He introduced me to his lawyer, a middle-aged man with slicked back thinning hair and a face that probably had been handsome before frown lines and too much drinking had edged a lot of it away.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Both of us looked quizzically at his lawyer. The man shrugged.
“I’m just saying she’s a looker. But I guess you want to avoid jail time.”
Eddie stared daggers at the guy. “Yeah, that would be preferable.”
“Okay. But here’s the deal. Neither one of you got official papers from Nevada stating that the annulment was finalized,” the lawyer said.
“No, but I was young and busy with school and working almost a full-time job.”
“Exactly. That’s what we are going to use. Young and stupid. Though the judge will say you were a lawyer.”
“Law student,” Eddie countered.
“Tomato, tomato,” the guy said, using both pronunciations of the word.
“He’s going to say you should have known better.” His gaze landed on me. “You were younger. He will probably not find fault in you.”
“Because I’m a woman,” I said derisively.
The man’s bony shoulders lifted. “Just go with it. Young and stupid. You filed with your parents’ address and didn’t think anything about it after.”
“We didn’t,” Eddie pressed. “We’d filed a joint claim. I just assumed.”
“Right,” the lawyer said noncommittally. “Do we have a copy of the annulment?”
Eddie shook his head when I remembered. “I think I might.”
Both men’s brows raised. I pulled out my phone. I thought I might have asked the desk clerk to scan it to my email. Why hadn’t I remembered that before?
“Find it. That could help.”
We rode with the lawyer in his BMW the ten minutes to the courthouse.
Standing alone as Eddie conferred with his lawyer on last-minute details, I rubbed my clammy hands on my skirt as we waited to be called. I couldn’t imagine Eddie going to jail for this. If he did, it would be my fault.
Not long after, we were ushered inside. I was actually seated behind the defense table because I was merely there as a witness.
Eddie had chosen the no jury route. I had no idea why, but he had to have his reasons. The judge turned out to be a hard ass and I could see Eddie pale once the proceedings began.
I thought I might puke when I was called. But so far, Eddie’s lawyer had been on the money with how the case would play out. After giving my testimony, I was cross-examined by the prosecution. They pushed that I might have wanted to stay married to Eddie. Luckily, I’d been able to produce the document that had remained buried in my email account. It was time stamped and matched with the records the hotel kept about the requested notary service. Still, it didn’t prove that I’d taken it to the courthouse.
In the end, the lawyer had come through. They had a record of the clerk who would have been on duty that day around the time I said I’d gone. As it turned out, she’d been fired not long after that day for mishandling of files and not logging in information.
I breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at Eddie when he turned and gave me that sexy smile of his.
A couple of hours after we’d been called in, the judge was ready to render a verdict.
“Though I think both of you played a role in not figuring out that you were still married, I’m leaning on the side of youth and ignorance, which isn’t an excuse. I’m going to be lenient, as you did take the steps to get the annulment in good faith. However, Mr. McCabe, if you don’t file a proper annulment for one of these marriages before the close of business tomorrow, I will rule you guilty.” He used the gavel. “This case will resume two days from now.”
Eddie stood and hugged his lawyer before waking into the aisle and hugging me. Even though it technically wasn’t over, he’d basically won. He only had to file our annulment by tomorrow to be cleared from the charges.
“I need a drink. How about you?”
I thought the last thing we should do was drink considering what happened the last time, but I nodded.
He stepped away and handed his lawyer a document. The guy nodded.
I thought I heard him say that he would file it right away, but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure.
He dropped us off at the hotel and Eddie took my hand. I followed him to a bar and sat.
“What do you want?” Eddie asked.
For some reason my mind drifted to Sex in the City. The show had been over for years, and I watched for the first time as reruns. Yet I channeled my inner Carrie with a sprinkle of Samantha and said, “Cosmopolitan.”
He gave me a look for which I shrugged. When the bartender arrived, he ordered a scotch for himself. Once our drinks arrived, he lifted his glass in a toast.
“To you,” he began.
“No, to you, Mr. Big—” Quickly, I tried again. “Mr. McCabe.”
His lips twitched, not getting my reference to Sex in the City. Though he probably was thinking about his sex. Which after some more experience under my belt, I could definitely call him Mr. Big for that.
I drained my drink out of sheer embarrassment, feeling my cheeks warm.
“Another?” he asked.
I bobbed my head, trying to get images of Eddie’s cock out of my head. I may have slurped down two more before Eddie suggested we try our hand at the craps table.
“You’re my lucky charm,” he said, holding my hands that cradled the dice.
His piercing eyes burned into my soul, and for a second I thought he might kiss me. Instead, he turned me to the table and instructed me to roll the dice. And I did.
The table erupted when a five and two faced up. I didn’t much understand the game, but when chips were sent our way, I’d guessed we’d won.
Part of me was trying to figure out why Eddie had yet to call his wife and give her the good news. The other part enjoyed his hands on me as he stood behind me as I was once again requested to roll the dice.
We didn’t end our night there, moving between tables and games. Our luck had run hot, and we were told that our room would be on the house. I was too drunk to realize they hadn’t said rooms.
It was late when we stumbled into an elevator. My body felt charged as if from lightning. If Eddie touched me, I was certain I would explode on contact. I backed into the wall with my hands behind me. I was afraid I might do something stupid, like kiss him. He was one step closer to officially being married to someone else.
When I looked up, he was leaning against the opposite wall, eyes dark with something I didn’t want to guess.
“Dammit, Jilly. Why do you have to be so damn pretty?”
I managed not to say something stupid like the better for you to eat me with because that sounded stupid. I meant the way his eyes seemed to eat me up in that moment. What was the point?
Instead, I foolishly stated, “Why do you have to be married?”
“Exactly.”
He didn’t give me a chance to protest. He cleared the distance between us in one powerful stride.
As our lips collided, everything went dark and came to a screeching halt.
Chapter Nine
I stared at everything and nothing in the absolute darkness. When the buzz of a flicking light preceded a dim glow, Eddie moved away and toward the emergency panel we all ignored and hoped to never use.
As panic set in, I realized I had no idea what floor we were on. Our room was high up. That meant we could be plunged to our death at any moment.
Eddie came back over and cupped my cheek. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”
Before I could dispute his claims, a voice sounded through the speaker box.
“Is everyone okay?”
Eddie, definitely the man I needed in a crisis, took charge.
“Yes. There are two of us.” He proceeded to give our names and room numbers.
“Sit back and relax. We’ll try to get you out as soon as
possible.”
“Try,” I said, alarm welling up in me.
She obviously heard me, though I was not in front of the speaker box.
“Yes, ma’am. Please remain calm. Help is on the way.”
“What is going on?” I nearly shouted, having glanced at the no signal on my phone.
There was static, and then the sound disappeared. Eddie calmly pressed the call button, but when nothing happened, he stepped back.
“Oh my God,” I said, fear rooted in my chest. “This isn’t happening,” I rationalized.
Eddie was there, solid as a rock.
“It’s okay.”
My eyes flew open. I hadn’t known I’d closed them.
“It’s not okay. We’re stuck in the dark.” Though it wasn’t absolute anymore. “We have no idea what’s going on. Our phones don’t work in here.”
“We’re alive,” he said.
“And a cheat,” I barked. “You kissed me, and you’re married.”
His hands gripped my shoulder. “I know.”
I shrugged him off, opting to huddle in the corner. “And how is that okay?”
“Can’t a man kiss his wife?”
My pupils were probably already dilated in the faint greenish light, but they had to have gotten larger.
“Wife?”
He moved to cage me in. “Yes. Wife.”
“But how?”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “Let’s see, there’s usually two people.”
I shoved at him, though he didn’t budge. “You know what I mean.”
“It means, my lawyer filed the annulment paperwork for Chelsea.”
He pulled out his phone to show me a text. “Paperwork filed and Chelsea Andrews will be notified.”
“Wait? What? How?”
I hadn’t known that was her full name, but it didn’t say my name.
“Chelsea signed the paperwork when she showed up at the office.”
I was still confused. He sighed. “This was something already in the works before I got the letter from the State of Nevada.”
“But you just got married.”
His laugh had a bitter ring to it. “Cam, Chris, and everyone were right about her.”
“She wanted you for your money?”
“Not totally. She wanted a kid and a man who could support her.”
“Wow. I’m sorry. How’d you find out?”
“I caught her on a call with her girlfriend on the first night of our honeymoon.” He pushed a hand through his hair, while mine covered my mouth out of shock. “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but I got a camera and put it in the room and recorded her conversations. She said enough to damn herself.”
“I’m so sorry,” I repeated. “Do you think she’s pregnant?”
His laugh was even darker that time. “Kind of hard when she was on her period.”
“Bad timing,” I said, not sure how to feel.
“Perfect if you ask me. The last thing I would want is to have a kid with the conniving bitch.”
I went to him and wrapped my arms around him. “I’m sorry,” I said for a third time.
What else was there to say?
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
He dipped his head and claimed my mouth. He walked me back as the heat of his searing kiss nearly combusted me.
When his hands found the hem of my skirt, I asked, “What are you doing?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Making love to my wife.”
He pushed up on the fabric as I stood there, skirt bunched at my hips. His finger danced over the fabric of my panties from my clit down my slit. I gasped at the contact. His fingers teased the edges of fabric until he slid one inside to rim my slick opening.
I sought his mouth, but only managed a quick kiss.
“I’m sorry, Jillian.”
My heart plummeted to my stomach. I didn’t like him using my full name.
“Why?” I asked, though I didn’t think I’d like the answer.
“I lied.”
Oh crap. He wasn’t going to end things with Chelsea. It wasn’t the logical response, but I was half-drunk and all the way lovesick.
“About what?”
Roughly, he turned me around. “I’m not going to make love to you this time. First, I’m going to fuck you. When we’re back in our suite—”
“Ours?”
“Yes, the one you’ve always belonged in from the moment we arrived. I indulged you, but when I get you there, I’m going to take my time. Now, I have to have you.”
I heard the zipper peel down and grew wetter from the sound.
“Hurry,” I begged, pushing my bottom back to make contact with his solid cock. I never needed to be fucked more in my life.
“I want to be inside you right now.”
I wiggled against him, causing him to hiss. Fabric ripped as he didn’t bother to take my panties off. The lace was defenseless against him.
“Your ass,” he said reverently.
His finger slipped down my crack, over the forbidden place, causing a shiver to run through me. Then it was testing the sweet spot between my legs. I’m so ready, I almost said. But then his dick was there, plunging between my thighs as if he were coating himself with my wetness.
“I want to taste you.”
“Later,” I said, needing him inside me.
Then he was there, sinking inside me as he angled me with movement backward.
I moaned long and suffering because he felt so damn good. More than good. It felt right, like it was always meant to be. Though somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought this was probably a bad idea. But the alcohol in my blood cleared any deeper thoughts on that subject.
“More,” I begged as his movements at first were slow.
It was as if he were preparing me for the onslaught yet to come. I egged him on with rotating movement of my hips, sucking him deeper. It didn’t take him long to let loose with punishing strokes.
I was so damn close. If the elevator doors opened in that moment, I would tell them to get the hell out.
His hand moved from my hip to cup my breast and pop it free from the confines of my bra. Damn, if that didn’t set me off. I clenched around him so tight he grunted in appreciation.
Soon, he followed me in complete bliss. I’d been fucked so thoroughly I was boneless. He managed to pull up his pants before sitting on the floor and tumbling me onto his lap.
We fit so naturally, my head rested on his shoulder as our breathing slowed.
Minutes later, he said, “I know this is redundant, but will you be my wife?”
A stream of air was sucked into my lungs as I was taken off guard.
“I’m not doing this right again.” He pulled something from his pocket, and with one hand he flipped the velvet box open. Even in the dim lighting the ring sparkled. “Please stay married to me.”
For all the reasons why I wanted to say yes, there were a dozen more for why I said, “No.”
Chapter Ten
We were both stunned by my pronouncement. It took him a little time before he asked why.
Though I should have moved away, I didn’t want to.
I took my time answering because I knew he could argue against most of them. Like even though we’d grown up together, we hadn’t really ever dated. Because I loved him, it was a weak excuse. I went with the strongest.
“Whether you believe it or not, you’re a public figure.” His clients were some of the biggest names in sports. “How would you explain when we got married?” When he said nothing, I continued. “This Chelsea person seems like an opportunist to use the fact that you were legally married when you had a very public wedding with her as some sort of financial bargaining chip.” Eddie wasn’t stupid. “As it stands, someone could find out about your court hearing and it will end up on TMZ. It’s best you are free from both of us so your clients don’t have to publicly distance themselves from you.”
My logic was sound and he didn’t argue. I
stayed in his lap with my arm secured around him and closed my eyes. It was a whirling noise that woke me up. We didn’t move far, but the doors were pried open. Without looking at my phone, I had no idea how long we’d been in there. The hallway was still mostly dark with similar green tinted lighting illuminating a path.
Lucky for us, we had been feet away from our floor. Ancient keys were used to open the suite door. Just as I was about to ask them to open my door, Eddie thanked them with his arm still tucked around me, not letting me go.
“Eddie,” I said.
“For now, you’re still my wife. And I’m going to keep my promise.”
In one fluid motion, he lifted me in his arms and carried me across the threshold. He didn’t stop in the living room. I only got a passing glance, but the furniture was different, though the placement oddly familiar.
He crawled onto the bed, me still in his arms. When he laid me down, I felt cherished in a way that started to break my heart. Slowly and with my help, he disrobed me. Then, he got off the bed and I noticed fabric from my underwear protruding from his pocket. That put a five-alarm fire on my face. Had our rescuers noticed and guessed at how we passed the time?
His pants dropped, his cock leaping to attention. Damn him and his lack of boxers. My mouth watered, wanting to take him all the way to the back of my throat and hum.
“Stop looking at me like that.” His grin was teasing as he got back on the bed and covered one nipple with his hot mouth.
Things went slowly after that. He took his time with every inch of my body. I answered with a growl, rolling him onto his back and putting my mouth where it had wanted to be as soon as he’d stripped naked.
I gave him the best damn head of his life and swallowed his pleasure like it was the last time.
If I’d thought that would be it, I was wrong. Sometime later, he nudged my thighs open and slipped inside of me. His strokes were long and leisure, like we had all night. He used his tongue and fingers to bring me close and backed off. I was practically begging to come when he finally brought me there with a satisfied smirk. The jerk.
Though he wasn’t a jerk. Anything but. He was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But once again, poor timing wouldn’t allow that to happen.
Absolutely Mine: Married in Vegas novel Page 5