Chapter 5 #2
I rubbed my forehead as the events of the night clicked back into place.
The club. Flirting in the booth. Gideon’s charm.
The guy was smooth, but I spent my day around kids who were afraid to tell me they’d peed their pants when a wet line ran down their leg.
I knew all about lying and ulterior motives, though I couldn’t attribute all the skills to my current and former students. I’d dated some doozies.
Where was Gideon anyway?
The other side of the bed was smooth, the blankets pulled tight. After he’d agreed to give me kids in exchange for me helping him keep the land in the James name, I’d barely been able to keep my eyes open.
Where had he slept?
Had he slept, or had he roamed this massive penthouse and counted his money?
I swung my legs down. A bottle of water with moisture dripping down the sides was on the nightstand.
For a new husband, he was already sweeter than a lot of the guys I’d dated. Except Mark.
Guess I had a good reason to turn down Mark’s offer to go to Spokane. I chugged the whole thing. Then my attention caught on the suitcase by the bathroom door.
My luggage.
He’d had it brought up? How thoughtful, but my friends had to be worried. I shared a room with Kaitlyn. Had all signs of me been gone by the time she’d returned to her room?
I searched around for my phone. I should be rushed, but I couldn’t bring myself to be panicked. They hadn’t left the dance floor to see how I was doing.
I chewed my bottom lip. They were nice women, but also younger than me. We were in different seasons in our life. No wonder Gideon had thought he could trick me into marrying him.
My cheeks heated. I didn’t have time for embarrassment. I checked my screen.
Kaitlyn: Where are you?
Kaitlyn: Are you okay?
Destiny: Tell me you didn’t get stolen?
Kaitlyn: Did you fly home?
Brittany: I’m so sorry!
Destiny: Are you upset? I’m really sorry, babes.
Brittany: We’re terrible people. Just talk to us.
I sort of felt better reading their frantic texts. I was also tempted to continue ignoring them, but I couldn’t have them calling my siblings. That mess could wait until later.
Autumn: I’m fine. I’m in another room, and I’ll be taking a different flight home.
I didn’t bother with the specifics. More pressing concerns dominated my attention.
I dragged my suitcase into the bathroom.
I washed up, scrubbed my face, and threw on a pair of black leggings with an oversized Copper Summit hoodie.
For a casino named Silver, I was decked out in copper.
My hair wouldn’t be tamed. I pulled it back into a ponytail and looped it so it wouldn’t get tangled in the hood.
Okay. I was ready to find my husband.
The butterflies in my stomach woke up.
My family was going to be irate. They wouldn’t believe this marriage. I didn’t believe this marriage. But Gideon had been on board, so between the two of us, we had to be a united front.
I didn’t find him in the living room, or in the kitchen that looked like it should have a private chef making caviar pancakes or whatever people with personal chefs ate.
Was he still in the apartment? Had he even slept? It was barely after nine. Was he a five a.m. guy?
I was about to go back down the hallway and knock on closed doors to find my husband when the elevator doors swung open to reveal the leggy blond I’d seen walk freely into the club.
She was digging in a bag that was likely as expensive as her glittery tank top looked.
Shiny aviator shades were pushed into her blond tresses and she had as much long leg showing under her wrap skirt as she’d had last night.
She stepped out of the elevator, still rustling in her bag.
“How was the VIP bullshit from last night? I bet it was an investor. They can be such idiots thinking we have nothing better to do on a Friday—”
She saw me. Her mouth dropped open. Then she drew back, disdain taking over her expression. “You can go now.”
Why was she here? The answer was obvious, but my confusion remained. Anger was quickly coalescing in its place. I’d been married to the man for less than twelve hours, and he already had another woman in his place. “I’m the one who can go?”
Her crystal-blue eyes narrowed. “Of course you can. I have important business with him and you’re just a—”
“Taya,” Gideon snapped, and I jumped. That was how I’d expected him to sound last night when we’d first met. Like a furious destroyer. “Don’t talk to my guest like that.”
She shut her mouth. Her back was ramrod straight, and she didn’t look sorry for almost insulting me. “I should’ve called first.” She sniffed, lifting her chin in the air.
“Autumn, this is Taya. She’s the chief financial officer for Silver.”
Gorgeous, smart, and powerful. And she worked with Gideon. Fucking perfect. I didn’t greet her, just did the small-town nod.
Taya looked like she could command a meeting and then run a marathon without being out of breath. Who had legs like that?
She also seethed with rage, ready to bash out the windows, using me as the battering ram. Then all the tension drained away and she smiled sweetly at Gideon. “We were going to discuss the renovations today. Remember?”
I did not like the way she spoke to him.
“Our talk will have to wait.” He came to a stop next to me.
I didn’t stare. I couldn’t look gobsmacked in front of this intruder, but Gideon was wearing jeans and a forest-green polo.
Nothing like the jeans and polos guys wore around home.
Bourbon Canyon didn’t sell jeans or shirts that didn’t have a Western style. How could a polo look expensive?
Taya tipped her head, her gaze jumping from me to Gideon, down to the fluffy socks I’d put on instead of my sandals, then back to Gideon. “Are you sure?”
She wasn’t asking about the delay. She was asking about me. These two had clearly done more than run numbers together. The image I’d had of Gideon in the shower with a model flashed through my head. I wanted to vomit.
I did not belong here. Not with Gideon. Not in Vegas. And not in this penthouse, facing off with Taya, locked into some unknown competition neither of us had signed up for.
Gideon’s big, warm hand landed on the small of my back. “I’m sure. I’ll be out of the office for a while.”
She blinked. His announcement was news to me too. He had said he was going to Bourbon Canyon, but not for how long or when. We still had to work through the logistics of how this marriage and baby-making would work. I couldn’t think about the last part right now.
“How long will you be gone?” Her question was brittle. This woman did not like Gideon acting out of character, and even I knew taking time off was not normal for him.
“At least a month,” he replied casually. “I need to go out of town. Family emergency.”
“What family?” she snapped.
I waited for him to declare that I was his wife, but he didn’t. Taya wasn’t looking at my hand and his ring finger was behind my back. For whatever reason, he wasn’t announcing the happy news. I knew the significance of a month. That was when the land deal was scheduled to close.
“I’ll be working remotely. Contact me Monday.” He continued to rest his big hand on the small of my back. I tried not to preen. He still didn’t claim me as his wife.
“Fine.” Taya stabbed the elevator button and spun back to us. “Have you talked to the board?”
“I’ve told who needs to know. Have a good day, Taya.”
Cold fury blazed in her eyes at his response. When the elevator doors opened, she punched a few buttons, glaring at Gideon until the doors closed.
I let out a long breath. “She’s delightful. I bet you two have a hot and sweaty work relationship.” I couldn’t stop the sarcasm from pouring out and started for the kitchen.
“That part didn’t happen often.” He passed me and went for the fridge. “And it’s been a while.”
I snorted. “Sure. She has a key to your house to talk about emergency remodeling.”
“I’ll change the code.”
He offered the option so readily I tacked on more demands. “No one else.” I hugged my arms around me, suddenly unsure. I was willing to marry him to get what we both wanted, but I wasn’t willing to feel like a fool.
“What do you mean?” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He wasn’t in socks like me, but more casual loafers than what he’d worn last night. His question wasn’t casual. I didn’t think that was a thing with him. He made it sound calm, but there was always an edge.
“This marriage is monogamous. Full stop. People aren’t going to believe us as it is. I don’t need to field gossip about you fucking around.”
His pupils did that thing again. The way they widened like a predator’s was hot.
Tingles rolled down my spine. “There will be no rumors. Just as you will also keep your hands and every other part of your body to yourself. For the next month, you’re mine.
Until I get my dad to switch the land to my name or sell to me—you’re mine. ”
The shivers notched up to ten. I was his. Wait—until he got the land? Then we were done? For the next month . . . I was sinking into a dream. I couldn’t afford to lose myself. I couldn’t fantasize about Gideon. This was his home. Taya was his type.
“The closing date is in a month,” I said more to confirm that was his timeline. It made sense. Why would he want to stay married longer?
Teller had complained to Tate that the delays with financing would leave them closing right before winter. They wouldn’t be able to do much until spring, when all the snow we’d get this winter would melt.
He nodded. “Which means we have less time to pretend we’re so in love we couldn’t help ourselves when we were so close to a Las Vegas chapel.”
My heart sank to my socks. I dropped my gaze. A month wasn’t long to test the ol’ fertility ability. If we were successful, I might be a single mom. Would he fight for custody? Not from the expression when I’d told my end of the bargain.
This is an act. This is an act. This is an act.