He waved that away. “Suit yourself. You said I owe you and you turn down my help. I can’t win.”
With a powerful stride, he moved to his desk.
Damn him. He was right. I needed a job. I just didn’t think working in close proximity to the man I craved like a lust fiend was a good idea. Especially since he was married. Wait. He was married to me.
“Does she know?” I asked, sounding way too meek, leaving him to read too much into my words.
He faced me, standing near his chair like the powerful businessman he was.
“Know what?”
I glanced anywhere except at him when I said, “That you and I are technically still married and what that means?”
“No. And I want to keep it that way.” When I said nothing, he added, “You sign the papers and sign an affidavit that you turned in the annulment papers and we are all good or so my lawyer says.”
“Lawyer?”
He was a lawyer.
“I’m not licensed in the State of Nevada. I had to hire someone to act on my behalf.”
A thought hit me. “Do I need a lawyer? Am I in trouble too?”
He caught my panic and came over to me to grasp me by the shoulders.
He sighed. “You aren’t the one married to two people.”
I gazed up into his fathomless gray-blue eyes. “You’re married to both of us.”
“Technically yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be facing up to four years in prison. However, since it’s illegal for me to be married to two women, you would be recognized as my wife, being the first.”
As irrational as it was, I started to laugh. “Your wife is going to kill you.”
His grip tightened. “She won’t find out.”
“And what if she does? Hell, what will Chris say?”
I tossed up my hands and stepped out of his grip. His touch was doing things to me that wasn’t good for either of us.
His jaw clenched as if he hated that I’d moved away. But that couldn’t be true, and his next words confirmed that. “She can’t know.”
I wasn’t sure if he was talking about my sister or Chelsea. It didn’t matter. I had no intentions of telling my family.
I sighed. “I’ll go get the papers to sign. You have to know I did turn the paperwork in. I never meant for this to happen.”
He nodded. “I know. You can sign them tonight. We can have dinner and discuss this job in detail.”
“You mean there’s more than answering the phone?” I said on a giggle. He didn’t find that funny. “Anyway, I can’t tonight.”
“Why?” he asked.
“I have a date.”
You would have thought I told him I sold our story to the tabloids. “Date?” he asked dangerously.
“Yeah. A date.”
“You’re my wife,” he said so casually, I almost thought he was being serious.
I pointed my finger at him. “You almost had me there. Like seriously, I didn’t know we were still married any more than you did. Our marriage—” I said sarcastically “—is just on paper. What you have with Chelsea is real. One day I’ll have that too.”
“Chelsea is—”
He was cut off by his phone ringing. I held the finger I had aimed at him to the ceiling, indicating him to hold a minute. Then I sidled over to his desk and sat on the edge so I could lean a little to pick up his phone.
“Mr. McCabe’s office.”
When I turned to him as the caller announced himself, Eddie’s eyes were hot on me. I put the caller on hold.
Before I could speak, he’d stalked over and stood right in front of me.
“Don’t ever fucking do that again.”
His tone was coarse and I gasped, fish mouthing as I tried to figure out what to say next.
“What did I do?”
His eyes swept over me in the hideous top I wore. My cheeks flushed as I guessed he probably thought I looked ridiculous.
“I’m a man, Jillian. You sitting like that gives me ideas.”
Ideas. He was married.
“Don’t look at me that way,” he said.
I felt the confused frown on my face and tried to release it. But his words still did something to my insides I didn’t want to admit.
He leaned in closer, his hands coming to a rest on either side of me. His nearness made the incessant throbbing between my legs impossible to ignore.
In a low voice, he added, “I’m not cheating on my wife by saying that. Especially when you are my wife.”
And what the hell was I supposed to do with that?
Chapter Seven
He was way too close and dumbly I waited in vain for him to kiss me. A second later, he straightened, putting some distance between us. I took the opportunity to flee. I got to my feet and dodged him as I went to the door.
“I should get to work,” I said.
Just as I opened the door, he said, “We need to talk this evening about your duties.”
I had to swallow, thinking of things he might want me to do for him. I turned to look at him over my shoulder.
“I have a date.”
“Then I can come by later.”
The last thing in the world I wanted was to be alone in my apartment with him. Okay, I wanted that, but it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
“I’m not sure when I’ll be home. It’s possible I won’t.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. Was he jealous? Mentally, I shook my head. Eddie had made it clear our time together had been a drunken mistake. Maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see.
“Fine. Set up a breakfast meeting. You need to understand what you are walking into.”
And boy did I ever. I left his office to the desk a few feet in front of his office where I would sit and be forced to be so close to a man I could never have. By the time the day was over, I was ready to bolt.
“Don’t forget breakfast. Eight sharp.”
I nodded and practically ran to the elevator. Eddie’s eyes on me were too much for me to bear.
* * *
I found myself putting extra effort into my makeup and clothes that night. Cole, the sexy divorcee I’d been seeing the last few months, would be by any minute.
My sister Chris didn’t approve. It was true he was probably closer in age to my dad than me, but the man was sexy as hell. The silver sprinkled in his hair had only added to his appeal.
When the knock came at my door, I sprang into action, hoping like hell I was wrong about something.
“Hey,” I said.
Cole leaned in and damn, if I didn’t turn at the nick of time, masking it as a sidestep to let him in.
I saw the question in his eyes when I forced a smile on my lips and met his eyes.
“You look lovely tonight, Jillian.”
“Thanks,” I said, losing the battle to force a smile.
“Is there something wrong?”
Absofuckinglutely, but I didn’t say that. “No, I’m—”
What could I say? I’m married. Though it was a technicality, it felt wrong to go out with someone else.
“I had a really bad day.”
He nodded in understanding. “We could stay in if you want.”
Cole was a good man and he deserved better from me.
“Would you mind if I canceled tonight? I really just want to sleep this off.”
He stepped in and I subconsciously tensed. Only he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek as if he’d felt my flinch.
“Get some rest. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I nodded, and when I opened the door, someone stood on the other side poised to knock.
“Eddie.”
His eyes didn’t meet mine. They were all for the man who stood beside me. I turned to glance at Cole who was also sizing Eddie up.
To end the weird standoff, I said, “Eddie, this is Cole. Cole, this is Eddie, my boss.”
Cole glanced at me before turning to Eddie and saying, “Nice to meet you, Eddie.”
He said the last a
s if to make the point that he suspected there was way more familiarity between Eddie and me.
“Eddie is Chris’ best friend and her husband’s brother. We practically grew up together. He was nice enough to give me a job.”
Cole stared at me and I quickly explained, “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later.”
Cole turned and moved in close. His hand grazed over my cheek to land in my hair. I knew what he was about to do and felt Eddie’s eyes burning into me.
A jerk of my head and the kiss landed at the corner of my mouth.
“I’ll call you later,” I said to Cole, stepping back.
He nodded and walked by Eddie with a head tilt of acknowledgment. Men. I liked Cole, but that kiss move was a mark my territory kind.
As soon as Cole was far enough away, I hissed at Eddie, “Why are you here?”
“This,” he said, handing me a thick envelope. “It’s the paperwork from HR. I wanted you to look at it before our meeting in case you have questions.”
I held the heavy thing in my hand. “I told you I would be out and might not be home.” He shrugged. “So where were you going to leave it if I was gone?”
His deadpan look should have reminded me. “I have a key. Chris gave me a spare.”
I held out a hand. “Chris doesn’t live here anymore.”
He stepped over the threshold and into my personal space. “What if you have an emergency?”
His words fanned over my cheek and then he was gone. He’d moved into my apartment like he owned the place while I’d stifled a shiver. The man made my body come alive in a way no man had since him.
“Eddie, it’s late.”
He faced me after glancing at his watch. “It’s only eight. Did your date need to report in for curfew at the retirement community?”
I gawked. “He’s not that old.”
His poker face disagreed. “He looks like your father.”
“You are one to talk. Your wife is the poster child for Gold Diggers ’R Us,” I spat, feeling my anger rise.
“So you’re jealous.”
I glared at him. “Not any more than you are.”
“I’m not.”
I shrugged. “I’m not either.”
“Fine.”
“Fine,” I repeated.
We stood there a moment, still facing off, the envelope heavy in my hands. I didn’t think I could work with this man without wanting to murder him, or fuck him, or both.
“Pack. We are going to Vegas in the morning.”
With that he left. I felt breathless for reasons I didn’t want to acknowledge.
Chapter Eight
The flight was only a couple of hours but felt long and quiet despite the fact we were the only two passengers on the private plane. I had everything l could have wanted. But with Eddie so close yet so far away, it was pure torture.
Buried behind his computer screen, he never once looked at me. I wondered why l was there until I remembered the case against him. When had my life gotten so crazy?
“I won’t be a charity case,” I said.
His eyes lifted. “Charity case?”
He had the nerve to look mildly amused, which had the opposite effect on me.
Annoyance fueled my next words. “You hired me to be your assistant, yet the only thing I’ve done for you is answer your phone. You’ve ignored me today. Do you remember I have a degree, or have you forgotten?”
“I haven’t forgotten one thing about you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure doesn’t seem like it.”
He ignored my sarcasm. “If you want to help, you can compose a written account of your movements when you turned in the annulment to the court.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Though it wasn’t a job function, it was something I could do. Remembering that day wasn’t something I wanted to do. Eddie had killed my fantasy of my first time with his actions the morning after. Though I wanted to hate him for it, I knew in my heart he did it because he cared.
Checking my frustration, I pulled out my laptop and began the painful recollection of events. When we arrived in Las Vegas, you would have thought we were rock stars. All the stops were pulled out except for an actual red carpet, though I thought I was walking one.
“Would you like a beverage?” the driver of the car service asked.
The heat felt like a typical Texas summer day, but it wasn’t summer. So, I asked for a water and was given one that chilled my palm. Eddie waved the guy off and stared out the window as if he were farther away than the few feet that separated us.
I shouldn’t have been surprised when we pulled up to the very same hotel we’d gotten married in. I tried not to be affected, but tears pricked the back of my eyes. I was so far in my head, I didn’t pay attention to what was said after we were ushered into a private room as we were checked in.
“Here are your keys,” the registrar said to Eddie, handing him the plastic cards that would give us entrance into our rooms.
When we stepped out and headed for the elevators, it suddenly felt like déjà vu. Though the décor wasn’t quite the same, I could pick out the blackjack table where Eddie and his friends had been playing at when I first noticed him. The closer we got, I remembered him tossing me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
I clenched my hands, my nails biting into my palms, and thought about the men I’d dated since Eddie. The bad boy, the all-star, the nerd, to the current one who could be my father. Had I purposefully sabotaged myself from finding love? If I were honest, I was still completely in love with Eddie. But that ended tonight.
Being here reminded me that he wasn’t mine and never would be.
I stepped off the elevator in a haze. It wasn’t until we stopped in front of a familiar door did I realize what was really happening.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
Was he trying to hurt me?
Instead of answering, he handed me a key and tilted his head toward the door behind me.
“Your room.”
I looked away, feeling stupid. He hadn’t gotten us the same room from that long-ago night. I steered my carry-on to the door and opened it. As I turned to close it, I met Eddie’s eyes as he stood in the doorway of that room. His door closed first as my heart kicked up into a gallop.
With the door at my back, I sagged a little. I wouldn’t read more into this than it was. We were here to end our marriage and prove that it wasn’t our fault we were still legally married. All of this so he could make a new life with his current wife.
Don’t read more into this than it is.
I wasn’t a morning drinker, but I could use one at this very moment. Eddie hadn’t given me an itinerary, which proved my job was in name only. I stepped into the room, which was of average size. After passing the alcove that led to a bathroom, I was immediately greeted by a freshly made king bed that looked inviting. Though I was emotionally exhausted, I resisted the temptation of a nap. I didn’t want to be up all night.
I left my carry-on against the wall and headed for the door. I opened it only to find Eddie standing on the other side poised to knock.
“Hi,” he said almost tentatively. He glanced down before meeting my eyes. “I thought you might be hungry.”
“Yeah,” I said on an exhale.
An awkwardness that hadn’t existed before he’d taken my virginity filled the space between us.
“We can go later if you want,” he suggested.
“No. Now is good.”
He had to step back so I could move into the hallway. When his hand landed on my back, I had to stifle a shiver. The man just moved me in ways no other could.
We found a restaurant in the lobby that served brunch. After we ordered, Eddie filled me in on our day’s activities.
“We have the court appearance later today. Are you ready for it?”
I shrugged. “All I have to do is tell the truth.”
“Yes. Did you write it all down?” he asked.
/>
“I did. There isn’t much. I picked up the envelope you’d left for me. I found a notary—”
“Wait. Did you use the hotel’s services?” I nodded and he said, “So did I. There should be a record of that.”
I shrugged. “Probably. I hadn’t thought about that. They had one on staff.”
His eyes brightened. “We need to check it out and see if they have a record of that.”
He seemed so happy, I forced that same happiness into my smile. It wasn’t that I wanted him in trouble for marrying two people. But it bothered me that he didn’t seem the least bit affected by letting me go.
“Yeah, that’s a great idea,” I said.
I filled him in on the rest of my movements. I’d caught a cab and didn’t have the receipt for that after all this time. I went to the court and found the right place to file the papers and dropped them off. The clerk had told me that was all I had to do and I’d believed her.
“My lawyer is looking into who was working that day and what their work history was.”
The food arrived and we didn’t speak much after that. From brunch, we made inquiries regarding records of those transactions. The manager said they would look into it and let us know.
“This is good news,” Eddie said, rubbing his hands together.
“It is.”
He checked his watch. “We have a couple of hours. Why don’t we meet down here then?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll text you.”
I silently agreed and watched him walk away. When I looked away from his fantastic backside, I noticed other women giving him appreciative glances. I had no clue what to do, but I’d been surprised when Eddie hadn’t headed for the elevators.
Not feeling my best, I opted to go to my room and freshen up. Other than Eddie’s hand to guide me to the elevator for a meal, he hadn’t once looked at me like he had our wedding night.
I hadn’t been going for sexy with a pencil skirt and simple top, but the heels did make my legs appear long and slimmer than they were. I’d pulled my hair back into a sleek ponytail, fearful that I would be playing with my hair out of nerves if I left it down.
When I met Eddie in the lobby, his jaw tightened at the sight of me. Not the reaction I’d hoped for.
Absolutely Mine: Married in Vegas novel Page 4