“Umm, thank you.”
Clearing his throat, he continued on his way to his room. “Guess the next time I see you will be at the chapel.”
“Yep, I’ll be there.”
CHAPTER 10
Charlotte checked her purse one last time to ensure the ring she’d purchased for Gage was safely ensconced in the inside pocket as the car made its way down the road toward the wedding chapel. They hadn’t discussed wedding rings; she would give him the option of wearing it, and if he decided he didn’t want to, she’d deal with returning the ring when she got back to Houston.
But she hoped he would, and that he’d like it.
“Here we are.” The driver’s voice broke through her thoughts.
The cute white chapel didn’t look tacky—it looked more like an old-fashioned church you might find in a small country town. Gage had chosen well.
Her door was opened for her and she stepped out, taking the hand the driver extended, making sure he didn’t step on her long dress. Her initial plan had been to get something simple, a dress she could wear again if necessary. That plan had changed. The moment Charlotte had seen this dress in the bridal boutique window down the street from her apartment, she knew it was perfect for her. The strapless dress had a sweetheart neckline that hinted at cleavage without being too “in your face.” It fell in a straight column until it fanned out just below her knees. The woman in the store had called it a mermaid-style dress. Charlotte didn’t care—she only knew that once she had it on, she knew it was her dress.
Now she adjusted the crystal-encrusted belt that matched the headband in her hair. Her drop diamanté earrings kissed her cheek when she moved her head. She wore her mother’s diamond necklace to finish the outfit. She felt elegant … like a bride.
The driver walked her up the path, and someone held open the door to the chapel for her.
“Ahh, here’s our bride,” an older woman gushed. “I’m Ruth, and welcome to Ruth and Phil’s Wedding Chapel.”
Charlotte noticed they were in a reception area. Gage was nowhere to be seen. He was here, wasn’t he?
As if sensing her question, Ruth clucked her tongue. “Don’t you worry, dear. Your man is through those doors there, and he’s looking as nervous as you.”
A little giggle erupted from Charlotte, startling her—she never giggled. She took a deep breath to get her emotions under control. “Right, thanks. So, umm, do I just go through?” she asked.
“Not yet, dear. Let’s let him sweat for a little bit. Besides, you need a bouquet before you go in there. Can’t get married without one. Now, come with me and I’ll show you what we have available.”
Ruth took her by the arm and led her to a small area where various flower bouquets rested in small glass vases. There were bouquets of roses and lilies, roses only, lilies only—so many to choose from. Finally, she settled on a posy of brightly colored spring flowers.
“Perfect choice. Now, are you ready to get married?”
The enormity of what was about to happen suddenly hit her. When she walked through those double doors, she would be saying good-bye to her single life. Whether the marriage was for convenience or for love—her and Gage’s lives was about to change.
Was she ready for that? Was she ready to share a space with a man she’d known for less than a month and could say she’d only liked for about fifteen minutes during that time?
The door opened and a man stepped out. Before the door shut she caught sight of Gage’s back. He wore a black suit, and he was checking his watch. She smiled.
Yes.
Yes, she was ready to do whatever it took to get a green card.
“Are you ready here, Ruth?” the man who walked through the door asked.
“Just a minute, Phil.” Ruth turned to Charlotte. “You alright, dear?”
“Yes.” Perhaps the more times she said yes, the more times she’d convince herself it would all be worth it in the end.
“Splendid,” Phil said. “I’ll get back inside to the anxious groom.”
The butterflies from earlier migrated back into her stomach as the sound of Wagner’s “Wedding March” filled the chapel. The doors were flung open, and Charlotte took a small step until she stood on the threshold between the foyer and the wedding sanctuary.
Gage turned around, a serious look on his face. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance, and a slow, sexy smile broke out across his face. He mouthed the word “wow” as she started her measured walk down the aisle.
Their eyes never left each other, and to anyone observing, they probably looked like they were in love. Maybe they could pull off the whole in-love thing after all, convince Gage’s family and hers that this was a match made in heaven, and not a match made in an office. The moment she reached his side, Gage slipped his arm through one of hers.
“You look breathtaking,” he whispered in her ear.
It was impossible to hold back the ripple of awareness storming through her body.
“So do you.” The image of Gage in a tuxedo would be permanently imprinted on her mind. He looked even better in his tux in real life than he had in the dream she’d had after they’d danced at the Silver Spurs.
“Are you two ready?” asked Phil.
“Yes,” they responded simultaneously.
The next few minutes passed in a blur for Charlotte. She responded when she was supposed to. Repeated vows when asked.
“Do you both have rings you’d like to exchange?” Phil asked.
“I do,” Gage replied.
“Umm, so do I.”
Because they were holding hands facing each other, she couldn’t miss Gage’s surprise.
She cleared her throat. “But if you don’t want to wear it, it’s fine. I just thought…” She was unsure what to say next. She hadn’t consciously thought she’d buy Gage a wedding band when she walked into the jewelers, but as she walked around the store she decided she would buy him one. She had been starting to lose hope of ever finding anything that would fit Gage’s personality when she spied the acid-etched ring. With the whole center of the ring seeming to have been eaten away, it was rough but it had the smooth edges of a traditional band. She had arranged for a small black agate stone to be placed in the band. Black, to signify the color of the oil he worked so hard to find.
Gage squeezed her hands. “I’ll be happy to wear it.”
Phil and the chapel faded into the background, forgotten, as they looked at each other. Could Gage read the warring emotions in her eyes? It might have started out as a marriage ceremony for the express purpose of helping her obtain her green card, but with each passing minute it was becoming more and more real to her.
And it would be disastrous if she fell into that abyss. This was no fairy tale, where they’d wake up one morning and realize they’d been in love the whole time. No, this was an arrangement—an arrangement that would benefit the both of them.
She had no idea how long they stood there, holding hands, emotions and desires swirling between them.
“May I have the rings?” Phil asked.
“Oh, yes.” Charlotte freed her hands from Gage’s hold to get her purse where she’d placed it on the altar with her bouquet while she and Gage said their vows. With swift movements she opened the purse, extracted the ring, and placed it on the book Phil held out. Her breath caught at the sight of two other rings already resting on the pages.
Phil said a few words of blessing before he encouraged Gage to pick up the rings to place on her finger.
“Repeat after me, Gage. With these rings, I thee wed.”
Gage slipped the diamond-encrusted band and diamond solitaire ring onto her finger. The central stone had to be at least two carats and was stunning. The fit was a little loose but not enough that they were going to slip off. She’d get them resized once she returned to Houston. “With these rings, I thee wed.”
“Now, Charlotte, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
With shaking fingers she pick
ed up Gage’s ring. She really hoped she’d gotten the size right. The design of the ring didn’t lend itself to being resized easily.
Breathing deeply, she said the words that sealed her fate and slid the ring home.
“By the power vested in me and the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your beautiful bride, Gage.”
Oh God, the kiss. In the back of her mind, she’d known that they’d have to do this. How ironic that their first kiss was to be one that sealed their marriage. Would he kiss her on the cheek? On the lips? Would it be a short kiss or a long kiss? What if he kissed like a wet fish?
Gage closed the gap between them and cupped either side of her face. His touch warmed her cheeks.
“Hi, Mrs. Cooper,” he whispered before he melded their lips together. He sipped slowly at her lips, encouraging her to open beneath him. The jolt of desire zipping through her took all sensible thought process away. Acting on instinct, she opened to let him in. As quickly as it started, though, the kiss was over, leaving her wanting more. More of his kisses. More of his touches. More Gage.
Shit, she would be in too deep if she let that happen. She had to keep it casual.
“Well, I have some documents for you to sign, and then I’ll get Ruth to take some snaps for you so you have some happy memories. You make such a lovely couple.”
Phil bustled off to get the necessary papers.
Charlotte touched the rings on her fingers, their weight a little foreign to her.
“I wasn’t sure if you preferred a cluster setting or a solitaire. I ended up going for the solitaire because it looks elegant. I thought it would suit you better. If you don’t like them, we can exchange them.”
“Gage, they’re beautiful. Far more than I expected to receive from you.” She reached out and touched the ring she’d placed on his finger. “Same goes for you. I know you said you’d wear it, but if you’d prefer not to wear a ring, I’m okay with that. We didn’t really talk about rings, did we?”
“I said it before, but in case you need to hear it again, I’m happy to wear the ring. It’s different and I like different. What is the black stone?”
She moved back, breaking the contact between them. “It’s black agate. I wanted to get something that symbolizes you.” She briefly touched the smooth edge of the ring before running her finger over the rough surface. “Smooth on the outside, but complex on the inside. The stone is my way of acknowledging your passion for oil.”
“I’m complex, am I?”
“Well, aren’t we all? But yes, I do believe you are complex, and I’ve only seen the shiny surface. I’ve not seen the ragged depths that have molded you. I think there is so much more I could learn about you.”
If her words upset him, he didn’t show it. No one liked to have their character questioned, and while she didn’t actually question him, she did truly sense there was something behind Gage’s motivation to succeed. But did it really matter to her if she found out all his secrets?
A clearing of a throat behind them broke the spell surrounding them. Charlotte turned and saw Phil, papers in his hand.
“Time to get the formalities over and done with, and then you can begin your married life. Ruth has been taking photos, and let me say, she has got some lovely shots of you both. You can have your formal shots taken after we’ve dealt with this.”
She looked over her shoulder; there in the corner stood Ruth with a digital camera in her hand. Charlotte had been so focused on Gage, she hadn’t noticed.
“If you write down your e-mail addresses, I’ll make sure to send you a link to them so you can download your favorites,” Ruth offered.
A half hour later they walked outside, officially Mr. and Mrs. Gage Cooper.
The car that had driven her to the chapel was still parked out front, the driver leaning against it looking at his phone. He looked up when they approached and smiled.
“Congratulations,” he commented as he opened the door. “Back to the hotel?”
“Thank you,” Gage acknowledged. “And yes, back to the hotel.”
The car had seemed so big when she’d been the only one in the backseat. With Gage occupying the seat next to her, the space appeared to reduce in size. It was a silly notion because the interior of the limo was spacious. But Gage’s masculine energy pulsed around the space, filling it until it seemed like she was driving in one of those tiny smart cars.
All of a sudden it hit her: The last hour and a half hadn’t been a dream. She really was married to a man she had nothing in common with.
CHAPTER 11
Gage’s palms were sweaty as he reached into his pocket to extract the key to their suite. The concierge had seen them arrive, so by now the celebration dinner and champagne he’d ordered before he’d left for the chapel should be all set up on the balcony. Food would be resting in warming trays, champagne chilling in a bucket of ice.
“So, Mrs. Cooper, welcome to our little home away from home.”
Mrs. Cooper.
That was the second time. He didn’t know why he felt the need to reinforce their marital status by calling her that. Hell, she probably wouldn’t even legally change her name. Why would she, when their marriage was only temporary?
“Thank you, and come to think of it, we haven’t discussed our living arrangements yet, have we?”
That was true. They’d talked about flights and marriage license requirements, but they hadn’t discussed what would happen after they tied the knot. He assumed they’d move into his condo together. He was sure Charlotte’s company wasn’t paying for her to live in a penthouse like he did.
“Let’s talk about it on the flight home tomorrow. This is our wedding night. We’re in Vegas. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
Charlotte looked like she wanted to argue with him, but he placed a finger over her lips. “Later, Red. Besides, dinner is getting cold.”
Taking her hand, he led her through the living room and entered his bedroom. He spoke before Charlotte could even say anything. “I’m not trying to be presumptuous. To get to our dinner location, we have to go through the bedroom.”
“I believe you.”
With a flourish he opened the balcony door. The sight that greeted them was more than what he’d expected. The staff had gone all out to make the dinner as romantic as possible.
“Wow, Gage, this is beautiful, and look at the Strip. It’s so vibrant.”
The table sat in the middle of the balcony, a white tablecloth covering it. In the center sat a small flower arrangement with a large pillar candle burning brightly. The silverware gleamed in the fading light of the setting sun.
He walked over to a seat and pulled it out. “Are you ready to eat?”
The fabric from her dress whispered seductively as she walked past him and sat. His body throbbed in anticipation of perhaps getting lucky enough to see what she had on beneath her gorgeous bridal dress. A foolish notion. There was no way he was going to get lucky for the next twelve months—unless he could get her to change her mind about the no sleeping together clause.
He sat opposite her and reached for the bottle of champagne to pour some into the flutes sitting on the table. Once he placed the bottle back in the bucket, he picked up his glass and held it high.
“You look beautiful, Charlotte, and your wedding dress is stunning. I’m a very lucky man. Here’s to the beautiful woman I now get to call my wife.”
He waited for Charlotte to raise her glass. She didn’t. He lowered his glass. “Come on, Charlotte. I’m trying to make the best of the situation. Would you rather I raise a toast to hoping we don’t kill each other in the next twelve months? It would be just as true.”
“I don’t know. What is going on between us, Gage?”
He blew out a breath. “The terms of our agreement haven’t changed. We’re married. The next step is getting you a green card.”
“I understand all of that. But that toast … it seemed … well, too personal. It was a toast a man in lo
ve with his wife would say, not business partners.”
“Well, we’re not truly just business partners, are we? Charlotte, no matter what happens over the next twelve months between us, there are going to be situations where we’re going to have to look like we love each other. Business dinners with prospective clients of mine. In front of my family. In front of your family. Do you want everyone to think we made a rash decision and that we can’t stand each other?”
“Isn’t that what we did? Didn’t we just make a rash decision?”
Gage took a swallow of his champagne. He’d made plenty of rash decisions in the past. Decisions that had cost him his college education and football career. He didn’t think this was one of them. He knew at the end of the day he was getting the land. He’d made plans on what he was going to do with that property. He’d wanted to do it while Dad was alive so he could see that his youngest son wasn’t a loser. Now Dad was dead and his chance to prove his worth to him was gone. But it wasn’t gone from proving to his brothers he wasn’t just a punk kid who threw away a great opportunity when it presented itself.
“No, we didn’t. We made a decision that would benefit the both of us. How about we toast to this instead?” He raised his champagne glass again. “To the both of us getting what we want.”
He relaxed when Charlotte raised her glass and tapped it against his.
“Let’s eat.” Gage pushed back from the table and went over to the warming cart in the corner. Using a folded tea towel, he set a plate down in front of Charlotte before going back and getting his own.
As he cut into his steak, he remembered his first glimpse of Charlotte as she stood in the doorway of the chapel. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but a wedding gown wasn’t it. He’d been struck dumb by the way her dress hugged her every curve, and when she started walking toward him, he had to stop himself from striding down the aisle, scooping her up in his arms, and kissing her senseless. His instant reaction to her dressed as a bride baffled him. They merely tolerated each other. Their toast confirmed that. Still, he’d been very controlled with their first kiss as husband and wife. Their first kiss ever.
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