing.

Laughter.

Confessions of love and desire.

A wedding chapel.

Vows.

Rings.

A contract.

"We're married," I whisper. "Holy shit." It's all I've ever wanted—to be with Xander, but not like this. Never like this. "My brother is going to kill us."

Xander's face contorts with...is that irritation?

"Why does it matter what your brother thinks?"

I scoff. "Because he's my brother and your best friend."

Xander clenches his jaw and looks away.

I tumble from the bed and scour the floor for my clothes. I can feel his eyes on me but I don't dare look at him for fear of turning into a tomato. I find my dress and slip it over my head. Fuck a bra, I just need some clothes on.

I hold my hands out in front of me in a gesture of I have this under control when I definitely don't have this under control.

"I'm sure we can just go back to the chapel and undo this. I mean, this is Vegas. If you can get married in a drive-thru you can get divorced too, right?"

"Divorced?" He looks appalled that I'd suggest such a thing.

I laugh, but there's no humor in the tone. "We can't stay married."