Married at Midnight

by Gerri Russell

  Viola pushed herself up on her elbows. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m dying.”

  Ellie released a soft groan as she studied the pitcher and cup on Viola’s side table with exaggerated interest.

  “We’ve been married less than a week, Grandmother. We need to get to know each other before that happens.”

  “Then I suggest you speed the getting-to-know-you moments up,” Viola said as she collapsed back against the mattress. “To that end, you’re both going shopping today.”

  Ellie’s gaze snapped back to his grandmother. “We need to work on the house.”

  Viola’s weak eyes turned steely. “All newlyweds need china. I’ve arranged for you to pick out whatever you want at the downtown Macy’s.”

  Ellie’s face paled. “We don’t need china. Nobody uses china anymore.”

  “Picking out china is an important part of any couple’s new life together. If I can’t have a grandchild right away, at least let me give you china.” Her heart monitor beeped erratically, punctuating each word.

  Connor suddenly felt a headache coming on. “Calm down, Grandmother,” he said, knowing it was easier to comply than to argue. “What a generous gift. We’re so pleased. Aren’t we, Ellie?” He looked at Ellie expectantly. “You said the rain was a problem today. Why not stay inside and shop instead?” he urged.

  Ellie released a sigh. “If it will make you happy, Viola, then, yes, we’ll go shopping for china.”

  Connor was grateful for Ellie’s capitulation. Eager to escape, he bent over his grandmother and kissed her on the cheek. He took Ellie’s hand and ushered them both from the room before Viola could demand anything more.

  Outside the room and Viola’s hearing range, Ellie jerked to a stop, pulling her hand from his. “Why did we agree to something so absurd? We don’t need china.”

  He gave in to the smile that threatened. “That whole scene was nothing but absurd,” he laughed. “I never realized how manipulative my grandmother was.”

  Ellie stared at him a moment before the corner of her mouth tipped up. “You’re just now realizing that? It was obvious from the beginning. Viola will do anything to get her way.”

  “Does she seriously think she can snap her fingers and demand a baby?” Connor asked.

  “I think so,” Ellie agreed. “And to punish us for refusing, we’re forced to buy china.” She raised her hands, palms up. “What are we going to do with such formal dinnerware?”

  “Have a party?” he suggested. “Or we could throw it at each other before we get our divorce.”

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “Or we could leave it behind for Viola.”

  “Well, that’s no fun.” Connor’s laughter continued as he held out his hand to her. “Want to go see what our options are?”

  “You’re talking about our options in china patterns, right?” she asked with a hint of a sparkle in her eyes.

  “Of course.”

  She took his hand.

  He curled his fingers around hers, feeling protective of the woman who was his temporary wife. He hadn’t felt as protective of anything other than the onboard robotics in his self-driving car in years.

  Having her around was turning out to be more dangerous than he’d imagined. He’d worried about his need to protect his heart in Las Vegas when he should have been worried about the memories she was churning up, the wounds she was healing, and just what would be left of their new china set over the next four and a half weeks.

  CHAPTER NINE

  After both Ellie and Connor had survived the daunting task of picking out a five-piece place setting for twelve, as Viola had demanded, Ellie finally relaxed in spite of the fact that there were now sixty pieces of china they would have to make room for in the house when they were delivered next week.

  Ellie had been surprised how easy it had been for them to agree on a china pattern. They’d both liked the simple yet elegant silver ring around the outside edge of the plates, bowls, and cups. That they liked similar things shouldn’t have pleased her as much as it did.

  And when they were done picking out china, the saleswoman had informed them Viola had insisted on silverware and stemware as well. Choosing all of it had taken several hours.

  “I promised you a date tonight,” Connor said when they were done and had returned to his car. “How about an early dinner?”

  “Sounds great. I’m starving,” she agreed. They’d both decided just to keep shopping through lunch. Now that they were done doing Viola’s bidding, it was with total satisfaction that Ellie slid into a chair at a table for two in the bar of the Bush Garden restaurant in Seattle’s International District.

  “Have you ever been here before?” Connor asked as he sat across from her.

  “No,” she replied, looking around the open room. The Japanese restaurant’s subdued lighting and soft instrumental music helped dispel the last of her tension. “But I’ve heard the food is delicious and that they have karaoke music every night starting at five.”

  Connor looked at his watch. “Looks like we’re just in time. Want to try a duet?”

  “No,” she said emphatically.

  “Don’t want to humiliate yourself at a public karaoke bar?”

  “There is not enough alcohol in the world.”

  He sat back in his chair and studied her. “You’ll get married drunk, but you won’t sing drunk. What does that say about you?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She gave him an innocent smile.

  “Hmm. The mysteries of Ellie. I like this game. I think it means you either had a bad experience singing or were humiliated in public. Which is it?”

  She laughed. “Are you my therapist now?”

  His brows drew together as he stared at her, as if putting together the pieces of a puzzle.

  Ellie’s breath caught. She could see the second his understanding dawned.

  His eyes went wide. He sat forward. “I’m partially to blame for this, aren’t I?”

  The game was no longer playful as a flutter of apprehension worked up her spine. “Could we talk about something else, please?”

  They were spared further conversation when the waiter came to take their order. After he left, Ellie took charge of the conversation. “There’s something else we need to discuss.”

  “What is that?” Connor asked.

  “It became very obvious to me last night when I met with Olivia and Jordan that we need a story to tell people. Like how we met. How long we’ve been dating. Why we got married in Las Vegas.”

  He considered her words. “You’re right. We need something that makes sense to all our family, friends, and business associates—something that will help us when it comes time to end the marriage.”

  “Any suggestions?” she asked.

  “We were abducted by four aliens who forced us to get married before they returned us to Earth.” His grin was infectious.

  She felt the corner of her mouth tug up. “The Elvises might very well have been aliens, but I doubt that story will fly with our parents.”

  “Yours seemed to accept that we are now together, without a lot of fuss.” Connor paused while their server delivered a beer for him and a glass of water for her. Alone again, he continued. “Should we be worried about that?”

  “No need. You heard my dad. He was beyond thrilled not to have to pay for a big, expensive wedding.” Ellie grabbed her water glass. It wasn’t much, but she needed something to hold on to in order to keep herself distracted from the way his smile turned suddenly charming, and the effect it had on her pulse. “The people I worry about most are our friends. Jordan and Olivia know we got married in Las Vegas, but they don’t know we’re only staying together for Viola’s welfare.”

  “Then whatever we come up with will have to build upon what you’ve already told your friends.” He paused, thinking. “How about this? We had a torrid love affair in Las Vegas. We decided we couldn’t live without each other, so we got married.”

  “Too dramatic. How ab
out this alternative? As friends in the past, we met up again in Las Vegas. Talking all night, we realized we missed each other, and in the spur of the moment decided to get married.”

  He laughed. “Most sane people would have only agreed to date, not get married.”

  She looked down at the ring on her hand. “We’ve already proven we’re not exactly sane.”

  “I suppose so.”

  She offered a weak smile. “That we didn’t do things the usual way will be why we separate after only five weeks of marriage. We didn’t really know each other as well as we thought.”

  “It’s close to the truth, and simple,” he agreed. His eyes turned serious. “What other things could people ask us that we need to be united on?”

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “Obviously about children, if we consider conversations we’ve already had with my mom and your grandmother.”

  “Your mom asked you about children?”

  “She assumed that’s why we got married.”

  His smile returned. “Okay, then . . . I want lots. Maybe ten, or why not a full dozen?”

  Ellie choked on her own breath. “Not in this lifetime! Two will be plenty since we both have careers. You wouldn’t expect me to give up my livelihood, would you?”

  “Two is fine.” He laughed.

  A weighted silence had slipped between them again by the time the waiter brought their food.

  “What other questions might people ask?” Connor continued when they were alone.

  “Where we’ll live? Where are we going on vacation this year since we didn’t have a honeymoon? Did I take your last name? And a million other annoying questions.”

  He frowned. “That’s none of their business.”

  She shrugged, digging into her beef sukiyaki with a pair of chopsticks. “It doesn’t stop them from asking.” Ellie knew, to the smallest detail, what her goals were in her professional life. She had short-term goals when it came to her Birthday Project. Yearly success goals. A five-year plan. In her personal life she had nothing, and she hadn’t for a very long time.

  “I say we just tell them to back off. Both of us refusing to talk about our plans can only work in our favor. It tells people without saying anything that we haven’t thought our relationship through.” He took a long sip of his beer before setting the mug down with a satisfied thump.

  “Another way to get them not to even ask questions is to show them we know exactly what we want,” he said.

  “What exactly do we want?”

  “Each other,” he said with a smile that left her feeling slightly off balance. He pushed back his chair, abandoning his teriyaki beef steak, and headed toward the stage. Her heart nearly froze in her chest when, after consulting the technician at the electronics, Connor took the microphone.

  “Before I start, I’d like to dedicate this song to my wife, Ellie. Thanks for the sheet music. It says it all,” Connor said as the music queued.

  The screen behind him filled with the words from Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The karaoke words were displayed in big, bold letters, but Connor didn’t look at the prompter or the screen, only at her. With total confidence and conviction, he sang a song about fools rushing in.

  An older woman at the table beside her released a sigh, then turned to Ellie. “Hang on to that one, dearie.”

  What was he doing? They didn’t need to put on an act for people they didn’t know. But deep inside, a part of her she was unable to deny or control unfurled and started to melt.

  Which was precisely the effect he’d intended.

  Several other people at tables around her cast appreciative glances that said she was the luckiest person on earth. She had to admit, Connor was a catch—he was smart, successful, considerate, and determined to play his part. Which explained why he was onstage now. The show was only an act to impress everyone around them. So why was it working on her?

  Connor sang about falling in love . . . with her.

  An indescribable feeling of joy moved through her. God help her, she’d never felt this way before. Not even with Connor in the past. But was the lust and desire he stoked with a simple song worth the pain that would follow when they called it quits?

  Could she risk everything, her heart, and definitely her sanity, by allowing the intimacy they’d planned so many years ago?

  Sex and no commitments. Was she capable of that?

  She swallowed roughly, considering her options as Connor finished his song. The crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically as he took a bow. When he was done, he made his way back to her.

  Decision time.

  Did she clap for him, as everyone else did, or should she greet him with all the emotion his song had evoked? Her sensual self won the battle. She stood as he drew close, as his eyes connected with hers. Reaching up with both hands, she framed his face, moved into him, and kissed him with all the passion he’d stirred.

  Over the pounding of her heart in her ears, she could hear the crowd cheering, but with the next heartbeat all noise faded away. If he wanted to pretend, she was his willing partner.

  A thrill flashed sharp and bright through her. The kiss grew hungrier, more demanding, until she remembered where they were. With regret, she forced herself to pull away.

  Ellie struggled to rein in her hunger. She drew a sharp breath, gathering her wits and her voice. “That was quite a song. Thank you.”

  Satisfaction flared in his eyes. “If that is to be my reward, maybe I should go sign up for another slot?”

  “Or you should finish your meal so we can go home.”

  “That is the best idea you’ve had all day,” he said with triumph in his voice. They both sat down and returned to their meals. Ellie ate without tasting a thing. The world around them had returned to normal. Another singer took the stage and sang a lively song that had the audience cheering once again.

  But for Ellie, everything had changed because she could no longer back away. She wanted him for however long or short their time together might be. It wasn’t wise. She knew she’d be hurt. But there suddenly didn’t seem to be a force within her powerful enough to counter her desire.

  As the crowd’s enthusiasm for the performers grew, so did Ellie’s desire to leave. They were headed back to the car when Connor’s cell phone chimed again.

  He looked at the screen. “It’s Viola.”

  Ellie groaned, knowing there would be yet another demand imposed on them.

  He answered as he stopped walking. “Hello, Grandmother. How are you?”

  Ellie turned away and inhaled the rain-scented air, grateful for the moment to recover her composure. Passion still lingered in her blood, but distance from Connor helped the more rational, logical side of her brain kick in. The fact that Viola had called meant she and Connor would be off on another fool’s errand before the night was through. What would it be this time?

  She had her answer a few minutes later.

  Connor ended his call and returned his cell phone to his pocket. “Viola has asked that we bring her a picture of the two of us that is not one of our wedding photos.”

  “You gave her one of those?”

  He nodded. “One without an Elvis.”

  “She wants another picture tonight?”

  He released a ragged sigh. “Yep. She wants something by her bedside to help her remember why she has to keep fighting.”

  “It’s seven thirty at night. Where are we going to get a photo taken?”

  Connor drummed his fingers on his chin a moment before his face lit up. “I know exactly where. It’s a short trip from here. Come on.” He held out his hand.

  “Are we going to do this every time she calls?” Ellie asked, taking his hand, trying not to focus on the feel of his skin against her own.

  “Until she’s out of the hospital and recovering, yes.”

  Ellie could feel the echo of her desire in Connor’s touch. This evening would have had a very different end had Viola not interrupted. Ellie still wasn
’t certain if she was happy about that or not. “Then we’d better go get that picture.”

  A few minutes later they pulled into the Uwajimaya parking lot. The Asian specialty store took up an entire city block and had been one of the key retailers in Chinatown since the end of World War II. The scent of roasting chestnuts and peanuts filled the air with a seasonal warmth as the two entered the busy store. Uwajimaya’s downtown location wasn’t just one store, but many smaller stores and restaurants joined under one roof. “How are we going to get a picture taken here?”

  “There’s a photo booth in the corner near the bookstore,” Connor explained, making his way through the crowd of shoppers. “Have you ever been in a photo booth before?”

  “No,” she said with a laugh. “Have you?”

  He shook his head. “There was never anyone I wanted to take pictures with . . . until now.” At the photo booth, Connor added the necessary change, then pulled her inside and onto his lap. “Smile.”

  Ellie tried to concentrate on the task at hand and not on the width of the shoulders behind her, or the intimate way her bottom fit against his most male part. A wave of tempting warmth slid over her as the camera snapped pictures in rapid succession.

  When the snapping stopped, he didn’t set her away from him. He turned her around and placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips—nothing like the kiss they’d shared at the restaurant, but it still kindled that flame. “We need to find a frame, then take the picture to Viola at the hospital.”

  She could only nod.

  “I’ll make everything up to you tomorrow,” he said.

  She raised a brow. “Is that a threat, Mr. Grayson, or a promise?”

  His pupils dilated as a smile tugged at his lips. “Guess you’ll find out tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Thursday morning, Connor woke up to the sound of a hammer outside his window. “What the hell?”

  He jumped out of bed. Still half-asleep, he staggered to the open window, only to startle the man on the scaffolding outside. Connor reached out and jerked the wobbling man back toward the house.

  “Are you harassing my workers?” Ellie’s sweet voice came from below.