Winter Wedding In Vegas

“No, Kyle didn’t marry me, but I did believe he was going to spend the rest of his life loving me. Silly me.”

The fact that she’d been heartbroken by the jerk rankled Slade. Good thing she didn’t want this marriage any more than he did. He’d hate to think he’d hurt her like that fool had. Regardless of what the future held for them, he didn’t want to cause Taylor any pain. That much he knew. “What happened?”

She shrugged and the sheet slipped off one shoulder to drape mid-upper-arm. “He didn’t marry me or spend the rest of his life loving me. End of story.”

Hardly, but he wouldn’t push. Such sorrow laced her words that his chest squeezed tighter. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” Masking her emotions behind an indifferent expression he suspected she’d perfected over the years since her breakup with the guy, Taylor picked up a spoon and scooped up a mouthful of eggs. “He was an arrogant jerk.”

Her lips were wrapped around the spoon and another jolt of jealousy hit him as she slowly pulled the utensil from her mouth.

She picked up a strawberry and bit into the juicy fruit. “Mmm. That’s good.”

“Speaking of good...” He watched her pop the rest of the berry into her mouth and lick the juice from her fingers, and struggled with the desire to do some licking of his own. “Last night really was spectacular, apart from the whole getting-married thing.”

She met his gaze, nodded, then deflated. “Oh, Slade, what have we done?”

Hearing her say his name caused flashbacks from the night before. Until then, he’d never heard her say his first name. He liked the sound. “We got married, but we can correct that. We will correct that. As soon as legally possible.”

“It’s crazy that we got married. Why did we do that? We aren’t in love, barely know each other and I don’t even like you.”

He gave a wry grin. “All this time I just thought you were waiting on me to win you over to my way of thinking.”

“Professionally maybe, but not romantically.”

“Professionally, I’m a good oncologist.”

“You are.” She winced. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“Just that I always thought you were a flirt and didn’t take life seriously.”

“I take my job very seriously.” His work was the most important thing in his life and always would be. “I care a great deal for my patients and like to think I provide them the best care possible.”

“You do. It’s just that...” Her voice trailed off.

“It’s just what?”

“I guess I let your personal life influence how I viewed you professionally.”

“What do you know of my personal life?”

Her face reddened. “Not much. Just gossip really.”

“Not that you should believe gossip, but what do the gossips say?”

“That you date a lot of different women.”

“You think I shouldn’t?”

She sighed and looked somewhere between disgusted and desperate. “What I think about your personal life doesn’t matter. We’ll get a divorce and no one ever need know about any of this.”

Thankful that she was so practical about the whole thing, Slade nodded. “Agreed. We’ll figure the legalities out on Monday and end this as painlessly as possible.”

She eyed him, then gave a hopeful half smile. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and there’s some kind of ‘just kidding, I’ve changed my mind because I was stupid in Vegas clause.’”

* * *

Thank goodness Slade felt the same as she did. They’d made a horrible mistake, knew it and would make the best of a bad situation.

Not that she could believe he’d married her.

The man was gorgeous, amazing in bed, could have any woman he wanted and usually did, according to her female coworkers who loved to discuss the handsome oncologist’s love life latest. Why would he have married her? Taylor was admittedly a stick-in-the-mud, boring homebody. Her idea of fun was a good book while soaking in a bubble bath or playing with Gracie. Her ideal life would bore him to tears. No confetti and blow horns anywhere in her reality or her ideal future.

From what she knew about Slade, they couldn’t be more opposite.

Opposites attract.

She winced at the inner voice in her head playing devil’s advocate. Okay, so she’d admit she wanted to rip Slade’s towel off and have that encore performance. Not that she did anything more than wrap the sheet around her, grab the cup of coffee from the tray, and, head held high, strut into the bathroom to take her shower.

Of course, that only reminded her that his naked body had been under this hot stream earlier and had she wakened in time she could have joined him. Her husband.

What a joke.

But right now she had to get her act together, because they were presenting to a group of oncologists, pharmacists, marketing representatives and others on the benefits of a new cancer-fighting drug they’d been researching.

At some point today she should probably tell Slade that not only had he become a husband the night before, he’d also become the stepfather of a precious six-year-old little girl.

She winced.

Yeah, that might shock Slade enough to have him scrambling around in hopes of finding a twenty-four-hour Vegas divorce court.

Although she had a photo of Gracie on her desk at work, she doubted Slade had ever been inside the room, that he’d ever had reason to be in her personal office. Yes, they worked in the same multifloor cancer clinic. But prior to their being chosen to go to this conference to discuss the research being done at their facility, they’d not really interacted except when he’d sent her running by asking her out.

Because she avoided men like Slade.

Had for years.

The last time she hadn’t, she’d ended up pregnant and alone.

Nausea hit her. After their first time she and Slade hadn’t used birth control. He’d only had the one condom, and they’d been too delirious to acknowledge the ramifications of unprotected sex.

How stupid was she? Was he?

The timing in her menstrual cycle wasn’t right for pregnancy, but she wasn’t so foolish as to think it wasn’t possible.

Her hand went to her bare belly. Was she? Had she and Slade made a baby? Dampness covered her skin that had nothing to do with the shower water. She loved Gracie with all her heart, would do anything for her precious daughter, but she’d never planned to have more children. Not without finding a man who met all her criteria for Mr. Right, which included what kind of father he’d be to Gracie.

Then again, she’d never planned to get married to a man she barely knew either, and she’d done that.

Her parents would be so proud. Ha. Not. Her actions this weekend would just once again affirm their disappointment in her.

She finished rinsing her body, then stepped out of the shower and eyed the half-empty cup of coffee.

She picked up the cup and, with great sadness, poured the lukewarm liquid down the sink drain.

No more coffee or anything else that wasn’t healthy for a pregnant woman until she knew for sure one way or the other that she and Slade hadn’t created a new little life.

* * *

Slade leaned back in his chair and watched the impressive woman woo the crowd with her smiles and witty sense of humor.

Taylor went through the slide presentation she’d put together on the data their oncology clinic, Nashville Cancer Care, had collected on Interallon, a new experimental cancer-fighting drug they’d been successfully administering as part of a larger nationwide research trial. Remission rates of metastatic breast cancer had increased by 40 percent in patients who’d received the trial medication over current treatment modalities. They were hopeful FDA approval would be soon so the medication could be administered more widely.

Taylor pushed back a stray strand of pale blond hair behind her ear and pointed a laser at the current slide, referring to a particular set of data.

He’d slid his fingers through that soft, long hair last night. Not that you could tell just how long or lush her hair was with the way she had it harshly swept up. Neither could you tell how gorgeous her big green eyes were behind those ridiculous black-rimmed glasses she wore. Definitely you couldn’t tell how hot and passionate her body was beneath her prim and proper gray pantsuit and blazer.

She epitomized a professional businesswoman presenting data to a crowd of health-care professionals who couldn’t possibly appreciate how amazing she was.

Slade scanned the crowd, noticing several of the men watching her with a gleam in their eyes. Well, maybe some of them did see just how amazing she was, but he pitied them. She was his. His wife.

He couldn’t believe he’d gone that far.

He usually had no problems with women, but Taylor had always been different. For months he’d not been able to convince her to give him the time of day and he had tried. Repeatedly, he’d struck up conversations only to have her end them and avoid him.

She made a comment, misspoke a word and poked fun at herself, getting a laugh from their audience. Slade skimmed the crowd, noticing several of the men seemed to be further enchanted by the woman on stage.

Green slushed through his veins, clogging the oxygen flow to his brain. Had to be since he sure wasn’t thinking straight because his brain—or was it just his male ego?—was screaming, Mine. Mine. Mine.

“Now...” She flashed another smile at the crowd, pulling them further under her spell. “I’ll turn the podium over to Dr. Slade Sain to present specific case studies and then we’ll field any questions together.”

They walked past each other as he took the podium and she returned to sit in the seat next to his at a table that had been set up at the front of the auditorium. He tried to meet her gaze, to smile at her and tell her what a great job she’d done, but she kept her gaze averted, purposely not looking at him.

Which annoyed Slade.

He stewed all the way to the podium and then did something almost as stupid as slipping a golden band around a woman’s finger when he had nothing to offer her but more broken dreams.

“Ladies and gentlemen, give my wife a round of applause for the great job she just did.”

Taylor’s face paled.

Slade’s face probably did, too. What had he just done?

Several of the people in the audience who knew them gasped in surprise. A few called out their congratulations.

When their gazes met, Taylor looked annoyed, but then she pasted on a smile for the crowd.

Their colleagues and class attendees settled down and, despite the horror bubbling in his stomach that he’d just made their mistake public, Slade got serious. He believed in the benefits of Interallon and wanted others to have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the still-experimental medication. Despite whatever was going on in their personal lives, it was his and Taylor’s job to educate their colleagues, to get others involved in the medication trials, as the pharmaceutical company pushed to have the FDA expedite approval.

He went over their case studies, answered questions, then pointed to one of their colleagues whose hand was raised with a question. The doctor had started out with him and Taylor the night before, but they’d ditched him and a handful of others when they’d left in the limo.

“Sorry to change the subject off Interallon, but when did you and Dr. Anderson get married?”

“Last night.” Slade glanced toward Taylor. Her green eyes flashed with anger beneath her glasses, but she kept a smile on her lovely face. No doubt he was going to get a tongue-lashing when the presentation finished. He deserved one. He wanted to scream and yell at himself for his stupid remark, too. “Next question.”

The man raised his hand again and spoke before Slade could call on another person. “You and Dr. Anderson got married last night? When you left dinner, you got married?”

Taylor stood, walked over to the podium, and took the microphone. “Dr. Ryan, you’ll understand if Dr. Sain and I request personal questions be saved for a later, more appropriate time. Right now, we prefer questions regarding Interallon and the success our clinic and the other clinics involved in the trials taking place are having with this phenomenal resource in our battle against a horrific disease.”

Put in his place, the man nodded. Taylor immediately called on another person and fielded a question about the medication being used in conjunction with currently available treatments.

“At this time, the studies using Interallon in conjunction with other cancer-fighting modalities are just starting to take place. Nashville Cancer Care will be heading up one of those trials early next year.”

Another flurry of questions filled the remaining time and no one brought up their nuptials again until after the class was over. Several of their colleagues shook their hands, patted their backs and gave them congratulations.

“I didn’t see that one coming,” Dr. Ryan commented, looking back and forth between them. “I didn’t even know you two were seeing each other.”

Slade narrowed his gaze at the other man. Cole Ryan had been one of the men eyeing Taylor on stage as if she was a piece of candy to be devoured. A growl gurgled in Slade’s throat, but he managed to keep it low.

Taylor closed her laptop and picked up a file folder with her notes inside. “I prefer to keep my personal life private. Obviously, Dr. Sain and I disagree on that particular issue.”

“Dr. Sain?” Ryan chuckled, then slapped Slade on the back again. “Your wife calls you Dr. Sain?”

Slade glanced at Taylor’s scowl, the stiff set to her shoulders and the tight line of her mouth. He was an idiot. He deserved her anger. He didn’t even know why he’d made the stupid announcement. Other than the fact that he’d been overcome with jealousy. “When she’s upset.”

“Trouble in paradise already. That’s a Vegas wedding for you.” The man laughed again, not realizing just how much he was getting on Slade’s nerves. Odd, as he usually liked the doctor, who also practiced in Nashville.

“Well, congrats anyway.” Cole gave them a wry look. “For however long it lasts.”

Slade packed up his briefcase and followed Taylor from the conference room and down the long hallway that led out into the hotel’s main lobby.

Ignoring the lush Christmas decorations and colorful slot machines scattered around the huge lobby, Taylor didn’t say a word directly to him until they were alone in the elevator. Then she rounded on him, opened her mouth to speak, then stopped, closed her eyes in disgust and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, anger still flickered there. “How dare you make that little announcement during our presentation?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You made a joke of our presentation,” she accused, practically snapping at him.

“No, I didn’t.” He would never intentionally do anything to take away from the importance of Interallon and the results they were getting with the medication.

“Yes, you did. Rather than paying attention to what you were saying, half the people in the room were busy Tweeting that we’d gotten married.”

“You’re exaggerating.” He hoped she was exaggerating.

“Really?” She dug in her bag and held up her phone. “This thing has been buzzing like crazy since you made your little comment. Forget the fact that our marriage is a sham, but how dare you make a mockery of my work?”

“That’s not what I was doing.” Guilt hit him. She was right. They were getting a divorce as soon as it could be arranged. The fewer people who knew of their mistake the better. He’d been out of line to say anything.

“That’s exactly what you were doing.” She looked as if she’d like to hit him, but instead just gritted her teeth and made a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a sigh.

“You’re right,” he agreed with sincerity and regret. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m sorry, Taylor.”

That seemed to take the steam out of her argument, as if she hadn’t expected him to apologize. Rather than say more she just rolled her eyes upward, her long lashes brushing the lenses of her heavy-framed glasses.

The elevator beeped and the door slid open. She practically ran out. Slade followed, his eyes never leaving her as she marched to her door, dug in her bag for her room key card, then slid the card into the slot. He got there just as she pushed open the door and went inside, not waiting for him.

Slade hesitated only a second, then caught the door before it closed, and went inside to try to repair the damage he’d done.

He wasn’t very good at this husband thing.

Good thing he didn’t plan to be one for long.

CHAPTER THREE

TAYLOR GLANCED AROUND her hotel room and wanted to scream. Those weren’t her things.

They were Slade’s things.

Her blood boiled. How could he have been so stupid as to have announced that they’d married? She’d just wanted to have a quiet quickie divorce. She had not wanted anyone to know. Now everyone knew. Right before Christmas. Ugh.

She threw her bag down on her bed, wincing when she recalled her laptop was inside. She clicked on her phone to see who the latest text was from. Her parents? No doubt they’d hear of her latest “major life mistake” soon enough.

The text was from Nina. Great. Had her friend said anything to Gracie? She prayed not. No way did she want Gracie to know what an idiot she had for a mother.

Married in Vegas to a virtual stranger. Brilliant example she was setting for her impressionable young daughter. Shame on her. No doubt her parents would remind her of that over and over.

I just read that you married Slade Sain! Is that true? Hello, girlfriend, have you been holding out on me? I didn’t know you two were an item and I’m your best friend!

“We need to talk.”

Clutching her phone, Taylor spun at Slade’s words. “You need to get out of my room.”

“This is our room.”

“Get out,” she repeated.

“Taylor.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry I messed up. You’re right that I shouldn’t have said anything. Unfortunately, I did and I can’t take the words back.”

“I didn’t want anyone to know I married you!”

Something akin to hurt flickered across his face. “Not that I want to be married any more than you do, but am I such a loser that you’re ashamed of me?”

Surprised that he sincerely looked offended, Taylor sank onto the foot of the bed and sighed. “This is crazy. I don’t want to argue with you, Slade. I don’t want to say hurtful things. I don’t want you here. I don’t want to be married to you. I don’t want anyone to know. I don’t want to face our colleagues at this dinner tonight, knowing that they’re going to be watching us.”

“That’s a lot of ‘I don’t wants,’” he mused, his voice gentler than before. He knelt down on the floor in front of her. His eyes searched hers. “What is it you do want, Taylor?”

Although he wasn’t touching her, his nearness made her insides tremble. Probably from disgust that she’d married him. “To forget this ever happened and to not be married to you of all people.”

“Of all people? Ouch.”

“I’m sorry if I’m wounding your ego, but don’t pretend that it’s anything more than that,” she pointed out, wishing he’d move away from her. How was she supposed to not look at him when he was right there, kneeling in front of her? “Yes, we had sex together and it was good. But we aren’t in love and we won’t ever be. This was a mistake and what’s worse is that it’s now a public mistake.” Oh, how she hated that anyone knew how big a mistake she’d made. “And above all else I don’t want Gracie to find out.”

Confusion furrowed his brows. “Who’s Gracie?”

She might as well tell him. “My daughter.”

Shock registered on his face and for a moment she thought his knees were going to give way. “You have a daughter?”

“Yes, I have a daughter.” She snorted. Just as well Slade wasn’t the man of her dreams, because his reaction to the news of Gracie would have killed any chance he had.

Face a little blanched, he shook his head. “You don’t have a kid.”

He sounded so confident in his immediate response that Taylor wanted to laugh. Only she wasn’t feeling very amused at the moment. She was feeling crowded with him so close to her and annoyed at his reaction.

“Sure I do.” She narrowed her gaze, hoping he’d take the hint at how much she disliked him. “Perhaps you noticed the stretch marks along my hips last night when we were...” Her cheeks heated. Crazy after the things they’d done the night before that she couldn’t bring herself to say the word sex.

But whereas she was annoyed, his expression remained shocked. “You have a beautiful body, Taylor.” His tone was as gentle as it had been before, but there was a dazed look to his eyes. “And no more stretch marks than other women have with fluctuations in weight of a few pounds.”

He would know.

Ugh. She hated it that her mind went to him with other women. But, then, he did go through women just as fast as Kyle had, so why wouldn’t her mind go there? He was a player. A player she had married and was going to divorce.

“Puh-lease.” She didn’t even attempt to hide her sarcasm. “I’ve given birth. I know my body changes. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but get real.”

“You have a beautiful body, Taylor,” he repeated, so matter-of-fact that something cracked deep inside even if his words only meant he hadn’t really looked at her.

“The body of a woman who has had a baby. If you’d paid attention last night, you’d have realized that.”

He ignored her snap, stood and paced across the room. When he turned to look at her, he didn’t meet her eyes. “When?”

“Gracie is six.”

The skin on his face pulled tight. His jaw worked back and forth in a slow grind. “The guy in medical school?”

She nodded and couldn’t hold in her bitterness. How dared Slade look at her with accusation in his eyes? He had no right to judge her! “Give the man a prize. Of course he’s Gracie’s father. I told you he was the only man I’d ever been with.”

“There are other ways women become mothers, Taylor,” he pointed out, his voice level and patient, even though color stained his cheeks at her outburst. “A strong, successful woman like yourself may have decided to have a child and sought a fertility clinic, for all I know.”

Strong, successful woman? Ha, what she really wanted to do at the moment was curl up into a ball and cry. How strong and successful was that?

“Because, like I’ve said, you don’t know me. This just proves my point.”

His jaw flexed again. “A point I tried to correct on numerous occasions, but you didn’t want to let me know you.”

“Of course I don’t want to let you know me. You’ve ruined my life.” She was crying now. She didn’t want to cry, but from the moment he’d made his comment about his “wife” during their presentation and her phone had started vibrating in her bag, she’d wanted to cry. There was no more holding the tears back. Yep, strong and successful, that was so her. Just ask her parents.

“Please, don’t cry, Taylor.” He sounded almost as lost as she felt. “I want to make you smile, not cry.”

The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of him, but she couldn’t make the tears stop. She cried for her parents and how embarrassed they were going to be by her. Again. She cried for Gracie and how her mother’s moment of stupidity would affect her. And she cried for herself, that she’d been so easily led astray after six years of living an exemplary life.

“Tell me what I can do to make things better.”

“Go away,” she immediately informed him.

He stared at her for long moments then gave a slight nod of his head. “I’m sorry I’ve upset you, Taylor. I’ll go for now. I have a meeting at noon anyway, but I will be back later to change for dinner. I hope you’ll be ready to talk, because whether we like it or not we are married, people do know and we need a game plan on how best to deal with this so that it has the least negative impact on both our lives.”