“Are you okay?” he asked, glancing her way.
She regarded him curiously. “I’m fine. Are you?”
Not even close. “I think we’ll be more comfortable with the top up.” He hit the button that raised the convertible top and while it was closing, stared at his grandfather’s ring on his left hand.
Yeah, staying as far from her as possible for the next couple months was the only way he was going to survive this marriage with his heart intact.
On the thirty-minute ride to Las Vegas, he kept his eyes to himself and his thoughts on the trip ahead. Violet seemed to understand his need to plan because she kept her gaze on the passing landscape, only occasionally glancing down at her ever-vibrating smartphone.
Finally, JT had to ask, “Is it always this way for you?”
“I’m sorry?” She blinked as if she had a hard time refocusing her attention on him.
“Your phone. It’s been going off non-stop since we got in the car.”
A wry smile curved her lips. “It’s my sisters. I’m not usually off the grid for twelve hours.”
Envy stabbed at JT. What would it be like to have someone fret about your wellbeing? Nice? Smothering? “They must be worried about you. Why don’t you answer them?”
“I sent them a text last night. They know I’m safe.” Her smile developed sharp edges. “I told them I was with you.”
JT ignored the way his pulse leapt at the challenge in her manner. She would take any opening he gave her to provoke him; what she didn’t realize was that once unleashed, his emotions would overwhelm them both.
“Did you explain that we got married?”
“I didn’t want to do that in a text.”
“Then what do they think you are doing with me?” His body tensed, but the sensation was pleasurable rather than distressing.
“Probably what most of the women do when they spend the night at your house.”
Damn her sass. “Why would you want your sisters to think we slept together?”
She didn’t answer him immediately, and when she did speak, all amusement had fled her voice. “I suppose that’s something else we should discuss.”
“Aren’t we already discussing it?” Her change of topic made him feel as if he was spinning in place.
“Do you intend to bring women home while we’re married?”
Her question sparked a ridiculous urge to snatch her into his arms and kiss her silly. He wasn’t allowed to make love to her, but she didn’t want him having sex with anyone else? “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“I know our marriage isn’t real, but I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from dating other women until we can get divorced.”
“I think I can last a couple months.”
“What if you can’t get the shares or the votes you need in time for the annual stockholders’ meeting?”
“What are you asking?”
“Our goal was to make you CEO,” she said, her manner matter-of-fact. “If that doesn’t happen in the next few months it’s because we didn’t have enough time. You aren’t horrible to be married to. I could see sticking it out for another year.”
A year of being married to Violet with the temptation of making love to her eating him alive? JT recoiled from the thought. “We’ll get divorced in the fall regardless.”
Her expression was inscrutable as she nodded. “Then we’ll get divorced.”
Conversation dried up after their exchange. Fortunately they’d reached the city limits and traffic wasn’t as backed up as usual, so their journey to her hotel was accomplished quickly. He swung the BMW into Fontaine Chic’s circular driveway and stopped the car by the lobby doors. Before he could shut off the car, Violet put a hand on his arm.
“If you just open the trunk, I’ll grab my bag.”
In that instant, JT realized the last thing he wanted to do was fly off and leave his brand-new wife to her own devices. What an idiotic notion. They weren’t really married. It wasn’t as if they’d shared a grand night of passion he couldn’t wait to duplicate. But she was already far more important to him than a casual acquaintance, which—their connection to Tiberius aside—was all they were.
“I’ll call you and let you know how things went in North Carolina.” He slipped the garage remote off the visor and extended it to her. “Here.”
Her brows came together briefly. “Why would you give me that?”
Because he liked the idea of her sleeping—and skinny-dipping—in his home.
“Our house,” he corrected her. “I might need some information from Tiberius’s files. It would be useful if you could get to them.”